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Measuring Groundwater Recharge and Phosphorus Influx in a North Carolina Stream. John Solder p roposed M.S. research topic Univ. of Utah. Recharge. Water that percolates down to the water table. Doesn’t include surface runoff or water used in biological activity
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Measuring Groundwater Recharge and Phosphorus Influx in a North Carolina Stream John Solder proposed M.S. research topic Univ. of Utah
Recharge • Water that percolates down to the water table. • Doesn’t include surface runoff or water used in biological activity • Fundamental property of any groundwater system. • Dictates – discharge, pore pressure, viable yield • Very Difficult to Directly Measure • Spatial and Temporal Variability of: • Geology • Precipitation • Evaporation and Transpiration • Affects of human activity
Current Methods • Intensive hydrologic study of a particular drainage. • Piezometers, tensiometers, rain gauges • Montgomery et al., 1997 • Tracers • Use of historical or applied chemical tracers to measure groundwater velocities. • Solomon and Sudicky, 1991 • Mass-Balance P + Qin = ET + Qout + ∆S • Interpolation and Modeling of Available Data • WT from wells, ET from lysimeters, rain gauges, geologic investigations • Use of Geophysics (?) Ferre et al., 2007 No low cost, easily implemented, reasonably accurate method available.
Seepage Meters Intrusive Tools: Bucket Meters Shelby Tubes Seepage Mats
Additional Info Collaborating with Dave Genereux and students from NC State Study Site in North Carolina Field Campaign in May 2012 Will also explore the Phosphorus Flux Agricultural Applications Eutrophication Blue Baby