Abstract
This paper presents a stochastic methodology using random walk particle tracking to estimate solute capture zones in a pumping well. Realizations of heterogeneous aquifer are represented as randomly correlated hydraulic conductivity and partition coefficient fields. By superposition of all solute capture zones, probability distributions are obtained that describe the probability of a certain grid space from which a solute particle will reach the well and the corresponding travel time. Proposed methodology demonstrated that a larger pumping rate and less heterogeneity of hydraulic conductivity lead to the decrease of the uncertainty factor, which is defined by the ratio of the area having the probability of non-zero and less than 1 to the area having the probability of 1. Chemical heterogeneity related to the retardation factor distribution has little influence on the both spatial distributions of solute capture zone and travel time.
