Introduction
to Basic Ground-Water Transport
|
||
By
the earthDr!
|
||
Plume
Development: from the source-recharge area to downgradient points of
the ground-water system
|
||
This tortuous flow, coupled with diffusion, tends to mix the contaminants with cleaner water as the ground water flows downgradient. Ground-water flow is the predominant factor for spreading contamination, but dispersion plays a part in spreading the contamination somewhat farther. Please take note: dispersion influences the spread of contamination in all directions: laterally, vertically, and even longitudinally (in the direction of the ground-water flowpaths). This second figure depicts the concentrations of contaminants dissolved in the ground water. In this figure, the highest concentrations of dissolved constituents are at the source-recharge area, because contaminant mass loading to the water table is ongoing. If the contaminant mass loading to the water table was decreased or terminated, eventually the ground water flow regime would deplete the contaminant levels at the source-recharge area and the plume would migrate downgradient as a slug of contaminated ground water, like a puff of smoke. |
||
EMAIL:
earthDr@earthDRx.org |
||||
©
Copyright
|