Geology Commons^™

A Geophysical Investigation Of Stratigraphy And Structure On St. Catherines Island, Georgia, Anne M. Delua

Honors College Theses

Geophysical tools were used to investigate potential structural and stratigraphic pathways of the salt water intrusion that is affecting the surficial aquifer on St. Catherines Island, Georgia. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a geophysical tool that uses electromagnetic waves to view the subsurface. GPR is used for a variety of applications stratigraphically, biologically, and anthropogenically. GPR electromagnetic waves react to changes in density and composition and type and percentage of pore fluids in sediment and rock. GPR waves also react to interfaces including fractures and faults. GPR waves exhibit attenuation and decreased return signal in materials such as clay. Fresh …

Precipitation And Sea Level Rise Impacts On Groundwater Levels In Virginia Beach, Virginia, Brett A. Buzzanga

OES Theses and Dissertations

Global sea level rise (SLR) is one of the most immediate impacts of climate change, and poses a significant threat to low-lying coastal communities worldwide. The metropolitan region of Hampton Roads in Southeastern Virginia is one such community, and one where knowledge surrounding SLR is rapidly accumulating. However, most of the research is focused exclusively on surface water processes despite the presence of a shallow groundwater table closely connected to them. SLR will continue to cause the groundwater table to increase in tidally influenced areas of Hampton Roads, and thereby decrease storage capacity of the unsaturated zone.

This study investigates …

Validating A Universal Model Of Particle Transport Lengths With Laboratory Measurements Of Suspended Grain Motions, Robert C. Mahon, Brandon Mcelroy, Suleyman Naqshband

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

t The mechanics of sediment transport are of fundamental importance for fluvio-deltaic morphodynamics. The present study focuses on quantifying particle motions and trajectories across a wide range of flow conditions. In particular, a continuous model is presented that predicts particle travel distances for saltation and suspension based on Rouse number and relative grain roughness. By utilizing a series of eight video cameras in a plexiglass flume direct measurements of the distributions of particle travel distances (excursion lengths) were obtained. To this end, experiments were carried out in dark under black lights with fluorescent painted plastic and quartz sand particles. For …

Groundwater And Tidal Controls On Wetland Hydrology, Julie J. Metz Wetland Mitigation Bank, Woodbridge, Virginia, Benjamin Stuart Hiza

OES Theses and Dissertations

Julie J. Metz Wetlands Mitigation Bank, a 92-hectare freshwater wetland located in Woodbridge, Virginia, borders the tidally-influenced Neabsco Creek. Seven pods separated by earthen berms were built by Wetland Studies and Solutions Inc. (WSSI) in 1995 and 1997 by removing the toe of small sandy alluvial fans and covering the underlying coarse gravel bed with a low permeability cap. The basal Quaternary gravels were deposited in a creek valley incised into a thick sand-and-clay Cretaceous delta. The alluvial-fan apron developed at the base of steep slopes along the sides of the valley. Pressure transducer data from five monitoring wells along …

Bathymetric Survey For Lakes Azuei And Enriquillo, Hispaniola, Michael Piasecki, Mahrokh Moknatian, Fred Moshary, Joseph Cleto, Yolanda Leon, Jorge Gonzalez, Daniel Comarazamy

Publications and Research

The two largest lakes on the Caribbean Island of Hispaniola, Lake Azuei in Haiti and Lake Enriquillo in the Dominican Republic, have experienced dramatic growth and surface area expansion over the past few years leading to severe flooding and loss of arable land around the lake perimeters. In order to better understand the reasons for this unprecedented rate of expansion and the resulting consequences a multi-disciplinary team comprised of researchers from Haiti, the DR, and the US have embarked on an extensive data collecting and hydrologic and climatological modeling campaign. While the sensor deployment entails stations that measure climatological data …

Modeling The Influence Of The Heterogeneous Substrate On The Transport Of The Jet Fuel Solute Plume, Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Hannah Sarah Gatz-Miller

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

A subsurface model was developed to characterize the influence of heterogeneity on solute phase plume migration of the Jet Fuel spill of Kirtland Air Force Base. Core –logs from KAFB boreholes were compiled, and lithology was interpolated across the study area using transition probability geostatistics (T-PROGS). High conductivity materials in the travel path resulted in a faster than average breakthrough time while, if low conductivity materials were placed in the travel path, particles were either forced to divert around the low K material, which added time and changed the direction of travel, or were forced by the hydraulic gradient to …

Characterizing Groundwater Recharge And Streamflow Using Stable Isotopes Of Oxygen And Hydrogen, Chanse M. Ford

Masters Theses

Potential changes to climate and precipitation patterns from anthropogenic influences like global climate change could have an impact on Michigan’s groundwater resources. Indirectly this could have an effect on Michigan’s surface waters as well, since groundwater and surface waters are intimately linked to form one system.

This investigation utilized stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen found in precipitation, groundwater and surface waters to better understand the contribution of different types of precipitation to recharge of a shallow aquifer in Manistee National Forest, MI. The study also examines the contribution of this shallow groundwater to streamflow in the nearby White River. …

Mapped Karst Groundwater Basins In The Elizabethtown 30 X 60 Minute Quadrangle, James C. Currens, Robert J. Blair

Map and Chart--KGS

This map shows karst groundwater basins in the Elizabethtown 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, determined primarily by groundwater tracer studies. It can be used to quickly identify the groundwater basins and springs to which a site may drain. Major springs and the relative size of their catchment areas can be evaluated for potential as water supplies. The map also serves as a geographic index to literature on karst groundwater in the area.

Dye Tracing To Determine Flow Properties Of Hydrocarbon-Polluted Rabots Glaciär, Kebnekaise, Sweden, Caroline C. Clason, C. Coch, J. Jarsjö, Keith A. Brugger, P. Jansson, G. Rosqvist

Geology Publications

Over 11 000 L of kerosene was deposited on the surface of Rabots glaciär on the Kebnekaise Massif, northern Sweden, following the crash of a Royal Norwegian Air Force aircraft in March 2012. An environmental monitoring programme was subsequently commissioned, including a series of dye tracing experiments during the 2013 melt season, conducted to investigate the transport of pollutants through the glacier hydrological system. This experimental set-up provided a basis from which we could gain new insight into the internal hydrological system of Rabots glaciär. Results of dye tracing experiments reveal a degree of homogeneity in the topology of the …

Determining Discharge From The Fallasburg Dam And The Hydrology Of The Flat River Bypass Channel, Lowell, Michigan, Seth Kuiper

Masters Theses

The Fallasburg Dam on the Flat River is required to release 110 cfs to the Bypass Channel. Residents have often reported low flows in the river, especially during the summer. The hydrology of the Bypass Channel downstream from the dam was investigated to determine whether the required flow was being released. Discharge measured at multiple transects reveal a shifts from gaining to losing conditions during the year. Gaining conditions occur during the spring and after significant rain events; losing conditions occur in the summer during dry periods. Five discharge measurements in 2013 and three in 2014 reveal flows less than …

Mapped Karst Groundwater Basins In The Hopkinsville 30 X 60 Minute Quadrangle, James C. Currens, Joseph A. Ray, Phillip W. O'Dell, Robert J. Blair

Map and Chart--KGS

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Antecedent Groundwater Heads And Transient Aquifer Storage On Flood Peak Attenuation In An Unconfined Karst Aquifer: Study Of The Upper Suwannee River, Florida, Usa., Jeremy Loucks

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Flood peak attenuation is an important aspect of understanding flooding and its effects. Few studies exist that look at the effects of ground-surface water interactions in regards to peak attenuation, and fewer still focus on karst environments. In the karstic, variably confined Suwannee River Basin, discharge, river stage, and water table data that were collected over a ten-year period were analyzed to determine the relationship between antecedent groundwater head and flood peak attenuation. Flooding causes high hydraulic heads in the river, which rise faster than corresponding groundwater heads. Springs which normally feed groundwater into the river reverse flow, and conduits …

Consider A Cylindrical Cave: A Physicist's View Of Cave And Karst Science, Matthew D. Covington, Matija Perne

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

We review the current understanding of the physics of caves and karst. Our review focuses on research that has used simple physically based models to improve understanding of processes that occur in karst. The topics we cover include cave atmosphere dynamics, transport within karst conduits, and models of speleogenesis and related processes. We highlight recent advances in these subjects and attempt to identify promising areas for future work. In our judgment, many of the most intriguing open questions relate to the interactions between these three groups of processes.

Carbon Cycling Dynamics Inferred From Carbon Isotope Sourcing In A Mid-Latitude Karst-Influenced River, Kegan N. Mcclanahan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide alter the chemistry of the Earth’s atmosphere, understanding the global carbon cycle becomes increasingly important. A particularly important component is the riverine carbon cycle, as rivers are the primary conduits for dissolved inorganic carbon from terrestrial watersheds to ocean basins. Stable carbon isotopes (13C/12C) were collected weekly and input into the mixing model IsoSource to delineate seasonal carbon sourcing along two nested basins in the upper Green River System, Kentucky. In the more siliciclastic upstream catchment, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was primarily derived from soil respiration (34%). Groundwater dissolving carbonate bedrock and carbonate dissolution/precipitation …

Comparisons Of Hydrogeologic Modeling Methods To Define Capture Zones For Public Water Supply Wells In Northern Arkansas, Paula Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The usefulness, applicability, and practicality of more complex and resource consuming methods for groundwater modeling has been in question since computer based groundwater modeling was established (Anderson, 1992). In many situations, computer modeling of groundwater flow is a necessity and useful for extrapolating data where none exists or it is impossible or impractical to acquire. However, when delineating a recharge area around a public water well for protection purposes, it is unknown if more detailed computer modeling results are better than simpler hydrologic calculations and site study. In the case of public drinking water supply wells located in various aquifers …

Investigating Telogenetic Karst Aquifer Processes And Evolution In South-Central Kentucky, U.S., Using High-Resolution Storm Hydrology And Geochemistry Monitoring, Nicholas Lawhon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Recent studies have investigated the hydrological and geochemical characteristics of karst aquifers in different settings; however, telogenetic karst aquifer processes remain poorly understood. In south-central Kentucky, the iconic Lost River Cave and Valley represents a large, complex telogenetic karst drainage basin with a series of discharge points along a collapsed section of the cave. Two Campbell Scientific® CR1000 automated dataloggers were installed at Blue Hole Four, a primary discharge point of the Lost River Karst Aquifer (LRKA). These dataloggers recorded spring discharge, water temperature, specific conductance (SpC), and pH at ten-minute intervals from January to November, 2013. During the year, …

Spectral Induced Polarization (Sip) Response Of Biodegraded Oil In Porous Media, Gamal Z. Abdel Aal, Estella A. Atekwana

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of different oil saturation (0.2- 0.8), wetting conditions (water-wet and oil-wet), and the addition of asphaltene on the spectral induced polarization (SIP) response of biodegraded and fresh crude oil in sand columns. In the water-wet case, no significant differences were observed for both the fresh and biodegraded oil and both displayed an increase in the magnitude of the phase (φ) and decrease in the magnitudes of the real (σ′) and imaginary (σ″) conductivity components with increasing oil saturation. In this instance the SIP response is most likely controlled by the conduction and …

Sources Of Co2 Controlling The Carbonate Chemistry Of The Logsdon River, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Bruce Elliott Hatcher

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Logsdon River is a major, base-level stream within the Turnhole Bend Drainage basin of the Mammoth Cave System. The Logsdon River system has provided a unique opportunity to examine the geochemical evolution of a stream flowing through a major karst conduit that can be traversed for 10 km. This study examines CO₂ inputs at the upstream portion of the river, which provide major control for the river’s hydrochemistry. Samples were collected from the upstream portion of Logsdon River at what is referred to as the S-188 sump and also nearby at Crowbar Dome over the course of 44 weeks …

Glacier Slip And Seismicity Induced By Surface Melt, Peter L. Moore, J. Paul Winberry, Neal R. Iverson, Knut A. Christianson, Sridhar Anandakrishnan, Miriam Jackson, Mark E. Mathison, Denis Cohen

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Many of the key processes governing fast glacier flow involve interaction between a glacier and its basal hydrological system, which is hidden from direct observation. Passive seismic monitoring has shown promise as a tool for remotely monitoring basal processes, but lack of glacier-bed access prevents clear understanding of the relationships between subglacial processes and corresponding seismic emissions. Here we describe direct measurements of basal hydrology, sliding, and broadband seismicity made in a unique subglacial facility in Norway during the onset of two summer melt seasons. In the most pronounced of these episodes, rapid delivery of surface meltwater to the bed …

Understanding Greenland Ice Sheet Hydrology Using An Integrated Multi-Scale Approach, A. K. Rennermalm, S. E. Moustafa, J. Mioduszewski, V. W. Chu, R. R. Forster, B. Hagedorn, Joel T. Harper, T. L. Mote, D. A. Robinson, C. A. Shuman, L. C. Smith, M. Tedesco

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Improved understanding of Greenland ice sheet hydrology is critically important for assessing its impact on current and future ice sheet dynamics and global sea level rise. This has motivated the collection and integration of in situ observations, model development, and remote sensing efforts to quantify meltwater production, as well as its phase changes, transport, and export. Particularly urgent is a better understanding of albedo feedbacks leading to enhanced surface melt, potential positive feedbacks between ice sheet hydrology and dynamics, and meltwater retention in firn. These processes are not isolated, but must be understood as part of a continuum of processes …

Estimates Of The Hydraulic Parameters Of Aquifers In Cache Valley, Utah And Idaho, Paul C. Inkenbrandt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hydraulic parameters of aquifers in Cache Valley were compiled from existing but largely unpublished data, from specific capacity data reported in well drillers' records, and from aquifer tests conducted for this study. A GIS database was also created to organize this information.

A complete and thorough literature review was performed, which included obtaining unpublished aquifer test data from state and federal agencies, as well as reviewing Drinking Water Source Protection plans for each municipality in the valley.

Well drillers' records were obtained from the Utah Division of Water Rights website and examined for pertinent information. Screened unit intervals from 1,314 …

Vadose Zone Hydrology Near The Vicinity Of Edna's Dome, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Johnny Merideth

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examines the differences in key physical aqueous parameters at two different cave sites separated by only a few tens of meters. One site (FF) has a freefalling water component where water descends nearly 30 meters from the ceiling of a vertical shaft. The other location (WW) appears to have continuous water to rock contact as it descends to near the same level in the cave.

Water samples were collected at the two sites in two week intervals from May to August 2002. While both sites were proximal, they demonstrated very different behaviors, particularly during storm events. Differences in …

Biogeochemical Behavior Of Dissolved Arsenic And Uranium Concentrations In Public Water Supply Wells, Kevin J. Mcvey

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Public water supply (PWS) wells currently contain dissolved uranium concentrations above the federally mandated maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 30 ppb (parts per billion) and dissolved arsenic concentrations above the 10 ppb MCL. Both uranium and arsenic are known to cause various forms of cancer in humans. Variations in total uranium concentrations in PWS wells in Nebraska indicate a relationship to the duration and rate of pumping in specific wells. Although total arsenic concentrations show some variability over time in specific wells, the relationship to pumping is not as clear. Previous studies show that iron and sulfur bacteria present in …

Mapped Karst Groundwater Basins In The Tell City And Part Of The Jasper 30 X 60 Minute Quadrangles, Joseph A. Ray, Jack R. Moody, Robert J. Blair, James C. Currens, Randall L. Paylor

Map and Chart--KGS

No abstract provided.

Matrix Geochemistry And Phytophthora Occurrence On Reforested Mine Lands In Appalachia, Kathryn M. Ward

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

At the Bent Mountain surface mine, Pike County, Kentucky, a study has been ongoing since 2005 to assess the influence of various types of loose-graded mine spoils on water quality and forest establishment. Six research plots consist of two replicates of brown weathered sandstone, gray unweathered sandstone, and mixed brown sandstone, gray sandstone, and shale that were emplaced according to Forestry Reclamation Approach criteria. A series of analyses was initiated in 2007 to examine influence of spoil matrix composition on sulfate and carbonate geochemistry of infiltrated waters, as well as to investigate the occurrence of Phytophthora, a group of …

Watershed Condition Assessment For Little River Canyon National Preserve, Alabama, Nathan Demille Rinehart

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

No abstract provided.

A Post-Project Assessment Of The Provo River Restoration Project: Channel Design, Reconfiguration, And The Re-Establishment Of Critical Physical Processes, Randy Ray Goetz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A physical assessment of the Provo River Restoration Project was undertaken in order to determine how alterations to the channel were designed, the nature of as-built channel morphology, and the performance of the reconfigured channel in terms of achieving frequent (2-year recurrence) bankfull discharge and increasing transient storage. Measures of channelized and reconfigured channel morphology were obtained using total station survey, digital aerial photography, and pebble counts. Results of geomorphic analysis were compared with similar measurements made by a regional consulting company, and stream channel design data, in order to determine that intended mitigation included reducing channel capacity, increasing sinuosity, …

The Rate And Timing Of Direct Mountain Front Recharge In An Arid Environment, Silver Island Mountains, Utah, Gregory T. Carling

Theses and Dissertations

Direct mountain front recharge (MFR), water table recharge at the base of the mountain front, was evaluated on the arid (<250 mm/yr precipitation) Silver Island Mountains by comparing mountain precipitation to groundwater response. Direct MFR contributions were assessed on two catchments, one bedrock (i.e., mountain block) dominated and the other alluvial fan (i.e., mountain front) dominated. Catchment precipitation and shallow groundwater levels at each catchment outlet were measured for a 24 month period beginning October 2005. This time period captured one complete hydrologic cycle (December 2005-February 2007) for which annual and seasonal direct MFR rates were calculated. Annual direct MFR was calculated using a modified version of the water table fluctuation (WTF) method as 0.015-0.016% of precipitation on both catchments, with seasonal variations of 0% in summer up to 0.023% in winter, spring and fall. Seasonal direct MFR contributions are similar on the bedrock and the alluvial fan dominated catchments, with a notable exception during fall 2006 when direct MFR was twice as effective on the bedrock dominated system than on the alluvial fan dominated system (0.022% and 0.011% of precipitation, respectively). Darcy's law calculations show similarly low annual direct MFR contributions (0.013-0.032% of precipitation) as those calculated by the WTF method. Calculated direct MFR is 10% or less than typical calculated combined MFR (near surface recharge and deep underflow from the mountain block) for similar terrains and climates, and is only 3.5% of the combined MFR for the Silver Island Mountains as calculated by the Maxey-Eakin model. However, based on total recharge to the adjacent playa, it is apparent that the Maxey-Eakin model overestimates combined MFR, and the small calculated direct MFR is at least 50% of combined MFR. Despite some uncertainty in the numerical results, several patterns are evident in the data. The data show that direct MFR occurs in response to small rainfall events throughout much of the year, and that snowmelt is not necessary to produce direct MFR. The data also show that direct MFR responds more quickly and flushes through the system faster on the alluvial fan catchment than on the bedrock catchment.

Bedrock Channel Geometry Along An Orographic Rainfall Gradient In The Upper Marsyandi River Valley In Central Nepal, William Craddock, Douglas Burbank, Bodo Bookhagen, Emmanuel Gabet

Faculty Publications

Pronounced rainfall gradients combined with spatially uniform exhumation of rocks at Quaternary timescales and uniform rock strength make the upper Marsyandi River valley in central Nepal a useful natural laboratory in which to explore variations in bedrock channel width. We focus on small catchments (0.6–12.4 km2) along a more than tenfold gradient in monsoon rainfall. Rainfall data are gathered from a dense weather network and calibrated satellite observations, the pattern of Quaternary exhumation is inferred from apatite fission track cooling ages, and rock compressive strength is measured in the field. Bedrock channel widths, surveyed at high scour indicators, scale as …

Geophysical Investigations And Groundwater Modeling Of The Hydrologic Conditions At Masaya Caldera, Nicaragua, Richard Eric Macneil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Masaya volcano, Nicaragua, has been the site of tremendous Plinian basaltic eruptions. Two eruptions ~6,500 and 2,250 BP formed the 6 kilometer (km) x 11 km, northwest trending Masaya caldera. The present day active Santiago Crater within the caldera is the site of persistent volcano degassing and occasional phreatic explosions. While the mechanism responsible for these phreatic explosions is unclear, one possible explanation is the interaction of groundwater with the shallow magma chamber beneath Masaya. This interaction with meteoric water is supported by the substantial steam discharge from the vent, which is significantly larger than other similar volcanoes in the …