Contaminant Dispersion and Breakthrough in Groundwater Flow: Case Study in Maui, Hawaii
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 12
Abstract
Previously published field data, from groundwater tracer studies in Hawaii, are used to develop a theory for dispersion based on the probability density function for tracer particle velocities in the aquifer. The density function is derived from tracer breakthrough curves associated with wastewater injection wells at the Lahaina Waste Water Reclamation Facility in Maui, HI. The aquifer dispersion coefficient is found to be proportional to the product of the time since tracer release and the pore velocity variance, developed empirically from the breakthrough data. Although particle velocity data are well described by Fickian diffusion with this dispersion coefficient, an empirical Weibull distribution provides an even better fit to the data, thereby enabling determination of tracer residence time in the aquifer. Based on the data, two independent methods of determining the cross-sectional area of the aquifer occupied by the of injectate plume are found to be in close agreement at approximately . It is also estimated that treated wastewater arriving at the two tracer measurement sites is less than 2% of the injectate.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The ideas presented in this paper were developed while the author was serving as a consultant to the County of Maui, Hawaii, during the course of litigation involving discharge from the Lahaina Water Reclamation Facility. The opinions expressed and the analysis and conclusions are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent positions that the County may hold. The author gratefully acknowledges Professor Craig R. Glenn of the University of Hawaii, who graciously provided the data on which this paper is based. The support of the County of Maui made this work possible, in particular, the author wishes to thank and acknowledge the contributions of Brian Bilberry, Richelle Thomson, Eric Nakagawa, Scott Rollins, and Maui consultant Colleen Doyle.
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 28, 2021
Accepted: Jun 23, 2022
Published online: Oct 6, 2022
Published in print: Dec 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Mar 6, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Aerodynamics
- Case studies
- Continuum mechanics
- Density currents
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Ecosystems
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Environmental engineering
- Equipment and machinery
- Field tests
- Flow (fluid dynamics)
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Groundwater flow
- Hydrologic data
- Hydrologic engineering
- Hydrology
- Methodology (by type)
- Particle velocity
- Probe instruments
- Research methods (by type)
- Solid mechanics
- Tests (by type)
- Water and water resources
- Water reclamation
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