NR 141.13(3)(a)(a) Ground surface seal. All permanent groundwater monitoring wells shall be constructed with a bentonite or concrete ground surface seal. The ground surface seal shall extend to a minimum of 60 inches below the land surface, and the top shall be sloped away from the well casing. If bentonite is used, the top of the surface seal shall terminate 2 inches below the land surface and shall be covered with top soil or native soil to prevent drying out. The ground surface seal shall be installed around the protective cover and may not be placed between the protective cover pipe and the well casing. If the monitoring well depth is such that both a minimum 2 foot annular space seal and a minimum 5 foot ground surface seal cannot both be placed, the ground surface seal may be shortened. NR 141.13 NoteNote: Certain soils are prone to frost heave and the department does not recommend use of concrete as a ground surface seal in these situations.
NR 141.13(3)(b)(b) Protective cover pipe. The protective cover pipe shall consist of a metal casing at least 2 inches larger in diameter than the well casing with a locking cap. The protective cover pipe shall extend from the bottom of the ground surface seal to a minimum of 24 inches above the ground surface except as provided in sub. (4). There may be no more than 4 inches between the top of the well casing and the top of the protective cover pipe. The protective cover pipe shall always extend above the top of the well casing. For water table observation wells constructed in areas where the depth to water table is less than 7 feet, the required length of protective cover shall be reduced and may not extend through the annular space seal or into the filter pack. If the monitoring well is located in a floodplain, the protective cover pipe shall be watertight. The department may require additional protective devices, such as rings of brightly colored posts around the well, as necessary. Weep holes or vents may be used in protective cover pipes. NR 141.13(4)(4) Ground surface seal and flush mounted protective cover pipe. NR 141.13(4)(a)(a) Ground surface seal. All permanent groundwater monitoring wells with a flush mounted protective cover pipe shall be constructed with a concrete ground surface seal. The ground surface seal shall extend to, but not beyond, the total depth of the flush mounted protective cover pipe. The ground surface seal shall be installed around the flush mounted protective cover pipe and may not be placed between the flush mounted protective cover pipe and the well casing. NR 141.13(4)(b)(b) Flush mounted protective cover pipe. The flush mounted protective cover pipe may be installed only in high vehicular traffic areas and may not be installed in areas subject to ponding or flooding. The flush mounted protective cover’s lid shall have the wording “monitoring well” on its outer surface. Flush mounted protective cover pipes shall be installed through an impervious surface such as asphalt or concrete. If an impervious surface does not exist one shall be created which will support the weight of the traffic in the area. The flush mounted protective cover pipe shall consist of a watertight metal casing with an inside diameter at least 4 inches greater than the inside diameter of the monitoring well casing. The flush mounted protective cover pipe shall be one continuous metal piece or 2 metal pieces which are joined with a continuous weld. The flush mounted protective cover pipe shall be a minimum of 12 inches in length. There may be no more than 8 inches between the top of the monitoring well casing and the top of the flush mounted protective cover pipe after installation. The flush mounted protective cover pipe shall have an exterior flange or lugs. The flush mounted protective cover pipe may not extend beyond the annular space seal. The flush mounted protective cover pipe or the monitoring well shall have a locking mechanism. The monitoring well installed within any flush mounted protective cover pipe shall have a watertight cap. NR 141.13 NoteNote: Figure 4 depicts 2 typical flush mounted protective cover pipes after installation.
NR 141.13 NoteNote: An exterior flange or lugs will aid in the stabilization of the flush mounted protective cover pipe within the ground surface seal.
NR 141.13 NoteNote: After removing the watertight cap and prior to taking a pressure head measurement a waiting period is recommended to enable the water level to stabilize.
Figure 4.
Two typical flush mounted protective cover pipes after installation. NR 141.13 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1990, No. 409, eff. 2-1-90; am. (1), (2) (a) (intro.), 1., 2. and 3. and (b) 1. and 4. and (3), r. and recr. (2) (a) 4., r. (2) (a) 5. and 6., cr. (4), Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91. NR 141.15NR 141.15 Drilling methods and fluids. The drilling method shall introduce the least possible amount of foreign material into the borehole, produce the least possible disturbance to the formation and permit the proper construction and development of the required diameter well. Only air, water from a known safe source free of bacterial and chemical contamination or bentonite drilling muds, mixed with water from a known safe and uncontaminated source, may be used as drilling fluids. The water used for drilling shall be stored in such a manner as to prevent contamination of the clean water. The department may require chemical analysis of the water used to produce drilling fluids. Hammer drill lubricants, used with air rotary drill rigs, may not be used for installing groundwater monitoring wells. If air is used as a drilling fluid, the air shall be filtered by a coalescing air filter. If water is used, the source of the water shall be reported. Drilling fluid additives may not be used without prior written department approval. NR 141.15 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1990, No. 409, eff. 2-1-90. NR 141.16NR 141.16 Cross contamination. Precautions shall be taken to prevent cross contamination of aquifers or uncontaminated zones. NR 141.16 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91. NR 141.17NR 141.17 Disposal and decontamination. NR 141.17(1)(1) All drill cuttings and fluids and surge and wash waters from borehole and groundwater monitoring well construction and development shall be disposed of in a manner approved by the department. NR 141.17(2)(2) All borehole and groundwater monitoring well construction and development equipment shall be decontaminated by washing and triple rinsing or high pressure heat cleaning to prevent cross-contamination of boreholes or groundwater monitoring wells. NR 141.17 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1990, No. 409, eff. 2-1-90. NR 141.19(1)(1) Boreholes in unconsolidated geologic formation. For all permanent groundwater monitoring wells in unconsolidated geologic formations, the borehole diameter shall meet the following requirements: NR 141.19(1)(a)(a) If hollow stem augers are used, their inside working diameter shall be at least 2 ¼ inches greater than the inside diameter of the permanent well casing. NR 141.19(1)(b)(b) If solid stem augers are used, their outside diameter shall be at least 4 inches greater than the inside diameter of the permanent well casing. NR 141.19(1)(c)(c) If an air or mud rotary method is used, the borehole diameter shall be at least 4 inches greater than the inside diameter of the permanent well casing. If a temporary outer casing is used, the inside diameter of the temporary outer well casing shall be at least 4 inches greater than the inside diameter of the permanent well casing. The temporary outer casing shall be pulled as the annular space is being sealed. NR 141.19 NoteNote: The dual-tube or triple-tube reverse rotary systems are rotary methods.
NR 141.19(1)(d)(d) If percussion methods, including the rotary wash, wash down and wash bore methods, with a temporary outer casing are used, in unconsolidated geologic formations, the inside diameter of the temporary outer casing shall be at least 4 inches greater than the inside diameter of the permanent well casing. The temporary outer casing shall be removed during the sealing of the annular space. NR 141.19(2)(2) Boreholes in bedrock geologic formations. For all permanent groundwater monitoring wells installed deeper than 2 feet past the top of the bedrock, the borehole diameter shall meet the following requirements: NR 141.19(2)(a)(a) If an air or mud rotary method is used to construct the monitoring well, the requirements of sub. (1) (c) shall be followed. NR 141.19(2)(b)(b) If percussion methods are used to construct the monitoring well, the requirements of sub. (1) (d) shall be followed. NR 141.19 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1990, No. 409, eff. 2-1-90. NR 141.20NR 141.20 Aquifer test or recovery wells. The installation, location and construction of any aquifer test well or recovery well installed for a purpose regulated by the department under ch. 160, 281, 285, 289, 291, 292, 293, or 299, Stats., shall be approved by the department program responsible for overseeing work at the site prior to installation. Unless another time period is specified by law, the department shall complete its review and make a determination on all applications for approval within 65 business days after receipt of the complete application for approval. Applications may be included with other submittals for work to be performed at the site. The start of the 65 day review period will not begin until a complete application is received by the department. All requests for approval shall be in writing, except that for situations that require immediate response, an approval may be requested verbally and an advanced verbal approval may be granted by the department and followed up with a written confirmation. Aquifer test wells or recovery wells may be used for pressure head monitoring or water quality monitoring only with the approval of the department. All aquifer test and recovery wells shall be abandoned according to s. NR 141.25 and documented according to s. NR 141.23. NR 141.20 NoteNote: See ch. NR 812 for additional requirements that apply to aquifer test wells and recovery wells. NR 141.20 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91; corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, March, 2000, No. 531. NR 141.21NR 141.21 Well development. All permanent groundwater monitoring wells shall be developed according to the requirements of section. Wells sealed with grout or slurry shall be developed after a minimum waiting period of 12 hours after installation is completed. The goal of well development is to produce water free of sediment and all drill cuttings and drilling fluids. NR 141.21(1)(1) Wells that cannot be purged dry. All permanent groundwater monitoring wells that cannot be purged dry shall be developed by the following procedure: NR 141.21(1)(a)(a) Alternately surge and purge the well for a minimum of 30 minutes. The surge and purge cycle shall consist of several minutes of surging followed by several minutes of purging to remove the material collecting in the bottom of the well. The surging shall move formation water in and out of the well screen. The surging shall be accomplished by using either a bailer or surge block or by pumping the well sufficiently to cause a drawdown and then allowing the well to recover and repeating the process. NR 141.21 NoteNote: When a surge block is used, care should be taken to avoid drawing the annular space seal material into the filter pack or well screen.
NR 141.21(1)(b)(b) After the final surge and purge cycle is completed, the well shall be pumped or bailed until 10 well volumes of water are removed or until the well produces sediment free water. If sediment free water is not obtained any remaining sediment shall be removed from the bottom of the well. Well volume shall be calculated in the following manner: V1 + V2 = well volume
V1 = volume of water in well casing
V2 = volume of water in filter pack
N = porosity of filter pack
D1 = inside diameter of well casing
D2 = outside diameter of well casing
D3 = diameter of borehole
H1 = height of water column
H2 = length of sand used in filter pack and fine sand filter pack seal or the height of the water column in water table observation wells.
NR 141.21 NoteNote: There are 7.48 gallons per cubic foot.
H1 = height of water column
H2 = length of filter pack or the height of the water column in water table observation wells.
NR 141.21(2)(2) Wells that can be purged dry. All permanent groundwater monitoring wells that can be purged dry shall be developed in a manner which limits agitation by slowly purging the well dry. Wells which can be purged dry may not be surged and no water may be added to the well. NR 141.21 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1990, No. 409, eff. 2-1-90; am. (intro.), (1) (a) and (b) and (2), Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91. NR 141.23NR 141.23 Well and borehole construction documentation. NR 141.23(1)(1) All permanent groundwater monitoring well construction shall be reported to the department, using forms and instructions provided by the department, within 60 days after the well has been installed. The completed report shall include the following information: NR 141.23(1)(j)(j) Any other information deemed necessary by the department. NR 141.23(2)(2) All permanent groundwater monitoring wells installed after February 1, 1990 shall be labeled with labels supplied by the department. NR 141.23(3)(3) All borehole construction data shall be reported to the department using forms and instructions supplied by the department within 60 days after construction. The completed report shall include the following data: the results of any soil tests done and a description of the soil structure, soil color, mottling, moisture content, layering, jointing, lenses, fractures, organic matter and voids and any other information deemed necessary by the department. The constructor shall report any decontamination procedures used between borehole installations. NR 141.23 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1990, No. 409, eff. 2-1-90; am. (1) (h), renum. (1) (i) to (j), cr. (1) (i), Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91. NR 141.25NR 141.25 Abandonment requirements. The following requirements apply to the abandonment of all boreholes greater than 10 feet deep or which intersect a water table and all groundwater monitoring wells. The department may require, by order or other appropriate means, that any borehole or monitoring well be abandoned. The department shall consider the following factors in determining whether a borehole or monitoring well should be abandoned: purpose, location, groundwater quality, age and condition of the well or borehole potential for groundwater contamination and well or borehole construction. NR 141.25(1)(a)(a) A borehole shall be abandoned within 3 working days after its use has been discontinued. NR 141.25(1)(b)(b) Any permanent groundwater monitoring well no longer being used to gather information on geologic or groundwater properties shall be abandoned within 60 days after its use has been discontinued. NR 141.25(1)(c)(c) Any groundwater monitoring well found by the department to be acting as a conduit for groundwater contamination shall be abandoned within 15 working days after written notification by the department. NR 141.25(1)(d)(d) Any groundwater monitoring well constructed after February 1, 1990 not meeting the requirements of this chapter shall be abandoned and replaced with a monitoring well meeting the requirements of this chapter or any department approval granted under this chapter within 60 days after installation of the noncomplying well or 15 days after written notification by the department that the well is noncomplying. NR 141.25(2)(a)(a) Boreholes. Any borehole intersecting the water table or greater than 10 feet deep, whose use has been discontinued, shall be abandoned according to the requirements of par. (d). NR 141.25(2)(b)(b) Monitoring wells — impermeable annular space seals. A permanent groundwater monitoring well known to be constructed with an impermeable annular space seal shall be abandoned according to the requirements of par. (d) after the protective cover pipe and ground surface seal have been removed and the well casing cut off at least 30 inches below the ground surface. The well casing may be completely removed during abandonment by pulling the well casing, overdrilling around the casing and then pulling the well casing out of the ground or by drilling out the well casing completely. If the well casing is to be removed, the well shall be sealed as the casing is removed. NR 141.25(2)(c)(c) Monitoring wells — permeable annular space seals and wells in waste areas. A groundwater monitoring well not known to be constructed with an impermeable annular space seal or located in an existing or planned future waste disposal or treatment area shall be abandoned by removing the protective cover pipe and the ground surface seal and then completely removing the well casing. The well casing shall be pulled out of the ground as the well is filled according to the requirements of par. (d). NR 141.25(2)(d)(d) Sealing requirements. Boreholes and groundwater monitoring wells shall be abandoned by complete filling with neat cement grout, bentonite-cement grout, sand-cement grout, concrete or bentonite-sand slurry. When a tremie pipe is used to place the sealing material, the procedures of s. NR 141.10 (2) shall be followed. A tremie pipe shall be used to abandon groundwater wells and boreholes greater than 30 feet in depth or with standing water. Groundwater monitoring wells and boreholes greater than 100 feet in depth shall be sealed with a tremie pipe-pumped method. Bentonite may be used as a sealing material without the use of a tremie pipe under the following conditions: NR 141.25(2)(d)1.1. Bentonite granules may be used for abandonment of boreholes and groundwater monitoring wells less than 25 feet deep and when there is no standing water above the filter pack seal. NR 141.25(2)(d)2.2. Bentonite chips no greater than 3/8 inch in diameter or bentonite pellets may be used for abandonment of boreholes and groundwater monitoring wells less than 50 feet deep and the depth of standing water is less than 30 feet. NR 141.25(2)(d)3.3. Bentonite chips no greater than 3/8 inch in diameter or bentonite pellets may be used for abandonment of boreholes and groundwater monitoring wells which are greater than 4 inches in diameter and less than 250 feet deep and the depth of standing water is less than 150 feet. NR 141.25(3)(3) Sealant settlement. Any settling of the sealant material shall be topped off. Sealing material may be terminated 30 inches below the ground surface in agricultural areas to avoid interference with agricultural activities. A native soil plug shall be placed on top of the settled sealing material in such cases. NR 141.25(4)(4) Abandonment documentation. All borehole and permanent groundwater monitoring well abandonments shall be reported to the department within 60 days of the abandonment on forms supplied by the department. In addition to the information required on the form, the person performing the abandonment shall report any decontamination procedures used between borehole and well abandonments. NR 141.25 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1990, No. 409, eff. 2-1-90; am. (2) (b), (2) (d) 1. to 3. and (3), Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91. NR 141.27NR 141.27 Driven point wells. Driven point wells with galvanized steel drive pipes and contaminant compatible well screens may be used as permanent groundwater monitoring wells if prior department approval is obtained. Written documentation shall be supplied to the department prior to installation indicating:
