Detection of Buried Waste Using Terrain Conductivity and Magnetometer Surveys in Variable Terrain and Conditions

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ)-Remediation Services Division (RSD) contracted geophysical surveys at a site in Louisiana. There have been three instances of the discovery of hazardous waste drums buried on the site. The geophysical survey was designed specifically to detect potential buried drums to a depth of up to 15 feet below the ground surface (ftbgs). Aspects of the project included gaining property title information, executing access agreements, land surveying and geophysical surveys in an attempt to identify additional suspected drum burial locations. The site consists of 64 acres of property subdivided into 23 tracts of land owned by various landowners. One owner formerly operated this property or portions thereof, as a farm and a waste disposal site. Available evidence indicates that wastes were disposed by burial in containers (drums). Two sites in particular were excavated following the current property owner’s discovery of drums while excavating for a new home. EM31 and magnetometer surveys were conducted over the site containing one-third-rice paddy, one-third active swampy pasture, and the remainder containing residences, heavy vegetation and the farm buildings. This paper discusses the objective of the geophysical surveys, the geophysical equipment, survey logistics, problems encountered, data collection and processing procedures and the survey results.