Ground water contamination at Bemidji, MN

Part 1: Younis Altobi

http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/photo.htm

Outline: Younis Altobi

• Introduction• Significance• Description of site• Study objectives• Data• Methodology

• Data analysis• Data interpretation

• Results• Limitations• Future Work http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/photo.htm

Introduction• Most oil pipelines leak

at least once during their life span.

• ~14,000 spills a year are reported in the U.S.

• Spills pose hazards to: • marine and human life• natural and man-made

resources

• Each spill’s environmental impact depends on its spreading rate.

http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/photo.htm

Significance

Problem:• Treatment and remediation challenges:

• Time consumption• Costs in training and equipment• Inaccurate site assessments

Possible solution:• Apply GIS techniques to monitor and model:

• Contaminant distribution with time.• Contaminant migration with time.• Contaminant concentration with time.

Description of Site

• NW Bemidji, MN• In 1979, a pipeline

burst, spilling ~11,000 barrels of crude oil.

• Contaminated subsurface sediment and ground water.

http://mn.water.usgs.gov/bemidji/gif/locatn-1.jpg

Study Site

http://mn.water.usgs.gov/bemidji/gif/fig4.jpg

http://mn.water.usgs.gov/bemidji/

Study ObjectivesUsing GIS techniques and utilizing Arc Hydro Groundwater Data

Models devised by Gil Strassberg and Suzanne Pierce (CRWR)

• 2-Dimentional surface-ground water interaction data model using aquifer, stream networks, aquifer recharge and contaminant transport.

• 3D geological framework of the aquifer using wells, coring and test data.

• Model groundwater movement through out the aquifer.• Model hydrocarbon migration since the 1979 oil spill through out the

aquifer.• Model the aquifer hydrologic unit to determine the effects of lithology

and porosity on water and hydrocarbon movements.• Produce a 3D distribution profile of the hydrocarbon plume across

the site.

Objectives accomplished

• 3D geological framework of the aquifer using water wells and coring.• Model hydrocarbon migration since the 1979 oil spill through out the

aquifer.• Produce a 3D distribution profile of the hydrocarbon plume across

the site.• 3D surface topography of the site.• Ground water level changes through time.• Oil level, thickness, and concentration through time.

Data

• Wells (over 200 total wells)• Water level• Oil level• Oil thickness• Oil concentration (Benzene and

Toluene) • Core• Elevation

Data source: http://mn.water.usgs.gov/bemidji/data.html

Data Analysis

• Select wells from area of interest (north pool).

• Create a surface elevation.• Produce a 3D projection of core lithologies.• Using well attributes, we distributed:

• Water level• Oil level• Oil thickness• Oil concentrations

• Time Frame (3 periods)

Data Analysis: Surface elevation

• Surface interpolated from selected surface elevation points distributed across the study site.

Data Analysis: Cores

WELLID NEWLAT NEWLONG LITHOID TOPDEPTHBOTTOMDEPT302 47.57391 -95.09021 S1 10.363 12.192302 47.57391 -95.09021 S2 12.802 15.240523 47.57361 -95.09099 S2 6.401 7.620530 47.57422 -95.08903 S2 11.887 12.192533 47.57398 -95.08967 S2 3.990 4.020604 47.57376 -95.09058 S2 7.315 10.000606 47.57353 -95.09142 S2 8.150 8.959707 47.57360 -95.09101 S2 4.570 6.520812 47.57356 -95.09026 S2 8.170 9.450815 47.57389 -95.09163 S2 6.160 6.770302 47.57391 -95.09021 S3 0.000 10.363302 47.57391 -95.09021 S3 12.192 12.802303 47.57398 -95.09040 S3 0.000 7.955411 47.57389 -95.09024 S3 0.000 5.791421 47.57387 -95.09014 S3 6.005 6.096423 47.57390 -95.08988 S3 0.000 7.925522 47.57394 -95.08981 S3 3.962 5.000523 47.57361 -95.09099 S3 4.877 6.401533 47.57398 -95.08967 S3 4.020 5.730

Porosity Permeability (md)S1 Sand tight 2% 1S2 Silt to Fine Sand 8% 1S3 Sand Fine to medium 15% 4S4 Sand medimum to course 20% 8S5 Sand Course to very course with gravel 25% 10S6 Gravel 30% 10

Data Analysis: Attribute Tables

WellID NewLat NewLong Water Level Elevation

303 47.57398 -95.09040 7.10 430.640

306 47.57391 -95.09020 7.8 430.610

315 47.57381 -95.09016 7.7 430.593

319 47.57385 -95.09008 8.2 430.872

411 47.57389 -95.09024 8.1 430.792

423 47.57390 -95.08988 9.8 432.759

506 47.57438 -95.08934 9.35 432.791

507 47.57426 -95.08956 9.65 433.050

512 47.57402 -95.08909 9.45 432.833

WellID NewLat NewLong Oil LevelOil

Thickness Elevation

306 47.57391 -95.09020 6.8 1.1 430.610

315 47.57381 -95.09016 6.8 1 430.593

319 47.57385 -95.09008 7 1.1 430.872

411 47.57389 -95.09024 6.95 1.1 430.792

Period 1 83-88

Period 2 89-94

Period 3 94-99

Acknowledgments

• Gil Strassberg (CRWR)

• Dr. David Maidment

• Suzanne Pierce (UTDoGS)

• Geoff Delin and Todd Anderson• http://mn.water.usgs.gov/bemidji/