Workshops

All workshops will be held at the Tacoma-Sheraton Convention Center.

1. Geochemical Modeling of Hydrocarbons and Invasive Waters on Groundwater Systems

This workshop will stress the use of geochemical and stable isotopic techniques to monitor the fate of hydrocarbons and invasive waters (e.g. storm and reclaimed water) in groundwater systems. Participants will first be provided with background information on a variety of stable isotopes (C, H, O, N, Sr, Pb), then, via series of case studies, participants will be shown how high precision isotopic techniques can be incorporated with other site specific data to:

• Estimate the age and fate of hydrocarbon releases in groundwater.
• Discriminate invasive (storm and reclaimed) water from local groundwater using comparative isotope geochemistry.
• Assess hydrologic continuity between hydrostratigraphic units in the subsurface.

Examples of specific case studies include:

• Storm water runoff from the Mohave Generating Station (coal-fired power plant) in eastern California.
• Impact of smelter versus gasoline-derived lead on groundwater in Tacoma.
• Impact of oxygenated gasoline on groundwater in Connecticut.
• Nitrate contamination of groundwater related to agricultural and naturally-occurring hydrocarbons in southern California.
• Historic leaded gasoline release impacts on local groundwater via infiltration and surface runoff.

Each participant will be provided with course notes that include the figures presented in the workshop as well as a reference list for further self-study.

Time: Thursday, May 3, 1:30-4:30 PM, Room 315.
Leader: Richard W. Hurst, Ph.D., Hurst & Associates, Inc. Visit Dr. Hurst's Web site.
Contact: Bob Miller, robertmiller8701@comcast.net, 503-650-7726.
Cost: $50, includes course notes and reference list.
Maximum Size: 35 participants; minimum: 18.

2. Groundwater in Tidally Influenced Aquifers

This workshop will present practical tools that are used by groundwater professionals in interpreting data from tidally influenced aquifers. The workshop is structured as a combination of formal lectures, practical examples, and discussion, with an emphasis on case studies. A rigorous, yet practical approach is taken towards the design and implementation of a reliable data collection program, following with the diagnosis of aquifer response and the estimation of representative aquifer properties in tidal settings. Focus will be on hydraulic response rather than chemical processes.

Topics covered during the workshop will include:

• Hydraulic gradients in tidally fluctuating groundwater
• Aquifer properties from tidal response
• Strategies for designing successful aquifer tests in tidal influenced groundwater
• Physical processes present at the groundwater/surface water interface
• Designing groundwater monitoring programs

Time: Thursday, May 3, 1:30 to 4:30 PM, Room 316.
Leader: Roy E. Jensen, LHG, is the lead instructor for the workshop. Mr. Jensen is a Senior Hydrogeologist with Hart Crowser, Inc. in Seattle, Washington. He has eighteen years of experience in hydrogeology specializing in the interpretation of hydrologic data and the analysis of groundwater problems in tidal influenced aquifers.
Contact: Charles San Juan, WA Department of Ecology, csan461@ecy.wa.gov, 360-407-7191.
Cost: $50.
Maximum Size: 35 participants; minimum: 18.

3. Want to Know How to Get Data into that Ecology EIM Database? Come to this Workshop!

Cancelled

This workshop will include a demonstration and Q&A session on how to submit data to Ecology’s Environmental Information Management (EIM) database. EIM is Ecology’s main database for environmental monitoring data, containing over 4 million records on physical, chemical, and biological analyses and measurements. Data submittal is now a requirement for cleanup sites and water quality grant and loan recipients.

Time: Thursday, May 3, 1:30 to 4:30 PM, Room 317.
Leader and Contact: Christine Neumiller, WA Department of Ecology, cneu461@ecy.wa.gov, 360-407-6258.  Visit the EIM Web site.
Cost: No charge.
Maximum Size: 50 participants.

4. Subsurface Heterogeneity: Why It's Important, Why We Usually Ignore It, and What to Do About It

Inadequacies of transport models are most commonly attributed to insufficient representation of heterogeneity and its control of scale-dependent dispersion, early breakthrough due to preferential flow, and long-term (decades to centuries) tailing. This is often seen by the nearly ubiquitous ineffectiveness of pump-and-treat remediation. Moreover, recent studies have shown that interpretation of so-called groundwater age data can be dubious or misleading unless one has a transport model with good representation of subsurface heterogeneity. We’ve also seen that something as “simple” as a pumping test may be misinterpreted without a good understanding of subsurface complexities. How can we do a better job?

This workshop will show examples of how the lack of geologic characterization of heterogeneity in flow and transport models can diminish the reliability and utility of groundwater models, especially transport models. We will then ask ourselves the question: “If we know heterogeneity is so important, why do we usually ignore it?” The ensuing discussion will help lead us to insights regarding how the philosophy and science of hydrogeology might evolve so as to resolve this problem.

The last portion of the workshop will be devoted to presentation of one approach to modeling subsurface heterogeneity – the transition probability approach. This approach allows relatively easy infusion of geologic and geophysical information into quantitative models of geologic heterogeneity.

Time: Thursday, May 3, 1:30 to 4:30 PM, Room 318.
Leader: Dr. Gary Weissmann, Associate Professor - Hydrogeology, Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, weissman@unm.edu.  Visit Dr. Weissmann's Web site for more information.
Contact: Charles San Juan, WA Department of Ecology, csan461@ecy.wa.gov, 360-407-7191.
Cost: $50.
Maximum Size: 35 participants; minimum: 10.