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Fallstudie zur Ableitung einer kritischen Messstellenanzahl zur Schadstofffahnencharakterisierung bei unterschiedlichen Qualitätsansprüchen

Case study to derive a critical number of monitoring wells for plume characterization at different quality standards

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Kurzfassung

Die Frage nach der Anzahl erforderlicher Messstellen für ausreichend genaue Fahnenkartierungen wurde bisher für realitätsnahe Schadstofffahnen nur begrenzt bearbeitet. Mit numerischen Transportsimulationen wurde in Abhängigkeit der hydraulischen Heterogenität anhand von Schadensfall-Typszenarien, die Abhängigkeit zwischen Erkundungsqualität, ausgedrückt als Ähnlichkeit zu einem virtuellen Schadensfall, und der Messstellendichte untersucht. Dabei wurde auf einer für Altlastenstandorte typischen Skala (hier 500 m × 150 m) ein oberer Grenzbereich in der Größenordnung von 50 Stützstellen ermittelt, der als erster Richtwert für eine Schadstofffahnenkartierung an realen Standorten unter ähnlichen Randbedingungen angesehen werden kann. Die Verwendung von weniger Stützstellen führt zu einem deutlichen Verlust an Erkundungsqualität bei steigender Unsicherheit. Ein positiver Einfluss auf die Qualität der Fahnenerkundung durch quellnahe Beprobungen und somit eine bessere räumliche Abgrenzung des Eintragsbereiches konnte zudem bestehende Erkenntnisse bestätigen. Im Bezug auf den Nachweis einer Fahnenstationarität ist eine quantitative Aussage zumindest bei den untersuchten gering heterogenen Aquiferen erst ab 50 Stützstellen mit einem Fehler von weniger als 16 % möglich.

Abstract

The number of observation points required to accurately map a field-scale contaminant plume is rarely known. The aim of this study was to identify the quality of a field site investigation as a function of aquifer heterogeneity and the number of monitoring wells by using virtual contamination scenarios. About 50 observation wells are shown to be needed for a plume mapping at a typical contaminated site scale. Using less monitoring wells leads to a significant decrease in the investigation quality coupled with an increase in uncertainty. This order of magnitude can be used as a first approximate value or upper limit for plume mapping at real sites with similar conditions. Furthermore, the results support existing concepts that investigations near and downstream of the source area could be very useful to increase the quality of a field investigation program. Identifying a steady-state plume, which is one of the most important criteria for accepting monitored natural attenuation at contaminated sites, requires more than 50 observation wells to drop the error below 16 %, at least for the less heterogeneous aquifers.

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  1. Angewandte Geologie, Institut für Geowissenschaften, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40–60, 24098, Kiel, Deutschland

    G. Hornbruch,  D. Schäfer &  A. Dahmke

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  1. G. Hornbruch
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  2. D. Schäfer
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  3. A. Dahmke
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Correspondence to G. Hornbruch.

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Hornbruch, G., Schäfer, D. & Dahmke, A. Fallstudie zur Ableitung einer kritischen Messstellenanzahl zur Schadstofffahnencharakterisierung bei unterschiedlichen Qualitätsansprüchen. Grundwasser 14, 81–95 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-009-0101-5

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