Groundwater Plume Detection

3D Geophysics

ARM completed a three-dimensional electrical resistivity (3D ER) survey to investigate the extent of a suspected plume of groundwater with high dissolved solids on behalf of a confidential client.

Project Overview

The study area was approximately 5 acres in size and contained several immovable obstacles, including buildings, concrete pads, and large machinery.
This restricted the available space for performing conventional two-dimensional ER surveys.
ARM’s 3D ER capabilities allowed our geophysicists to set up a custom survey grid around these obstacles such that data was collected across the entire study area simultaneously, including underneath the buildings.
The processed 3D ER data is plotted as both maps (plan view) and cross-sections (profile view), allowing ARM’s geoscientists to more accurately interpret the depth, thickness, and horizontal extents of high-conductivity groundwater plumes.