William A. McEllhiney Distinguished Lecturer Series Well

William A. McEllhiney Distinguished Lecturer Series

Well Technology

William A. McEllhiney Distinguished Lecturer Series

Well TechnologyMade possible by a grant from Franklin Electric Company to the National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation

NGWREF McEllhiney Lecture SeriesNGWREF McEllhiney Lecture Series

To foster professional excellence in water well technology, the National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation has established the William A. McEllhiney Distinguished Lecture Series in Water Well Technology.

Initiated in 2000, the lecture series honors William A. McEllhiney, who was the founding president of the National Ground Water Association in 1948, and a ground water contractor and civil engineer from Brookfield, Illinois.


"McEllhiney and the other founders of the Association saw several primary functions for the new national group," explains Foundation Executive Director Kevin McCray, "including serving as a clearinghouse for information and its dissemination, serving as an intermediary in coordinating advances occurring in different parts of the country, and serving as a place to bring contractors together so that they might have a working knowledge of contracting from all parts of the nation. NGWREF's McEllhiney Lecture series promotes and perpetuates those original aims."


Annually, a panel of ground water contractors invites an outstanding ground water contracting professional to share his or her work with the industry. Individuals may nominate themselves or others they believe to be qualified to serve as the NGWA McEllhiney distinguished lecturer.


Effective May 2005, Franklin Electric Co., the world's largest manufacturer of submersible electric motors, has agreed to underwrite the next three years of this lecture series for presentations to organized groups of contractors and other qualified and interested parties. Meetings and conventions of state and regional associations are eligible. Foreign associations of ground water contractors, academic institutions teaching water well technology, gatherings of water well regulators, and other bodies with a direct and identifiable interest in water well design and construction are eligible as well.


2009 Lecturer

W. Richard Laton, Ph.D., PGAssociate Professor of HydrogeologyCalifornia State University, FullertonDepartment of Geological Sciences


Boring Logs—What’s Important and What’s Not: A Scientific Viewpoint

DefinitionsImportance of topicExamplesWhat can be done to improvePresent researchWhat does the future hold

OutlineOutline

DefinitionDefinition

Boring LogDrillers Log

Water Well LogWell Log

E-Log

Logs describe the subsurface material. Provide information on when, where, what and sometimes why.

Reasons for LogsReasons for Logs

Logs are generated for:

Private, municipal and industrial water wells

Environmental monitoring (soil, water and soil gas)

GeotechnicalOil and Gas exploration and

productionDewateringInjection

State of California, 1999

NGWA, 1985

Well logs are more than just paper!

Definition – Traditional InformationDefinition – Traditional Information

ImportanceImportance

Why should anybody care!

You only get one chance to collect the data.

Data will outlive the well/boring.

Future decisions will be based on this data.

Examples – “not so good”Examples – “not so good”

Examples – “not so good”Examples – “not so good”

Examples – “Better to Good”Examples – “Better to Good”

Examples – “Detailed”Examples – “Detailed”

Software for LogsSoftware for Logs

•LogPlot by Rockware•Excel by Microsoft•Borehole Mapper by MapInfo•Strater by Scientific Software•gInt by gInt Software•Target by GeoSoft•Petra by INH

Great software does not substitute for detailed notes in the field!

What can be improvedWhat can be improved

• Sampling• Example: Cuttings, split spoon, core

• Description (classification)• Consistency• More information

• Example: chatter, speed, down pressure, mud thickness/thinness

• Location• GPS

Sampling Sampling

Geologic Sampling

CuttingsSplit SpoonShelby ToolCoreDrilling Speed and PressureSimulProbeHydropuchBailer

Drilling TechniquesDrilling Techniques

Many different drilling techniques are used.

• Rotary (direct and reverse)• Hollow and solid stem• Direct Push• Cable Tool• Sonic• Directional• Hand Auger

Drilling ContinuedDrilling Continued

Sample collection can depend on drilling technology.

Example:Mud RotaryDirect PushSonic

Description Description

Two basic types of data are available for recording in a log. These are "permanent" and "fugitive" data.

Permanent data are of such a nature that time of recording is not critical. Ex. Location, type of drilling.

Fugitive data, if not observed and recorded during the drilling or excavation process, are lost forever. Ex. Soil moisture.

USCS – BLM (Earth Manual, 1998)USCS – BLM (Earth Manual, 1998)

Johnson Screens

Howard, 1986

Hanna, 2006

Unified Soil Classification System; from American Society for Testing and Materials, 1985


MAJOR DIVISIONS GROUP SYMBOL GROUP NAME

COARSE GRAINED

SOILSMORE THAN

50% RETAINED ON NO.200 SIEVE

GRAVELMORE THAN 50%

OF COARSE FRACTION

RETAINED ON NO.4 SIEVE

CLEAN GRAVEL GW WELL-GRADED GRAVEL, FINE TO COARSE GRAVEL

GP POORLY-GRADED GRAVEL

GRAVEL WITH FINES

GM SILTY GRAVEL

GC CLAYEY GRAVEL

SANDMORE THAN 50%

OF COARSE FRACTION

PASSES NO.4 SIEVE

CLEAN SAND SW WELL-GRADED SAND, FINE TO COARSE SAND

SP POORLY-GRADED SAND

SAND WITH FINES

SM SILTY SAND

SC CLAYEY SAND

FINE GRAINED

SOILSMORE THAN 50% PASSES NO.200 SIEVE

SILT AND CLAYLIQUID LIMIT LESS THAN 50

INORGANIC ML SILT

CL CLAY

ORGANIC OL ORGANIC SILT, ORGANIC CLAY

SILT AND CLAYLIQUID LIMIT 50

OR MORE

INORGANIC MH SILT OF HIGH PLASTICITY, ELASTIC SILT

CH CLAY OF HIGH PLASTICITY, FAT CLAY

ORGANIC OH ORGANIC CLAY, ORGANIC SILT

HIGHLY ORGANIC SOILS PT PEAT

Grading vs. SortingGrading vs. Sorting

Well Graded - Good representation of all particle sizes from largest to smallest

Poorly Graded - Uniform, most particles about the same size; or skip (or gap) gradation, absence of one or more intermediate sizes.

Steps for Soil ClassificationSteps for Soil Classification

In making the soil description, the following outline should be followed where applicable.

1. Soil classification.2. Color, based on GSA or Munsell color charts.3. Clay and silt.

a. Approximate percentage of fines in the total sample.b. Plasticity, based on results of field identification tests.c. Results of field identification tests:

DilatancyDry strengthToughness

4. Sand and gravel.a. Approximate percentages of sand and gravel in the total sample.b. Grading of sand and gravel.c. Describe hardness, breakdown into smaller sizes, shape, composition, and

surface coatings.

Steps for Soil ClassificationSteps for Soil Classification

5. Oversize material (plus 3 inch).a. Maximum size, size range, and approximate percentages of cobbles and

boulders in the total material.b. Describe hardness, shape, lithology, surface coatings, weathering, and

breakdown into smaller sizes.6. Cementation type and degree.7. Organic content.8. Structure (in-place condition).9. Drainage characteristics - describe perviousness.10. Consistency (clay) or degree of compactness (silt or sand).11. In-place water content.

Where to start the classificationWhere to start the classification

Spread the sample on a flat surface or in the palm of the hand. Estimate and record percentages by volume of fines, sand, and gravel-size particles.



MAJOR DIVISIONS GROUP SYMBOL GROUP NAME

COARSE GRAINED

SOILSMORE THAN

50% RETAINED ON NO.200 SIEVE

GRAVELMORE THAN 50%

OF COARSE FRACTION

RETAINED ON NO.4 SIEVE

CLEAN GRAVEL GW WELL-GRADED GRAVEL, FINE TO COARSE GRAVEL

GP POORLY-GRADED GRAVEL

GRAVEL WITH FINES

GM SILTY GRAVEL

GC CLAYEY GRAVEL

SANDMORE THAN 50%

OF COARSE FRACTION

PASSES NO.4 SIEVE

CLEAN SAND SW WELL-GRADED SAND, FINE TO COARSE SAND

SP POORLY-GRADED SAND

SAND WITH FINES

SM SILTY SAND

SC CLAYEY SAND

FINE GRAINED

SOILSMORE THAN 50% PASSES NO.200 SIEVE

SILT AND CLAYLIQUID LIMIT LESS THAN 50

INORGANIC ML SILT

CL CLAY

ORGANIC OL ORGANIC SILT, ORGANIC CLAY

SILT AND CLAYLIQUID LIMIT 50

OR MORE

INORGANIC MH SILT OF HIGH PLASTICITY, ELASTIC SILT

CH CLAY OF HIGH PLASTICITY, FAT CLAY

ORGANIC OH ORGANIC CLAY, ORGANIC SILT

HIGHLY ORGANIC SOILS PT PEAT

GEOLOGISTs!GEOLOGISTs!

WARNING

Do not forget the big picture!

LocationLocation

Garmin etrex

Handheld Global Position System (GPS)

Present use - ExamplePresent use - Example

El Mirage Dry Lake, California

Mojave Water Agency was looking for location(s) to potentially recharge aquifers in the Oeste Sub-area watershed, San Bernardino California. The problem was that an extensive clay layer was thought to be prohibiting surface recharge in the area.

Laton, 2007

Previous Regional StudyPrevious Regional Study

Laton, 2007

Step 1 - organize data (logs)Step 1 - organize data (logs)

Mojave Water Agency has over 27,000 wells scattered throughout a5,000 square mile area. Each well was hand inputted into a digital database. From this database 500+ wells were found to be located in the Oeste area.

The geologic information was simplified into 7 categories; rock, boulders, gravels, cobbles, sand, silt and clay.

Step 2 – Plot wells and create cross-sections Step 2 – Plot wells and create cross-sections

100+ cross-sections were created across the study area. Each cross-section was interpreted by hand.Water levels were used to identify clay lens (perched groundwater)

Dailey, 2008

Step 3 – Computer modeled cross-sectionsStep 3 – Computer modeled cross-sections

Dailey, 2008

Comparisons were done between bothcomputer generated and hand drawn cross-sections

Step 4 – 3D block diagramsStep 4 – 3D block diagrams

Dailey, 2008

Step 4 – 3D block diagramsStep 4 – 3D block diagrams

Dailey, 2008

Results and Conclusions from StudyResults and Conclusions from Study

4 areas were identified for potential surface rechargeUnderstanding the geology critical to studyTrusting the well logs difficultComputer interpolation did a reasonable job

Dailey, 2008

New and FutureNew and Future

Logs will be directly uploaded to databasesMore 3-d visualizationMore information collected in fieldField data will be collected using tablet pc or other electronic device

On the fly geologic modelingGeoWall

University of Illinois, Chicago

Thank youThank you

California State University Fullerton, Department of Geological SciencesNational Ground Water AssociationAssociation of Ground Water Scientists and Engineers

Franklin Electric

National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation


Your vital and integral resource for ground water's future

Established in 1994, the National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation is operated by the National Ground Water Association as a 501(c)(3) public foundation and is

focused on conducting educational, research, and other charitable activities related to a broader public understanding of ground water.

The Foundation is an arm of NGWA that is focused on activities related to a broader understanding of ground water.



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For more information visit us on the web at www.ngwa.orgor write us at the below address.

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Westerville, OH 43081Phone/ 614-898-7791

Fax/ 614-898-7786

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Documents

William A. McEllhiney Distinguished Lecturer Series Well