Importance of considering intraborehole flow in solute transport modeling under highly dynamic flow conditions

Abstract

Correct interpretation of tracer test data is critical for understanding transport processes in the subsurface. This task can be greatly complicated by the presence of intraborehole flows in a highly dynamic flow environment. At a new tracer test site (Hanford IFRC) a dynamic flow field created by changes in the stage of the adjacent Columbia River, coupled with a heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity distribution, leads to considerable variations in vertical hydraulic gradients. These variations, in turn, create intraborehole flows in fully-screened (6.5 m) observation wells with frequently alternating upward and downward movement. This phenomenon, in conjunction with a highly permeable aquifer formation and small horizontal hydraulic gradients, makes modeling analysis and model calibration a formidable challenge. Groundwater head data alone were insufficient to define the flow model boundary conditions, and the movement of the tracer was highly sensitive to the dynamics of the flow field. This study shows that model calibration can be significantly improved by explicitly considering (a) dynamic flow model boundary conditions and (b) intraborehole flow. The findings from this study underscore the difficulties in interpreting tracer tests and understanding solute transport under highly dynamic flow conditions.