Track: Application Development
Effectively Using Groundwater Geochemistry Data: A GIS Approach
James S. BollingerThe Savannah River Site (SRS) has accumulated a wealth of groundwater geochemistry data over the past two decades from a large network of monitoring wells. These data, which are archived in an Oracle database, have been accessible only in quarterly reports or spreadsheet format. An ArcView GIS extension has been developed to extract the data using a simple interface. The data are filtered, processed, and returned as an ArcView GIS theme, permitting rapid analysis and evaluation of contaminated areas. Typically, these data must be analyzed by hydrostratigraphic unit to be useful. Unfortunately, a compendium of well screen versus aquifer relationships for groundwater monitoring wells at SRS has not been available, making the geochemical data difficult to use and analyze. Therefore, a 3-D hydrostratigraphic model was developed in GIS and was used in conjunction with well construction data to determine the location of well screen zones within the SRS vertical hydrostratigraphy. This information was incorporated into the ArcView GIS extension so that geochemical data could be analyzed and displayed in ArcView GIS by hydrostratigraphic unit.
James S. Bollinger
Westinghouse Savannah River Company
Savannah River Site
Aiken, SC 29808
USA
Telephone: (803) 725-8253
Fax: (803) 725-2956
E-mail: james02.bollinger@srs.gov