An aquifer in Central Ontario became contaminated with BTEX and PCH F1 (Petroleum Hydrocarbons – Fraction #1i) from leaking underground infrastructure linked to a gas station. The groundwater in the aquifer flows between 3 -13 meters a year, as such, a voluntary cleanup of the aquifer was initiated to remediate the plume source, and to stop the dissolved plume phase from moving off-site. Continue Reading »
The new Biofoul Screen is designed to fit onto the sensor end of any Levelogger model. The natural anti-fouling characteristics of copper protects the sensors from build-up of unwanted microorganisms, plants, algae, or organisms such as barnacles or mussels, which could affect the reliability of the sensor readings. Continue Reading »
Vernal wetlands are temporary pools of water that fluctuate seasonally with complex hydrological processes. They receive inputs from precipitation, runoff, and subsurface flow, and are influenced by geology, soil, and climate. This creates a unique habitat for diverse flora, amphibians and insects, including some threatened and endangered species. Continue Reading »
Solinst has released new versions of the Model 101 P7 Water Level Meter and the Model 107 TLC Meter. Each Meter now features Solinst Laser-Marked Flat Tape. The new tape boasts many advantages. Continue Reading »
Contaminant mass flux is the measurement of the concentration and flow of contaminants from a source area, represented as mass per unit area per unit time. Contaminant flux measurements show how much, how fast, and where a contaminant is moving – more than you can get from traditional groundwater grab samples. Kirk started his presentation… Continue Reading »
To begin his presentation, Rick discussed the current trends in groundwater remediation. Over the past decade, in situ methods have greatly increased in popularity. Although the use of these approaches is growing, Rick pointed out some limitations. Geological heterogeneity is a limitation to determining hydrogeological aspects of a contaminated site, and how a reagent will… Continue Reading »
Ryan Wilson used the SABRE project to base his discussion on treatment performance assessment (PA). According to Ryan, PA is about asking questions: Is the treatment working? Why or why not? Is risk reduced? When can treatment stop? Are processes sustainable? Is sufficient mass reduced? What do trends indicate? How can we optimize treatment? How… Continue Reading »
Gary Wealthall gave a very informative talk on dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zones. He provided an overview of the characteristics of a DNAPL zone, and tools and techniques that can be used to characterize a source zone. Because of their low solubility, high density and viscosity, DNAPLs tend to persist due to mass… Continue Reading »
Jim Barker focused his discussion on how contaminants behave in the capillary fringe. The capillary fringe is the zone of soil immediately above the water table. Groundwater is pulled up from the water table by capillary action, filling the pores at the base of the zone. As a result, part of the capillary fringe can… Continue Reading »
Rick Devlin kicked-off the Symposium with a presentation that stressed the importance of groundwater velocity measurements, especially for contaminant hydrogeology. Through case study examples, Rick showed that measuring velocity is essential in determining the fate and transport of contaminants, which in turn, helps focus remediation efforts in the right direction. Traditional velocity estimates are based… Continue Reading »
