PNNL

Abstract

Time-lapse resistivity imaging is increasingly used to monitor hydrologic processes. Compared to conventional hydrologic measurements, surface time-lapse resistivity provides (1) superior spatial coverage in two or three dimensions, (2) potentially high-resolution information in time, and (3) information in the absence of wells. However, interpretation of time-lapse electrical tomograms is complicated by the ever increasing size and complexity of long-term, three-dimensional time-series conductivity datasets. Here, we use three-dimensional (3D) surface time-lapse electrical imaging to monitor subsurface electrical conductivity variations associated with stage-driven groundwater/surface-water interaction along a stretch of the Columbia River adjacent to the Hanford 300 Area, Hanford WA, USA. We reduce the resulting 3D conductivity time series using both correlation and time-frequency analysis to isolate a paleochannel causing enhanced groundwater/river-water interaction. Correlation analysis on the time-lapse imaging results concisely represents enhanced ground water/surface-water interaction within the paleochannel, and provides information concerning groundwater flow velocities. Time-frequency analysis using the Stockwell (S) Transform provides additional information by 1) identifying the stage periodicities driving ground water/river-water interaction due to upstream dam operations, 2) identifying segments in time-frequency space when these interactions are most active. These results provide new insight into the distribution and timing of river water intrusion into the Hanford 300 area, which has a governing influence on the behavior of a uranium plume left over from historical nuclear fuel processing operations.