Ground water vulnerability assessment : contamination potential under conditions of uncertainty / Committee on Techniques for Assessing Ground Water Vulnerability, Water Science and Technology Board, Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Techniques for Assessing Ground Water Vulnerability.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Groundwater--Pollution.

Groundwater.

Water--Pollution potential.

Water.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (226 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1993.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Since the need to protect ground water from pollution was recognized, researchers have made progress in understanding the vulnerability of ground water to contamination. Yet, there are substantial uncertainties in the vulnerability assessment methods now available. With a wealth of detailed information and practical advice, this volume will help decisionmakers derive the most benefit from available assessment techniques. It offers Three laws of ground water vulnerability. Six case studies of vulnerability assessment. Guidance for selecting vulnerability assessments and using the results. Reviews of the strengths and limitations of assessment methods. Information on available data bases, primarily at the federal level. This book will be indispensable to policymakers and resource managers, environmental professionals, researchers, faculty, and students involved in ground water issues, as well as investigators developing new assessment methods.

Contents:

GROUND WATER VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

INTRODUCTION

The Vulnerability Assessment Process

MANAGEMENT

APPROACHES TO VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

Uncertainty in Vulnerability Assessment

Testing and Evaluation of Vulnerability Assessments

Computing Environments for Vulnerability Assessments

DATA AND DATABASES

CASE STUDIES

RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS

REFERENCE

1 Introduction

PROTECTING GROUND WATER FROM FUTURE CONTAMINATION

Ground Water Vulnerability to Contamination

ASSESSING GROUND WATER VULNERABILITY

Uncertainty in the Assessment Process

Elements of Vulnerability Assessment

Reference Location

Specific and Intrinsic Vulnerability

Contaminant Pathways

Spatial Scales

THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Case Studies

REFERENCES

2 Considerations in the Selection and Use of Vulnerability Assessments

EXISTING AND POTENTIAL USES FOR VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS

Policy Analysis and Development

Program Management

Land Use Decisions

Zoning and Screening

Conditioning, Mitigating, and Compliance Monitoring

Technical Assistance

General Education and Awareness

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION AND USE OF VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS

Technical Considerations

Type and Form of Output

Size and Characteristics of Assessment Area

Availability of Data

Uncertainty of Results and Impact on Use

Institutional Considerations

Time Frame of a Vulnerability Assessment

Cost and Commitment of Personnel and Physical Resources

Coordination with Other Planning Programs and Needs

Coordination with Other Agencies and Institutions

SUMMARY

3 Approaches to Vulnerability Assessments

REVIEW OF CURRENT APPROACHES

Overlay and Index Methods

Depth to Ground Water

Recharge.

Properties of the Unsaturated Zone and Aquifer Material

Discussion

Process-Based Simulation Models

Statistical Techniques for Vulnerability Assessment

Regionalization

Vulnerability Assessment

UNCERTAINTY IN VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT METHODS

Sources of Errors

Errors in Obtaining Data

Errors Due to Natural Spatial and Temporal Variability

Errors in Computerization (Digitizing) and Storage of Data

Data Processing Errors

Models and Conceptualizations

Output and Visualization Errors

Uncertainty Analyses

Applications of FOUA to Vulnerability Assessment

Uncertainty of Uncertainty Analyses

TESTING AND EVALUATION OF VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS

Regional-Scale Testing and Evaluation

Limitations of Ground Water Quality Sampling

Difficulties in Characterizing the Mobile Fraction of Contaminants

Sampling Near the Water Table

Purging and Pumping

COMPUTING ENVIRONMENTS FOR VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS

Building and Making Databases Available for Assessment Approaches

Geographical Display of Assessment Results

Analytical Functions

4 Data and Databases

Federal Data Management Activities

State and Local Data Management Activities

TOPOGRAPHY

Characteristics and Availability of Data

SOILS

Geographic Databases

Attribute Databases

Site-Specific Databases

HYDROGEOLOGY

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

LAND USE AND LAND COVER

MANAGEMENT FACTORS

National Resources Inventory

Agricultural Census of 1987

Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey.

Pesticide Databases

Field Level Databases

CONCLUSION

5 Case Studies

IOWA

Introduction

Defining the Question

Mandate, Selection, and Implementation

CAPE COD

Selection and Implementation of Approaches

Results

FLORIDA

The Hydrogeologic Setting

Selecting an Approach

THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Hydrogeologic Setting

Selection and Implementation of an Approach

HAWAII

Approaches

APPLICATION OF A VULNERABILITY INDEX FOR DECISION-MAKING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

Need for a Vulnerability Index

Description of the Vulnerability Index

Application to Program Management

Application to Policy Analysis and Development

6 Conclusions and Recommendations

MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

APPROACHES

RESEARCH AGENDA

Fundamental Transport and Fate Processes

Databases

Geoprocessing and Display

Assessment Methods

Appendixes

Appendix A Sources for Digital Resource Databases

GENERAL SOURCE INFORMATION

Appendix B Biographical Sketches

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

COMMITTEE STAFF

Appendix C Contributors to the Committee's Effort

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786610196302

9781280196300

1280196300

9780309585088

0309585082

9780585028675

0585028672

OCLC:

42329395