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Flux Meter Assesses the Effects of Groundwater, Surface Water, and Contaminated Sediment Interactions on Ecosystems
Citation:
Yeardley, R., B. Lien, AND R. Ford. Flux Meter Assesses the Effects of Groundwater, Surface Water, and Contaminated Sediment Interactions on Ecosystems. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/F-13/130, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
This research will help to achieve more accurate risk characterization at sites where groundwater influences sediment contamination. This will assist risk managers in selecting the best remediation strategies to decrease human and wildlife exposure to contaminated sediments impacted by groundwater discharge.
Description:
The slow flow of water between groundwater (GW) and surface water (SW) is often referred to as seepage, or in scientific terms, advective flux. This slow flow at the GW/SW interface presents measurement difficulties. This project was conducted to develop a durable advective flux meter capable of unattended long-term remote monitoring of the sediment-water interfacial flux. To allow monitoring and control over the internet, a remotely controlled monitoring module was developed as part of the system. An associated aim of this research was to develop an instrument that will help to better capture the time-dependent variability in flow that is commonly encountered in GW/SW interactions in natural systems. More accurate flow measurements will allow a better characterization of the interaction of water and solids within the GW/SW transition zone to explain processes that occur during physical contact between groundwater and sediments.