A GIS-Based Aquifer Characterization Methodology for
Wellhead ProtectioN
Summit Envirosolutions, Inc. of St. Paul, Minnesota, a full service
environmental engineering company, has recently explored using
remote sensing and geographic information systems (RS/GIS) technologies
for environmental impact analysis. Under the NASA EOCAP, Summit's
efforts were aimed at creating prototype RS/GIS technologies for
use in groundwater monitoring and wellhead protection.
The groundwater industry relies on classical hydrogeologic principles
to characterize aquifer flow systems. The accuracy of the mathematical
calculations used to compute groundwater flow is limited by the
quality and accuracy of input data. The labor involved in collecting,
analyzing, and graphically depicting results of groundwater elevation
data from monitoring or pumping wells usually constitutes the
largest single cost associated with aquifer testing and modeling.
Moreover, the data collected represent a relatively small "snapshot
in time" view of the aquifer response to stress. This leads
to the accumulation of errors during the modeling task, since
conditions occurring over time are not apparent during the short-term
aquifer tests. These errors could be greatly reduced by providing
a mechanism for collecting continuous, real-time data directly
from remote locations and graphically displaying the data for
analysis and interpretation.
Through technical innovation, this project involves the convergence
of telecommunications (TCC), current geographic technologies (Global
Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS)),
and visualization and rendering (VAR) programs in order to expand
the existing market for remote sensing and related technologies
and to target an emerging market.
Operating objectives of RealFlow® include
the use of:
- GIS and digital imagery to characterize sites and as a monitoring
tool for site management subsequent to modeling
- Optimal site evaluation techniques
- Pressure transducers and automated flow valves to acquire
real-time data
- A telecommunications package to enable efficient access to
remote data
- Existing groundwater flow models and development of data
interface software to model continuously changing data sets
- Existing software as a platform to develop new macros to
graphically represent two and three-dimensional views of the
model output
Also
under the Summit-NASA EOCAP as a parallel project, Summit is
using high-resolution nighttime thermal imagery to detect wetlands
and, potentially, soil/bedrock depths. The image below is a
3-D depiction of the Calibrated Airborne Multispectral Scanner's
(CAMS)
pre-dawn thermal imagery. Isolines (shown in magenta) show
points
of equal elevation. (Note the warmer surface temperatures on
hilltops,
and cooler temperatures in lowlands.)
For more information about RealFlow®, please contact:
Mr. John Dustman
St. Paul, Minnesota Office
Phone: 651.644.8080, x203
email: jdustman@summite.com
