Wednesday, April 2, 2008 : 2:20 p.m.

Evaluation of Riverbank Filtration as Efficient Means for Treating Water from the Zarqa River in Jordan

William Blanford, Louisiana State University and Ziad Al-Ghazawi, Jordan University of Science and Technology

The overall objective of the research is to evaluate the performance of riverbank filtration (RBF) technology as a practical and inexpensive initial treatment and buffer against compromise for drinking water resources drawn from Jordanian surface waters. RBF is a technique where groundwater is withdrawn from wells near rivers. In RBF systems, contaminants are removed from the raw surface waters as they pass through the soil beneath the river or from other surface water bodies through the riverbank to groundwater wells located near the river (within 50 m).

 

In this project we installed and operated an RBF well near the Zarqa River in Jordan.  To evaluate the performance of the system we installed four multi-level monitoring wells.  At those locations, the river, and RBF well we monitored the changing base geochemical conditions, fecal coliform levels and water levels to map spatial and temporal changes in water quality during operation of the RBF well. During the first month of operation the permeability field obviously changed due to operation of the RBF well.  The changes in the permeability field were mapped by calibrating MODFLOW based groundwater flow models.  The accuracy of the permeability fields were evaluated by attempts to simulate the results conservative tracer tests that were also conducted at the site.

William Blanford, Louisiana State University Dr. Blanford's research program is directed toward preserving and protecting the quality and quantity of water resources. To contribute to that effort, my research group studies factors that govern the circulation of water and the transport, fate, and remediation of waterborne microbial pathogens and chemicals in subsurface and surface environments.


2008 Ground Water Summit