Electrokinetic Monitoring Groundwater Flow in Fractured Rock Media

Abstract

When investigating an anthropogenic fluid migration event within a given hydrogeological setting, information relating to hydraulic transmissivity is typically evaluated using a set of observation wells. Due to high production costs observation wells are often scant in numbers; additionally their intrusive nature bares further disturbances to natural aquifer conditions. Now more than ever, there is an indisputable need for low-cost, non-intrusive and reliable geophysical methods sensitive to these groundwater flows.

Ground water flows are known to generate electrokinetic signals that can be measured passively at the ground surface, and these ‘self-potential’ signals generated can be used to measure and estimate patterns of groundwater flow.

Two pump programs were conducted in fractured rock aquifer systems in the Adelaide Hills Region, South Australia. The predominant purpose of these programs was to quantitatively investigate the self-potential responses of these systems, this included gathering of complimentary geophysical data to support conclusions.