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Characterization Techniques at an Managed Aquifer Recharge Site
Citation:
Fields, J., R. Ross, D. Beak, R. Neill, J. Groves, E. Stallings, L. Rhea, AND C. Clark. Characterization Techniques at an Managed Aquifer Recharge Site. Air & Waste Management Association meeting at Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma City, OK, January 24, 2024.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation will inform Community, State and Local partners of EPA research into EAR/MAR and show some of the difficulties and complexities of monitoring infiltrated water in a karst (fractured) aquifer.
Description:
Enhanced Aquifer Recharge (EAR) is the process of enhancing the natural conveyance of water into the subsurface to augment water supplies. Karst geology offers a natural mechanism for recharge and covers 20% of the U.S. land surface. The potential impacts to groundwater flow following the use of EAR in karst geology is highly variable and poorly understood. This case study will demonstrate the variety of techniques employed to date to characterize an EAR study site. Research questions being discussed include: are natural karst features suitable for EAR of stormwater, will stormwater infiltrated by a karst feature enhance baseline water quantity at springs, and does the use of EAR impact water quality within the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer or at Byrds Mill Spring? This presentation discusses recharge in karst geology, types of monitoring stations and locations, vertical and horizontal hydrologic characterization within groundwater wells, borehole and surface geophysics, and groundwater chemistry at the EAR site.