My primary research areas are (1) remediating PCB-contaminated river and lake sediments, and (2) improving free product monitoring and recovery in wells and trenches.  (1) We tested geotextile biointrusion barriers placed on top of contaminated sediments in the lab and in a creek.  The geotextiles were largely successful in preventing sediment movement and in preventing movement of benthic organisms and plants into and out of the contaminated sediments.  We also showed that certain chemical oxidants, ozone and CHEMOX^®, a proprietary blend of peroxides using Fenton’s chemistry, were effective in the lab in rapidly degrading PCBs adsorbed to fine sediments.  (2) In lab and field tests, we measured improvements due to hydrophobic gravel packs; well development and increased screen open area for both wells and trenches.  We identified conservative tracers that work in free product.  We have also done lab studies of the behavior of DNAPLs and LNAPL/DNAPL mixtures near wells.  We have studied bail-down testing methods, and used them to assess the effectiveness of various well designs.We have also tested the predictive ability of contaminant transport models, and found flaws in methods of constructing water wells.  We are interested in the application and improvement of slug tests and pump tests.

Educational Background

Ph.D - Civil Engineering - Colorado State University, 1989
M.S. - Civil Engineering - Auburn University, 1978
B.S. - Geology - Michigan State University, 1976

Research Specializations

Hydrogeology and Hydrology
Oil and DNAPL monitoring and recovery
Flow and transport in unsaturated soils
Modeling groundwater flow and contaminant transport
Remediating PCB- Contaminated sediments
Well design, construction, and hydraulic testing
Heat transport and storage in the shallow subsurface

Ongoing Projects

Contaminated sediments: Many stream and lake sediments are contaminated with organic chemicals and metals. Animals that burrow and feed in these sediments pick up these contaminants that are carried and biomagnified up the food chain. Our research sponsored by the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality—Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund enabled us to test two new methods for protecting human health and the environment from sediment contamination. On the bottom of Gull Creek, Dr. Hampton tested geotextile fabric layers held down by sand and gravel to see if they would cut off the food chain. The anchored geotextiles reduced benthic organisms living in the sediments by 95%. The same result was found in laboratory experiments with geotextiles. Other laboratory experiments performed by co-PI Dan Cassidy showed that two different chemical oxidants could in one month break down to harmless by-products almost all PCBs in sediments contaminated with known quantities of two PCB congeners. Dr. Steve Kohler of Biology also was a key participant in this research.

Slug test analysis: Slug tests are quick ways to measure in-situ hydraulic conductivity around a well screen. The most popular method for analyzing slug test results is that proposed by Bouwer and Rice. This method defines an effective radius of the slug test, Re, which can be determined using an elaborate pair of equations. These equations, if they are to be believed, imply the nonsensical suggestion that the effective radius does not depend on the size of the slug or the amount of water level change in the well. We are testing the equation using a large-diameter steel culvert that has been buried in the ground, backfilled with sand, and into which several wells have been installed. We will use the network of monitoring wells to determine the radius of influence of a central slugged well, and test the calculated hydraulic conductivities against a value determined using the culvert as a constant-head permeameter.

Free product recovery: Previous research by Dr. Hampton has shown that wells built with hydrophobic granular gravel pack materials 2 to 3 times as coarse as the surrounding aquifer do better at monitoring and recovering spilled fuels from contamination sites. He is working with a local consultant to obtain hydrophobic backfill materials and use them at two to three free product contaminated sites.

Courses Taught

GEOS 100 - Earth Studies
GEOS 512 - Principles of Hydrogeology
GEOS 526 - Principles and Practices of Aquifer Testing
GEOS 605 - Groundwater Modeling
GEOS 509/609 - Surface Water Hydrology
GEOS 612 - Advanced Hydrogeology (Vadose Zone)
GEOS 615 - Contaminant Hydrogeology

Selected Publications [5]

1. Hampton, D.R., 2003. Improving Bail-Down Testing of Free Product Wells, in Proc. of 2003 Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Detection, and Remediation Conference and Exposition, Aug. 19-22, 2003, Costa Mesa, CA, National Ground Water Association, 16-30.


2. Hampton, D.R., D.P. Cassidy, D.R. Beck and S.L. Kohler, 2002. In-Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sediments in Groundwater-Fed Streams and Lakes, in Abstract Book, AGWSE 2002 Annual Mtg. and Conf.: Linking Surface and Subsurface Hydrology—From Science to Technology, 40-41, Las Vegas, NV, 8-11 Dec., 2002, National Ground Water Assoc.


3. Cassidy, D., D. Hampton and S. Kohler, 2002. Combined chemical (ozone) and biological treatment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) adsorbed to sediments, J. Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 77(6): 663-670.


4. Hampton, D.R. 2000. Hydrophobic gravel packs improve free product monitoring and recovery, in Proc. of Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Detection, and Remediation Conference and Exposition, Nov 14-17, 2000, Anaheim, CA, National Ground Water Association, 169-183.


5. Peng, W.S., D.R. Hampton, L.F. Konikow, K.K.R. Kambham and J.J. Benegar, 2000. Can Contaminant Transport Models Predict Breakthrough? Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, Vol. XX, No. 4, Fall 2000, 104-113.