Can Contaminated Aquifers Restore Themselves?
The ability of the earth to heal itself of damage caused by our 20th-century industrial society is the topic of a special session at the spring meeting of the American Geophysical Union, May 26-29, in Boston, Mass. Papers presented at the session on the “Natural Restoration of Contaminated Aquifers” will describe natural processes that reduce the concentration of ground-water contaminants, such as sewage, hydrocarbons, metals, agricultural chemicals, and chlorinated compounds. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and others will discuss whether these naturally occurring processes can be relied on, by themselves or in conjunction with engineered systems, to restore contaminated aquifers for future use. Several presentations by USGS scientists will focus on natural restoration of a Cape Cod aquifer. Treated sewage was discharged into the aquifer for 60 years at the Massachusetts Military Reservation. The USGS has been monitoring the natural changes in hydrology and ground-wa
