Sandstone aquifers are common worldwide: they contain a significant proportion of the Earth's fresh water supplies. However, because of their textural complexity and the frequent occurrence of both matrix and fracture flow, prediction of flow and pollutant migration is still a considerable challenge. This volume contains a collection of papers summarizing current research on an example sandstone aquifer: the UK Permo-Triassic Sandstone sequence. These red bed, organic-poor sandstones are of fluvial and aeolian origin, are often strongly textured, and are cut by discontinuities of a wide range of permeabilities. Matrix flow often dominates, but fracture flow also occurs. The papers in the volume deal with research on saturated and unsaturated flow, and solute and non-aqueous-phase liquid movement. They cover investigations from laboratory to regional scale, and involve a wide range of approaches, from petrophysical through geophysical and hydrochemical to modelling. The book is intended to be of interest to researchers and practitioners involved in water resources and groundwater pollution, and to hydrogeology, water engineering, and environmental science students.

Fractured rock is the host or foundation for innumerable engineered structures related to energy, water, waste, and transportation. Characterizing, modeling, and monitoring fractured rock sites is critical to the functioning of those infrastructure, as well as to optimizing resource recovery and contaminant management. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock examines the state of practice and state of art in the characterization of fractured rock and the chemical and biological processes related to subsurface contaminant fate and transport. This report examines new developments, knowledge, and approaches to engineering at fractured rock sites since the publication of the 1996 National Research Council report Rock Fractures and Fluid Flow: Contemporary Understanding and Fluid Flow. Fundamental understanding of the physical nature of fractured rock has changed little since 1996, but many new characterization tools have been developed, and there is now greater appreciation for the importance of chemical and biological processes that can occur in the fractured rock environment. The findings of Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock can be applied to all types of engineered infrastructure, but especially to engineered repositories for buried or stored waste and to fractured rock sites that have been contaminated as a result of past disposal or other practices. The recommendations of this report are intended to help the practitioner, researcher, and decision maker take a more interdisciplinary approach to engineering in the fractured rock environment. This report describes how existing tools-some only recently developed-can be used to increase the accuracy and reliability of engineering design and management given the interacting forces of nature. With an interdisciplinary approach, it is possible to conceptualize and model the fractured rock environment with acceptable levels of uncertainty and reliability, and to design systems that maximize remediation and long-term performance. Better scientific understanding could inform regulations, policies, and implementation guidelines related to infrastructure development and operations. The recommendations for research and applications to enhance practice of this book make it a valuable resource for students and practitioners in this field.

Advanced Simulation and Modelling for Urban Groundwater Management - UGROW Groundwater plays a vital role in the urban water cycle but is frequently ignored. The assessment and evaluation of urban water systems rarely consider the contribution of groundwater to the urban water budget, and available decision-support tools for integrated urban water management often fail to include aquifer storage and the strong two-way interaction that commonly occurs between groundwater and surface water and other urban water system components. Advanced Simulation and Modelling for Urban Groundwater Management - UGROW presents the result of a project of UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme on the topic. The book presents UGROW - a complete and fully integrated Modelling package - for simulating urban water systems. As a decision-support tool for urban water management, it focuses on urban groundwater, but all other key urban water system elements are fully represented and seamlessly linked. The theory behind UGROW is thoroughly described in the book, with three case studies illustrating how UGROW can be applied in practice. A CD-ROM containing a fully functional version of UGROW is included in the book.

Reservoir quality is studied using a wide range of similar techniques in both sandstones and carbonates. Sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality both benefit from the study of modern analogues and experiments, but modelling approaches are currently quite different for these two types of reservoirs. There are many common controls on sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality, but also distinct differences due primarily to mineralogy. Numerous controversies remain including the question of oil inhibition, the key control on pressure solution and geochemical flux of material to or from reservoirs. This collection of papers contains case-study-based examples of sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality prediction as well as modern analogue, outcrop analogue, modelling and advanced analytical approaches.

Selected and reviewed papers from the Groundwater Quality 2007 conference held in Fremantle, Australia, 2-7 December 2007.