Uncertainty Analysis in Contaminated Aquifer Management
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 128, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper presents a systematic approach for solving the management problem of a contaminated groundwater supply system. The proposed methodology begins with the selection of a supply water quality criterion based on a stochastic health risk assessment and concludes with the establishment of a trade-off relationship between the increased management cost and the desired level of protection. In the uncertainty analysis, Gaussian quadrature numerical integration is used as an alternative to nested Monte Carlo simulation. Two management approaches—treating the contaminated groundwater with granular activated carbon and using imported water to lower the contamination level in the supply water—are used in a test problem. A random hydraulic conductivity field is used to produce the contamination variability at each extraction well. A trade-off relationship is obtained between the increased management cost and the level of protection by performing the uncertainty analysis at several supply water quality criteria for each of the two management approaches. This study demonstrates that despite the complexity in a contaminated groundwater supply system, a systematic approach can be used to quantify the many uncertainties associated with the management problem.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 128 • Issue 1 • January 2002
Pages: 33 - 45
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 26, 1999
Accepted: Mar 25, 2001
Published online: Jan 1, 2002
Published in print: Jan 2002
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