Groundwater Flow and Chemical Transport in Fractured Rock and Karst Aquifers
Groundwater Vulnerability of Shallow Fractured Rock Aquifers
Dr. Allen Shapiro is a Senior Research Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He is a member of the Water Cycle Branch of the Earth System Processes Division in the Water Mission Area. Dr. Shapiro conducts research on groundwater flow and chemical transport in complex geologic environments, including fractured rock and karst aquifers. Dr. Shapiro’s research has focused on the development of field techniques and equipment, and coupled interpretations of geologic, geophysical, hydraulic, and geochemical information to characterize groundwater flow and chemical transport. Dr. Shapiro has described fundamental processes that are unique to fractured rock aquifers, including the effects of chemical diffusion between mobile water in fractures and immobile water in the intrinsic rock porosity. He has also investigated the effect of scale on the hydraulic and transport properties of fractured rock through carefully designed in situ testing and modeling investigations conducted over dimensions of meters to kilometers. Dr. Shapiro has been active in the characterization and remediation of contaminants in fractured rock, including contamination by Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids. Dr. Shapiro’s recent research focuses on the intermittent vulnerability of shallow fractured rock aquifers to contamination from pathogens or surface contaminants stemming from rapid infiltration following precipitation events.
Dr. Shapiro is a graduate of Princeton University with a Ph.D. in Civil and Geological Engineering. Prior to joining the USGS, Dr. Shapiro conducted hydrologic research at the Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden) and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (Haifa, Israel). Dr. Shapiro has patented equipment for conducting hydraulic tests and collecting groundwater samples for geochemical analyses in fractured rock aquifers, and he has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Shapiro has served as an Associate Editor of Journal of Hydrology and the journal Groundwater. Dr. Shapiro is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and was selected by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) as the Distinguished Darcy Lecturer, for which he lectured on his research, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Shapiro has also served on National Research Council and National Academy of Science panels that have produced extensive reports on key engineering and scientific issues facing the Nation.
Science and Products
Algorithms for model parameter estimation and state estimation applied to a state-space model for one-dimensional vertical infiltration incorporating snowmelt rate as a system input
The algorithms and input data included in this data release are used to interpret time-series
data (water-table altitude, precipitation, snowmelt, and potential evapotranspiration) over an
observation period to estimate model parameters of a State-Space Model (SSM) of vertical
infiltration to the groundwater table. The SSM model is coupled with a Kalman Filter (KF)
to estimate system states (w
Algorithms for model parameter estimation, state estimation, and forecasting applied to a State-Space model coupled with the Kalman Filter for one-dimensional vertical infiltration to fractured rock aquifers
The algorithms and input data included in this data release are used to interpret time-series data (water- table altitude, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration) over an observation period to estimate model parameters of a State-Space (SS) model of vertical infiltration to a fractured-rock aquifer. The SS model is coupled with a Kalman Filter (KF) to estimate system states (water-table a
Water Level Altitude in Bedrock Wells and Meteorological Data at the Masser Groundwater Recharge Site between February 1 and December 31, 1999
This product contains time-series data for groundwater level altitudes in bedrock boreholes and meteorological information from a site administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The site, referred to as the Masser Groundwater Recharge Site, is located in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province of eastern-central Pennsylvania, USA, approximat
Concentrations of Chlorinated Ethene Compounds in Rock Core Collected from the Mudstone Underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey
These data sets present results from the analyses of chlorinated ethene compounds in samples of rock core collected from boreholes in the mudstone underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey.
Organic and total carbon analyses of rock core collected from boreholes 83BR, 84BR, 85BR, 86BR, 87BR, 88BR, and 89BR in the mudstone underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey
These data sets present results for analyses of the fraction of total and organic carbon in samples of rock core collected from boreholes 83BR, 84BR, 85BR, 86BR, 87BR, 88BR, and 89BR in the Lockatong Formation (mudstone) underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey.
Biogeochemical analyses of water samples collected in the mudstone aquifer underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ (2008-2013)
This data set presents results from the analyses of groundwater water samples collected from monitoring wells and monitoring intervals in bedrock wells in the mudstone aquifer underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. The water samples were collected between 2008 and 2013 and were analyzed for field parameters, inorganic and organic constituents, and the abundances o
Data from Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry conducted on samples of a mudstone underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ
This data set presents the results of conducting Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry on core samples of the mudstone underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ. The core samples were selected from the continuous core collected from boreholes 83BR-89BR.
Lithologic characterization of cores from boreholes 83BR-89BR collected from the mudstone aquifer underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ
This data set presents the lithologic interpretation of rock cores from boreholes 83BR-89BR collected from the mudstone aquifer underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. Continuous core from these boreholes was collected and visually interpreted to identify characteristics of the depositional environment of the mudstone. Three types of mudstone were identified: a black-fis
Groundwater tracing experiments conducted in the mudstone aquifer underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ (2007-2008)
This data set presents results from two groundwater tracing experiments conducted in the mudstone aquifer underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. In each test, a bromide solution was introduced into a hydraulically isolated section of borehole 36BR (denoted as 36BR-A); the hydraulically isolated section of the borehole isolated specific bedding plane parting fractu
Filter Total Items: 75
Incorporating snowmelt into daily estimates of recharge using a state-space model of infiltration
A State-Space Model (SSM) of infiltration estimates daily groundwater recharge using time-series of groundwater-level altitude and meteorological inputs (liquid precipitation, snowmelt, and evapotranspiration). The model includes diffuse and preferential flow through the unsaturated zone, where preferential flow is a function of liquid precipitation and snowmelt rates and a threshold rate, above w
Contributing areas to domestic wells in dipping sedimentary rocks under extreme recharge events
We use particle tracking to determine contributing areas (CAs) to wells for transient flow models that simulate cyclic domestic pumping and extreme recharge events in a small synthetic watershed underlain by dipping sedimentary rocks. The CAs consist of strike-oriented bands at locations where the water table intersects high-hydraulic conductivity beds, and from which groundwater flows to the pump
Estimating and forecasting time-varying groundwater recharge in fractured rock: A state-space formulation with preferential and diffuse flow to the water table
Rapid infiltration following precipitation may result in groundwater contamination from surface contaminants or pathogens. In fractured rock, contaminants can migrate rapidly to points of groundwater withdrawals. In contrast to the temporal availability of groundwater quality chemical indicators, meteorological and groundwater level observations are available in real-time to estimate time-varying
The complex spatial distribution of trichloroethene and the probability of NAPL occurrence in the rock matrix of a mudstone aquifer
Methanol extractions for chloroethene analyses are conducted on rock samples from seven closely spaced coreholes in a mudstone aquifer that was subject to releases of the nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) form of trichloroethene (TCE) between the 1950's and 1990's. Although TCE concentration in the rock matrix over the length of coreholes is dictated by proximity to subhorizontal bedding planefractur
Variability of organic carbon content and the retention and release of trichloroethene in the rock matrix of a mudstone aquifer
Contaminants diffusing from fractures into the immobile porosity of the rock matrix are subject to prolonged residence times. Organic contaminants can adsorb onto organic carbonaceous materials in the matrix extending contaminant retention. An investigation of spatial variability of the fraction of organic carbon (foc) is conducted on samples of rock core from seven closely spaced boreholes in a m
Bioremediation in fractured rock: 1. Modeling to inform design, monitoring, and expectations
Field characterization of a trichloroethene (TCE) source area in fractured mudstones produced a detailed understanding of the geology, contaminant distribution in fractures and the rock matrix, and hydraulic and transport properties. Groundwater flow and chemical transport modeling that synthesized the field characterization information proved critical for designing bioremediation of the source ar
Bioremediation in fractured rock: 2. Mobilization of chloroethene compounds from the rock matrix
A mass balance is formulated to evaluate the mobilization of chlorinated ethene compounds (CE) from the rock matrix of a fractured mudstone aquifer under pre- and postbioremediation conditions. The analysis relies on a sparse number of monitoring locations and is constrained by a detailed description of the groundwater flow regime. Groundwater flow modeling developed under the site characterizatio
Porosity and pore size distribution in a sedimentary rock: Implications for the distribution of chlorinated solvents
Characterizing properties of the rock matrix that control retention and release of chlorinated solvents is essential in evaluating the extent of contamination and the application of remediation technologies in fractured rock. Core samples from seven closely spaced boreholes in a mudstone subject to trichloroethene (TCE) contamination were analyzed using Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry to investigate
Interpretation of hydraulic conductivity in a fractured-rock aquifer over increasingly larger length dimensions
A comparison of the hydraulic conductivity over increasingly larger volumes of crystalline rock was conducted in the Piedmont physiographic region near Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Fluid-injection tests were conducted on intervals of boreholes isolating closely spaced fractures. Single-hole tests were conducted by pumping in open boreholes for approximately 30 min, and an interference test was conduct
Imaging pathways in fractured rock using three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography
Major challenges exist in delineating bedrock fracture zones because these cause abrupt changes in geological and hydrogeological properties over small distances. Borehole observations cannot sufficiently capture heterogeneity in these systems. Geophysical techniques offer the potential to image properties and processes in between boreholes. We used three-dimensional cross borehole electrical resi
Integration of stable carbon isotope, microbial community, dissolved hydrogen gas, and 2HH2O tracer data to assess bioaugmentation for chlorinated ethene degradation in fractured rocks
An in situ bioaugmentation (BA) experiment was conducted to understand processes controlling microbial dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater at the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. In the BA experiment, an electron donor (emulsified vegetable oil and sodium lactate) and a chloro-respiring microbial consortium were injected into a well in fractured mudstone of Tri
Non-USGS Publications**
Pinder, G. F. and Shapiro, A. 1982. Physics of Flow in Geothermal Systems, in Recent Trends in Hydrogeology. ed. T. N. Narasimhan. Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO. p. 25-30. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE189-p25.
Pinder, G. F. and Shapiro, A. 1979. A new collocation method for the solution of the convection-dominated transport equation. Water Resources Research 15(5): 1177-1182. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR015i005p01177.
Pinder, G. F. and Shapiro, A. 1980. Reply to comment on "A new collocation method for the solution of the convection-dominated transport equation". Water Resources Research 16(6): 1137. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR016i006p01137.
Shapiro, A. and Pinder, G. F. 1981. Analysis of an upstream weighted collocation approximation to the transport equation. Journal of Computational Physics 39(1): 46-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9991(81)90136-4.
Andersson, J. and Shapiro, A. M. 1983. Stochastic analysis of one-dimensional steady state unsaturated flow: A Comparison of Monte Carlo and Perturbation Methods. Water Resources Research 19(1): 121-133. 10.1029/WR019i001p00121.
Shapiro, A. M. and Andersson, J. 1983. Steady state fluid response in fractured rock: A boundary element solution for a coupled, discrete fracture continuum model. Water Resources Research 19(4): 959-969. 10.1029/WR019i004p00959.
Andersson, J., Shapiro, A. M. and Bear, J. 1984. A Stochastic Model of a Fractured Rock Conditioned by Measured Information. Water Resources Research 20(1): 79-88. 10.1029/WR020i001p00079.
Bear, J. and Shapiro, A. M. 1984. On the shape of the non-steady interface intersecting discontinuities in permeability. Advances in Water Resources 7(3): 106-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1708(84)90037-X.
Bear, J., Shamir, U., Gamliel, A. and Shapiro, A. M. 1985. Motion of the seawater interface in a coastal aquifer by the method of successive steady states. Journal of Hydrology 76(1): 119-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(85)90093-9.
Science and Products
- Data
Algorithms for model parameter estimation and state estimation applied to a state-space model for one-dimensional vertical infiltration incorporating snowmelt rate as a system input
The algorithms and input data included in this data release are used to interpret time-series data (water-table altitude, precipitation, snowmelt, and potential evapotranspiration) over an observation period to estimate model parameters of a State-Space Model (SSM) of vertical infiltration to the groundwater table. The SSM model is coupled with a Kalman Filter (KF) to estimate system states (wAlgorithms for model parameter estimation, state estimation, and forecasting applied to a State-Space model coupled with the Kalman Filter for one-dimensional vertical infiltration to fractured rock aquifers
The algorithms and input data included in this data release are used to interpret time-series data (water- table altitude, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration) over an observation period to estimate model parameters of a State-Space (SS) model of vertical infiltration to a fractured-rock aquifer. The SS model is coupled with a Kalman Filter (KF) to estimate system states (water-table aWater Level Altitude in Bedrock Wells and Meteorological Data at the Masser Groundwater Recharge Site between February 1 and December 31, 1999
This product contains time-series data for groundwater level altitudes in bedrock boreholes and meteorological information from a site administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The site, referred to as the Masser Groundwater Recharge Site, is located in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province of eastern-central Pennsylvania, USA, approximatConcentrations of Chlorinated Ethene Compounds in Rock Core Collected from the Mudstone Underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey
These data sets present results from the analyses of chlorinated ethene compounds in samples of rock core collected from boreholes in the mudstone underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey.Organic and total carbon analyses of rock core collected from boreholes 83BR, 84BR, 85BR, 86BR, 87BR, 88BR, and 89BR in the mudstone underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey
These data sets present results for analyses of the fraction of total and organic carbon in samples of rock core collected from boreholes 83BR, 84BR, 85BR, 86BR, 87BR, 88BR, and 89BR in the Lockatong Formation (mudstone) underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey.Biogeochemical analyses of water samples collected in the mudstone aquifer underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ (2008-2013)
This data set presents results from the analyses of groundwater water samples collected from monitoring wells and monitoring intervals in bedrock wells in the mudstone aquifer underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. The water samples were collected between 2008 and 2013 and were analyzed for field parameters, inorganic and organic constituents, and the abundances oData from Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry conducted on samples of a mudstone underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ
This data set presents the results of conducting Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry on core samples of the mudstone underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ. The core samples were selected from the continuous core collected from boreholes 83BR-89BR.Lithologic characterization of cores from boreholes 83BR-89BR collected from the mudstone aquifer underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ
This data set presents the lithologic interpretation of rock cores from boreholes 83BR-89BR collected from the mudstone aquifer underlying the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. Continuous core from these boreholes was collected and visually interpreted to identify characteristics of the depositional environment of the mudstone. Three types of mudstone were identified: a black-fisGroundwater tracing experiments conducted in the mudstone aquifer underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, NJ (2007-2008)
This data set presents results from two groundwater tracing experiments conducted in the mudstone aquifer underlying the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. In each test, a bromide solution was introduced into a hydraulically isolated section of borehole 36BR (denoted as 36BR-A); the hydraulically isolated section of the borehole isolated specific bedding plane parting fractu - Publications
Filter Total Items: 75
Incorporating snowmelt into daily estimates of recharge using a state-space model of infiltration
A State-Space Model (SSM) of infiltration estimates daily groundwater recharge using time-series of groundwater-level altitude and meteorological inputs (liquid precipitation, snowmelt, and evapotranspiration). The model includes diffuse and preferential flow through the unsaturated zone, where preferential flow is a function of liquid precipitation and snowmelt rates and a threshold rate, above wContributing areas to domestic wells in dipping sedimentary rocks under extreme recharge events
We use particle tracking to determine contributing areas (CAs) to wells for transient flow models that simulate cyclic domestic pumping and extreme recharge events in a small synthetic watershed underlain by dipping sedimentary rocks. The CAs consist of strike-oriented bands at locations where the water table intersects high-hydraulic conductivity beds, and from which groundwater flows to the pumpEstimating and forecasting time-varying groundwater recharge in fractured rock: A state-space formulation with preferential and diffuse flow to the water table
Rapid infiltration following precipitation may result in groundwater contamination from surface contaminants or pathogens. In fractured rock, contaminants can migrate rapidly to points of groundwater withdrawals. In contrast to the temporal availability of groundwater quality chemical indicators, meteorological and groundwater level observations are available in real-time to estimate time-varyingThe complex spatial distribution of trichloroethene and the probability of NAPL occurrence in the rock matrix of a mudstone aquifer
Methanol extractions for chloroethene analyses are conducted on rock samples from seven closely spaced coreholes in a mudstone aquifer that was subject to releases of the nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) form of trichloroethene (TCE) between the 1950's and 1990's. Although TCE concentration in the rock matrix over the length of coreholes is dictated by proximity to subhorizontal bedding planefracturVariability of organic carbon content and the retention and release of trichloroethene in the rock matrix of a mudstone aquifer
Contaminants diffusing from fractures into the immobile porosity of the rock matrix are subject to prolonged residence times. Organic contaminants can adsorb onto organic carbonaceous materials in the matrix extending contaminant retention. An investigation of spatial variability of the fraction of organic carbon (foc) is conducted on samples of rock core from seven closely spaced boreholes in a mBioremediation in fractured rock: 1. Modeling to inform design, monitoring, and expectations
Field characterization of a trichloroethene (TCE) source area in fractured mudstones produced a detailed understanding of the geology, contaminant distribution in fractures and the rock matrix, and hydraulic and transport properties. Groundwater flow and chemical transport modeling that synthesized the field characterization information proved critical for designing bioremediation of the source arBioremediation in fractured rock: 2. Mobilization of chloroethene compounds from the rock matrix
A mass balance is formulated to evaluate the mobilization of chlorinated ethene compounds (CE) from the rock matrix of a fractured mudstone aquifer under pre- and postbioremediation conditions. The analysis relies on a sparse number of monitoring locations and is constrained by a detailed description of the groundwater flow regime. Groundwater flow modeling developed under the site characterizatioPorosity and pore size distribution in a sedimentary rock: Implications for the distribution of chlorinated solvents
Characterizing properties of the rock matrix that control retention and release of chlorinated solvents is essential in evaluating the extent of contamination and the application of remediation technologies in fractured rock. Core samples from seven closely spaced boreholes in a mudstone subject to trichloroethene (TCE) contamination were analyzed using Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry to investigateInterpretation of hydraulic conductivity in a fractured-rock aquifer over increasingly larger length dimensions
A comparison of the hydraulic conductivity over increasingly larger volumes of crystalline rock was conducted in the Piedmont physiographic region near Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Fluid-injection tests were conducted on intervals of boreholes isolating closely spaced fractures. Single-hole tests were conducted by pumping in open boreholes for approximately 30 min, and an interference test was conductImaging pathways in fractured rock using three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography
Major challenges exist in delineating bedrock fracture zones because these cause abrupt changes in geological and hydrogeological properties over small distances. Borehole observations cannot sufficiently capture heterogeneity in these systems. Geophysical techniques offer the potential to image properties and processes in between boreholes. We used three-dimensional cross borehole electrical resiIntegration of stable carbon isotope, microbial community, dissolved hydrogen gas, and 2HH2O tracer data to assess bioaugmentation for chlorinated ethene degradation in fractured rocks
An in situ bioaugmentation (BA) experiment was conducted to understand processes controlling microbial dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater at the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, NJ. In the BA experiment, an electron donor (emulsified vegetable oil and sodium lactate) and a chloro-respiring microbial consortium were injected into a well in fractured mudstone of TriNon-USGS Publications**
Pinder, G. F. and Shapiro, A. 1982. Physics of Flow in Geothermal Systems, in Recent Trends in Hydrogeology. ed. T. N. Narasimhan. Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO. p. 25-30. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE189-p25.Pinder, G. F. and Shapiro, A. 1979. A new collocation method for the solution of the convection-dominated transport equation. Water Resources Research 15(5): 1177-1182. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR015i005p01177.Pinder, G. F. and Shapiro, A. 1980. Reply to comment on "A new collocation method for the solution of the convection-dominated transport equation". Water Resources Research 16(6): 1137. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR016i006p01137.Shapiro, A. and Pinder, G. F. 1981. Analysis of an upstream weighted collocation approximation to the transport equation. Journal of Computational Physics 39(1): 46-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9991(81)90136-4.Andersson, J. and Shapiro, A. M. 1983. Stochastic analysis of one-dimensional steady state unsaturated flow: A Comparison of Monte Carlo and Perturbation Methods. Water Resources Research 19(1): 121-133. 10.1029/WR019i001p00121.Shapiro, A. M. and Andersson, J. 1983. Steady state fluid response in fractured rock: A boundary element solution for a coupled, discrete fracture continuum model. Water Resources Research 19(4): 959-969. 10.1029/WR019i004p00959.Andersson, J., Shapiro, A. M. and Bear, J. 1984. A Stochastic Model of a Fractured Rock Conditioned by Measured Information. Water Resources Research 20(1): 79-88. 10.1029/WR020i001p00079.Bear, J. and Shapiro, A. M. 1984. On the shape of the non-steady interface intersecting discontinuities in permeability. Advances in Water Resources 7(3): 106-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1708(84)90037-X.Bear, J., Shamir, U., Gamliel, A. and Shapiro, A. M. 1985. Motion of the seawater interface in a coastal aquifer by the method of successive steady states. Journal of Hydrology 76(1): 119-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(85)90093-9.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.