Determination of fluid velocities in drinking water supply wells using bank filtration by means of stable isotope tracers

A potential risk for drinking water wells that gain their water from bank filtration is contamination by pollutants from infiltrating river water. Natural occurring variations in the stable isotope ratio of the river water can be detected in observation wells and drinking water production wells. The flow velocity can then be assessed from the time shift of isotope events and best fit of the measured curves. The determination of the fluid velocity by means of stable isotopes were investigated at a study site in the vicinity of the city Volkach (Bavaria) between the River Main and riverbank drinking water wells. The results revealed a velocity of approx. 2.9 m per day, which results in an average flow time of about 50 days between the river and the drinking water wells. The isotope measurements of this study helped to better constrain earlier estimates of residence times and demonstrated the high potential of this method.