Groundwater is an important element of the water cycle, and a critical component of the natural environment; contributing to base flow in surface water systems, supporting wetland ecosystems and supplying the water needs of urban communities, mining, agriculture and industry. URS provide a complete range of services for the investigation, assessment, development and management of water resources.

Our services include:

• aquifer storage and recovery;
• contaminant hydrogeology;
• groundwater modelling;
• design and operation of monitoring bore networks;
• wellfield development;
• groundwater assessment and management; and
• dewatering.

As a hidden factor in property management, groundwater and the subsequent environmental, regulatory and legal responsibilities are often neglected and misunderstood. Landowners are not only responsible for the groundwater directly beneath the site, but also anywhere it moves and any potential impacts that may be incurred. Ignoring this responsibility could lead to costly remediation processes and legal liability.

URS can investigate and provide information on:

• mapping of groundwater systems;
• identification of recharge and discharge areas;
• groundwater investigations – drilling and pumping tests;
• assessment of impacted areas;
• appraisal of natural conditions;
• catchment yield analysis;
• sustainability assessment;
• prediction of contaminant movement rate and volume;
• optimising a remediation system;
• designing groundwater supply systems;
• compliance with regulatory requirements;
• siting facilities; and
• assessment of the performance of groundwater facilities.

URS undertake groundwater monitoring utilizing URS Quality Assurance/Quality Control protocols, which have been developed in accordance with Australian Standards. Routinely, this includes drilling of observation bores and installation of piezometers; groundwater sampling; decontamination between sampling locations; purging of a minimum of four bore volumes (or the volume required to purge the well dry) and the measurement and stabilization of field parameters including temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, redox potential and dissolved oxygen.

All groundwater sampling undertaken by URS is carried out by a trained URS Environmental Engineer/Scientist or Technician, with extensive experience in groundwater monitoring and groundwater bore design and installation. URS field staff have all undergone a 24 hour health and safety training program for hazardous waste sites endorsed by the USEPA. This health and safety training, combined with the extensive field sampling training, ensures that all work is carried out in a safe, professional manner in accordance with best practice.

URS groundwater experts install test wells for assessment of groundwater parameters. This involves the conduct of pumping tests, the measurement of drawdown response, the sampling of groundwater quality and the interpretation of pumping test data.

Additionally, URS has experienced personnel in semi-quantitative groundwater monitoring techniques including soil gas survey, salinity screening and geophysical survey, which may be used to reduce the number of quantitative groundwater monitoring investigation locations required.

URS has a number of expert groundwater modellers who are able to develop a conceptual groundwater model of a particular groundwater system and then to convert this concept into a numerical model. The numerical model is calibrated against real time observations and is refined as new data becomes available.

Once developed, the groundwater model allows for the development of management strategies for the subject aquifer system. The model allows you to clearly understand, plan and manage groundwater. It can be used as a proactive tool for the general management of a site or to address specific issues, such as water supply, salinity or contamination.

URS provides a comprehensive range of services for the assessment, development and management of groundwater. We regularly undertake groundwater management and dewatering studies for town water supplies, open cut and underground mines as well as devising groundwater management plans and evaluating environmental commitments for a broad range of clients.

URS uses numerous other standard packages (e.g. Visual MODFLOW, SEEP, CTRAN and FEFLOW) to simulate groundwater flow and solute transport. Groundwater flow models are routinely used to: (i) design borefields; (ii) determine dewatering requirements; and (iii) design dewatering systems which can successfully control potential geotechnical and groundwater problems in underground and open pit mines. Solute transport models are used routinely to predict contaminant plume migration and assess the efficiency of remediation options.

Effective groundwater control is necessary where mining or excavations occur below the water table. The accurate analysis of aquifer dewatering, drainage or depressurisation is vital to the success and economics of mining projects. We combine years of experience with the latest computer technology to provide services in the assessment of dewatering requirements; seepage analysis; system design; tender evaluation; system installation; and water disposal management.