Case Studies

Dams and Canals

 

Mapping seepage in dams and canals is a particularly effective application for Willowstick’s technologies. We have performed surveys in all types of dams, from rock fill to earthen to concrete. We have provided valuable insight into seepage through all different kinds of geology, including fractured rock and karst.

We are happy to count as our clients some of the most sophisticated dam consulting engineering firms and dam owners in the world.

Mining

Nearly every mine site is impacted by groundwater or has need of it to manage day-to-day operations. Willowstick has extensive experience assisting clients to better understand how groundwater impacts a mining site. There are numerous applications for a mine, including:

• Characterizing preferential flow of contaminated groundwater
• Mapping leaks in tailings dams and evaporative ponds
• Mapping solution in leaching operations
• Targeting water resource wells
• Targeting monitoring wells
• Connecting the source of mine inundation or mine dewatering activities
• Identifying subsurface flow of lost rivers/stream due to long wall operations
• Many others…

Environmental

Trying to characterize contaminated groundwater flow for purposes of monitoring, containing or remediating can be a tricky and expensive proposition. Many companies spend millions of dollars trying to effectively deal with contaminated groundwater.

Willowstick can provide critical information concerning where to locate expensive monitoring wells and how to properly and cost effectively deal with remediation. Willowstick has performed environmental surveys in a variety of different applications including:

• Mapping contaminated groundwater flow in fractured rock matrices
• Characterizing contaminated groundwater paths in karst geology
• Identifying ion-rich pollution plumes
• Revealing areas of salt water intrusion
• Mapping paleo channels

Oil and Gas

Where there is oil and natural gas there is groundwater and every operator must deal with it at some stage. Willowstick can provide detailed information regarding the movement of groundwater through a oil field as well as characterize how injected water flows preferentially in an enhanced oil recovery operation. Also, many oil & gas operators deal with groundwater that has been contaminated and Willowstick can help assist those same operator to effectively deal with such problems. Some of the more effective applications in this industry are:

• Characterizing preferential flow of injected water related to EOR operations
• Mapping groundwater preferential flow that could be transporting contaminants