Saturation-dependent anisotropy in the Hanford subsurface hydraulic conductivity

In previous work anisotropy in a fracture network was shown to provide a possible explanation for the observed scale-effect in the hydraulic conductivity of a carbonate aquifer. Use was made of a coordinate transformation and reference made to the transverse and longitudinal electrical conductivities of thin (disordered) solid films. An analogous approach is now developed to describe the inferred anisotropy of the hydraulic conductivity as a function of saturation in the Hanford subsurface. Here different soil types play the role of fractures of different apertures, while the spatial anisotropy is generated by soils of higher silt and clay fractions. A quasi- equilibrium condition (equal matric potentials) is implemented at matric potentials believed characteristic of the Hanford subsurface (several hundred centimeters) and theoretical results for the hydraulic conductivity (modified by known values at saturation) are used to develop the distribution of K values at the appropriate potential. The results are hoped to be relevant to the dispersion of a Tc plume. Work was supported by DOE grant DE-FG02-05ER64067 and -06ER64196 and NSF grant EAR 0609884