#2 : Monitoring wells

Assoc. Prof. Dr Wan Zuhairi Wan Yaacob

Program Geologi, UKM

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 Monitoring well
Diameter = 8-10cm (4 inch)
• Functions:
– Groundwater samples (for
chemical analyses)
– Water level elevations – gw
direction
– Estimate hydraulic
characteristics of aquifer
• Rock/soil samples
– To define the subsurface
geology (borehole well log)
– Chemically analysed – to
determine the extent of
subsurface contaminants (1-3m)

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 Monitoring well
• Drilling costs increase with diameter and
depth
– 4 inch diameter; 20m depth (RM5000 each well)

• Piezometer / standpipe – casing/piping open

at a bottom
• Monitoring well – larger opening (screen) for
retrieving water

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Groundwater direction

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Hydraulic characteristics of aquifers
• Total porosity – volume of total void space
• Effective porosity – volume of interconnected void
space
• Intrinsic Permeability (or hydraulic conductivity) –
ability to flow
• Transmissivity – amount of water to flow
• Specific yield – volume of water drained by gravity
• Specific retention – volume of water retained
against gravity
• Storage coefficient – volume of water lost per area
per unit decline in hydraulic head

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Intrinsic Permeability (or hydraulic conductivity)

Intrinsic of permeability Hydraulic conductivity

(ki)
• A function of the size of
the pore openings
through which the fluids
move
(property of medium)
• Unit: m2 @ cm2 @ darcy
(K)
• Permeability of medium
and the property of
fluid being transmitted
• Unit: m/sec (velocity)
K = ki ρ g / µ

• I darcy = 9.87 x 10-9 cm2 ρ = fluid density (1 g/cm3)

g = gravity (980 cm/s2)
µ = fluid viscosity (0.01 g/s.cm)

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 Example
• The intrinsic permeability of an aquifer is 2.3 x
10-9 cm2. Calculate the aquifer’s hydraulic
conductivity, assuming typical values for fluid
density and dynamic viscosity.
K = ki ρ g / µ
ρ = fluid density (1 g/cm3)
• Solution: g = gravity (980 cm/s2)
µ = fluid viscosity (0.01 g/s.cm)

K = 2.3 x 10-4 cm/s

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 Drilling
• The method chosen for drilling depends on several
factors (EPA, 1994) :-
– Subsurface condition;
– equipment availability;
– versatility of drilling method;
– drilling cost;
– site accessibility;
– installation time;
– ability to preserve natural conditions
– ability to obtain reliable samples

• Decontamination of drilling equipment

– Steam cleaning with some detergents (cleaning solutions)

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 Drilling Methods
• Hollow stem auger
• Solid stem auger
• Hand auger
• Cable tool
• Rotary methods
• Driven wells
• Jet percussion
• Direct push

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 Drilling Methods
1 2 3

Water / mud / air as drilling fluid to:--

•Lubricate the drill bit
•Carry cuttings to the surface
•Maintain open hole

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 Hollow Stem Auger
• Truck mounted (>100 m depth) or mini drilling rig
(40 m depth)
• Frequently used to install monitoring well (in US)
– best technique!
• Unconsolidated or poorly consolidated materials;
not for solid rock – i.e. use rotary drilling
• Disadvantages:
– Cross contamination of subsurface material – drill
cuttings
– Clay smearing of aquifer wall therefore reduce yields

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Hollow stem auger

Hollow, coarsely threaded pipe

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 Hollow Stem Auger (sampling)
• Disturbed sample
– from cutting that move upward
and from split spoon
• Undisturbed sample
– shelby tube sampler (46 cm x 5
cm)
– OR open-tube sampler (U100)
Shelby tube

• Use plastic retainer basket for retainer basket for sand

sand Split spoon

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Collect Soil sample using Shelby tube

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Shelby Tube— H-4210.10
• 3“ (76.2mm) dia. x 10” long
• thin-walled, open-tube samplers
available in galvanized steel.
• Lower end is chamfered to form a
cutting edge and upper end includes
holes for securing tubes to a drive
head.
• Lid can be used to protect sample
during transport – or use paraffin
wax (resin)
Cap / lid for the tube

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Shelby tube with resin / paraffin wax

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 How much sample?. 0.5 kg – index property test

Sample container (Jar)

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 Rotary drilling

Rotary Drilling
Technique

Steel casing

Rod attached to drill bit

Steel casing

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Not recommended for monitoring well, why ????

Rotary drilling
Infrequently used for environmental work:-
1. Injecting fluid alter the natural properties of soil
2. Hamper identification of water-bearing zone
3. May plug water-bearing formation

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 Well Construction
• Monitoring Well Tremie pipe to direct the materials

– Consists of casing (solid

pipe) and screen (slotted
section pipe)
– Casing material:
• Teflon
• Stainless steel Annulus

• PVC (cheapest!!)
• Annulus must be filled
– Chemically inert filter
pack (quartz sand/glass
beads)
– Bentonite seal PVC well screen

– Grout / cement

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• LINK

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 Well Construction Prevent vandalism

Prevent infiltration of water

Above ground monitoring well (DOE; Kualiti Alam Landfill)

Flush with ground (well just below the surface) drwzwy:: 2010
 Well development
• Remove sediments blocking
well screen
– Improve yield
– Low turbidity samples
(chemistry of water)

• Equipment:
– Cylindrical plunging device
(surge block/bailer/swab)
– Jetting with air or water

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 Water depth measurement
• Exact location of well : x-y
coordinates and elevation
• Instruments to measure the
water levels
– Acoustic well probe
– Electrical sensors – transmit
sound or light signals
– Pressure transducers
– Float device
– Tape and poppers

Dip meter

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 Water depth measurement
• Prior to measuring, wells should
be allowed to recover minimum
24 hr following well construction,
development, purging, sampling
and aquifer testing
• Measure water level before
collecting samples / aquifer steam cleaning
testing
• Measure at the cleanest well;
clean device between wells; use
cleaning solution (Alconox, steam
cleaning, detergents).
Alconox

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 Monitoring Programs
• Sampling of groundwater is part of the monitoring
program – water quality
• 4 common groundwater monitoring programs:
– (i) Ambient monitoring
• Establish gw quality database (background data)
– (ii) Source monitoring
• Identify gw contaminants before spreading + remediation
– (iii) Case preparation monitoring
• To characterize the extent of contaminant and identify
responsible party
– (iv) Research monitoring
• Gain new insight knowledge
• High level of detail and sophistication
• Eg. Tracer test

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 Ambient monitoring

In Malaysia, there are 122 (?) wells that

are used to monitor the water quality of
the groundwater – source: DOE

Langat Basin

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 Source monitoring

BH6 BH7

BH3

BH5

Sg Labu
BH1
Groundwater flow

BH2
BH4

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 Guidelines
Well Drilling, Groundwater Abstraction and
Groundwater Monitoring
– Guidelines for well drilling
– Guidelines for Groundwater Abstraction
– Guidelines for Groundwater Monitoring

Prepared by Mineral and Geoscience Department, Malaysia

(2002)
(can be downloaded from the internet)

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Thank you

Exercise 1

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