Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons^™

Field Tests Of A Uav-Compatible Spectrometer To Evaluate Its Suitability For Detailed Soil Radon Potential Mapping, Alexandria Briahnne Thomas

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

As part of ongoing research on radionuclide mapping and radon hazard characterization, field tests were performed to evaluate the suitability and limitations of a UAV-compatible gamma spectrometer. To date, this data set includes completed stationary data collection, mobile ground collection, multi-level UAV flights over a known material transition, as well as redundant ground and multi-level UAV data collection over a relatively uniform area. Total counts were used as a measure of soil radionuclide levels for our data collected above background. Although our test sites were in regions underlain by bedrock with high indoor radon levels, uranium counts were barely above …

Dynamic Surface Water-Groundwater Exchange In Tidal Freshwater Zones: Insights From The Christina River Basin (Delaware, Usa), Cole T. Musial

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

In coastal rivers, tides can propagate for tens to hundreds of kilometers inland beyond the saltwater line. Yet the influence of tides on river-aquifer connectivity and solute transport in tidal freshwater zones (TFZs) is largely unknown. We estimate that along the TFZ of White Clay Creek (Delaware, USA), more than 17% of river water exchanges through hyporheic and riparian storage zones due to tidal pumping alone. Additional hyporheic processes such as flow through bedforms likely contribute even more exchange. The turnover length associated with the tidal pumping process is 39 km, similar to turnover lengths for all hyporheic exchange processes …

Using Gis To Delineate Headwater Stream Origins In The Appalachian Coal-Belt Region Of Kentucky, Jonathan A. Villines

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Human activity such as surface mining can have substantial impacts on the natural environment. Performing a Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA) of such impacts on surface water systems requires knowing the location and extent of these impacted streams. The Jurisdictional Determination (JD) of a stream’s protected status under the Clean Water Act (CWA) involves locating and classifying streams according to their flow regime: ephemeral, intermittent, or perennial. Due to their often remote locations and small size, taking a field inventory of headwater streams for surface mining permit applications or permit reviews is challenging. A means of estimating headwater stream location …

Model Ordinance For Development On Karst In Kentucky: Guidance For Construction On Karst Terrain And The Reduction Of Property Damage And Threat To Human Health Resulting From Karst Geologic Hazard, James C. Currens

Information Circular--KGS

I have dealt with hundreds of incidents of karst-related geohazards; some have caused major damage to buildings and infrastructure. Although cases are largely limited to the ground surface being made unusable, a significant number of structures are damaged by karst flooding or cover collapse each year, which is devastating to families who have lost their homes. Most of these events should never have happened, because the karst hazard could have been avoided by selecting a better building site or designing the building to withstand the damage from the hazard. Furthermore, most of the planning authorities I have had experience with …

Changes In Groundwater Quality In A Conduit-Flow-Dominated Karst Aquifer As A Result Of Best Management Practices, James C. Currens

Report of Investigations--KGS

Water quality in the Pleasant Grove Spring karst groundwater basin was monitored to determine the effectiveness of best management practices (BMP’s) implemented through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Water Quality Incentive Program (WQIP). The project was divided into three phases. Phase I, beginning in August 1990, was the initial reconnaissance of the hydrogeology and water quality of the basin. Phase II, beginning in October 1993, monitored the water quality for 1 year prior to BMP implementation. This phase was followed by a 1-year interim extension, which continued the monitoring. Phase III monitored the water quality during and following BMP implementation. …

Mass Flux Of Agricultural Nonpoint-Source Pollutants In A Conduit-Flow-Dominated Karst Aquifer, Logan County, Kentucky, James C. Currens

Report of Investigations--KGS

Changes in water quality in a karst ground-water basin used intensively for agriculture are being measured before, during, and after the implementation of best management practices (BMP’s) and other management practices, to determine the success of such programs in protecting ground water. The study was divided into three phases. The results of the first two phases are included in this report and cover research conducted between August 1990 and October 1994. During phase I of the study the overall ground-water quality of the basin and its hydrogeology were investigated. Phase II began monitoring the water quality at Pleasant Grove Spring …

Flash-Flood Monitoring And Modeling In Kentucky, Mark French, Nageshwar Bhaskar, George K. A. Kyiamah

KWRRI Research Reports

This research project focused on the evaluation of hydrologic issue of flash-flooding in the state of Kentucky. The primary objectives of this project were the following:
(1) to initiate the establishment of a hydrologic database archive necessary for characterizing rainfall and runoff associated with flash-flooding;
(2) identification of appropriate modeling approaches for evaluating site-specific flash-flood runoff behavior.

Specific tasks accomplished to meet the objectives include the following:
(1) development of a rainfall and streamflow data archive using existing measurement gages and identification of the rain gage data from two sources for preliminary quality control;
(2) identification of the spatial and …

Atrazine And Alachlor Dissipation Rates From Field Experiments, Stephen R. Workman, Andrew D. Ward, Norman R. Fausey, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Chemical transport is being monitored in the root zone of three agricultural management systems at the Ohio Management Systems Evaluation Area (OMSEA). Atrazine and alachlor concentration data from soil cores taken to a depth of 0.9 m and partitioned into the increments of 0.0 to 0.15, 0.15 to 0.3, 0.45 to 0.6, and 0.75 to 0.9 m show the herbicides remained in the top 0.15 m of the profile during the 1991 and 1992 growing seasons. The slow movement of herbicides was partly due to below normal rainfall during the period. Since the herbicides have not been transported out of …

Water Requirement For Coal Slurry Transportation, David T. Kao, Sandra L. Rusher

KWRRI Research Reports

The amount of water required for coal slurry transportation is a function of the coal properties and the magnitude of coal movement. The pipeline system characteristics and the method of slurry preparation also affects the overall water requirement of the system. In the present study methodologies are developed based on reported and modified coal slurry flow correlation equations to determine the quantity of water needed under various coal transport and flow conditions. Auxiliary water requirements including start-up and flushing water storage; related evaporation and seepage losses are also included. A computer program and several monographs are presented to provide a …

Improved Methods And Guidelines For Modeling Stormwater Runoff From Surface Coal Mined Lands, Michael E. Meadows, George E. Blandford

KWRRI Research Reports

The investgations, developments and guidelines for several hydrologic modeling strategies are presented. Investigations were conducted to determine appropriate event curve numbers for surface mined disturbed watersheds; and performance of four synthetic unit hydrograph models (SCS curvilinear, SCS single triangle, Williams and TVA double triangle) on 38 USDA experimental watersheds in 14 physiographic provinces using in excess of 270 events. A second test using only the SCS curvilinear unit hydrograph on 11 small watersheds and 48 events was conducted to investigate the excess rainfall pattern simulated with the curve number model. A procedure for developing a unit hydrograph using the time …

Hydrology And Water Quality In The Central Kentucky Karst: Phase 1, James F. Quinlan, Donald R. Rowe

KWRRI Research Reports

Study of springs and cave streams has shown that heavy metal-rich effluent from a wastewater treatment plant can be traced to Hidden River Cave (beneath the city of Horse Cave) and thence 4 to 5 miles north to a group of 39 springs at 14 locations along a 5-mile reach of Green River. Nickel, chromium, copper and zinc in these effluent-bearing springs are in concentrations of as much as 30 times greater than other springs upstream and downstream from this reach, 20 times greater than the Green River, and 60 times greater than in shallow domestic wells between Horse Cave …