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

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

7. Environmental Consultant Role Play 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 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.

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 Ground-water Flow Buffalo River Where is the plume in the aquifer at any given time? 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. Porosity Definition Earth Material Bulk Volume (V T ) = Volume of the Matrix (V M ) + Volume of the Voids (V V ) Porosity =V VTVT x 100% All earth materials contain void space or porosity

12. Hydraulic Conductivity The ease with which fresh water passes through an earth material. 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

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

14. Datum h1h1 h2h2 ΔL Δh Hydraulic Gradient =Δh/ΔL Hydraulic Gradient

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

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

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

18. Remediate the Plume Pump and Treat Technology

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