Dinner Co-hosted by the NYSCPG and HMPGA as part of The Second Annual Geology Days Conference.


Note: If you have already signed up for dinner while registering for Geology Days 2023 you do not need to register again.

Happy Hour     5:30 PM
Dinner 6:30 PM
Presentation   7:30 PM

Groundwater Plume Analytics® is an innovative evaluation technique to reliably and effectively communicate meaningful patterns in groundwater data and relies primarily on graphical displays to communicate valuable insight into groundwater plume behavior. Groundwater Plume Analytics® tools allow better evaluation of whether additional remedial action is necessary, or if risk-based closure of a site is applicable, or whether natural attenuation processes may be occurring at a site. 

The published Ricker Plume Stability Method® is a unique and publicly available method of evaluating plume stability that overcomes limitations posed by conventional well-by-well analysis techniques. Outputs from the Ricker Method® can be used to further dissect and evaluate dissolved plumes allowing the Ricker Method® to be a powerful tool in evaluating remedy effectiveness. Outputs from the Ricker Method® can be used as a basis for primary analysis and other plume diagnostic tools that allow for further evaluation and communication of groundwater plume dynamics. One of these innovative tools includes the Spatial Change Indicator™ (SCI) analysis. The Spatial Change Indicator™ evaluation shows relative changes in the plume over time. For this analysis, each plume map in a particular time period is compared to the first plume map in the series. Each subsequent plume is subtracted from the original plume to create a new isopleth map that shows areas of the plume that decreased in concentration (indicated by blue shading) or increased in concentration (indicated by red shading). The visual aspect of this analysis allows the viewer to observe patterns of plume behavior over time.  

Using Groundwater Plume Analytics® tools to evaluate remedial progress at several mature remediation sites resulted in many beneficial outcomes, including cessation or optimization of active remediation systems, optimized monitoring programs, quantification of remedial progress (e.g., demonstrated reductions in plume area, average concentration, and mass) and calculation of attenuation rates to quantify natural attenuation. Additional qualitative beneficial outcomes have also been realized, including focused attention from site managers and effective communication with project stakeholders. Many examples of the beneficial results will be presented. Examples will be shown for various types of sites (e.g., dry cleaner, industrial, etc.) and constituents (e.g., petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, etc.), including at least one site in New York.

Presenter

Joe A. Ricker, P.E. 

Mr. Ricker has more than 29 years of experience and is a subject matter expert in groundwater data analytics. He is the author of the Ricker Method® Plume Stability Analysis and is lead author for three U.S. patents. Mr. Ricker is a licensed Professional Engineer in 28 states including New York. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Memphis.