The Sustainable Water Interactive for Tomorrow (SWIFT) project in eastern Virginia is a Managed Aquifer Recharge project designed to alleviate the depletion of the Potomac Aquifer System due to unsustainable groundwater withdrawals. At the SWIFT Research Center (SWIFTRC) in Nansemond, VA, a pilot testing well (TW-1) has been implemented to help determine the feasibility of full-scale implementation. The pumping data from TW-1 and observation head data from surrounding monitoring wells (MW) at the SWIFTRC were used to calculate hydrogeological parameters (transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity, specific storage, and storage coefficient). Two sets of data were analyzed from before and after TW-1 was rehabilitated to account for the change in the flow distribution to each screen in TW-1. Comparing the results to past literature, the calculated (Theis and Cooper-Jacob methods) hydraulic conductivity/transmissivity values are within the same order of magnitude. Using borehole logs as well as apparent conductance and resistivity logs, multiple single and multi-layered models for both the upper and middle Potomac aquifers were produced with MODFLOW. Parameter estimation using MODFLOW and PEST and the two sets of observation data resulted in hydrogeological parameters similar to those calculated using Theis and Cooper-Jacob methods. The change in the hydraulic conductivity and specific storage between the pre and post rehabilitation flow distributions is proportional to that change in the flow distribution. For future modeling of the aquifer system, the hydrogeological parameters from the model using the 4/26/19 data set with the post rehabilitation flow distribution is recommended. Drawdown results from a multi-layered MODFLOW model were compared to results using the Theis method using both the Theis-calculated and MODFLOW-PEST modeled hydrogeological parameters. The results were nearly identical except for the Upper Potomac Aquifer (UPA) layer 1, as the model has a large change in aquifer thickness with distance from TW-1 that the Theis-based calculations do not consider. Travel times from the monitoring wells to TW-1 were calculated with the single and multi-layered models pumping 700 GPM from TW-1. Travel times from the SWIFT MW within the UPA sublayers ranged from 204 to 597 days depending on the sublayer, while travel times from the USGS MW within the UPA sublayers ranged from 2,395 to 7,859 days. For the single layer model of the UPA, the travel time from the SWIFT MW to TW-1 was 372 days while the travel time from the USGS MW was 4,839 days. Travel times from the SWIFT MW within the MPA sublayers were 416 and 1,195 days, while travel times from the USGS MW within the MPA sublayers were 4,339 and 11,245 days. For the single layer model of the MPA, the travel time from the SWIFT MW to TW-1 was 743 days while the travel time from the USGS MW was 7,545 days. / Master of Science / The Sustainable Water Interactive for Tomorrow (SWIFT) project in eastern Virginia is a project designed to help slow the depletion of the Potomac Aquifer System due to unsustainable groundwater withdrawals. At the SWIFT Research Center (SWIFTRC) in Nansemond, VA, a testing well (TW-1) has been implemented to help determine if the full-scale implementation of the SWIFT project is feasible. The pumping data from TW-1 and observation head data from surrounding monitoring wells (MW) at the SWIFTRC were used to calculate hydrogeological parameters (transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity, specific storage, and storage coefficients). These parameters help describe the behavior of the aquifer system. Two sets of data were analyzed from before and after TW-1 was rehabilitated to account for the change in the flow distribution within TW-1. Comparing the results to past literature, the calculated (using analytical methods, Theis and Cooper-Jacob methods) hydraulic conductivity/transmissivity values are within the same order of magnitude. Using data from the boreholes, multiple single and multi-layered models for both the upper and middle Potomac aquifers were produced with MODFLOW, a groundwater modeling software. Estimating parameters using observation data within MODFLOW resulted in hydrogeological parameters similar to those calculated using the Theis and Cooper-Jacob methods. The change in the hydraulic conductivity and specific storage between the pre and post rehabilitation flow distributions within TW-1 is proportional to that change in the flow distribution. For future modeling of the aquifer system, the hydrogeological parameters from the model using the 4/26/19 (most recent) data set with the post rehabilitation (more current) flow distribution is recommended. Drawdown (decrease in the water table) results from a multi-layered MODFLOW model were compared to results using the Theis method using both the Theis-calculated and MODFLOW modeled hydrogeological parameters. The results were nearly identical except for the Upper Potomac Aquifer (UPA) layer 1, as the model has a large change in aquifer thickness with distance from TW-1 that the Theis-based calculations do not consider. The time it took for a particle of water to travel from the monitoring wells to TW-1 were calculated with the single and multi-layered models pumping 700 GPM from TW-1. Travel times from the SWIFT MW within the UPA sublayers ranged from 204 to 597 days depending on the sublayer, while travel times from the USGS MW within the UPA sublayers ranged from 2,395 to 7,859 days. For the single layer model of the UPA, the travel time from the SWIFT MW to TW-1 was 372 days while the travel time from the USGS MW was 4,839 days. Travel times from the SWIFT MW within the MPA sublayers were 416 and 1,195 days, while travel times from the USGS MW within the MPA sublayers were 4,339 and 11,245 days. For the single layer model of the MPA, the travel time from the SWIFT MW to TW-1 was 743 days while the travel time from the USGS MW was 7,545 days.

La présence de Composés Organiques Halogénés Volatils (COHV) dans les eaux souterraines est particulièrement problématique car celle-ci peut les contaminer pendant des dizaines d’années. Le traitement de ces sites, dont les pollutions sont souvent mixtes et complexes, nécessite de développer des techniques fiables. Particulièrement dans le contexte d’un aquifère hétérogène, les techniques classiques souffrent du faible potentiel de balayage de la pollution par les agents remédiant. La génération de mousse in situ est une technique de dépollution innovante permettant de contrôler la mobilité de ces agents. La démarche générale du travail de thèse porte sur le développement de l’injection de mousse et son applicabilité dans le contexte d’un site industriel en activité contaminé par des solvants chlorés. L’originalité de ce travail porte sur l’utilisation de la mousse comme agent confinant (hydrauliquement) d’une zone source au sein même de l’usine. Le premier objectif de cette thèse consiste en la définition de l’origine de la pollution et des processus responsables du transport des composés dissous dans un système aquifère multicouche et hétérogène. Dans ce cadre, un modèle de transport en 3 dimensions a été développé et contraint à partir de données géologiques (structure 3D), hydrogéologiques (piézométrie, mesure de vitesse), et chimiques (solvant chlorés et ions majeurs). Cette combinaison d’approches a eu un impact réel sur la compréhension de la dynamique hydrogéologique du système souterrain présent au droit du site d’étude, et a permis de définir la zone d’injection de mousse. En parallèle des travaux de caractérisation du site, un travail expérimental en laboratoire a permis de définir les mécanismes à l’origine de la réduction de la perméabilité relative à l’eau par l’injection de mousse. Au travers d’une approche multi échelle, ces travaux ont notamment permis de (i) définir une formulation (concentrations en tensio-actifs et composition) et les paramètres d’injection (qualité de mousse, débit d’injection, mode d’injection) pour générer une mousse favorable à la réduction de la saturation en eau (colonne 1D). Cette baisse de saturation ayant conduit à une réduction de la perméabilité à l’eau d’un facteur supérieur à 100. (ii) D’estimer le comportement de la mousse le long d’un profil d’injection et son impact sur la réduction de la saturation en eau à quelques centimètres d’un point d’injection (pilote 2D décimétrique). (iii) De vérifier l’applicabilité en 3D du système d’injection développé et de suivre les évolutions de l’impact de la mousse dans un aquifère (essai sur un piézomètre réel). Enfin, un test d’injection de mousse en continu pendant 96h au droit de la zone source du site industriel contaminé a été réalisé. La réalisation d’un essai de pompage (post injection) au centre de la zone confinée, couplé à des mesures de flux de polluant (pré et post injection) et implémenté dans un modèle 2D, ont permis de mettre en évidence l’impact réel de la mousse sur un rayon supérieur à 2m avec une réduction du flux de polluant en aval hydraulique d’un facteur 4,5. Les différents travaux de laboratoire et de modélisation mettent en évidence les avancées et limites de la technique développée et permettent de proposer des voies d’amélioration. / The presence of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in groundwater is particularly problematic because it can contaminate them for decades. The treatment of these sites, whose pollution is often mixed and complex, requires the development of reliable techniques. Particularly in the context of a heterogeneous aquifer, conventional techniques suffer from the low potential for pollution sweeping by remedying agents. In situ foam generation is an innovative technique to control the mobility of these agents. The general approach of the thesis concerns the development of foam injection and its applicability. in the context of an industrial site in activity contaminated by chlorinated solvents. The originality of this work concerns the use of foam as a confining agent (hydraulically) of a source zone within the plant itself. The first objective of this thesis is to define the origin of pollution and the processes responsible for the transport of dissolved compounds in a multilayered and heterogeneous aquifer system. In this context, a 3-dimensional transport model has been developed and constrained based on geological data (3D structure), hydrogeological data (piezometry, groundwater velocity measurement), and chemical data (chlorinated solvent and major ions). The combination of these approaches had a real impact on the understanding of the hydrogeological dynamics of the underground system present at the study site, and allowed us to define the foam injection zone. In parallel with site characterization, experimental work in laboratory allows to define the mechanisms responsible for reducing the water-relative permeability by injecting foam. Through a multi-scale approach, we (i) define a formulation (surfactant concentrations and composition) and injection parameters (foam quality, injection rate, injection mode ) to generate a foam favorable to the reduction of water saturation (column 1D). This saturation decrease led to a reduction of the water relative permeability by a factor greater than 100. (ii) Estimate the behavior of the foam along an injection profile and its impact on the reduction saturation in water a few centimeters from an injection point (2D decimetric pilot). (iii) Verify the 3D applicability of the developed injection system and to follow the evolutions of the impact of the foam in an aquifer (test on a real piezometer). Finally, a continuous foam injection test during 96 hours at the source zone of the contaminated industrial site was carried out. Conducting a pumping test (post injection) in the center of the confined zone, coupled with contaminant fluxes measurements (pre and post injection) and implemented in a 2D model, highlighted the real impact of the injected foam over a radius greater than 2m with a reduction of the flow of pollutant downstream by a factor 4.5. The various laboratory and modeling work highlight the advances and limitations of the developed technique and make it possible to propose ways of improvement.

La caractérisation géochimique et isotopique des eaux souterraines de la « zone minéralisée de l’Entre-Deux-Mers » indique une origine commune de la minéralisation, directement liée à la minéralogie des formations captées par les forages.La géochimie montre que les interactions eau-roche sont majoritairement influencées par la présence d’évaporites, mais que d’autres interactions mettant en jeu des carbonates, des silicates et des argiles existent. Un modèle géochimique d’acquisition de la minéralisation reconstitue parfaitement la chimie des eaux souterraines à l’échelle de la zone d’étude. Ce modèle, construit en se basant sur la géochimie des eaux et sur la minéralogie des formations tertiaires du nord du Bassin aquitain, met à l’équilibre des eaux avec des formations carbonatées et évaporitiques. Afin de mieux comprendre la distribution latérale et verticale des formations tertiaires et leur minéralogie, une approche paléogéographique et sédimentologique a permis de localiser les différents horizons riches en sulfates et/ou en fluorures, mais aussi de comprendre leur origine de dépôt. En se basant sur l’hydrogéologie, la paléogéographie, la minéralogie et la géochimie, des hypothèses de répartition de la minéralisation à l’échelle du forage ont pu être testées. Les résultats de la modélisation couplée hydrodynamique–transport reconstituent la chimie des eaux prélevées par les forages de la « zone minéralisée de l’Entre-Deux-Mers ». Au vu de ces résultats, un modèle avec obturation des horizons riches en sulfates et en fluorures a été testé et les résultats obtenus ouvrent des perspectives pour des futures recherches. Ce travail a donc permis de comprendre l’origine de la minéralisation des eaux de « la zone minéralisée de l’Entre-Deux-Mers », mais aussi de proposer des améliorations et des perspectives pour une meilleure gestion d’une des principales ressources en eau potable de la Gironde. / Geochemical and isotopic characterizations of groundwaters in the "mineralized Entre-Deux-Mers area" indicate a common origin of the mineralization, directly linked to the mineralogy of the formations abstracted by drilling.Geochemistry shows that water-rock interactions are mainly influenced by the presence of evaporites, and that but that other interactions involving carbonates, silicates and clays exist. A geochemical model based on the water geochemistry and mineralogy of the Tertiary formations of northern Aquitaine Basin fix waters in equilibrium with evaporitic and carbonated formations. This model reconstitutes perfectly the groundwaters’ chemistry across the study area and explains the mineralization acquisition. Improving the understanding of the lateral and vertical distribution of tertiary formations and their mineralogy requires a sedimentological and paleogeographical approach. This approach allowed to locate the different layers rich in sulphates and/or fluoride and to understand also their origin.Based on hydrogeology, paleogeography, mineralogy and geochemistry, the distribution of the mineralization has been tested at the borehole scale. The results of this coupled hydrodynamic-transport modeling reconstitute the chemistry of the groundwaters in the "mineralized Entre-Deux-Mers area." A model, that considers the sealing of sulphates- and fluorides-rich layers has been tested and its results highlights future research perspectives. This work has allowed understanding the origin of the mineralization of the waters "of the mineralized Entre-Deux-Mers area" and also suggests improvements and prospects for sustainable management of a major drinking water resource in Gironde.