Non-invasive flow path characterization in a mining-impacted wetland

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
By: , and 

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Abstract

Time-lapse electrical resistivity (ER) was used to capture the dilution of a seasonal pulse of acid mine drainage (AMD) contamination in the subsurface of a wetland downgradient of the abandoned Pennsylvania mine workings in central Colorado. Data were collected monthly from mid-July to late October of 2013, with an additional dataset collected in June of 2014. Inversion of the ER data shows the development through time of multiple resistive anomalies in the subsurface, which corroborating data suggest are driven by changes in total dissolved solids (TDS) localized in preferential flow pathways. Sensitivity analyses on a synthetic model of the site suggest that the anomalies would need to be at least several meters in diameter to be adequately resolved by the inversions. The existence of preferential flow paths would have a critical impact on the extent of attenuation mechanisms at the site, and their further characterization could be used to parameterize reactive transport models in developing quantitative predictions of remediation strategies.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Non-invasive flow path characterization in a mining-impacted wetland
Series title Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
DOI 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2015.10.002
Volume 183
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Publisher location New York
Contributing office(s) Colorado Water Science Center, Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
Description 11 p.
First page 29
Last page 39
Country United States
State Colorado
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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