MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY
HANCOCK BIOLOGICAL
STATION
Groundwater Protection Program
(401 KAR 5:037)
Summer 2010
Office of Environmental Safety and Health
Department for Facilities Management
MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY
Hancock Biological Station
Groundwater Protection Plan 2010
Introduction
The following Groundwater Protection Plan (GPP) addresses the
Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Cabinet of Natural Resources Regulation 401
KAR 5:037. This plan has been prepared using knowledge of the site and
current conditions.
Facility Location and Mailing Address
Hancock Biological Station
561 Emma Drive
Murray, Kentucky 42071
The facility is located at the end of Emma Drive, due east off of HWY-641,
on the northeast side of Calloway County, Kentucky. The facility sits on a
peninsula on the west side of Kentucky Lake.
Ground Water Protection Plan Responsible Parties
Individual developing GPP
Jeff Steen, CHMM CET
Environmental Coordinator
Murray State University
615 Gilbert Grave Drive
Murray Kentucky 42071
Individual Implementing the GPP
Steve Bullington
Facility Operator
Hancock Biological Station
561 Emma Drive
Murray, Kentucky 42071
MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY
Hancock Biological Station
Groundwater Protection Plan 2010
Geological Survey Map / Long 88 degrees 07’30” / Lat 36 degrees 45’
MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY
Hancock Biological Station
Groundwater Protection Plan 2010
Facility Description
Hancock Biological Station is a biological research / teaching facility owned
by Murray State University. The stations main building is a two-story
structure approximately 20,000 square foot containing laboratories,
classrooms and offices. Additional buildings include ten small student
cabins, one shower house, four research cabins, a small maintenance
building, a boat storage shed, a floating dock, and a green house. The
complex sits on eighty acres consisting primarily of undeveloped wooded
acreage. The average number of people at the station per day is around
twelve.
The potable water comes from a well on the property that is maintained as
per 401 KAR Chapter 8, (PWS ID #0183334) and the wetland septic system
handles the waste generated per 401 KAR Chapter 5. The University’s
Office of Environmental Safety and Health is responsible for maintaining
the Hazardous Waste disposal for the station. The station is conditional
exempt small quantity hazardous waste generator as per 401 KAR: 32:10.
Activities with Potential to Pollute
Due to the nature of the research station, there is little potential for
groundwater to be polluted by site activities. The areas of potential pollution
of the groundwater are as follows:
1. There is a sewage lift station for four of the research cabins. If
this station should overflow, some sewage would leak out onto the
ground.
2. There are five gallons of gasoline stored in the maintenance
building for use in the lawn mower. This gasoline could be spilled
during fueling operations.
MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY
Hancock Biological Station
Groundwater Protection Plan 2010
3. There is a small amount of scintillation vials containing mildly
radioactive liquids used in research on the site in the laboratory. It
is highly unlikely that radioactive material could be spilled on the
grounds of the facility.
4. There is potential for researchers and students to pour laboratory
chemicals down the drain into the wetland. This potential is small,
supported by the fact that for years the wetland has continued to
operate.
5. There is a small amount of liquid chlorine kept on site used in the
drinking water system. It is added to the station's water supply by
an automated system located in the maintenance building. There is
potential for the small supply of liquid chlorine to leak onto the
concrete floor of the maintenance building.
Practices to Protect Groundwater from Pollution
1. A high water level electronic alarm is used to alert the operators of
the station if a lift pump failure occurs for the lift station serving
the four research cabins. This is checked monthly; however, the
alarm can be heard in the maintenance building, which is occupied
during daily operation.
2. Any gasoline spilled during the fueling of the lawn mower will be
immeadeitly cleaned up. The gas can will be kept in good
condition.
3. The waste sanitation vials use for research will be stored in a lined
fifty-five gallon drum. The drums will be moved from the research
facility to the small concert building used for storing the drums.
The drums will be kept inside and on a concrete floor to reduce the
amount of corrosion that is occurring. The drums will be inspected
quarterly for leaks. Damaged drums shall be replaced.
4. The researchers and student will be trained in the proper disposal
of chemical waste. They will be instructed not to drain hazardous
waste down the drain.
5. The chlorine and related apparatus used for the water supply will
be inspected weekly.
MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY
Hancock Biological Station
Groundwater Protection Plan 2010
Implementation Schedule
The practice indicated above for the prevention of ground water protection
has been in effect since the creation of the well head protection program the
summer of 1995. The elements of this GPP went into effect in 2001.
The elements of the GPP will be reviewed on an annual basis with the
faculty and staff of the research station. Students will receive training within
two weeks of arriving on site.
The training will consist of sources of ground water contamination, how to
prevent ground water contamination, and what actions to take if they
discover ground water contamination or the potential thereof.
Certification Statement:
I ___________________________ certify that this Groundwater Protection
Plan complies with the requirement of 401 KAR 5:037 to the best of my
understanding. I have read the terms of the plan and will implement its
provisions.