Sampling design for groundwater solute transport: Tests of methods and analysis of Cape Cod tracer test data

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Water Resources Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90WR02657· OSTI ID:5823558

Knopman, D S; Voss, C I ^[1]; Garabedian, S P ^[2]

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1. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
2. Geological Survey, Marlborough, MA (United States)

Tests of a one-dimensional sampling design methodology on measurements of bromide concentration collected during the natural gradient tracer test conducted by the US Geological Survey on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, demonstrate its efficacy for field studies of solute transport in groundwater and the utility of one-dimension analysis. The methodology was applied to design of sparse two-dimensional networks of fully screened wells typical of those often used in engineering practice. Results show the efficacy of the methodology is designing sparse but powerful sampling networks. Designs that sample five rows of wells at five or fewer times in any given row performed as well for model discrimination as the full set of samples taken up to eight times in a given row from as many as 89 row. Also, designs for parameter estimation judged to be good by the methodology were as effective in reducing the variance of parameter estimates as arbitrary designs with many more samples. Results further showed that estimates of velocity and longitudinal dispersivity in one-dimensional models based on data from only five rows of fully screened wells each sampled five or fewer times were practically equivalent to values determined from moments analysis of the complete three-dimensional set of 29,285 samples taken during 16 sampling times.

• OSTI ID: 5823558
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resources Research; (United States) Vol. 27:5; ISSN 0043-1397; ISSN WRERA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
DATA ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MASS TRANSFER
MASSACHUSETTS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING METHODS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTANTS
SOLUTES
SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENTS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WATER