We present an optimization method for the design of monitoring well networks to defect initial groundwater contamination in three-dimensional heterogenous aquifers. A Monte Carlo-based approach generates a large number of equally likely realizations of a random hydraulic conductivity field and a contaminant leak location. A finite difference groundwater flow model and a particle-tracking model generate a contaminant plume for each realization. Information from the flow and transport simulations is passed to an optimization model based upon a facility location analogy. The optimization model is a large integer programming problem which is solved approximately by the method of simulated annealing to determine optimal trade-off curves among the following three conflicting objectives: (1) maximum detection probability, (2) minimum cost (i.e., number of monitoring wells), and (3) minimum volume of contaminated groundwater at the time of detection. The method is applied to a unit-scaled hypothetical three-dimensional site to determine the sensitivity of the trade-off curves to various model parameters. Application to an existing landfill site reveals that the existing well network is suboptimal with respect to the considered objectives.
CITATION STYLE
Storck, P., Eheart, J. W., & Valocchi, A. J. (1997). A method for the optimal location of monitoring wells for detection of groundwater contamination in three-dimensional heterogenous aquifers. Water Resources Research, 33(9), 2081–2088. https://doi.org/10.1029/97WR01704
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