The Prototype Plume Busters Software: A New Tool for Computer Assisted Instruction

1. The Prototype Plume Busters Software: A New Tool for Computer Assisted Instruction P. Allen Macfarlane, Geoffery Bohling, Margaret Townsend Kansas Geological Survey Steve Case and Tom Baker KU Center for Science Education Ken Thompson Depts. of Physical Sciences Emporia State University

2. Teaching Ground-water Science Concepts • Ground-water systems are typically not observed directly. • The concepts and earth material properties that govern ground-water flow are abstract.

3. The River Basin Hydrologic Cycle Stagnant ? ? ?

4. Hydrogeology: What is it? • Hydrogeology examines the interrelationships of geologic materials and processes with water • This is not what a hydrogeologist does:

5. PLUME BUSTERS • An NSF-funded product • A role-play to help students develop a better understanding of how ground-water concepts are applied using simulation and games.

6. Missouri River Water table A A' Bedrock Alluvial aquifer Setting for the SimulationStream-Aquifer System A' A

7. Environmental Consultant Role Play The Situation A chemical spill from a ruptured pipeline has contaminated a shallow aquifer. A plume of contamination is moving toward the river. If unchecked, the contaminants will seep into the nearby Buffalo River and render River City’s downstream water supply unusable. Your Role You have been hired by the pipeline owner solve this environmental problem. Your objective is to eliminate the contamination from the aquifer in the shortest amount of time for the least cost to the pipeline owner. Every action you take in this simulation will cost you time & money

8. Software Features • Software Structure • Locate the Plume • Remediate the Plume • Interaction with the Software • Information provided on a series of linked HTML pages • User interacts with ground-water model through the Map View screen

9. Locating the Plume • The ships of the each player’s fleet are distributed on a game board before play begins. • Ships remain fixed in their positions on the board throughout the game. • Each player tries to “guess” the location of the opposing player’s ships so they can be destroyed and sunk.

10. Locating the Plume Source Where is the plume in the aquifer at any given time? Buffalo River Ground-water Flow Assumption: The plume is moving in the same direction and with the same constant speed as the ground-water. Problem Solution: Distance = Speed x Time

11. Earth Material Bulk Volume (VT) = Volume of the Matrix (VM) + Volume of the Voids (VV) VV x 100% Porosity = VT Porosity Definition All earth materials contain void space or porosity

12. Hydraulic conductivity is a measure of the connectedness of the pores in the sediment or the rock and • it is sensitive to the: • Tortuousity & • Number & distribution of pathways through the earth material Hydraulic Conductivity The ease with which fresh water passes through an earth material.

13. Water table h Sea-level Datum Hydraulic Head (h) = 0 Hydraulic Head A Measure of Ground-water Potential Energy

14. Hydraulic Gradient Hydraulic Gradient = Δh/ΔL ΔL Δh h1 h2 Datum

15. Average Groundwater = Specific discharge/Aquifer porosity Velocity Average Ground-water Velocity Darcy’s Law Q/A = K x (Δh/ΔL) Specific Discharge Hydraulic Conductivity Hydraulic Gradient X =

16. 2 times of interest: • When the contaminants first entered the aquifer Darcy’s Law q = K X (Δh/ΔL) Hydraulic Gradient Hydraulic Conductivity Specific Discharge X = Average Speed = Specific discharge/Aquifer porosity Locating the Plume Distance = Speed x Time • When the source stopped adding contaminants to the aquifer

17. Target area for monitoring well placement When contaminants last entered When contaminants first entered Locating the Plume Ground-water Flow Corridor Source Plume

18. Remediate the Plume Pump and Treat Technology

19. Ground-water flow Plume Plume Capture Zone Ground-water flow Production Well Injection Well Remediate the Plume Capture Zone