A METHOD FOR DESIGNING UPGRADIENT GROUNDWATER MONITORING NETWORKS

摘要

A graphical heuristic was devised for lcoating upgradient groundwater monitoring wells near landfills. Utilizing computer-simulated contaminant plumes, the heuristic considers the direction of groundwater flow relative to the shape of a landfill, the location of the downgradient migration boundary used for configuring detection wells, and uniformity of spatial coverage. The heuristic positions upgradient wells far enough from a landfill to avoid contamination, but close enough to measure ambient water qualtiy near the landfill. It can be adapted to nonuniform flow fields, nonlinear migration boundaries, and irregularly shae landfills. An application to a rectangular landfill, oriented at various angles to the direction of groundwater flow, demsontrates the utility of the approach.