Initial Publication Date: June 3, 2009

Using Water Chemistry And isotopes To Understand Groundwater Flow

What do we want to accomplish?


The water chemistry and isotopes working group is focused on resources that allow students to use ground water chemistry and isotopes to analyze ground water flow paths, age, and quality. We are currently working on the following projects:

  1. Exercises and Assignments that utilize water chemistry &/or isotopic data.
  2. Library of Geochemical References to enhance the collection of hydrogeology articles
  3. Waterbank - a searchable database of chemical and isotopic data for ground water, surface water, and precipitation, and a list of colleagues willing to supply water samples upon request.

We need your help! Consider contributing your ideas, exercises, assignments, and water analyses!
If you wish to join our working group, please contact Amy Sheldon at sheldon@geneseo.edu


Exercises and Assignments

  1. Every Ground Water Tells A Story
  2. Halogen Geochemistry Of Saline Waters
  3. Geochemical Fingerprinting Of Natural Water - Water/Rock Interactions
  4. Experiment To Demonstrate Dye Tracing, Retardation, And Dispersion
  5. Experiment To Demonstrate Cation Exchange And Retardation
  6. Isotopes As Ground Water Flow And Age Indicators
  7. CFCs As Ground Water Flow And Age Indicators


Working Group Members

If you wish to join our working group, please contact Amy Sheldon at sheldon@geneseo.edu
  • Ed Harvey, University of Nebraska
  • Aaron Johnson, University of Virginia College at Wise
  • Jon Martin, University of Florida
  • LeAnn Munk, University of Alaska - Anchorage
  • K. Panneerselvam, Central Missouri State University
  • Laura Rademacher, University of the Pacific
  • Amy Sheldon, State University of New York at Geneseo
  • Anne Veeger, University of Rhode Island


Every Ground Water Tells A Story: Using Ground Water Chemistry as a Forensic Tool

ED HARVEY, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Students are given an air photo with well locations and corresponding water chemistry. Using Piper and Stiff diagrams, they describe/discuss the chemical evolution of the water and the potential sources of various elevated (contaminated) concentrations.



Halogen Geochemistry Of Saline Waters

AARON JOHNSON, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA COLLEGE AT WISE

An exercise using halogen chemistry of saline waters to determine the source/process from which fluids derive salinity.



Geochemical Fingerprinting Of Natural Water - Water/Rock Interactions

ANNE VEEGER, UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND, LEANN MUNK, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE, JON MARTIN, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

This exercise will examine how the chemical properties of ground water are directly related to water/rock interactions. Specific parameters and solutes we anticipate including in the exercise include alkalinity, hardness, sulfate, chloride, specific conductance, and pH.



Experiment To Demonstrate Dye Tracing, Retardation, And Dispersion

JON MARTIN, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Laboratory exercises to demonstrate groundwater flow using dye tracers, retardation, and dispersion.



Experiments To Demonstrate Cation Exchange And Retardation

JON MARTIN, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Laboratory exercises using Darcy tubes to demonstrate cation exchange and retardation.



Isotopes As Ground Water Flow And Age Indicators

AMY SHELDON, SUNY GENESEO

Exercise(s) that use isotope data as tools to describe ground water flow &/or determine ground water age.



CFCs As Ground Water Flow And Age Indicators

AMY SHELDON, SUNY GENESEO

Exercise(s) that use CFC concentrations in ground water as a tool to describe ground water flow &/or determine groundwater age.



Library of Geochemical References

K. PANNEERSELVAM, Central Missouri State University

Library of geochemical references related to teaching hydrogeology. This library will be added to the current Collection of Hydrogeology Articles available through the Teaching Hydrogeology website.



Waterbank

ALL WORKING GROUP MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED

contact persons: A. SHELDON, SUNY-Geneseo; L. RADEMACHER, University of the Pacific

Waterbank will be a continuously expanding, fully searchable database of water quality data, and a water sample resource. Contributions/contributors are enthusiastically welcomed.

Water Quality Data: Available water data will include major and trace elements, nutrients, isotopes, field parameters (temp, TDS, pH, Eh, DO, EC), location, and aquifer lithology (if applicable) for groundwater, vadose water, surface water, and precipitation.

Water Samples: Waterbank includes a searchable list of water samples linked to the water quality databank. Samples are provided by water-related scientists and educators upon request.



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