The general audience will be invited to leave after the presentation and Q & A session.

Title: Quantifying Scale Dependence of Hydraulic Conductivity in Glacial Sediments for Improving Predictions of Plume Behavior

Abstract:

Methods targeting a range of measurement scales are used to quantify the variability in hydraulic conductivity (K) for ice marginal sediments comprising a shallow unconfined aquifer at a contaminated groundwater site. Grain size analysis is used to estimate K at the decimeter scale, pneumatic slug tests are used to assess K at the meter to decameter scale, and pump test response is used to estimate K at the hectometer scale. Method development was conducted for pneumatic slug tests conducted in Westbay multi-level systems in the context of a contaminated site yielding repeatable results for rising and falling head tests conducted at a range of pressures. K estimates from the range of scales of measurement are compared statistically with previous K estimates from the site and from regional studies to determine how different scales of measurement and different measurement techniques influence K estimates for facies and larger scale units within the ice marginal sediments at the site. This work may be used to improve the parameterization and delineation of hydrostratigraphic units that are foundational for numerical models for groundwater flow and transport.