ABSTRACT
Site investigation is generally the rst phase of any project in professional hydrogeology. It is the stage at which available information is compiled and new data collected with the primary goal being the development of a scientic, defensible conceptual site model (CSM). The term site investigation is used in different technical and regulatory contexts, and the exact scope depends on the application in question. The term is most widely applied in the context of hazardous-waste site investigation. For example, under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund, site-investigation activities are conducted during both the preliminary assessment/site inspection and remedial investigation/feasibility study phases. Under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, site investigation activities occur during phase 1 (site investigation) and phase 2 (comprehensive site assessment) of the cleanup process. For water-resources applications, site investigation is a more general term that encompasses initial exploration and data analysis activities.
