Interpretation of large‐scale, long‐term electrical geophysical monitoring guided by a process simulation

Robinson, Judith; Johnson, Timothy; Thomle, Jonathan; Cambeiro, Joaquin; Peta, Kelsey; Jaysaval, Piyoosh; Mackley, Rob

doi:10.1002/vzj2.20303

Title: Interpretation of large‐scale, long‐term electrical geophysical monitoring guided by a process simulation

Journal Article · 16 January 2024 · Vadose Zone Journal

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20303 · OSTI ID:2281417

^[1]; Johnson, Timothy ^[1];

^[1]; Cambeiro, Joaquin ^[1]; Peta, Kelsey ^[1]; Jaysaval, Piyoosh ^[1]; Mackley, Rob ^[1]

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland Washington USA

Abstract Surface electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was used at a waste site to monitor vadose zone changes in electrical properties as a proxy for contaminant flux over a span of 17 years. The BC Cribs and Trenches (BCCT) site at the Hanford site contains 20 disposal trenches and six disposal cribs. Wastes include a large inventory of technetium‐99 and large masses of nitrate and uranium‐238. ERT data were collected along 41 profiles in 2005 to characterize regions of elevated bulk electrical conductivity (BEC) associated with past liquid waste discharges. Previous analyses performed on samples from four boreholes showed a high correlation between nitrate concentration and BEC. In 2022, ERT data were re‐collected along the same profiles and six additional profiles in an area not previously surveyed. Compared to background uncontaminated areas, BEC was higher in contaminated areas at the waste sites. Given the correlation between nitrate concentration and BEC previously found at this site, ERT images show the spatial distribution and relative ionic concentration of vadose zone contaminants at BCCT. Between 2005 and 2022, ERT difference images showed a decrease in BEC surrounding most waste sites, with exceptions where there were known anthropogenic surface changes. An evaluation of recharge‐driven nitrate migration using synthetic flow and transport simulations showed that downward migration causes a decrease in BEC from the decrease in ionic strength at the trailing end of the plume where contaminants migrated downward. From this, we interpret ERT difference images as showing the predominant regions of downward ion flux.

View Journal Article

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 2281417

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA--190606; e20303

Journal Information:: Vadose Zone Journal, Journal Name: Vadose Zone Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 23; ISSN 1539-1663

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (43)

Four-dimensional electrical conductivity monitoring of stage-driven river water intrusion: Accounting for water table effects using a transient mesh boundary and conditional inversion constraints: 4-D RIVER WATER INTRUSION IMAGING Johnson, Tim; Versteeg, Roelof; Thomle, Jon Water Resources Research, Vol. 51, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014WR016129	journal	August 2015
Development of a vadose zone advanced monitoring system: Tools to assess groundwater vulnerability Linneman, Dorothy C.; Strickland, Christopher E.; Appriou, Delphine Vadose Zone Journal, Vol. 21, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20223	journal	September 2022
Advancing hydrological process understanding from long‐term resistivity monitoring systems Slater, Lee; Binley, Andrew WIREs Water, Vol. 8, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1513	journal	February 2021
Imaging high stage river-water intrusion into a contaminated aquifer along a major river corridor using 2-D time-lapse surface electrical resistivity tomography: TIME-LAPSE ERT RIVER WATER INTRUSION IMAGING Wallin, E. L.; Johnson, T. C.; Greenwood, W. J. Water Resources Research, Vol. 49, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/wrcr.20119	journal	March 2013
Delineation of contaminant plume for an inorganic contaminated site using electrical resistivity tomography: comparison with direct-push technique Liao, Qing; Deng, Yaping; Shi, Xiaoqing Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 190 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661‐018‐6560‐3	journal	March 2018
A Review on Applications of Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography Over the Last 30 Years : Perspectives for Mining Waste Monitoring Dimech, Adrien; Cheng, LiZhen; Chouteau, Michel Surveys in Geophysics, Vol. 43, p. 1699-1759 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712‐022‐09731‐2	journal	August 2022
Imaging and characterisation of subsurface solute transport using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and equivalent transport models Kemna, Andreas; Vanderborght, Jan; Kulessa, Bernd Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 267, Issue 3-4, p. 125-146 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022‐1694(02)00145‐2	journal	September 2002
Spatial characterization of leachate plume using electrical resistivity tomography in a landfill composed of old and new cells (Belfort, France) Bichet, Vincent; Grisey, Elise; Aleya, Lotfi Engineering Geology, Vol. 211 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2016.06.026	journal	August 2016
Application of electrical resistivity tomography to map lithological differences and subsurface structures (Eastern Sudetes, Czech Republic) Stan, Dominika; Stan-Kłeczek, Iwona Geomorphology, Vol. 221 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.05.027	journal	September 2014
A saline trace test monitored via time-lapse surface electrical resistivity tomography Cassiani, Giorgio; Bruno, Vittorio; Villa, Alberto Journal of Applied Geophysics, Vol. 59, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2005.10.007	journal	July 2006
Soil characterization using electrical resistivity tomography and geotechnical investigations Sudha, Kumari; Israil, M.; Mittal, S. Journal of Applied Geophysics, Vol. 67, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2008.09.012	journal	January 2009
High-resolution Electrical Resistivity Tomography monitoring of a tracer test in a confined aquifer Wilkinson, P. B.; Meldrum, P. I.; Kuras, O. Journal of Applied Geophysics, Vol. 70, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2009.08.001	journal	April 2010
Three-dimensional electrical resistivity model of a nuclear waste disposal site Rucker, Dale F.; Levitt, Marc T.; Greenwood, William J. Journal of Applied Geophysics, Vol. 69, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2009.09.001	journal	December 2009
Detailed landfill leachate plume mapping using 2D and 3D electrical resistivity tomography - with correlation to ionic strength measured in screens Maurya, P. K.; Rønde, V. K.; Fiandaca, G. Journal of Applied Geophysics, Vol. 138 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2017.01.019	journal	March 2017
Improved characterisation and modelling of measurement errors in electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys Tso, Chak-Hau Michael; Kuras, Oliver; Wilkinson, Paul B. Journal of Applied Geophysics, Vol. 146 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2017.09.009	journal	November 2017
Evaluation of deep vadose zone contaminant flux into groundwater: Approach and case study Oostrom, M.; Truex, M. J.; Last, G. V. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Vol. 189 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2016.03.002	journal	June 2016
Using high-resolution electrical resistivity to estimate hydraulic conductivity and improve characterization of alluvial aquifers Vogelgesang, Jason A.; Holt, Nathan; Schilling, Keith E. Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 580 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.123992	journal	January 2020
Use of electrical tomography methods to determinate the extension and main migration routes of uncontrolled landfill leachates in fractured areas Casado, Ismael; Mahjoub, Himi; Lovera, Raul Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 506-507 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.068	journal	February 2015
Geoelectrical monitoring of simulated subsurface leakage to support high-hazard nuclear decommissioning at the Sellafield Site, UK Kuras, Oliver; Wilkinson, Paul B.; Meldrum, Philip I. Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 566-567 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.212	journal	October 2016
Temperature-Electrical Conductivity Relation of Water for Environmental Monitoring and Geophysical Data Inversion Hayashi, Masaki Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 96, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EMAS.0000031719.83065.68	journal	August 2004
Spatial and temporal monitoring of soil water content with an irrigated corn crop cover using surface electrical resistivity tomography: SOIL WATER STUDY USING ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY Michot, Didier; Benderitter, Yves; Dorigny, Abel Water Resources Research, Vol. 39, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1029/2002WR001581	journal	May 2003
Accurate modelling and inversion of electrical resistivity data in the presence of metallic infrastructure with known location and dimension Johnson, T. C.; Wellman, D. Geophysical Journal International, Vol. 202, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggv206	journal	June 2015
Electrical resistivity tomography applied to geologic, hydrogeologic, and engineering investigations at a former waste-disposal site Chambers, Jonathan E.; Kuras, Oliver; Meldrum, Philip I. GEOPHYSICS, Vol. 71, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1190/1.2360184	journal	November 2006
Improved hydrogeophysical characterization and monitoring through parallel modeling and inversion of time-domain resistivity andinduced-polarization data Johnson, Timothy C.; Versteeg, Roelof J.; Ward, Andy Geophysics, Vol. 75, Issue 4, p. WA27-WA41 https://doi.org/10.1190/1.3475513	journal	July 2010
Characterization of a contaminated wellfield using 3D electrical resistivity tomography implemented with geostatistical, discontinuous boundary, and known conductivity constraints Johnson, Timothy C.; Versteeg, Roelof J.; Rockhold, Mark Geophysics, Vol. 77, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2012‐0121.1	journal	September 2012
Challenges and opportunities for fractured rock imaging using 3D cross-borehole electrical resistivity Robinson, Judith; Johnson, Timothy; Slater, Lee Geophysics, Vol. 80, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2014‐0138.1	journal	February 2015
Inorganic Plume Delineation Using Surface High-Resolution Electrical Resistivity at the BC Cribs and Trenches Site, Hanford Rucker, Dale F.; Fink, James B. Vadose Zone Journal, Vol. 6, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2006.0169	journal	January 2007
Hanford Site Vadose Zone Studies: An Overview Gee, G. W.; Oostrom, M.; Freshley, M. D. Vadose Zone Journal, Vol. 6, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2006.0179	journal	January 2007
Application of intrinsic germanium spectral gamma-ray logging for characterization of high-level nuclear waste tank leaks Brodeur, J. R.; Kiesler, J. P.; Kos, S. E. Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States) https://doi.org/10.2172/10113364	report	November 1993
Re-Inversion of Surface Electrical Resistivity Tomography Data from the Hanford Site B-Complex Johnson, Timothy C.; Wellman, Dawn M. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States) https://doi.org/10.2172/1087277	report	May 2013
Hanford Soil Inventory Model (SIM-v2) Calculated Radionuclide Inventory of Direct Liquid Discharges to Soil in the Hanford Site's 200 Areas Nichols, William E.; Zaher, U.; Agnew, S. https://doi.org/10.2172/1441375	report	May 2018
Results of 1999 Spectral Gamma-Ray and Neutron Moisture Monitoring of Boreholes at Specific Retention Facilities in 200 East Area, Hanford Site, Washington Horton, Duane G.; Randall, Russel R. https://doi.org/10.2172/15002699	report	January 2000
Vadose Zone Model for BC Cribs and Trenches for Composite Analysis McDonald, J. P.; Farrow, C. R.; Tartakovsky, G. https://doi.org/10.2172/1668869	report	September 2020
Surface 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography Inversion of 2005 BC Cribs and Trenches Datasets Johnson, Timothy; Robinson, Judith; Freedman, Vicky Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States) https://doi.org/10.2172/1846148	report	February 2022
Electrical Resistivity Tomography of the 216-U-5 and 216-U-6 WA-1 Waste Sites Johnson, Timothy; Thomle, Jonathan; Robinson, Judith https://doi.org/10.2172/1985281	report	November 2019
Study of soil water potential and temperature in Hanford soils Hsieh, J. J. C.; Reisenauer, A. E.; Brownell, L. E. https://doi.org/10.2172/4257490	report	January 1973
Evaluation of scintillation probe profiles from 200 area crib monitoring wells. Volume I Fecht, K. R.; Last, G. V.; Price, K. R. https://doi.org/10.2172/7085590	report	June 1977
The bc Cribs & Trenches Geophysical Characterization Project one step Forward in Hanfords Cleanup Process Benecke, M. W. Hanford Site (HNF), Richland, WA (United States) https://doi.org/10.2172/860883	report	November 2005
Electrical Resistivity Correlation to Vadose Zone Sediment and Pore-Water Composition for the BC Cribs and Trenches Area Serne, R. Jeffrey; Ward, Anderson L.; Um, Wooyong https://doi.org/10.2172/962849	report	June 2009
PFLOTRAN: Reactive Flow & Transport Code for Use on Laptops to Leadership-Class Supercomputers E. Hammond, G.; C. Lichtner, P.; Lu, C. Groundwater Reactive Transport Models https://doi.org/10.2174/978160805306311201010141	book	March 2012
Efficient ERT measuring and inversion strategies for 3D imaging of buried antiquities Papadopoulos, N. G.; Tsourlos, P.; Tsokas, G. N. Near Surface Geophysics, Vol. 5, Issue 6, p. 349-361 https://doi.org/10.3997/1873‐0604.2007017	journal	December 2007
The Resistivity And Induced Polarization Methods H. Ward, Stanley 1st EEGS Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609-pdb.214.1988_002	conference	January 1988
Quasi-3D resistivity imaging - mapping of three dimensional structures using two dimensional DC resistivity techniques Dahlin, T.; H. Loke, M. 3rd EEGS Meeting https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.201407298	conference	January 1997

Similar Records

THE BC CRIBS & TRENCHES GEOPHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION PROJECT ONE STEP FORWARD IN HANFORDS CLEANUP PROCESS

Technical Report · 2005 · OSTI ID:860883

BENECKE, M W

Surface 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography Inversion of 2005 BC Cribs and Trenches Datasets

Technical Report · 2022 · OSTI ID:1846148

Johnson, Timothy C.; Robinson, Judith L.; Freedman, Vicky L.

THE BC CRIBS & TRENCHES GEOPHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION PROJECT ONE STEP FORWARD IN HANFORDS CLEANUP PROCESS

Conference · 2006 · OSTI ID:876698

BENECKE, MN W

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES

Title: Interpretation of large‐scale, long‐term electrical geophysical monitoring guided by a process simulation

Citation Formats

References (43)

Similar Records

Related Subjects