MULTIPLE
SPLITS OF THE PLUME
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By
the earthDr!
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Multiple
splits of the same ground water contamination plume can be used to influence clean outer ground-water
flowpaths to flush contaminants from soil or consolidated rock but at differing
locations along the long axis of the ground-water plume. Splitting a plume
of contaminated ground water into multiple portions is not limited to just
influencing clean ground water to flow beneath a single structure to curtail
seeps of contaminated ground water.
Multiple splitting of the plume can be used to excise the source-recharge area from contributing contaminant mass to the downgradient extent of the plume. Obviously, an alternative to hydraulic control of the source-recharge area is that the entire source-recharge area is excavated to remove all contaminant mass. However, it should be noted that there are several advantages to hydraulically controlling the source-recharge area even if this area is to be excavated. It is not likely that all the contaminant mass, both as produsols and solusols, will be removed since contaminated soil is difficult to fully delineate to mark it for removal. Therefore, hydraulic control is an insurance policy to capture any contaminant mass that is migrating in the ground water, that wasn't excavated and removed. Hydraulic control is easier to implement and upgrade than is soil excavation and removal at the source-recharge area; therefore, it can be implemented fairly expeditiously at the source-recharge area as it equally can at downgradient points in order to influence the flow of clean ground-water beneath a home. Splitting the plume at the source-recharge area should be a temporary measure until a more definitive method to remedy these highly contaminated soils has been achieved. Ground-water quality should be the measure of performance used to determine when to terminate hydraulic control at the source-recharge area. |
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EMAIL:
earthDr@earthDRx.org |
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