Terry C. Hazen , Andrew D. Putt, Erin R. Kelly, Kenneth A. Lowe, Miguel Rodriquez Jr.

Penetration testing is a popular and instantaneous technique for subsurface mapping, contaminant tracking, and the determination of soil characteristics. While the small footprint and reproducibly of cone penetrometer testing makes it an ideal method for in-situ subsurface investigations at contaminated sites, the effects to local shallow groundwater wells and measurable influence on monitoring networks common at contaminated sites is unknown. Physical and geochemical parameters associated with cone penetrometer testing were measured from a transect of shallow groundwater monitoring wells upgradient and down-gradient of CPT activity. The physical act of advancing and retracting a piezocone had a significant effect on specific conductivity and water level but no effect on dissolved oxygen or pH. While cone penetrometer effects were significant and detectable, the variability induced by CPT activity was only a fraction of the natural variation caused by precipitation events. Therefore, we concluded that CPT effects are less than those of natural event-driven variation in clayey and silty unconsolidated residuum.