GROUNDWATER

EXPLORATION
Vincent W. Uhl
UHL & Associates, Inc
Lambertville, New Jersey
vuhl@vuawater.com

Project Context
The first step in the exploration process is to
define the basic parameters of what the project
needs to accomplish, including:
1. Present and predicted future population to be

served and daily demand for drinking water

supply and other uses;
2. Land area to be irrigated, if applicable; and
3. The desired water quality requirements for the
intended use(s).

Project Categories
Groundwater exploration projects generally fall into one
of three categories, involving increasing levels of effort:
1. SMALL - Siting of a single low- or medium-capacity

well for a village, town, industry, or commercial use.

2. MEDIUM - Siting of large-capacity municipal and
irrigation wells or wellfields.
3. LARGE - Exploration of a relatively large region for
groundwater resource assessment and development
evaluation feasibility.

Phased Exploration Approach

Groundwater Exploration Projects are classically
implemented in three principal Phases:
Phase I - Desktop Studies
Phase II - Ground Investigations
Phase III - Exploration Drilling Programs

Phase I Desktop Studies

Literature Review and Interviews (Local Knowledge)
Hydrogeologists/Water Engineers
Drillers
Water utility operators
Topographic and Geologic Maps
Groundwater Availability Maps
Aerial Photograph Analysis - Fracture Trace Studies
Airborne Geophysical Mapping Studies
Satellite Imagery Interpretation

Multi-Disciplinary Nature
Large groundwater exploration projects are generally multi-disciplinary
and can involve experts from the following fields:
Geologists/Hydrogeologists

Surface-WaterHydrologistsandGeomorphologists

RemoteSensingExperts(SatelliteImagery&GIS)

Geophysicists

Geochemists
Botanists

Topographic Map Analysis

Hydrogeologic Map

Fracture Trace Analysis

Airborne Geophysics (EM)

.
Remote

Sensing

Phase 2 Ground Studies

Hydrogeologic Reconnaissance Inventory of

Existing Wells (meet with well drillers and well

operators)
Surface Geophysical studies
Groundwater Age Dating (Regional

Investigations)
Identification and Mapping of Contaminant

Well Inventory Details

Well Construction
Yield details often run short term pumping

tests
Field Water Quality Testing:
pH, DO, ORP, TDS, EC

GPS Coordinates
Well age, use and repair history

Pump Equipment
Turbine
Pump

Geophysical Studies

Ground Geophysics (TEM)

Contamination Source Inventory

Phase 3 Exploration Drilling

Test Well drilling programs
Pumping tests
Individual well tests
Aquifer tests
Water Quality Sampling
Impact Assessment:
Recharge sustainability evaluation
Impacts to other groundwater users
Salt-water intrusion potential
Modelling

Drilling Programs
Rig

Pumping Tests
.

Pumping Tests

d from WHO (2011), Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality 4 edition]

Water Quality Testing

Contaminant

Total Dissolved
Solids (TDS)

WHO guideline value

<1,000 mg/L

Major Health Effects

Based on the palatability of water

Fluoride

<1.5 mg/L

Dental and skeletal fluorosis

Nitrate as NO3

<50 mg/L

Methaemoglobinaemia (blue baby syndrome)

Arsenic
Fecal (E. coli)
bacteria

<0.010 mg/L
Nil

Skin, bladder and lung cancer

Gastrointestinal distress, intestinal infections

Impact Assessment
Recharge sustainability evaluation
Impacts to other groundwater users
Water level impacts (from aquifer tests)
Movement of contaminants (modelling)
Salt-water intrusion potential

Contamination Source Inventory

Single Town/Industrial/Commercial Supply Well

Look into local water-supply/well history.
Topographic, geologic, and hydrogeologic map analysis.
Detailed site visit to inventory and map potential contamination

sources.
Aerial photograph examination and delineation of fracture traces
(for bedrock well siting).
Application of surface geophysics to:
Ground-truth the fracture traces (bedrock well).
Determine the nature of the subsurface materials (sand & gravel, silt
or clay) and the saturated thickness (unconsolidated well).
Assess the depth to the brackish or saline groundwater interface
(unconsolidated and bedrock wells), if warranted.

Town/Urban Wells Small to Medium-Size Project Areas

Review existing studies and reports that address well-field operations

and production well details (construction, yields, water quality,

operational history, problems).
Topographic, geologic, and hydrogeologic map analysis.
Land use mapping to identify known or potential groundwater

contamination sources.
Individual well/well field siting using aerial photograph analysis

(bedrock aquifers) and surface geophysics.

Exploration test well drilling; aquifer tests and water quality sampling.
Groundwater resource sustainability evaluation recharge assessment

ThankYou