Groundwater Investigations for 2006-2007

The investigation into groundwater that we started in 2005-2006 will continue this year with potential efforts including the following topics:

1. New water well. There currently are 9 wells at the our wellfield at the Botanical Gardens, some as deep as 400 feet. This is a pretty good collection of wells, but we need more. This project will involve designing the well, get bids for the drilling, select and supervise the drilling, develop the well, and then characterize the new well using a variety of hydrogeological techniques. These activities are typical of those conducted by professional hydrogeologists.

 

2. Ground water-Surface water Interactions. Groundwater discharges continuously to streams in this area, and this is process that causes streams to flow in between rainstorms. The groundwater flows across the stream bed at very small rates, but these rates are large enough to measure using seepage meters and other specialized techniques designed at Clemson. This project will involve measuring the pattern of ground water discharge over stream beds, and also assessing contributions to water quality. Katie Stone and Phung Pham are now experts in this technique after completing an excellent field project in North Carolina in Aug. 2006. Be prepared to get wet during this project.

3. Hydromechanical Well Testing Fractures in granite actually move when water is pumped out of a nearby well, and Clemson has developed new methods for measuring and interpreting these small movements. To give you an idea, fractures at our wellfield move during pumping by about 1-10 micron (bacteria are roughly 1 micron across, and paper is about 50 microns). We can easily measure these small movements and this research project would involve field applications of this technique both at Clemson and possibly at other locations in the area.

 

I am certainly open to other topics if there is something related to groundwater that interests you. Let me know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

Last Updated: August 28, 2006 -- Questions or comments, contact Larry Murdoch.
School of Environment, Department of Geological Sciences
340 Brackett Hall, Clemson, SC 29634  USA -- Telephone: (864) 656-3438, Fax: (864) 656-1041
© 2004-2005 Clemson Univeristy, Clemson, SC, USA. All rights reserved.