Presentations

Click on the session titles below to see the abstracts/speakers within each session.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

8:15 a.m.-9:45 a.m.

Learn how using the proper drilling fluid for a particular project is paramount to a successful job during Ronald B. Peterson’s lecture. Peterson’s presentation will briefly cover the evolution of the water well industry with emphasis on drilling fluids and grouts, and the progress that has been made over time as technology and the understanding of drilling fluids has 
improved.

Topics to be covered include, but are not limited to the:

  • Evolution of the water well industry
  • Importance of proper project planning and follow-through
  • Functions of a drilling fluid
  • Uses of bentonite focusing on its use as a basis for drilling fluids
  • Development of other drilling fluid additives and their use to enhance the fluid properties
  • Proper selection of a grout
  • Development of grouts, and the issues and limitations in placement and in attaining a competent well seal.

Peterson’s lecture will provide you with the basics for the proper planning, implementation, and follow-through of a well-designed drilling program with the goal of providing the best seal possible during the final well construction.

Attending the McEllhiney Lecture qualifies for 1.5 CEPs in the NGWA Voluntary Certification Program. (Some states with continuing education requirements may recognize the McEllhiney Lecture for credit as well; please check with your state/local licensing board or regulatory body.)

10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

During this presentation you will discover how soil-moisture processes in the subsurface play a crucial role in the hydrological cycle and the groundwater budget. 

Understanding soil-moisture conditions in this zone is of interest in various applications in hydrology, such as land-atmospheric interaction, soil evaporation and evapotranspiration, and climate modeling, as well as emerging problems in assessing the risk of, for example, the leakage of carbon dioxide or methane from deep geological formations to the shallow subsurface that affects groundwater quality and vegetation. 

In this lecture you will learn about: 

  • Relevant processes of mass, momentum, and energy transfer at the interface between a free-flow and a porous-media system 
  • Conceptual modeling for coupled single-phase free flow and two-phase porous-medium flow with a detailed description of the models in the free flow and in the porous medium 
  • A new coupling concept for modeling coupled porous-medium and free flow with application to evaporation and salt-precipitation processes; a comparison study will show the advantages and disadvantages in comparison with classical approaches 
  • Three model combinations for evaporation processes and how to use them to study the effects of various quantities and processes—a porous-medium model coupled with a laminar free-flow model, a simple boundary-layer model, and a Reynolds-averaged turbulence model that uses algebraic expressions to account for the turbulent flow behavior.

11:00 a.m.-11:25 a.m.

Despite the fact that noble gas geochemistry has been be a valuable research tool in the geological and hydrological sciences for decades, it is not applied in practical applications as often as some other geochemical parameters (stable isotopes). Recent research applications demonstrate that noble gases have great potential for delineating the source and mechanism of natural gas transport in groundwater. Specifically, recent work by the instructor demonstrates how noble gases can be used as a forensic technique to determine if methane in shallow aquifers is related to natural migration or poor gas well integrity, and where applicable determine the ultimate source of leaky wells. In the extended learning session, we will discuss the basics of noble gas geochemistry in groundwater, the fundamentals of groundwater dating techniques using noble gases, and explain noble gases can track the source and migration pathways that lead to gas contamination.

11:25 a.m.-11:50 a.m.

12:45 p.m.-1:15 p.m.

For several decades groundwater modelers have argued over the appropriate use of models, specifically whether models should be as complex as the field data and modeling software allows or whether there are merits to the use of simpler models. It was soon recognized that ever increasing model complexity (more parameters) might not necessarily lead to improved representation of reality or to better predictive capability. Obviously, too little complexity (oversimplified models) can also degrade predictive capability. Consequently, concepts like “model complexity control” and “optimal model complexity” are now frequently found in the literature on this topic. In all of these discussions we hear the scientist searching for the best possible model of a real world system, or at least the best predictive model for that system. Yet, most computer modeling is performed by consultants who are responding to the needs of their clients. They need to do this fast and cheaply in order to be competitive. Under these circumstances they do not search for the best model that current technology may offer, but for the cheapest adequate model; adequate for answering the questions posed by the client. This cost-benefit consideration is rarely included in the discussions about what is the appropriate level of model complexity. Including cost in the equation invites a step-wise modeling approach whereby the job is considered done as soon as the questions are answered, not when a “best” or “optimal” model is realized. 

1:15 p.m.-1:40 p.m.

The Development Services Agency, Ohio EPA, and the Ohio Department of Commerce are working together to help business owners and communities clean-up old gas stations and sites with petroleum tanks and contamination. The agencies will provide information on the resources available at each agency and how the agencies are working together. The Ohio Development Services Agency will also provide information on a proposed program called the Abandoned Gas Station Cleanup Program.

1:40 p.m.-2:05 p.m.

Concern about declining ground water levels in the heavily industrialized Mill Creek valley north of Cincinnati in the late 1930’s resulted in the first observation well being installed in Ohio.  Currently, 140 water wells are continuously monitored by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).  As a direct result of the 1988 drought, the Water Withdrawal Facility Registration Program was created to document who is using water in Ohio and who may have extra capacity available for emergency use.  In 1994, legislation was passed that gives the ODNR the authority to designate ground water stress areas.  The ODNR uses these data sources along with other climatological data during investigations of ground water depletion complaints.

2:05 p.m.-2:25 p.m.

2:25 p.m.-2:50 p.m.

The presentation will provide a brief description of Ohio’s major aquifers followed by presentation of water quality associated with the major aquifers.  Ambient Ground Water Quality Monitoring Program water quality data, raw water samples, will be used to demonstrate water quality differences between the major aquifers using thematic map and box plots.  Several inorganic parameters, including  total dissolved solids, fluoride, strontium, exhibit strong regional characteristics associated with geologic and geochemical controls which will be discussed.  Other parameters, like manganese and arsenic, exhibit distributions that are controlled by redox controls.  These data are helpful for identifying possible water quality issues that are likely to be encountered in specific areas of Ohio.

3:10 p.m.-3:35 p.m.

3:35 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

This presentation will focus on The Ohio State University Global Water Initiative Strategy and Key Thrusts.  The latter includes (1) Field for Faucet, a Western Lake Erie Basin set of initiatives that address harmful algal blooms, (2) Wells to Wellness, a program to bring clean water, health and sanitation to rural areas of developing nations, and (3) coastal resilience, a new  initiative aimed at addressed prevention, adaptation and mitigation strategies for coastal regions around the world in collaboration with UNESCO and the United Nations.

4:00 p.m.-4:45 p.m.