Ground-Water Monitoring Network Design

There are a variety of ground-water resource and contamination problems that involve determining the state of ground water and detecting or predicting changes in the ground-water environment. Most approaches to ground-water monitoring network design avoid a rigorous formulation of the monitoring objectives and fail to consider the important processes controlling the movement of ground water and migration of ground-water contaminants. It is unlikely that such approaches to network design will be able to effectively and efficiently monitor the subsurface environment in the face of limited resources. This research aims to develop statistically sound and simulation based methods for ground-water monitoring network design. The goal is to develop techniques that unify stochastic ground-water flow and contaminant transport simulation with optimization for studying ground-water monitoring options, and to explore the capabilities and limitations of various network design methods.

REPORTS PUBLISHED 2002-2011

Pinder, G.F., Dougherty, D.E., Greenwald, R.M., Karatzas, G.P., Kitanidis, P.K., Loaiciga, H.A., Maxwell, R.M., Mayer, A.S., McLaughlin, D.B., Peralta, R.C., Rizzo, D.M., Wagner, B.J., Yager, K.M., and Yeh, W. W-G., 2003, Optimization and modeling for remediation and monitoring, in Chien, C.C., and others, eds., Contaminated Ground Water and Sediment: Modeling for Management and Remediation: Boca Raton, Lewis Publishers, p. 107-178.

Pinder, G.F., Dougherty, D.E., Greenwald, R.M., Karatzas, G.P., Kitandis, P.K., Loaiciga, H.A., Maxwell, R.M., Mayer, A.S., McLaughlin, D.B., Peralta, R.C., Rizzo, D.M., Wagner, B.J., Yager, K.M., and Yeh, W. W-G., 2002, Optimization and modeling for remediation and monitoring, in Chien, C.C., and others, eds., Environmental Modeling and Management: Theory, Practice, and Future Directions: Dupont Workshop on Modeling and Management of Emerging Environmental Issues, Philadelphia, 2000, p. 111-185.

Wagner, B.J., and Harvey, J.W., 2001, Analyzing the capabilities and limitations of tracer tests in stream-aquifer systems, in Gehrels, H., and others, eds., Impact of Human Activity on Groundwater Dynamics, Proceedings--6th Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences: IAHS pub. no. 269, Maastricht, p. 191-197. (on-line abstract)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT, CONTACT:
Brian J. Wagner
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, MS 409, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email: bjwagner@usgs.gov
Telephone: 650-329-4567

For information on additional projects in the National Research Program, see Indexes to NRP projects and bibliographies.

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