Using dye tracing to establish groundwater flow paths in a limestone marble aquifer, University of California, Santa Cruz, California

Conference · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5055473

Hayes, J; Bertschinger, V ^[1]; Aley, T ^[2]

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1. Weber and Associates, Watsonville, CA (United States)
2. Ozark Underground Labs., Protem, MO (United States)

Areas underlain by karst aquifers are characterized by soluble rock with sinkholes, caves, and a complex underground drainage network. Groundwater issues such as flow direction, well pumping impacts, spring recharge areas, and potential contamination transport routes are greatly complicated by the unique structure of karst aquifers. Standard aquifer analysis techniques cannot be applied unless the structure of the karst aquifer is understood. Water soluble fluorescent dyes are a powerful tool for mapping the irregular subsurface connections and flow paths in karst aquifers. Mapping the subsurface connections allows reasonable estimates of the hydrologic behavior of the aquifer. Two different fluorescent dyes were injected at two points in a limestone karst aquifer system beneath the University of California, Santa Cruz campus. Flow paths in the marble were thought to be closely tied to easily recognized geomorphic alignments of sinkholes associated with fault and fracture zones. The dye tests revealed unexpected and highly complex interconnections. These complex flow paths only partially corresponded to previous surface mapping and aerial photo analysis of fracture systems. Several interfingering but hydrologically unconnected flow paths evidently exist within the cavernous aquifer. For example, dye did not appear at some discharge springs close to the dye injection points, but did appear at more distant springs. This study shows how a dye tracing study in a small, well-defined limestone body can shed light on a variety of environmental and hydrological issues, including potential well pumping impact areas, wellhead protection and recharge areas, parking lot runoff injection to aquifers, and drainage routes from hazardous materials storage areas.

• OSTI ID: 5055473
• Report Number(s): CONF-9305259--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540210 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
540250* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
AQUIFERS
AROMATICS
CALIFORNIA
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CAVES
CAVITIES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DYES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUORESCEIN
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
HYDROXY ACIDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LIMESTONE
MASS TRANSFER
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
POLYPHENOLS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
USA
WATER