A Simple Borehole Dilution Technique in Measuring Horizontal Ground Water Flow

Abstract

Borehole dilution techniques use repeated fluid column profiling after establishment of an initial uniform condition to monitor the rate at which ambient ground water moves into a borehole. Application of the dilution technique in a monitoring well makes it possible to estimate the horizontal Darcy flow velocity of ground water in the aquifer surrounding the borehole. Previous investigators have demonstrated the technique using either relatively concentrated saline solutions or deionized water to produce a fluid column with properties distinctly different from those of local ground water. We present a new dilution technique using the food color Brilliant Blue FCF (Euro code E-133) to mark the fluid column and using a specially constructed photometric sensor to characterize the dilution of this dye over time. The effective application of this technique is documented by two practical examples.