Site characterization, design, construction, and management of a field experiment to assess groundwater contamination by agricultural waste management practices

Ivany, Peter Andrew (1993) Site characterization, design, construction, and management of a field experiment to assess groundwater contamination by agricultural waste management practices. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (14MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

A research study was undertaken to establish a long term groundwater monitoring program to examine the spatial and temporal effects of agricultural waste disposal on cultivated fields and the effectiveness of several containment barriers. The research project attempts to address the effect of agricultural waste storage facilities and common manure fertilization practices on groundwater quality. -- The monitoring program included twenty-five sampling wells of which sixteen wells were dedicated to the spreading experiment with the remaining nine for the storage experiment. Initial background site characteristics, namely; instrumentation, determination of soil index properties, and chemical analyses before and after the first manure spreading were determined. The physical and hydrogeological properties of the site were defined using various in situ and laboratory techniques resulting in a geotechnical soil description and hydraulic characterization. The chemical properties of the groundwater were analyzed using samples obtained from the monitoring well network. -- Groundwater quality analysis for the period of May 1992 to December 1992 showed no statistical variation in chemical concentrations for the spreading zone experiment. The chemical concentrations, determined thus far, can be considered as background readings for the site. The statistical analysis of the groundwater chemistry has not shown any statistically significant chemical change in the groundwater signatures after the first manure application on the spreading or background zone. The water quality changes can not be attributed to the experiment. However, it is likely that the local anomalies are caused by extraneous sources. -- Continued site surveillance is necessary to estimate long-term trends, be able to define seasonal or other cycles, and forecast chemical concentrations. A detailed study of the storage experiment is necessary to determine its effects on water quality and overall site properties. The sampling scheme should be modified to statistically determine these effects in future.

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