DERR Geology and Ground Water Support

The Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization (DERR) Geologist Group provides support for geologic and ground water issues related to the investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites, including:  

  • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C facility corrective actions and closures
  • Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) sites and federal facilities
  • State-lead remedial response sites, properties regulated under Ohio’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP) and brownfield properties

The DERR Geologist Group advances Ohio EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment through the development of regulatory and technical guidance that facilitates the investigation, regulation and remediation of chemical and petroleum hazards in ground water, soil and other environmental media.

The DERR Geologist Group maintains Ohio EPA’s Technical Guidance Manual (TGM) for Hydrogeologic Investigations and Ground Water Monitoring. The TGM is an agency-wide guidance document that provides technical recommendations for regulatory issues involving geologic and ground water concerns at potential or known pollution sources. The TGM promotes consistency across Ohio EPA’s various regulatory programs and informs the regulated community of the Agency’s technical recommendations and their scientific bases.

The following Ohio EPA divisions share and support the TGM: DERR, the Division of Material and Waste Management (DMWM), the Division of Drinking and Ground Waters (DDAGW), the Division of Surface Water (DSW) and the Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance (DEFA). In Ohio, the authority over pollution sources that impact land and water is shared among these Ohio EPA divisions as well as other state and local agencies, including but not limited to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and local health departments.

Monitoring Wells

Monitoring Well Installation, Maintenance and Decommissioning
Regulations and Resources

Ohio EPA’s Technical Guidance Manual for Hydrogeologic Investigations and Ground Water Monitoring (TGM) provides guidance on monitoring well installation and decommissioning (or sealing) to help the regulated community comply with Ohio EPA’s monitoring well regulations.  The TGM is applicable to the RCRA, Voluntary Action Program (VAP) and the Remedial Response programs.  In addition to Ohio EPA’s requirements, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) requires the submission of well logs for all newly installed monitoring wells and well sealing reports for all decommissioned monitoring wells.  The person who installs or decommissions the monitoring well is responsible for filing the well logs and well sealing reports for the well owner (property owner).

Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Rule 3745-9-03 for monitoring wells requires that damaged monitoring wells be repaired or sealed and that monitoring wells that are no longer used shall be sealed using guidance from the TGM or other standards adopted by the director.  These requirements apply not only to monitoring wells installed for Ohio EPA’s regulatory programs, but any monitoring well or test boring that penetrates an aquifer in Ohio for any purpose.

Ohio EPA

  • TGM Chapters for Monitoring Well Installation, Maintenance and Decommissioning
  • RCRA Program Monitoring Well Rules
    • OAC Rule 3745-54-15 applies to all monitoring wells that are part of a RCRA ground water monitoring system.  The rule discusses monitoring equipment (including wells), maintenance, and inspection requirements.
    • OAC Rule 3745-54-97 applies to monitoring wells that are part of a RCRA Final Standards ground water monitoring system.  The rule discusses requirements for number, location, depth, representativeness of background and downgradient water quality, construction and maintenance of the RCRA wells.
    • OAC Rule 3745-65-91 applies to monitoring wells that are part of a RCRA Interim Standards ground water monitoring system.  The rule discusses requirements for number, location, depth, representativeness of background and downgradient water quality, construction, and maintenance of the RCRA wells.
  • Voluntary Action Program (VAP) Monitoring Well Rules
    • OAC Rule 3745-300-07, Phase II Property Assessment applies to monitoring wells installed for VAP investigations and incorporates Ohio EPA’s TGM by reference.  The rule discusses monitoring well location, depth, construction and maintenance and provides construction criteria for wells installed to perform aquifer yield testing.
    • OAC Rule 3745-300-11(B), Remediation – Compliance with Other Laws requires a VAP property owner to comply with OAC Rule 3745-9-03 for well maintenance and decommissioning and ODNR requirements for monitoring wells (submission of well log and well sealing reports).
  • Remedial Response Program Monitoring Well Requirements
    • Ohio EPA requires responsible parties to investigate and clean-up contamination at remedial response sites through findings and orders issued by the Director (DFFOs)  under Ohio Revised Code Sections 3734.13, 3734.20, 6111.03, and 3745.01, or through judicial consent decrees  These DFFOs and consent decrees typically include reference to the TGM as a technical guidance with respect to ground water monitoring and sampling activities, including the installation, maintenance and decommissioning of monitoring wells.  (The TGM is also applicable at U.S. EPA National Priority List and Federal Facilities CERCLA clean-up sites.)   

Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources

State Coordinating Committee on Ground Water

Technical Guidance Manual (TGM)
for Hydrogeologic Investigations and Ground Water Monitoring

TGMThe TGM identifies technical considerations for performing hydrogeologic investigations and ground water monitoring at potential or known ground water contamination plumes and source areas. The TGM’s purpose is to promote the collection of representative hydrogeologic data that meeting project data quality objectives by sharing Ohio EPA’s technical recommendations with the regulated community. The TGM helps ensure regulatory consistency across the regulated community and within Ohio EPA, as well as informing the regulated community of the scientific bases for Ohio EPA’s technical recommendations.

Under Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program, phase II property assessment sampling activities investigating ground water contamination need to follow the TGM per OAC 3745-300-07(F)(6)(d)(viii)(b). For Ohio EPA’s other regulatory programs, the TGM provides guidance to help the regulated community comply with laws, rules, regulations and policy.

Guidance describes recommended practices and is used to support regulatory decisions regarding compliance. A regulated entity may use alternate methods to collect information and data to satisfy a regulatory program. However, Ohio EPA may require the regulated entity to demonstrate that the alternate methods produce information and data that meet pertinent regulatory requirements. Ohio EPA recognizes that the procedures used to meet data quality objectives should be designed to address applicable regulatory requirements, project needs and site-specific conditions or circumstances.

The TGM consists of a series of chapters that were originally published in 1995. The chapters are periodically updated, and the most current versions can be downloaded from “Technical Guidance Manual Chapters” below. Current versions include a summary of the major changes from the last revision date. All previous versions are available for reference (see “Archives” section below).

Chapters

Technical Guidance Manual Chapters

Note: Chapter 1 (Introduction) and Chapter 2 (Regulatory Authority) are no longer part of the TGM series of documents. Chapter 1 provided a list of authorities for various pollution sources. This information can be found in Ohio EPA’s fact sheet "Getting to Know Ohio EPA." Chapter 2 provided a regulatory overview of Ohio EPA’s programs that may require ground water monitoring and/or hydrogeologic investigations. Information regarding Ohio EPA’s regulatory programs and ground water related rules and guidance are available on the DDAGW, DERR and DMWM internet pages.

**See U.S. EPA’s Statistical Analysis of Groundwater Monitoring Data at RCRA Facilities-Unified Guidance, March 2009 for ground water statistical guidance.

TGM Supplements

Archives

Archived versions of the Technical Guidance Manual for Hydrogeologic Investigations and Ground Water Monitoring (TGM)

This page provides links to older versions of the TGM are provided in the event that they are applicable to a particular program rule. For example the TGM is cited in the following rule; therefore, the TGM version available at the time when the rule was promulgated is associated with that rule.
 

Archived TGM Documents

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Annual GW Reports

RCRA Ground Water Reports (Annual and Other)
The following documents are provided to assist owner/operators in meeting the submittal requirements for RCRA ground water results. These formats, while required for Supplemental Annual Groundwater Reports, may also be used for other ground water submittals. The required formats for Interim Status (OAC 3745-65-90 through 94) and Final Standards (OAC 3745-54-90 through 101) are generic and should not change radically from year to year. Supplemental Annual Report Sections 1 through 5 are to be submitted in an Excel Workbook. An example completed Excel Workbook has been provided. Sections 6 through 10 may be optional depending upon the monitoring program and statistical requirements. The Master Parameter List is to be used in naming the parameters on the Excel Workbook.

Ohio EPA is compiling all RCRA groundwater data into a database using the excel workbook structure. Therefore, submittal of any groundwater data should be in this format.

Ohio EPA is required by U.S.EPA to perform data validation on 10% of the groundwater data submitted. DERR developed the Data Validation Manual and Tier I & II Checklists to assist staff in reviewing data. Groundwater data submittals must include sufficient information to allow Ohio EPA DERR-GW staff to complete the Tier I checklist.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Jeffrey Martin
Program Administrator
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-2294
Email: jeffrey.martin@epa.ohio.gov

Permits

RCRA Permits with Groundwater Modules
The following documents are provided to assist in developing a Part B Permit Module including ground water monitoring. Model Permit Module G.v1 is to be used for Unit-Specific ground water monitoring. Model Permit Module G.v2 is for Integrated or site-wide groundwater monitoring.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Jeffrey Martin
Program Administrator
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-2294
Email: jeffrey.martin@epa.ohio.gov

Statistics

Statistics
The following are provided to assist Ohio EPA staff and the public in understanding and development of statistical workplans, evaluations and reports based upon the RCRA Final Standards/Interim Status rules.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Jeffrey Martin
Program Administrator
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-2294
Email: jeffrey.martin@epa.ohio.gov

ACL Guidance

ACL Guidance
U.S. EPA has developed an Alternative Concentration Limit (ACL) guidance for RCRA Corrective Action sites. This document is provided with Ohio EPA's ACL guidance (below) to assist Ohio EPA staff and the regulated community in preparing and reviewing ACL demonstrations submitted to meet the requirements of OAC Rule 3745-54-94.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Jeffrey Martin
Program Administrator
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-2294
Email: jeffrey.martin@epa.ohio.gov

Closure Plan Review Guidance for RCRA Facilities

Closure Plan Review Guidance for RCRA Facilities

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Jeffrey Martin
Program Administrator
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-2294
Email: jeffrey.martin@epa.ohio.gov

Voluntary Action Program (VAP)

Ohio EPA’s Remedial Response Program and U.S. EPA’s CERCLA (Superfund) Program

Ohio EPA requires responsible parties to investigate and clean-up contamination at Remedial Response (state-lead CERCLA) sites through findings and orders issued by the Director (DFFOs) under Ohio Revised Code Sections 3734.13, 3734.20, 6111.03, and 3745.01, or through judicial consent decrees.  These DFFOs and consent decrees typically include reference Ohio EPA’s Technical Guidance Manual for Hydrogeologic Investigations and Ground Water Monitoring (TGM) as a technical guidance with respect to geologic and ground water investigation activities.  The TGM is also applicable at U.S. EPA National Priority List (Superfund) and Federal Facilities CERCLA clean-up sites where Ohio EPA acts as a supporting agency.  In addition to the TGM, the following guidance documents and resources are available for Remedial Response/CERCLA site investigation and remediation:   

Ohio EPA Remedial Response Guidance Documents and Resources:

U.S. EPA CERCLA (Superfund) Guidance Documents and Resources:

DERR SITE Navigation LINKS

DERR Contacts for Geology and Ground Water Support

  • Program Administrator

Jeffrey Martin
Program Administrator
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-2294
Email: jeffrey.martin@epa.ohio.gov

  • Ohio EPA's Voluntary Action Program (VAP), Technical Guidance Manual (TGM), Federal (Superfund/CERCLA) Remedial Response Sites and State-Lead Remedial Response Sites

Doug Switzer
Geologist 4
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-3127
Email: doug.switzer@epa.ohio.gov

  • Hazardous waste facilities under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Jeffrey Martin
Program Administrator
DERR-GW Central Office
Phone: (614) 644-2294
Email: jeffrey.martin@epa.ohio.gov

 

Questions concerning ground water conditions at a particular regulated site or facility should be directed to DERR district staff as appropriate.

 

 A revised DRAFT update of Chapter 5: Monitoring Well Placement of the Technical Guidance Manual for Hydrogeologic Investigations and Ground Water Monitoring (TGM) has been posted below:

  • TGM-05_Final_Draft_20201104 [.docx]
  • Comments will be accepted for Chapter 5 from Ohio EPA staff and external parties until January 8, 2021.

Please send comments to:

Doug Switzer
Ohio EPA
Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization
50 West Town Street, STE. 700
PO Box 1049
Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049
Email: doug.switzer@epa.ohio.gov

 

 

Geology and Ground Water Support - Other Ohio EPA Divisions