STOCHASTIC DETERMINATION OF WELL CAPTURE ZONES

A stochastic approach is adopted for characterizing the uncertainty in well capture zones in heterogeneous formations. Transmissivity is mod eled as a random space function and a Monte Carlo approach is used to infer the probability distribution of the resulting stochastic capture zones. Through several numerical experiments, the influence of the st atistical parameters of transmissivity variation on the extent of unce rtainty in the location of the capture zone is investigated. Two aquif er models are considered: a fully confined aquifer and a leaky-confine d aquifer receiving recharge from above. A connection is made with pre vious work on transport theory, and the statistical parameters of the capture zone probability distribution are compared with those of a sol ute concentration plume.