Bradalsmyra Test Center. Monitoring of metal concentrations in streams and groundwater during the period 2004-2019

Summary

Nammo Raufoss Test Center at Bradalsmyra tests new ammunition, established series products, rocket engines and other propulsion systems. The area of the test center is mainly drained by the stream Veltmannåa, but also by a smaller stream from the workshop area, as well as a stream that starts in a pond at rocket station and runs past the environmental testing facility and out of the field in a south-easterly direction. In 2016, a new station (St.10) was established in a stream that drains parts of the hill west of Veltmannåa. The purpose was to get an indication of naturally occurring concentrations of metals. In September 2018, a source tracing of zinc was performed at the eastern part of Bradalsmyra, indicating that the contribution from the workshop area (verkstedområdet) was lower than the estimated natural contribution of zinc from the area outside the test center. The pollution status in the streams is assessed in accordance with the applicable Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) and the Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratets) 5-part classification system for pollution status described in Guideline 02: 2018 for Classification of Environmental Condition in Water (Directorate Group for the implementation of the Water Directive, 2018. ... The results show that the activity at the test center has not contributed to significant contamination of metals in the streams as they flow out of the firing range. The monitoring carried out over 29 years is an important strength for this conclusion. The annual monitoring also has the advantage that any episodic emissions can be stopped early and prevent adverse effects on the biota downstream of the test center.