You are here:
A Systematic Approach for Evaluation of Capture Zones at Pump and Treat Systems
Citation:
U.S. EPA. A Systematic Approach for Evaluation of Capture Zones at Pump and Treat Systems. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-08/003, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
This product will be a guidance document.
Description:
This document describes a systematic approach for performing capture zone analysis associated with ground water pump and treat systems. A “capture zone” refers to the three-dimensional region that contributes the ground water extracted by one or more wells or drains. A capture zone in this context is equivalent to the “zone of hydraulic containment.” The document discusses the importance of capture zone analysis during ground water remediation, particularly for sites requiring hydraulic containment. The use of “converging lines of evidence” and the iterative nature of the systematic approach is explained. Six steps associated with this systematic approach for capture zone analysis are presented in this guidance. The intended audience is technical professionals that actually perform capture zone analyses as well as project managers who review those analyses and/or make decisions based on those analyses. The scope of this document is limited to evaluating capture in porous media and not necessarily karst or fractured rock settings. The methods and techniques presented here may be used for such settings, but other more intensive techniques may also be required.
URLs/Downloads:
A Systematic Approach for Evaluation of Capture Zones at Pump and Treat SystemsGWERD Website