Geology Commons^™

Field Test Of A Calcite Dissolution Rate Law: Fort’S Funnel Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, J. Scott Slunder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The laboratory-derived calcite dissolution rate law of Plummer et al. (1978) is the most widely used and mechanistically detailed expression currently available for predicting dissolution rates as a function of water chemistry. Such rate expressions are of great use in understanding timescales associated with limestone karst development. Little work has gone into the field testing of the rate law under natural conditions.

This work compared measured dissolution rates measured by a crystal weight loss experiment in Buffalo Creek within Fort’s Funnel Cave, which lies within a pristine, forested catchment of Mammoth Cave National Park. Continuous water chemistry sampling over the …

Measurement Of The Effects Of Food Preparation Activities On The Microclimate Of The Snowball Dining Room Area Of Mammoth Cave, Kelly Kaletsky

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The stability of Mammoth Cave’s microclimate has never undergone extensive investigation. The Snowball Dining Room area was chosen to measure the microclimate of the cave and to determine if food preparation, human presence and surface temperature variations alter this microclimate. Three portable weather stations containing a temperature / humidity probe, datalogger and microbarograph were placed in various locations along three passageways leading away from the dining room. Readings were taken 24 hours per day for four months. Plotting temperature readings in graph form show a correlation between temperature of the passageway and distance from the dining room.

Radon Contamination Of Residences In A City Built Upon A Karst Landscape Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky, James William Webster

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 8 to 12% of U.S. homes have radon concentrations that equal or exceed 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/l). A statewide screening of Kentucky by EPA resulted in an average residential radon concentration of 2.8 pCi/l with 17% of the homes at or above 4 pCi/l. EPA requires routine monitoring and maintenance or worker health records in mines and caves having radon daughter concentrations at or above 0.30 working levels (WL).

Bowling Green is a city located in a karst region of south central Kentucky. Residents of Bowling Green have been subjected …

A “Drastic” Evaluation Of The Ground-Water Pollution Potential Of Karst Terrain: Lost River Ground-Water Basin, Warren County, Kentucky, David Baize

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Karst terrains, such as the Lost River Karst Ground-Water Basin, are extremely vulnerable to ground-water contamination. Seven physical factors: depth to water, recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of the vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity, are evaluated using the DRASTIC system to determine the ground-water pollution potential of the study area. A numerical value is calculated for each of the seven factors, and a map layer for each factor is produced. These layers are then “added” together to produce a DRASTIC ground-water pollution potential map. The effectiveness of each factor in evaluating the pollution potential of karst terrain is …

The Use Of Down-Hole Video To Evaluate Parameters Affecting Removal Of Storm Water Runoff Into A Karst Aquifer In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Philip Reeder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Due to recent land use changes, runoff has greatly increased In Bowling Green, necessitating the drilling of nearly 600 drainage wells to direct storm water into the Lost River Karst Aquifer. Research was conducted to (1) differentiate areas of the city as optimal for removal of storm water runoff, (2) correlate lithologic features between wells, and (3) determine optimal depths to which new drainage wells should be drilled. This was accomplished using maximum capacity tests, correlation of lithologic features between wells and comparing void density to depth below the land surface.

It was only possible to develop general trends in …

Lithologic Controls On Karst Groundwater Flow, Lost River Groundwater Basin, Warren County, Kentucky, Christopher Groves

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Lost River Groundwater Drainage Basin in Warren County, Kentucky, is a karst drainage system encompassing 55 square miles (143 square kilometers) developed within the Mississippian St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve Limestones. Near the contact between these two formations are two bedded chert units, the Lost River Chert Bed (Elrod, 1899) within the Ste. Genevieve and the Corydon Chert Member (Woodson, 1983) of the St. Louis, which appear to be perching layers to shallow karst groundwater flow. Groundwater may be seen flowing on top of these beds in various cave streams and at swallets and springs throughout the basin.

In …

Mechanisms Responsible For Sinkhole Flooding On An Urbanized Karst Terrain: South Sunrise / Media Drive, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Thomas Feeney

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sinkhole flooding on the urban karst area of Bowling Green, Kentucky, was studied by investigating past flood events in the South Sunrise/Media Drive Sinkhole. The actual flood levels of four floods were compared to levels calculated by an empirical runoff determination method. Outflow capacity tests and dye tracing revealed the nature of drainage within the karst depression.

The Soil Conservation Service runoff determination method and the three-hour maximum rainfall event were used to estimate the level of flooding. Three of the four flood events studied provided deviations between the actual and calculated flood levels of less than 0.26 feet (0.08 …

Karstification Of The Pennyroyal Plain Behind The Retreating Chester Escarpment: Warren, Simpson & Logan Counties, Kentucky, Anthony Able

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Hydrogeologic investigations were conducted on the drainage systems of an area of the Pennyroyal sinkhole plain of south central Kentucky. The degree of karstification of five area streams was studied to develop an understanding of the evolution of drainage as the landscape changes from a sandstone caprock plateau to a limestone sinkhole plain. The Chester Upland, capped by the Big Clifty Sandstone, possesses predominantly surface drainage and the Pennyroyal Plain, formed on Mississippian limestones, possesses considerable subsurface drainage. As the Chester Upland Escarpment retreats and surface streams are onto the limestones, the streams evolve to become subsurface streams. The five …

Effects Of Urbanization On The Quantity And Quality Of Storm Water Runoff Recharging Through Caves Into The Edwards Aquifer, Bexar County, Texas, George Veni

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Eighty-nine caves and sinkholes were investigated in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone in Bexar County, Texas. The study examined their hydrogeologic and topographic origins and distribution, relationships to major fracture traces, quantity of recharge into the aquifer and degree of sensitivity towards degradation of the aquifer’s water quality. Groundwater traces were attempted to determine aquifer flow routes, time of groundwater travel, groundwater volume within conduits, and the aquifer’s capacity for dilution and dispersion of recharged contaminants. Trends in water quality were examined to quantify the volume and variety of contaminants recharged into the aquifer and to determine the effects of …

Enteric Contamination Of An Urban Karstified Carbonate Aquifer: The Double Springs Drainage Basin, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Geary Schindel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Biological and chemical analysis of water samples, collected from surface and subsurface streams was preformed to determine the quantity and biologic sources of enteric contamination in the Double Springs Groundwater Basin, an urban karstified carbonate aquifer under Bowling Green, Kentucky. Major flow paths, drainage basin boundaries and geologic/hydrologic relationships were identified for the basin. Analysis of biologic contaminates using fecal coliform /fecal streptococcus counts and ratios were conducted for baseflow and storm events and related to the Double Springs hydrographs. Analysis was also conducted to determine the source of sulfides responsible for the growth of sulfur fixing bacteria in the …

A Bacteriological And Chemical Analysis Of Nonpoint Source Pollution In A Karst Aquifer Bowling Green, Kentucky, Wayne Green

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Monthly water samples collected from four sites in the Lost River Groundwater Basin, a shallow karst aquifer in the Bowling Green-Warren County area of Kentucky, represented samples from sites receiving conduit and diffuse flow. All sites were severely contaminated with bacteria, and on some occasions the surface water criteria for some heavy metals were exceeded.

Of the total 334 bacterial colonies identified 92.1% were verified as Escherichia coli by the API20E system. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratum accounted for 2.10% of colonies; Citrobacter freundii for 0.30% Klebsiella pneumoniae for 0.90%; Klebsiella oxytoca, 0.90%; Citrobacter amalonaticus 0.30%; Enterobacter cloacae, 1.20%; …

Nonpoint Agricultural Pollution In A Karst Aquifer: Lost River Groundwater Drainage Basin, Warren County, Kentucky, Nancy Tucker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Chemical analysis of samples collected from subsurface streams and wells were analyzed to identify nonpoint pollutants in karst aquifers resulting from agricultural land use. Major flow paths and travel times taken by nonpoint pollutants were identified. A land use limitation map showing areas where agricultural activities may results in nonpoint pollution of the karst aquifer was prepared. A groundwater susceptibility map was prepared to show areas of the karst aquifer most susceptible to groundwater contamination by nonpoint pollution resulting from agricultural land use.

Research findings revealed that pollutant concentrations may reach levels thousands of times greater during high discharge events …

Hydrology Of The Sinking Creek System, Logan And Simpson Counties, Kentucky, James C. Cubbage

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Southwest of Bowling Green, Kentucky, is the Western Pennyroyal, is a karstified area which has been neglected in the study of its ground water. About 100 square miles near Adairville were chosen for analysis to help rectify this lack of knowledge. The area is dominated by Sinking Creek, a surface-subsurface drainage system.

The main purpose of the study was to map the underground flow in the Sinking Creek area. The drainage system seemed to be typical for the Western Pennyroyal and exhibited many similarities to flow paths known in the Central Kentucky Karst.

The investigation proved to be of basic …

The Lower Reaches Of Long Creek, Kentucky: A Karst Anomaly In Allen County, Doral Conner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A field study of the lower reaches of the Long Creek drainage area in southeastern Allen County, Kentucky, established the karst character of that area. The area heretofore had been described as a non-karst area. Four swallow holes, which individually or collectively totally pirate Long Creek, were identified. Two major resurgences of the pirated flow were located and described. A detailed study of a portion of the Long Creek drainage area revealed thirty-four springs, all of which were pirated at least once, and no flow from these springs reached Long Creek by surficial routes. The field survey also revealed dolines …

Geomorphology And Land Use Of A Tropical Wet-Dry Environment Santander, Columbia, Joseph Ray

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study deals with the Holocene environmental dynamics experienced by a seasonally wet-dry landscape of tropical Columbia. In light of a high ecological sensitivity, the study area is also analyzed as the resource of man. This is done by intensive study area reconnaissance, mapping, altimeter survey, and radiocarbon dating of fluvial landforms. Also, samples of soil, pasture, and water were collected for later study, and several interviews were completed with local residents.

The study area is a tropical lowland of northcentral Columbia at about 7 ½° north latitude. A maximum local relief about 600 m is maintained by a rather …