Identification of the pumping influences at monitoring wells caused by spatially and temporally variable water supply pumping can be a challenging, yet an important hydrogeological task. The information that can be obtained can be critical for conceptualization of the hydrogeological conditions and indications of the zone of influence of the individual pumping wells. However, the pumping influences are often intermittent and small in magnitude with variable production rates from multiple pumping wells. While these difficulties may support an inclination to abandon the existing dataset and conduct a dedicated cross-hole pumping test, that option can be challenging and expensive to coordinate and execute. This paper presents a method that utilizes a simple analytical modeling approach for analysis of a long-term water level record utilizing an inverse modeling approach. The methodology allows the identification of pumping wells influencing the water level fluctuations. Thus, the analysis provides an efficient and cost-effective alternative to designed and coordinated cross-hole pumping tests. We apply this method on a dataset from the Los Alamos National Laboratory site. Our analysis also provides (1) an evaluation of the information content of the transient water level data; (2) indications of potential structures of the aquifer heterogeneity inhibiting or promoting pressure propagation; and (3) guidance for the development of more complicated models requiring detailed specification of the aquifer heterogeneity.

Identification of pumping influences in long-term water level fluctuations.

The status of groundwater level monitoring at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2008 is provided in this report. This report summarizes groundwater level data for 179 monitoring wells, including 45 regional aquifer wells, 28 intermediate wells, 8 regional/intermediate wells, 106 alluvial wells, and 12 water supply wells. Pressure transducers were installed in 166 monitoring wells for continuous monitoring of groundwater levels. Time-series hydrographs of groundwater level data are presented along with pertinent construction and location information for each well. The report also summarizes the groundwater temperatures recorded in intermediate and regional aquifer monitoring wells.

/pdf/groundwater-level-status-report-for-2008-los-alamos-national-59h00dt9p2.pdf

Groundwater level status report for 2008, Los Alamos National Laboratory

OF DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Engineering The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico December, 2009 Hydrogeological Engineering Approaches to Investigate and Characterize Heterogeneous Aquifers by Dylan Robert Harp A.A.S., Forestry Technology, Southeastern Illinois College, 1994 B.S., Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2004 M.S., Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2005 Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2009 Abstract This dissertation presents a compilation of five stand-alone manuscripts (Chapters 2 through 5 and Appendix A). Chapters 2 through 5 present hydrogeological analysis approaches, while Appendix A is utilized within the dissertation introduction as an example of a non-physically based modeling approach, albeit demonstrated on a non-hydrogeologically based application. Chapter 2 presents an inverse approach to decompose pumping influences from water-level fluctuations observed at a monitoring location. Chapter 3 presents an inferencing approach to identify effective aquifer properties at the interwell scale that can be applied to highly transient datasets. Chapter 4 introduces the use of a Markov-chain model of spatial correlation to an automated geostatistical inverse framework, demonstrating the approach on a 2D two-stratigraphic-unit synthetic aquifer. Chapter 5 utilizes the inverse frameworkThis dissertation presents a compilation of five stand-alone manuscripts (Chapters 2 through 5 and Appendix A). Chapters 2 through 5 present hydrogeological analysis approaches, while Appendix A is utilized within the dissertation introduction as an example of a non-physically based modeling approach, albeit demonstrated on a non-hydrogeologically based application. Chapter 2 presents an inverse approach to decompose pumping influences from water-level fluctuations observed at a monitoring location. Chapter 3 presents an inferencing approach to identify effective aquifer properties at the interwell scale that can be applied to highly transient datasets. Chapter 4 introduces the use of a Markov-chain model of spatial correlation to an automated geostatistical inverse framework, demonstrating the approach on a 2D two-stratigraphic-unit synthetic aquifer. Chapter 5 utilizes the inverse framework

/pdf/hydrogeological-engineering-approaches-to-investigate-and-1q9k9jhrv1.pdf

Hydrogeological engineering approaches to investigate and characterize heterogeneous aquifers

The status of groundwater level monitoring at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 2005 is provided in this report. The Groundwater Level Monitoring Project was instituted in 2005 to provide a framework for the collection and processing of quality controlled groundwater level data. This report summarizes groundwater level data for 137 monitoring wells, including 41 regional aquifer wells, 22 intermediate wells, and 74 alluvial wells. Pressure transducers were installed in 118 monitoring wells for continuous monitoring of groundwater levels. Time-series hydrographs of groundwater level data are presented along with pertinent construction and location information for each well.

/pdf/groundwater-level-status-report-for-2005-los-alamos-national-224yafh9k6.pdf

Groundwater Level Status Report for 2005 Los Alamos National Laboratory

The status of groundwater level monitoring at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Fiscal Year 2007 is provided in this report. The Groundwater Level Monitoring Project was instituted in 2005 to provide a framework for the collection and processing of quality controlled groundwater level data. This report summarizes groundwater level data for 166 monitoring wells, including 45 regional aquifer wells, 25 intermediate wells, and 96 alluvial wells, and 11 water supply wells. Pressure transducers were installed in 133 monitoring wells for continuous monitoring of groundwater levels. Time-series hydrographs of groundwater level data are presented along with pertinent construction and location information for each well.

/pdf/groundwater-level-status-report-for-fiscal-year-2007-los-4ar9ovh8m0.pdf

Groundwater Level Status Report for Fiscal Year 2007 - Los Alamos National Laboratory

The status of groundwater level monitoring at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Fiscal Year 2006 is provided in this report. The Groundwater Level Monitoring Project was instituted in 2005 for providing a framework for the collection and processing of quality controlled groundwater level data. This report summarizes groundwater level data for 158 monitoring wells, including 43 regional aquifer wells, 23 intermediate wells, and 92 alluvial wells. Pressure transducers were installed in 132 monitoring wells for continuous monitoring of groundwater levels. Time-series hydrographs of groundwater level data are presented along with pertinent construction and location information for each well.

/pdf/groundwater-level-status-report-for-fiscal-year-2006-los-4l8ouiqbc2.pdf

Richard J. Koch

Papers

Groundwater Level Status Report for Fiscal Year 2007 - Los Alamos National Laboratory

Groundwater Level Status Report for Fiscal Year 2006 Los Alamos National Laboratory