Field Performance and Quality Control Considerations of In-situ Lysimeters to Measure Infiltration into Landfills Through The Final Cover

130 Pages·1996·3.1 MB·English

by  Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy

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FIELD PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY
CONTROL CONSIDERATIONS OF
INSITU LYSIMETERS TO MEASURE
INFILTRATION INTO LANDFILLS
THROUGH THE FINAL COVER
PHASE ONE FINAL REPORT
JUNE 1996
JULY 1996
Ministryof
EEnnvviirroonnmmeeint
Ontario
and Energy

ISBN 0-7778-5459-7
FIELD PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL CONSIDERATIONS
OFINSITU LYSIMETERS TO MEASURE INFILTRATION
INTO LANDFILLS THROUGH THEFTNAL COVER
PHASE ONE FTNAL REPORT
JUNE 1996
JULY 1996
Cette publication technique
n'est disponible qu'en anglais.
Copyright: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1996
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes
with appropriate attribution.
PIBS 3449E

FIELD PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL CONSIDERATIONS
OF INSrrU LYSEMETERS TO MEASURE INFTLTRATION
INTO LANDFILLS THROUGH THE FINAL COVER
PHASE ONE FINAL REPORT
JUNE 1996
Report prepared by:
Landfill Technology & Site Remediation Section
Science & Technology Branch
Ontario Ministry ofEnvironment and Energy
Report prepared for:
Ontario Ministry ofEnvironment and Energy

TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPENDIXES
a
ABSTRACT
!
INTRODUCTION
1.0 2
BACKGROUND
2.0
3
3.0 LYSIMETER LOCATION, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 5
3.1 Site Locations 5
3.2 Design and Construction 5
4.0 MONITORING RESULTS 9
4.1 Data Collection 9
4.1.1 Monthly Pump Out Data 9
4.1.2 .Field Water Level Data 9
4.1.3 Continuous Water Level Recordings 10
4.1.4 Climate Data 10
4.2 Assessment of Results at the Britannia, Guelph and Barrie
Sites 10
4.2.1 Monthly Pump Out Data 10
4.2.1.1 Britannia and Guelph 13
4.2.1.2 Barrie 14
4.2.2 Data From Continuous Water Level Recorders 14
4.2.2.1 The Mechanism of Infiltration 14
4.2.2.2 The Leak Integrity of the Lysimeters 15
4.2.3 Preliminary Comparison of Infiltration for Guelph
and Barrie 15
5.0 CONCLUSIONS 17
6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY 19
REFERENCES
7.0 20
APPENDIXES
A. The Original Request for Proposal
B. Lysimeter Designs
B.l Excerpts from a 1985 Gartner Less Associates Limited report titled
"Field Measurement ofInfiltration Through Landfilll Covers", pages
8 to 14
B.2 Excerpts from a 1989 Ecologistics Limited report titled "Erosion of
Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Covers", pages 91 to 94
B.3 Excerpts from a 1991 Ecologistic Limited report titled "Quantification
of Infiltration Through Landfill Covers", pages 8, and Al to A6
C. Lysimeter Cover Material
D. Monthly Volumetric Measurements
E. Water Level Data
F. Total Infiltration by Season
ABSTRACT
A two phase study was initiated by the Ontario Ministry ofthe Environment (MOE) in 1981
to use insitu lysimeters to measure the amount ofwater that infiltrates into landfills through
various types ofcovers under varying conditions. Phase one was to develop a reliable,
practical lysimeter design. Phase two was to use this design to measure the infiltration under
various conditions, and to compare infiltration estimates determined by standard methods.
Several lysimeter designs have been tested and improved upon since the study began in 1981.
This report discusses data obtained between October 1991 and October 1994 and is
considered sufficient to show the effectiveness ofthe final lysimeter designs.
The infiltration rates measured in the final lysimeter design ofPhase one show that there are
discrepancies between identical designs at the same site. It is felt that with improvements
made to the data collection practices and some additional field tests, some of these
discrepancies could be fully explained and the overall results improved. However, it is
anticipated that the efforts required to initiate and complete Phase two would not be
worthwhile when compared with other field methods that are being used to determine overall
average infiltration rates.