Env Protocol 7 0
Env Protocol 7 0
Env Protocol 7 0
Rev 04
November 2019
GROUNDWATER MONITORING WELL INSTALLATION, SAMPLING, AND
DECOMMISSIONING
1.0 Introduction
The Yukon Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR) (OIC 2002/171) under the Yukon Environment
Act contains requirements to ensure that groundwater at a site is suitable for direct use, based on
groundwater use at the site, and is of adequate quality to protect adjacent groundwater users. The
following protocol is designed to ensure that appropriate and consistent standards are used for
groundwater monitoring well installation, sampling, and decommissioning in Yukon.
This protocol has been adopted in accordance with Section 21(1)(b) of the CSR, which authorizes
the Minister or his/her delegate to approve or adopt protocols for sampling soil, sediment, water,
snow and other environmental media. For more detailed information on these topics please refer
to the Yukon Technical Guidance document entitled: Groundwater Investigation and
Characterization.
For site assessments, monitoring wells are commonly installed to acquire groundwater
samples and facilitate water-level measurements. Conventional monitoring wells are
commonly composed of a riser pipe inserted into a drilled borehole, and a screened completion
interval at the base which is placed within a targeted geologic unit. The well screen is
enveloped in a sand filter pack, and is isolated from the overlying borehole and geologic units
by an annular seal (commonly bentonite). Additional information regarding the installation of
groundwater monitoring wells can be found in the American Society of Testing and Materials
(ASTM) standard D5092-04e1 Standard Practice for Design and Installation of Ground
Water Monitoring Wells. Use of this ASTM standard is acceptable in Yukon. Any deviation
from the requirements provided in the standard or presented below must be identified,
together with supporting rationale.
Well drilling methods commonly used and acceptable in Yukon include air rotary, sonic drilling,
cable tool, hollow and solid stem auger, direct push, and Becker hammer. The method
selection is usually dictated by the anticipated ground conditions and the availability of
equipment. Whenever feasible, drilling procedures should be utilized that do not require the
injection of water or drilling fluids into the borehole, and that optimize cuttings control at
ground surface. Where the use of drilling fluids is unavoidable, the selected fluid should have
Well diameter
Conventional monitoring well diameters can range from 25mm (1 inch) to 150mm (6 inch),
with 50mm (2 inch) being the most common. The selected well diameter should be the
minimum practical size that will allow proper development of the well filter pack and operation
of the sampling device. Large diameter wells (greater than 50 mm) may be used but are not
recommended as they hold large volumes of water that may require purging prior to sampling.
Well materials
Monitoring wells are to be constructed of inert materials that will not compromise the quality
of sampled groundwater, and will not deteriorate over time whilst in contact with formation
soil, groundwater and contaminants. The most commonly accepted well material used in
Yukon is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. However, caution is advised that certain
contaminants (e.g., pure phase xylenes, or ketones) can melt PVC plastic and other materials
(e.g., stainless steel) may be necessary. Wall thicknesses (e.g., schedule 40 or 80 are most
common) should be selected to avoid breakage during and following installation.
After drilling, the assembled monitoring well including the riser pipe and affixed screen are
placed into the borehole to the desired depth. A filter material, which is typically a sand, should
be placed around the screen to serve as a filter pack that will remove particulates during
sampling. Well screen slot size should be based on hydraulic characteristics and on the grain-
size distribution of the aquifer being monitored. The filter pack should be a chemically inert
material, well rounded, and uniform in size. The filter pack material should be placed in the
annular space between the well screen and sides of the borehole, preferably using a tremie
pipe, to create a filter zone of at least 50 mm between the well screen and borehole sides. The
filter pack should be placed from the base of the well screen to at least 300 mm above the top
of the screen. A seal, such as hydrated bentonite chips or pellets, should then be placed to a
minimum of 300 mm above the top of the filter pack. The remainder of the borehole annulus is
then to be filled with an inert low permeability material as described below, and then sealed at
ground surface with a hard seal such as concrete to prevent infiltration of surface water and to
provide well protection.
Well sealants
Recommended sealants above the filter pack and along the well annulus include non-shrinking
bentonite-based grouts or solids. In cases where granular bentonite, bentonite chips, or
The length of the well screen should be limited to the thickness of the affected portion of the
hydrostratigraphic unit to prevent the introduction of a pathway to other stratigraphic units.
Based on site-specific information obtained during the site assessment, monitored depth
intervals (i.e., well screen length plus filter pack) in each aquifer may range from a few
centimetres to a few metres, recognizing that dilution of constituents is likely to occur for the
longer well screens.
For installations where the completion interval is completely below the water table, saturated
well screen intervals should not exceed 1.8 m. Where a water table aquifer is monitored, the
screen length should not extend beyond a depth of one metre below greatest depth to the
water table as defined by the seasonal minimum. Chemical data for samples from wells with
saturated completion intervals in excess of 1.8 m should not be compared directly with
groundwater quality standards unless supporting rationale can be provided. Any deviation
from these requirements must be identified and justified with supporting rationale.
Preference should be given to much smaller intervals, on the order of 0.3 m or less, so that any
expected averaging effect at a receptor (e.g., a water supply well) can be established. In
aquifers where the contamination may exceed one to two metres in thickness, multiple wells
completed in well nests, or vertical groundwater profiles, should be completed to define
conditions over the depth of the aquifer. For conventional well nests, each depth interval
should be monitored by a single well installed in a separate borehole. Multiple conventional 50
mm diameter wells should not be installed in the same borehole as appropriate seals cannot be
effectively installed, and therefore the installation can pose a significant risk of hydraulic cross
communication and/or cross-contamination. Under certain conditions (e.g., collapsing sands),
multi-level wells in the same borehole can be installed using narrow diameter pipe or tubing, or
using commercially available products that allow separate depth intervals to be effectively
sealed.
Caution should be exercised when drilling, installing and sampling wells suspected to contain
Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL). Many NAPLs are clear and colourless, or are easily missed
because they co-dissolve natural organic materials, taking on the same colour as the
surrounding medium. If suspected, meticulous care should be taken to avoid cross
contamination and drawdown from one water bearing unit to another. This may be achieved
by the installation of a double-cased well. This is the use of a larger diameter borehole and
casing, which is drilled into a confining layer, sealed with grout from the bottom to ground
surface, and once cured, is drilled through to the lower unit. Double cased wells are also used
Groundwater in some regions of Yukon may occur as supra-permafrost water (water above
permafrost within thawed ground during summer months, and which is frozen during the
winter), sub-permafrost water (water within the thawed zone beneath permanently frozen
ground), or intra-permafrost water (water within thawed zones between masses of frozen
ground).
Key principals to consider when installing monitoring wells in permafrost areas or frost
susceptible soils include:
Minimize effects on the subsurface thermal regime. Monitoring wells and well points
must be designed and constructed to minimize effects on the subsurface thermal regime
(permafrost) and to withstand freeze-thaw forces (seasonal frost). Caution should be
used when installing a well through permafrost that may be acting as a confining unit
because flowing artesian conditions may occur. The thawed annulus between the pipe
and the permafrost must be firmly sealed to prevent seepage upward from the
confined aquifer. In monitoring wells completed below permafrost, groundwater that
rises in the casing up into the permafrost or frozen ground zone may freeze.
Maintain wells to allow sample collection at the time of year when sampling is
necessary. In some locations there may be a seasonal or localized hydraulic connection
or window between the supra-permafrost and the sub-permafrost zones. In these
situations, monitoring wells may need to be installed within the sub-permafrost. Unique
permafrost conditions create requirements for specifically designed and constructed
monitoring wells. As sub-permafrost groundwater rises in the well to equal the local
potentiometric surface, it will pass through the permafrost zone (which is typically at a
temperature of -0.5oC to -1oC). If water remains in the well without movement, it will
freeze in the well casing thereby preventing sampling.
Seal the annular space between the riser pipe (i.e., well casing) and any permafrost to
prevent upward seepage. If monitoring wells are to be installed in the sub-permafrost
zone or in an area that has a history of flowing wells, artesian conditions may be
expected. Drilling contractors should be engaged that have capability and expertise to
prevent a well from flowing out of control, and to stop the flow of water if it occurs. If
artesian conditions are suspected, precautions should be taken during well design
Water level and elevation data should be acquired from monitoring wells that allow such
measurements. At a minimum:
All wells must be surveyed with reference to an elevation datum (a geodetic datum is
preferred, although a site-specific reference datum may be acceptable in remote locations).
Static water levels must be measured on the same day from monitoring wells at several
locations within the same aquifer.
If such data are not obtained, supporting rationale must be provided as to why the data is not
necessary.
The groundwater flow direction and velocity should be established as part of the site
assessment, and the data used to re-assess the actual sampling locations with respect to
locations anticipated to have highest concentrations. Groundwater flow direction should be
estimated using water-level measurements acquired from a minimum of three locations
arranged in a triangular plane within the same hydrogeologic unit (i.e., the same aquifer).
Caution is advised, however, where groundwater flow patterns are complex (e.g., where
groundwater mounding may result in radial flow, in fractured rock situations), as data from
more than three wells will be necessary to resolve flow directions.
Additional information regarding obtaining samples from a groundwater monitoring well can be
found in ASTM standard D4448-01 Standard Guide for Sampling Ground-Water Monitoring
Wells. Use of this ASTM standard is acceptable in Yukon. Any deviation from the requirements
provided in the standard or presented below must be identified, together with supporting
rationale.
Monitoring well development should follow the installation process and continue until the
water is representative and free of the drilling fluid cuttings, or other materials introduced
Several techniques may be appropriate for well development that may not be suitable for
groundwater sampling. These include, for example, the use of a surge block to assist in
suspending and removing solids from the well screen, and air lifting to surge and remove
water from the well. Caution is advised when air lifting, to control downhole pressures and
avoid physical damage to the well, and to take precautions if volatiles may be present in the air
discharge.
Where wells have been installed for groundwater quality monitoring, it is important that the
well is developed soon after installation. However, well development should not be performed
prior to 24 hours after installation to allow the hydration of sealant (e.g., bentonite) and proper
setting of bentonite or cement-bentonite grout. Representative water is assumed to have been
obtained when water sample pH, temperature, and specific conductance readings have
stabilized and the water is virtually clear of suspended solids.
To reduce uncertainty in the subsequent monitoring data set, it is common practice to acquire
samples at least one week following well development. It is recognized that, in some
circumstances, near-immediate results are required and that many locations are remote and
require long travel times. Where sampling is conducted prior to one week following well
installation and development, the deviation must be identified along with supporting rationale,
and a subsequent sampling round should be planned.
3.3 Purging
At the time of sampling, groundwater is usually first removed from the well and field
measurements are monitored over time prior to sample collection in a process referred to as
purging. Field measurements are monitored during purging until stable to infer that
groundwater conditions representative of the aquifer are present, and that a representative
groundwater sample for chemical analysis can be obtained.
Purging should be conducted using methods such as low-flow purging and sampling (see
below) that minimize disturbance at the well screen. As per the above-referenced ASTM
standard, purging rates should be used that minimize drawdowns in the well while yielding
recovery within reasonable time frame (typically about 0.1 L/minute to 0.5 L/minute).
Conventional purging practice is to remove at least three to five “well volumes” prior to
sampling, where a well volume comprises the volume of standing water in the well.
Alternatively, purging may be considered complete when one or more indicator parameters
As discussed below, there are conditions in high permeability materials where purging may be
unnecessary prior to sample collection. In such cases, rationale and supporting data must be
provided to justify the use of no-purge sampling.
Sampling methods
Once conditions in the well are considered stable, then a variety of acceptable sampling
methods are available and acceptable to acquire the groundwater sample. Where applicable,
low-flow sampling (peristaltic, bladder, centrifugal, or variable speed low-flow electrical
submersible) of monitoring wells is usually favoured over conventional procedures (e.g., bailers
or inertial lift pumps) because minimized disturbance at the well screen during sampling will
also minimize volatilization losses and re-suspension of colloidal materials. The procedure also
usually reduces the volume and handling of large volumes of purge water, which must be
characterized and handled in accordance with the Environment Act and its regulations. In
situations where the well is completed in a low-permeability formation, it may be necessary to
purge at very low flow rates (i.e., less than 100 mL/minute), taking care to avoid dewatering of
the well screen.
Other approaches, such as no-flow or passive sampling should be considered based on the
site-specific conditions. Sampling using such approaches is predicated on the assumption that
the natural horizontal groundwater flux across a monitoring well screen is sufficiently high to
develop groundwater chemical conditions in the well that are representative of conditions in
the adjacent geologic formation. Such an assumption is likely to be valid in permeable
formations (e.g., sands and gravels), but may be invalid in less permeable materials where
stagnant water may be present in the well. No-flow purging and sampling refers to sampling
procedures that negate the need for any purging prior to sample collection. Examples include:
Micro-purging. Only the sample tubing of, for example, a peristaltic pump is purged prior to
sample collection.
Discrete downhole samplers. The sampling device is submersed downhole, opened and
filled at a discrete depth, and returned to surface for chemical analysis.
Groundwater samples collected for analysis of organic constituents must not be field-filtered
prior to laboratory analysis. The recommended container for collection is a solvent rinsed,
amber coloured glass with an aluminum foil or Teflon liner cap. Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs) should be the first sample that is collected following the purging process. Samples
should be placed directly in glass bottles with no air space left and capped with a Teflon
septum cap. Samples for extractable organics should be collected after the VOCs samples.
Analytical tests
Analytical tests should be selected to address not only the known or suspected contaminants
of concern at a site (e.g., the chemical constituents initially released to the subsurface), but also
the potential contaminants that may form in the subsurface as a consequence of chemical or
biological transformation (e.g., vinyl chloride from trichloroethene), or changes in geochemical
conditions (e.g., decreasing redox potential, leading to dissolution of metals). For example,
increased concentrations of manganese and other metals in groundwater can often result from
the geochemical reduction of metals to their more soluble form, as a consequence of
biodegradation of organic substrates such as petroleum hydrocarbons.
In addition to analytical tests associated with the contaminants and their transformation,
concentrations of major ions (e.g., sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulphate, bicarbonate
and carbonate) to the extent that they can assist in defining the subsurface groundwater flow
regime or contaminant transport and fate.
Sample preservation
Containers must be kept full until samples are analyzed to maintain anaerobic conditions. The
sample container material must be non-reactive with the sample and especially with the
particular analytical parameter to be tested. Sample containers used to transport samples to
the lab must undergo pre-treatment procedures. Samples must be placed in bottles as quickly
as practicable upon collection and, where preservation of the sample is required, it should be
carried out immediately.
Handling of the sample and contact with the atmosphere should be kept to a minimum. The
samples should be properly packaged so as to prevent breakage and should generally be kept
at 4oC plus/minus 2oC until analyzed by the laboratory.
Data validation and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) are important considerations for
groundwater investigation programs. Care should be taken to use appropriate and consistent
field procedures, and to quantify analytical data using approved methods by an accredited
laboratory. Data quality objectives should be established at the beginning of the field program,
and the data should be compared against these objectives for completeness of the data set,
and to define the approximate level of precision and accuracy for decision-making purposes.
Commonly, for groundwater investigation studies at least 10% of the samples or one sample
per batch, if less than ten, are obtained in duplicate for assessment of reproducibility.
In addition to field duplicates, it is good practice to obtain at least two groundwater samples
on different days from any monitoring well prior to making decisions based on the chemistry
data. Groundwater chemistry may change over time at a particular location as a result, for
example, of seasonal changes in flow direction and/or changes to the saturated thickness of
the aquifer.
Monitoring wells that are no longer required for monitoring purposes, wells that are damaged or
compromised in any way, where the well’s continued existence might constitute a safety hazard,
or allow a contaminant to enter the aquifer, shall be properly deactivated and closed by an
approved method that is sufficient to prevent the vertical movement of water in the well.
Neglected wells often become damaged and/or buried, and may provide conduits for
contamination (e.g., a surface spill at an industrial site) to enter the subsurface. The objectives of
successful well deactivation and closure are to prevent surface infiltration of contaminants to an
underlying aquifer, and to prevent cross communication between flow zones intercepted by a well
screen and monitored interval.
1. For single monitoring wells with an intact bentonite seal in the annulus, and which intersect
a shallow groundwater table located in surficial deposits/weathered bedrock, the approved
decommissioning method is as follows.
a) Remove the casing and cap, or if it cannot be removed, cut it off 0.6 m below the ground
surface. Fill the remaining casing (or hole if the casing has been removed) to 0.6 m below
the ground surface with bentonite pellets or chips while tamping to prevent bridging of the
chips or bentonite. Ensure that the bentonite is saturated to provide an effective seal. Fill the
remainder of the casing (or hole if the casing has been removed) with silica sand or
overburden material to surface.
2. For any type of monitoring well installation that does not meet the definition in Part 1), or
where any of the following conditions exist, use methods (a) and (b) below.
a) For wells where the screen and filter pack intervals do not cross communicate between
separate groundwater flow zones then, if possible, the well casing should be pulled, and the
resulting borehole backfilled from its base using a tremie pipe to deliver a low permeability
grout such as bentonite or a cement-bentonite mixture. If the borehole collapses after casing
removal or where long well screens cross communicate between flow zones, then the well
must be re-drilled and grouted from its base to surface.
b) As an alternative to well removal, the well may be sealed by injecting grout into the well
under pressure, with the intent of injecting grout through the well screen and into the
surrounding filter pack. Simple placement of grout into the well casing will not necessarily
address the filter pack of the well. It may be necessary to perforate the casing to allow grout
to penetrate the well annulus. In situations where the well completion interval is one metre
or less, the issue of hydraulic cross communication by the filter pack will be of less concern,
and simple sealing of the casing with bentonite to surface may be appropriate.
Where the well is damaged below grade and cannot be accessed, attempts should be made to
drill out the well and then grout the borehole to surface. Caution is advised, however, as attempts
to over drill piping such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can sometimes result in lateral displacement of
the pipe into the sidewall.
In the event that groundwater wells are not completed in a saturated geologic unit, the
hydrogeological assessment will not be able to determine the direction of groundwater flow;
however, estimated travel time of contaminants to the nearest potential receiving environment
should be calculated based on the hydraulic conductivity of the soil observed during the drilling
program.
When a monitoring well installed or decommissioned after the effective date of this protocol fails
to meet the requirements described herein, the Standards & Approvals section may reject any data
derived from that well.
When groundwater sampling conducted after the effective date of this protocol fails to meet the
requirements described herein, the Standards & Approvals section may reject those sample
results.
The effective date of this protocol shall be December 20, 2017, and it shall remain in effect until
replaced or rescinded by the Standards & Approvals section.
8.0 Acknowledgements
Jennifer Dagg
Manager, Standards and Approvals Section
Environmental Programs Branch
Department of Environment