Low-Flow Purging and Sampling of Ground Water Monitoring Wells with Dedicated Systems

A field study was conducted to assess purging requirements for dedicated sampling systems in conventional monitoring wells and for pumps encased in short screens and buried within a shallow sandy aquifer. Low-flow purging methods were used, and wells were purged until water quality indicator parameters (dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, turbidity) and contaminant concentrations (chromate, trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene) reached equilibrium. Eight wells, varying in depth from 4.6 to 15.2 m below ground surface, were studied. The data show that purge volumes were independent of well depth or casing volumes. Contaminant concentrations equilibrated with less than 7.5 I. of purge volume in all wells. Initial contaminant concentration values were generally within 20 percent of final values. Water quality parameters equilibrated in less than 10 L in all wells and were conservative measures for indicating the presence of adjacent formation water. Water quality parameters equilibrated faster in dedicated sampling systems than in portable systems and initial turbidity levels were lower.     

A Computerized Ground Water Monitoring System

This article describes a computer automated, hydrologic analysis system designed to allow the collection of high quality, long-term pumping test data. The instrument solves two of the major problems encountered in the field during aquifer tests: insufficient data, particularly during the early part of a test when drawdown is rapid; and high labor costs associated with long-term monitoring.
To illustrate the system's application, results are presented from the test of a highly transmissive aquifer. The aquifer's drawdown response was rapid; thus the time-drawdown curve was essentially flat after the first two minutes of the test, and correspondingly rapid data acquisition was essential for a unique solution of the aquifer's three-dimensional hydraulic conductivities.     

Planning Ground Water Monitoring Field Projects

Project organization problems are not uncommon in ground water monitoring projects, particularly those which occur at sites remote from the office. Successful project management depends on coordination of the personnel, supplies, and equipment necessary to carry out each phase of the project. Procedures for planning and organizing field projects involving well installation, ground water sampling, and aquifer testing are outlined. Methods are suggested that will aid the Project Manager in planning and scheduling field work to make efficient use of personnel and material resources. Cautions are given regarding common pitfalls of projects involving operations at remote sites, and means of avoidance are enumerated. A checklist of commonly used field equipment and supplies is provided.     

A New System for Ground Water Monitoring

This paper describes a new system for ground water monitoring, "the BAT System," which includes the following functions: (a) sampling of ground water in most types of soils, (b) measurement of pore water pressure, and (c) in situ measurement of hydraulic conductivity. The system can also be used for tracer tests. The system utilizes a permanently installed filter tip attached to a steel or PVC pipe. Installation is normally performed by pushing the tip down to the desired depth. The filter tip can also be buried beneath a landfill. The primary feature of the new system is that the filter tip contains a self-sealing quick coupling unit, which makes it possible to temporarily connect the filter tip to adapters for various functions, e.g. water sampling and for measurement of pore pressure and hydraulic conductivity. The new technique makes sampling of both pressurized water and gas possible. Samples are obtained directly in hermetically sealed, pre-sterilized sample cylinders. Sampling of ground water and measurement of pore pressure can be repeated over a long period of time with undiminished accuracy. This technique is also well-adapted for taking water samples from different strata in a soil profile, in both the saturated and unsaturated zones. Actual installations range from 0.5 to 60m depth.     

The Challenge of Ground Water Quality Monitoring

"Valuable information pertaining to contaminant sources, contaminants, and ground water quality was derived using the state-supplied data."     

Ground Water Monitoring at Wellhead Protection Areas

Wellhead protection programs implemented to this date have not, in general, included a comprehensive ground water monitoring strategy. This is due both to the relatively recent introduction of the wellhead protection concept into the ground water field and also to the complexity of the monitoring problem. A well-planned monitoring program, however, can contribute significantly to the success of a wellhead protection program. The elements of wellhead protection, important from a monitoring perspective, are the management objectives, the types of potential contaminant sources, and the locations of those sources with respect to the wellhead protection area boundary. General monitoring strategies applicable to wellhead protection are derived from the relationships between these elements.