In today’s presentation, the presenter described that water flows within the upper groundwater can only mix with water in the lower groundwater if there is a “hole” in the ‘shelf’ layer between. Even from a layman’s perspective, the airplane-view images provided for comparing the two zones and the ”shelf-like’ separation, that pathway appeared quite large–and that it could be a pathway of contaminates. Is this being studied? What is the status of such a report and when would its findings be presented and addressed?
Characterization of the refinery geology, hydrogeology, and extent of contamination, including study of the pathways that could exist, has been ongoing and is included in the RIRs. A fate and transport analysis will be prepared once all the RIRs have been approved, and the analysis will include model simulations of contaminant transport. This report is expected to be submitted by the end of 2021.