A Review of Acidic Groundwater Remediation in the Shoalhaven Floodplain in Australia

Abstract

Acid sulfate soils can be found around low-lying coastal floodplains. Acidic groundwater generated from acid sulfate soils creates adverse conditions to vegetation and aquatic life and corrodes steel and concrete infrastructure. As long as these soils are undisturbed and below the groundwater table, they are chemically inert. Therefore, it is important to maintain the groundwater table above the sulfidic soil horizon. Modified floodgates and weirs have been implemented in these low-lying areas to improve water quality. Nevertheless, these methods are not promising in low-lying areas because of the risk of flooding. As a solution, a pilot-scale permeable reactive barrier was installed and has proven to be a promising technology for long-term remediation. This paper presents a review of the above mentioned methods used for acidic groundwater remediation in coastal Australia with detailed field verification data.