Conventional and combined pump-and-treat systems under nonuniform background flow

We investigate the performance of vertical hydraulic barriers in combination with extraction wells for the partial hydraulic isolation of contaminated aquifer areas. The potential advantage of such combinations compared to a conventional pump-and-treat system has already been demonstrated in a previous study. Here we extend the scope of the performance analysis to the impact of uncertainty in the regional flow direction as well as to highly heterogeneous aquifer transmissivity distributions. In addition, two new well-barrier scenarios are proposed and analyzed. The hydraulic efficiency of the scenarios is rated based on the expected (mean) reduction of the pumping rate that is required to achieve downgradient contaminant capture. The uncertain spatial distribution of aquifer transmissivity is considered by means of unconditioned Monte Carlo simulations. The significance of uncertain background flow conditions is incorporated by computing minimized pumping rates for deviations of the regional flow direction up to 30 degrees from a normative base case. The results give an answer on how pumping rates have to be changed for each barrier-well combination in order to achieve robust systems. It is exposed that in comparison to installing exclusively wells, the barrier-supported approach generally yields savings in the (average) pumping rate. The particular efficiency is shown to be highly dependent on the interaction of variance and integral scale of transmissivity distribution, well and barrier position, as well as direction of background flow.     

Estimating the Horizontal Gradient in Heterogeneous, Unconfined Aquifers: Comparison of Three-Point Schemes

At least two approaches may be used to estimate the horizontal components of the hydraulic gradient based on measured heads from three observation points. First, the gradient may be estimated by passing a plane through the measured heads (h-method). Second, if the elevation of the base of the aquifer is known to be spatially constant, an estimate of the gradient may be obtained using the squares of the measured heads (h²- method). In the present study, these methods are examined in application to a heterogeneous system. Using Monte Carlo analysis, we demonstrate that the magnitude of the gradient estimated via the h-method involved significant bias, which increased when the distance separating the wells increased. In contrast, bias in the estimated magnitude of the gradient based on the h²-method decreased with increasing separation among the wells. Estimation variances for both the magnitude and orientation of the gradient also decreased with separation distance. The variance in the orientation was observed to remain relatively high, however, even at relatively large separations among the wells (e.g., 10 integral scales). These results are Interpreted as implying that the best estimate of the gradient for steady flow in an unconfined aquifer is derived from the h²- method with the wells separated by significant distances. These results also demonstrate the uncertainty inherent in estimating the gradient based on limited field data.     

Application of ERT,Saline Tracer and Numerical Studies to Delineate Preferential Paths in Fractured Granites

Accurate quantification of in situ heterogeneity and flow processes through fractured geologic media remains elusive for hydrogeologists due to the complexity in fracture characterization and its multiscale behavior. In this research, we demonstrated the efficacy of tracer-electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) experiments combined with numerical simulations to characterize heterogeneity and delineate preferential flow paths in a fractured granite aquifer. A series of natural gradient saline tracer experiments were conducted from a depth window of 18 to 22 m in an injection well (IW) located inside the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad campus. Tracer migration was monitored in a time-lapse mode using two cross-sectional surface ERT profiles placed in the direction of flow gradient. ERT data quality was improved by considering stacking, reciprocal measurements, resolution indicators, and geophysical logs. Dynamic changes in subsurface electrical properties inferred via resistivity anomalies were used to highlight preferential flow paths of the study area. Temporal changes in electrical resistivity and tracer concentration were monitored along the vertical in an observation well located at 48 m to the east of the IW. ERT-derived tracer breakthrough curves were in agreement with geochemical sample measurements. Fracture geometry and hydraulic properties derived from ERT and pumping tests were further used to evaluate two mathematical conceptualizations that are relevant to fractured aquifers. Results of numerical analysis conclude that dual continuum model that combines matrix and fracture systems through a flow exchange term has outperformed equivalent continuum model in reproducing tracer concentrations at the monitoring wells (evident by a decrease in RMSE from 199 to 65 mg/L). A sensitivity analysis on model simulations conclude that spatial variability in hydraulic conductivity, local-scale dispersion, and flow exchange at fracture-matrix interface have a profound effect on model simulations.     

A spreadsheet method of estimating best-fit hydraulic gradients using head data from multiple wells

Hydraulic gradients from planar water tables, or piezometric surfaces, and horizontal flow regimes can be quickly and conveniently calculated from data sets involving numerous wells. The matrix-solving functions of a modem spreadsheet program (Excel) were used to determine the equation of a water-table plane, Ax + By + Cz - D = 0, and the equation coefficients were then used to determine the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient, according to gradient = square root of A2 + B2/C2, and its direction, according to alpha = arctan B/A, where alpha is the angle measured from the x-axis. A pre-prepared Excel file constructed to handle data from up to 20 wells at once is available for free downloading at www.geo.ku.edu/hydro/KUHydro.html.     

Local hydraulic gradient estimator analysis of long-term monitoring networks

Three measurements of head at unique locations form a three-point estimator of the local magnitude and orientation of the hydraulic gradient. The relative head measurement error (RHME) is defined here as the measurement error normalized by the head drop across the three-point estimator. Monte Carlo simulation results show that estimators with base to height ratios between 0.5 and 5.0 and that are large enough to keep the RHME below 0.05 create the most accurate gradient estimates and provide criteria for identifying good estimators. These criteria are applied to an example ground water monitoring network design problem in the Culebra dolomite near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant repository to both analyze temporal changes and modify and expand the current monitoring network. Limiting the three-point estimators to those that meet the shape and RHME criteria reduces the number of possible estimators by >50% and leads to approximately 1 order of magnitude decrease in the average estimated magnitude of the gradient relative to using all estimators. Application of these criteria also reduces the variability in estimated gradient magnitude and orientation between the two time periods of measurements. Redundant wells in the network are identified by removing each existing well in turn and determining which removals yield the smallest decrease in the number of acceptable estimators. Optimal new well locations are identified by mapping the increase in total number of acceptable estimators for a single new well placed in the study domain.     

Upscaling Point Velocity Measurements to Characterize a Glacial Outwash Aquifer

Small‐scale point velocity probe (PVP)‐derived velocities were compared to conventional large‐scale velocity estimates from Darcy calculations and tracer tests, and the possibility of upscaling PVP data to match the other velocity estimates was evaluated. Hydraulic conductivity was estimated from grain‐size data derived from cores, and single‐well response testing or slug tests of onsite wells. Horizontal hydraulic gradients were calculated using 3‐point estimators from all of the wells within an extensive monitoring network, as well as by representing the water table as a single best fit plane through the entire network. Velocities determined from PVP testing were generally consistent in magnitude with those from depth specific data collected from multilevel monitoring locations in the tracer test, and similar in horizontal flow direction to the average hydraulic gradient. However, scaling up velocity estimates based on PVP measurements for comparison with site‐wide Darcy‐based velocities revealed issues that challenge the use of Darcy calculations as a generally applicable standard for comparison. The Darcy calculations were shown to underestimate the groundwater velocities determined both by the PVPs and large‐scale tracer testing, in a depth‐specific sense and as a site‐wide average. Some of this discrepancy is attributable to the selective placement of the PVPs in the aquifer. Nevertheless, this result has important implications for the design of in situ treatment systems. It is concluded that Darcy estimations of velocity should be supplemented with independent assessments for these kinds of applications.     

Effects of experimental uncertainty on the calculation of hillslope flow paths

Measurement uncertainty is a key hindrance to the quantification of water fluxes at all scales of investigation. Predictions of soil‐water flux rely on accurate or representative measurements of hydraulic gradients and field‐state hydraulic conductivity. We quantified the potential magnitude of errors associated with the parameters and variables used directly and indirectly within the Darcy – Buckingham soil‐water‐flux equation. These potential errors were applied to a field hydrometric data set collected from a forested hillslope in central Singapore, and their effect on flow pathway predictions was assessed. Potential errors in the hydraulic gradient calculations were small, approximately one order of magnitude less than the absolute magnitude of the hydraulic gradients. However, errors associated with field‐state hydraulic conductivity derivation were very large. Borehole (Guelph permeameter) and core‐based (Talsma ring permeameter) techniques were used to measure field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity. Measurements using these two approaches differed by up to 3\9 orders of magnitude, with the difference becoming increasingly marked within the B horizon. The sensitivity of the shape of the predicted unsaturated hydraulic conductivity curve to ±5% moisture content error on the moisture release curve was also assessed. Applied moisture release curve error resulted in hydraulic conductivity predictions of less than ±0\2 orders of magnitude deviation from the apparent conductivity. The flow pathways derived from the borehole saturated hydraulic conductivity approach suggested a dominant near‐surface flow pathway, whereas pathways calculated from the core‐based measurements indicated vertical percolation to depth. Direct tracer evidence supported the latter flow pathway, although tracer velocities were approximately two orders of magnitude smaller than the Darcy predictions. We conclude that saturated hydraulic conductivity is the critical hillslope hydrological parameter, and there is an urgent need to address the issues regarding its measurement further. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Line-source multi-tracer test for assessing high groundwater velocity

Segmented line-source multi-tracer injection is suggested as an effective method for assessing groundwater velocities and flow directions in subsurfaces characterized by high water flux. Modifying the common techniques of injecting a tracer into a well became necessary after point-source natural and forced gradient tracer tests ended with no reliable information on the local groundwater flow. The tracer's line-source increases the likelihood of success of the test and could provide additional information regarding the lateral heterogeneity of the aquifer. In a field experiment conducted in the northwestern part on the Dead Sea coast, tracers were injected into an 8-m-long line injection system perpendicular to the assumed flow direction. The injection system was divided into four separate segments with four different tracers. An array of five boreholes located within a 10 × 10 m area downstream was used for monitoring the tracers' transport. Two dye tracers (uranine and Na naphthionate) were injected in a long pulse of several hours into two of the injection pipe segments. Two other tracers (Rhenium oxide and Gd-DTPA) were instantaneously injected into the other two segments. The tracers were detected 0.7 to 2.3 h after injection in four of the five observation wells, located 2.3 to 10 m away from the injection system. The groundwater velocity was determined to be ～80 to 170 m/d, based on the recoveries of the tracers. The groundwater flow direction was derived based on the arrival of the tracers and was found to be quite consistent with the apparent direction of the hydraulic gradient.     

Mass Discharge in a Tracer Plume: Evaluation of the Theissen Polygon Method

A tracer plume was created within a thin aquifer by injection for 299 d of two adjacent “sub‐plumes” to represent one type of plume heterogeneity encountered in practice. The plume was monitored by snapshot sampling of transects of fully screened wells. The mass injection rate and total mass injected were known. Using all wells in each transect (0.77 m well spacing, 1.4 points/m² sampling density), the Theissen Polygon Method (TPM) yielded apparently accurate mass discharge (M_d) estimates at three transects for 12 snapshots. When applied to hypothetical sparser transects using subsets of the wells with average spacing and sampling density from 1.55 to 5.39 m and 0.70 to 0.20 points/m², respectively, the TPM accuracy depended on well spacing and location of the wells in the hypothesized transect with respect to the sub‐plumes. Potential error was relatively low when the well spacing was less than the widths of the sub‐plumes (>0.35 points/m²). Potential error increased for well spacing similar to or greater than the sub‐plume widths, or when less than 1% of the plume area was sampled. For low density sampling of laterally heterogeneous plumes, small changes in groundwater flow direction can lead to wide fluctuations in M_d estimates by the TPM. However, sampling conducted when flow is known or likely to be in a preferred direction can potentially allow more useful comparisons of M_d over multiyear time frames, such as required for performance evaluation of natural attenuation or engineered remediation systems.     

Effect of spatial variation in hydraulic conductivity on groundwater flow by alternate solution techniques

The behaviour of an aquifer in which there is spatial variation in hydraulic conductivity is simulated by means of a Monte Carlo procedure. The lognormal function is used to model the distribution of conductivities. Thus variations in hydraulic head and specific discharge are studied. As an alternate technique a finite-difference technique is adopted for comparative purposes. The standard deviation of two-dimensional flows is related to the standard deviation of conductivity. Hence, an empirical probability distribution of flows is obtained by specific values of the variance in conductivities.     

Probabilistic risk assessment of contaminant transport in groundwater and vapour intrusion following remediation of a contaminant source

Community-scale simulations were performed to investigate the risk to groundwater and indoor air receptors downgradient of a contaminated site following the remediation of a long-term source. Six suites of Monte Carlo simulations were performed using a numerical model that accounted for groundwater flow, reactive solute transport, soil gas flow, and vapour intrusion in buildings. The model was applied to a three-dimensional, community-scale (250 m × 1000 m × 14 m) domain containing heterogeneous, spatially correlated distributions of the hydraulic conductivity, fraction of organic carbon, and biodegradation rate constant, which were varied between realizations. Analysis considered results from both individual realizations as well as the suite of Monte Carlo simulations expressed through several novel, integrated parameters, such as the probability of exceeding a regulatory standard in either groundwater or indoor air. Results showed that exceedance probabilities varied considerably with the consideration of biodegradation in the saturated zone, and were less sensitive to changes in the variance of hydraulic conductivity or the incorporation of heterogeneous distributions of organic carbon at this spatial scale. A sharp gradient in exceedance probability existed at the lateral edges of the plumes due to variability in lateral dispersion, which defined a narrow region of exceedance uncertainty. Differences in exceedance probability between realizations (i.e., due to heterogeneity uncertainty) were similar to differences attributed to changes in the variance of hydraulic conductivity or fraction of organic carbon. Simulated clean-up times, defined by reaching an acceptable exceedance probability, were found to be on the order of decades to centuries in these community-scale domains. Results also showed that the choice of the acceptable exceedance probability level (e.g., 1 vs. 5 %) would likely affect clean up times on the order of decades. Moreover, in the scenarios examined here, the risk of exceeding indoor air standards was greater than that of exceeding groundwater standards at all times and places. Overall, simulations of coupled transport processes combined with novel spatial and temporal quantification metrics for Monte Carlo analyses, provide practical tools for assessing risk in wider communities when considering site remediation.     

Characterization of groundwater contaminant source using Bayesian method

Contaminant source identification in groundwater system is critical for remediation strategy implementation, including gathering further samples and analysis, as well as implementing and evaluating different remediation plans. Such problem is usually solved with the aid of groundwater modeling with lots of uncertainty, e.g. existing uncertainty in hydraulic conductivity, measurement variance and the model structure error. Monte Carlo simulation of flow model allows the input uncertainty onto the model predictions of concentration measurements at monitoring sites. Bayesian approach provides the advantage to update estimation. This paper presents an application of a dynamic framework coupling with a three dimensional groundwater modeling scheme in contamination source identification of groundwater. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is being applied to infer the possible location and magnitude of contamination source. Uncertainty existing in heterogonous hydraulic conductivity field is explicitly considered in evaluating the likelihood function. Unlike other inverse-problem approaches to provide single but maybe untrue solution, the MCMC algorithm provides probability distributions over estimated parameters. Results from this algorithm offer a probabilistic inference of the location and concentration of released contamination. The convergence analysis of MCMC reveals the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Further investigation to extend this study is also discussed.     

Darcian Flow Characteristics Upgradient of a Kettle Pond Determined by Direct Ground Water Flow Measurement

In glacial outwash deposits, the movement of ground water Is determined by small scale irregularities in the pattern of hydraulic conductivity. Permeability determinations on split spoon samples obtained from coring the site are not sufficient to predict the patchiness of flow since it cannot define continuity of the strata. The lattice work pattern can be determined by vertical profiling with direct ground water flow measurement. The rate and direction of flow is combined with head gradient changes to compute hydraulic conductivity changes across the site.
The results of the tests can be plotted on triangular graphs depicting the fundamental Darcy equation. The local conditions reflect a mathematical "patchiness" of hydraulic conductivity unique to outwash deposits.
The procedure was employed to determine flow characteristics and define the zone of contribution to porous bottom kettle lakes. The zone of contribution was defined by projecting backward from the vertical profiling and shallow measurements and taking into account the daily rain water recharge rate across the site.
For the unconfined aquifer north of the pond, shallow ground water flow measurements were necessary to define the recharge portion of the shoreline. Vertical profiling was required to define the recharge volume since the rate of flow was not even with depth. A simple differential equation for determining the recharge area is presented along with the calculations.     

Tracer mass recovery in fractured aquifers estimated from multiple well tests

Forced-gradient tracer tests in fractured aquifers often report low mass recoveries. In fractured aquifers, fractures intersected by one borehole may not be intersected by another. As a result (1) injected tracer can follow pathways away from the withdrawal well causing low mass recovery and (2) recovered water can follow pathways not connected to the injection well causing significant tracer dilution. These two effects occur along with other forms of apparent mass loss. If the strength of the connection between wells and the amount of dilution can be predicted ahead of time, tracer tests can be designed to optimize mass recovery and dilution. A technique is developed to use hydraulic tests in fractured aquifers to calculate the conductance (strength of connection) between well pairs and to predict mass recovery and amount of dilution during forced gradient tracer tests. Flow is considered to take place through conduits, which connect the wells to each other and to distant sources or sinks. Mass recovery is related to the proportion of flow leaving the injection well and arriving at the withdrawal well, and dilution is related to the proportion of the flow from the withdrawal well that is derived from the injection well. The technique can be used to choose well pairs for tracer tests, what injection and withdrawal rates to use, and which direction to establish the hydraulic gradient to maximize mass recovery and/or minimize dilution. The method is applied to several tracer tests in fractured aquifers in the Clare Valley, South Australia.     

Time-related capture zones for radial flow in two dimensional randomly heterogeneous media

We consider the effect of randomly heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity on the spatial location of time-related capture zones (isochrones) for a non-reactive tracer in the steady-state radial flow field due to a pumping well in a confined aquifer. A Monte Carlo (MC) procedure is used in conjunction with FFT-based spectral methods. The log hydraulic conductivity field is assumed to be Gaussian and stationary, with isotropic exponential correlation. Various degrees of domain heterogeneity are considered and stability and accuracy of the MC procedure is examined. The location of an isochrone becomes uncertain due to heterogeneity, and it is strongly influenced by hydraulic conductivity variance. The probability that a particle released at a point in the aquifer is pumped by the well within a given time is identified. We propose a new expression for the probabilistic spatial distribution of isochrones, which is formally similar to the analytical solution for a uniform medium and takes into account the effects of heterogeneity.     

Stage‐dependent transient storage of phosphorus in alluvial floodplains

Models for contaminant transport in streams commonly idealize transient storage as a well mixed but immobile system. These transient storage models capture rapid (near‐stream) hyporheic storage and transport, but do not account for large‐scale, stage‐dependent interaction with the alluvial aquifer. The objective of this research was to document transient storage of phosphorus (P) in coarse gravel alluvium potentially influenced by large‐scale, stage‐dependent preferential flow pathways (PFPs). Long‐term monitoring was performed at floodplain sites adjacent to the Barren Fork Creek and Honey Creek in northeastern Oklahoma. Based on results from subsurface electrical resistivity mapping which was correlated to hydraulic conductivity data, observation wells were installed both in higher hydraulic conductivity and lower hydraulic conductivity subsoils. Water levels in the wells were monitored over time, and water samples were obtained from the observation wells and the stream to document P concentrations at multiple times during high flow events. Contour plots indicating direction of flow were developed using water table elevation data. Contour plots of total P concentrations showed the alluvial aquifer acting as a transient storage zone, with P‐laden stream water heterogeneously entering the aquifer during the passage of a storm pulse, and subsequently re‐entering the stream during baseflow conditions. Some groundwater in the alluvial floodplains had total P concentrations that mirrored the streams' total P concentrations. A detailed analysis of P forms indicated that particulate P (i.e. P attached to particulates greater than 0·45 µm) was a significant portion of the P transport. This research suggests the need for more controlled studies on stage‐dependent transient storage in alluvial systems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Scale effect and calibration of contaminant transport models

The influence on solute transport of the small-scale spatial variation of aquifer hydraulic conductivity (K) was analyzed by comparing results from fine-grid (2 m by 2 m) simulations of a synthetic heterogeneous aquifer to those from coarse-grid (8 m by 4 m) simulations of an equivalent homogeneous aquifer. Realizations of the K field of the heterogeneous aquifer were generated, using the Monte Carlo approach, from a lognormal distribution with mean log K of 2 (K in m/d) and three levels of log K variance of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0. Numerical simulation results show that the average standard deviation of point concentrations increased from 1.21 to 5.78 when the value of log K variance was increased from 0.1 to 1.0. The average discrepancy between modeled concentrations (obtained from a coarse-grid deterministic numerical simulation) and the actual mean point concentrations (obtained from fine-grid Monte Carlo numerical simulations) increased from 0.91 to 4.23 with the increase in log K variance. The results from this study illustrate the uncertainty in predictions from contaminant transport models due to their inability to simulate the effects of heterogeneities at scales smaller than the model grid.     

Investigation of Small‐Scale Preferential Flow with a Forced‐Gradient Tracer Test

A new tracer experiment (referred to as MADE‐5) was conducted at the well‐known Macrodispersion Experiment (MADE) site to investigate the influence of small‐scale mass‐transfer and dispersion processes on well‐to‐well transport. The test was performed under dipole forced‐gradient flow conditions and concentrations were monitored in an extraction well and in two multilevel sampler (MLS) wells located at 6, 1.5, and 3.75 m from the source, respectively. The shape of the breakthrough curve (BTC) measured at the extraction well is strongly asymmetric showing a rapidly arriving peak and an extensive late‐time tail. The BTCs measured at seven different depths in the two MLSs are radically different from one another in terms of shape, arrival times, and magnitude of the concentration peaks. All of these characteristics indicate the presence of a complex network of preferential flow pathways controlling solute transport at the test site. Field‐experimental data were also used to evaluate two transport models: a stochastic advection‐dispersion model (ADM) based on conditional multivariate Gaussian realizations of the hydraulic conductivity field and a dual‐domain single‐rate (DDSR) mass‐transfer model based on a deterministic reconstruction of the aquifer heterogeneity. Unlike the stochastic ADM realizations, the DDSR accurately predicted the magnitude of the concentration peak and its arrival time (within a 1.5% error). For the multilevel BTCs between the injection and extraction wells, neither model reproduced the observed values, indicating that a high‐resolution characterization of the aquifer heterogeneity at the subdecimeter scale would be needed to fully capture 3D transport details.