Techniques for measuring the vertical hydraulic conductivity of flood basalts at the Basalt Waste Isolation Project site

A regional model that can predict groundwater movement through the reference repository location and surrounding area is essential to assessing the site suitability for a nuclear waste repository. During the last two decades, several models have been developed to handle complicated flow patterns through complex geologic materials. The basic problem, however, is obtaining the data base needed to apply these models. The hydrological data needed include the spatial distribution of effective porosity, the hydraulic conductivity tensor and its variation in space, values of specific storage, the hydraulic head distribution, and the fluid properties. In this report, we discuss conventional methods of obtaining vertical hydraulic conductivity and examine their applicability to the BWIP site. 39 references, 12 figures, 4 tables

Two-dimensional analytical solutions for chemical transport in aquifers. Part 1. Simplified solutions for sources with constant concentration. Part 2. Exact solutions for sources with constant flux rate

Analytical solutions are developed for modeling solute transport in a vertical section of a homogeneous aquifer. Part 1 of the series presents a simplified analytical solution for cases in which a constant-concentration source is located at the top (or the bottom) of the aquifer. The following transport mechanisms have been considered: advection (in the horizontal direction), transverse dispersion (in the vertical direction), adsorption, and biodegradation. In the simplified solution, however, longitudinal dispersion is assumed to be relatively insignificant with respect to advection, and has been neglected. Example calculations are given to show the movement of the contamination front, the development of concentration profiles, the mass transfer rate, and an application to determine the vertical dispersivity. The analytical solution developed in this study can be a useful tool in designing an appropriate monitoring system and an effective groundwater remediation method