George Air Force Base.
Ground Water Contamination.
Thousands of Military personnel lived at George Air Force Base and their health was in danger. Who knew that Jet Fuel was leaking into the ground water or chemicals were contaminating the ground water. As soon as this was found out that was the end of George Air Force Base. This paper is on what caused the contamination, the impact it had, and what has been done to correct it.
George Air Force Base occupies 5,347 acres in the Mojave Desert region near Victorville. It was established in 1941 to conduct tactical fighter operations and provide training for aircraft and maintenance personnel. Industrial operations including maintenance of aircraft and ground support equipment involved use and disposal of solvents. The base closed in December of 1992. 63 potential acres of contamination have been identified at this facility. 15,400 people live within 3 miles of the base, and 11,000 people reside within 1 mile of the facility. .
The Mojave River flows east of George Air Force Base. Communities affected by the Mojave River include Adelanto, Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia, and Silver Lakes. The aquifers at the site are a shallow upper aquifer and a deeper Regional Aquifer separated by a Middle Clay/Silt Aquitard. The land in surrounding areas is used for residential, industrial, and commercial use. .
George Air Force Base includes the Northeast Disposal Area (NEDA), STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) Percolation Ponds, and the Industrial/Storm Drain. These sites consist of burial sites, landfill disposal sites, and spill liquid disposal sites. .
The STP Percolation Ponds, Site WP-26(S-21), consist of five wastewater treatment plant percolation ponds that were used from the early 1950's until 1980. The percolation ponds were used primarily for discharge of treated sanitary wastes, and may have also received waste soils and solvents from industrial shops.
