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At least 649 records · Page 36Linked to original sources

USGS2003

Fluid flow in the resurgent dome of Long Valley Caldera: Implications from thermal data and deep electrical sounding

Temperatures of 100??C are measured at 3 km depth in a well located on the resurgent dome in the center of Long Valley Caldera, California, despite an assumed >800??C magma chamber at 6-8 km depth. Local downflow of cold meteoric water as a process for cooling the resurgent dome is ruled out by a Pecle??t-number analysis of temperature logs. These analyses reveal zones with fluid circulation at the upper and lower boundaries of the Bishop Tuff, and an upflow zone in the metasedimentary rocks. Vertical Darcy velocities range from 10 to 70 cm a-1. A 21-km-long geoelectrical profile across the caldera provides resistivity values to the order of 100 to >103 ??m down to a depth of 6 km, as well as variations of self-potential. Interpretation of the electrical data with respect to hydrothermal fluid movement confirms that there is no downflow beneath the resurgent dome. To explain the unexpectedly low temperatures in the resurgent dome, we challenge the common view that the caldera as a whole is a regime of high temperatures and the resurgent dome is a local cold anomaly. Instead, we suggest that the caldera was cooled to normal thermal conditions by vigorous hydrothermal activity in the past, and that a present-day hot water flow system is responsible for local hot anomalies, such as Hot Creek and the area of the Casa Diablo geothermal power plant. The source of hot water has been associated with recent shallow intrusions into the West Moat. The focus of planning for future power plants should be to locate this present-day flow system instead of relying on heat from the old magma chamber. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research↗

USGS1997

Evaluation of unconfined-aquifer parameters from pumping test data by nonlinear least squares

Nonlinear least squares (NLS) with automatic differentiation was used to estimate aquifer parameters from drawdown data obtained from published pumping tests conducted in homogeneous, water-table aquifers. The method is based on a technique that seeks to minimize the squares of residuals between observed and calculated drawdown subject to bounds that are placed on the parameter of interest. The analytical model developed by Neuman for flow to a partially penetrating well of infinitesimal diameter situated in an infinite, homogeneous and anisotropic aquifer was used to obtain calculated drawdown. NLS was first applied to synthetic drawdown data from a hypothetical but realistic aquifer to demonstrate that the relevant hydraulic parameters (storativity, specific yield, and horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity) can be evaluated accurately. Next the method was used to estimate the parameters at three field sites with widely varying hydraulic properties. NLS produced unbiased estimates of the aquifer parameters that are close to the estimates obtained with the same data using a visual curve-matching approach. Small differences in the estimates are a consequence of subjective interpretation introduced in the visual approach.

Journal of Hydrology↗

USGS2026

Deep subsurface organic-rich shale supports abundant, diverse, and novel fungi

As Earth’s principal reservoir of organic carbon and microbial biomass, the deep subsurface hosts microorganisms capable of mobilizing this once-sequestered carbon. Contrary to standard assumptions of eukaryotic scarcity, this study documents abundant fungal communities, ranging from 4.2 × 10 3 to 6.8 × 10 3 fungal cells mL −1 , across a methane-producing organic-rich shale 247–556 meters below the surface. Although fungal:bacterial cell ratios ranged from 1:7028 to 1:713, application of biomass conversion factors developed for oceanic systems yielded a median fungal:bacterial biomass ratio of 1:4.7. 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed bacterial and archaeal communities mirroring those found in well-characterized extremophilic, carbon-degrading environments, while sequencing of 18S rRNA gene and ITS rRNA spacer amplicons collectively identified a eukaryotic hotspot with 689 fungal OTUs across six phyla. The dominant fungal classes, Agaricomycetes and Dothideomycetes, are well-established degraders of recalcitrant carbon compounds at the surface, suggesting they may similarly contribute to organic matter degradation and ecosystem maintenance in the subsurface. Cultivation and isolation efforts yielded 205 fungal strains, including 13 candidate novel taxa, underscoring the deep subsurface as an underexplored eukaryotic habitat. Stable carbon isotopes indicate methane is predominantly generated via microbial conversion of the fossil carbon, while water isotopes suggest in situ geochemical conditions have been relatively stable since the Late Pleistocene, with subglacial recharge as a plausible mechanism for microbial introduction. Collectively, these findings suggest that fungi are underrecognized contributors to organic matter transformation and functional diversity in the deep biosphere, revealing a critical gap in our understanding of deep subsurface ecosystem processes.

Indiana, Michigan, Ohio↗

USGS2015

Suburban groundwater quality as influenced by turfgrass and septic sources, Delmarva Peninsula, USA

Suburban land use is expanding in many parts of the United States and there is a need to better understand the potential water-quality impacts of this change. This study characterized groundwater quality in a sandy, water-table aquifer influenced by suburban development and compared the results to known patterns in water chemistry associated with natural, background conditions and agricultural effects. Samples for nutrients, major ions, and isotopes of N and O in NO 3 − were collected in 2011 beneath turfgrass from 29 shallow wells (median depth 3.7 m) and from 18 deeper wells (median depth 16.9 m) in a long-term suburban development. Nitrate (as N) concentrations in groundwater beneath turfgrass were highly variable (0.02–22.3 mg L −1 ) with a median of 2.7 mg L −1 , which is higher than natural water chemistry (>0.4 mg L −1 ; Na + –Cl − –HCO 3 − water type), but significantly lower than concentrations beneath a nearby agricultural area (median 16.9 mg L −1 ; p < .0001). Dissolved Fe concentrations in shallow suburban groundwater, attributed to chelated Fe in turfgrass fertilizers, were significantly higher ( p < .005) than concentrations from the agricultural site, although a Ca 2+ –Mg 2+ –Cl − –NO 3 − water type was dominant in both areas. A Na + –Cl − –NO 3 − water type indicated a septic-system source for nitrate in deep suburban groundwater (0.06–6.0 mg L −1 ; median 1.5 mg L −1 ). Isotopic data indicated denitrification; however, geochemical techniques were more helpful in identifying nitrate sources. Results indicate that suburban expansion into agricultural areas may significantly decrease overall nitrate concentrations in groundwater, but excessive turfgrass fertilization could result in localized contamination.

Delaware↗

USGS2006

A water-budget approach to restoring a sedge fen affected by diking and ditching

A vast, ground-water-supported sedge fen in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA was ditched in the early 1900s in a failed attempt to promote agriculture. Dikes were later constructed to impound seasonal sheet surface flows for waterfowl management. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, which now manages the wetland as part of Seney National Wildlife Refuge, sought to redirect water flows from impounded C-3 Pool to reduce erosion in downstream Walsh Ditch, reduce ground-water losses into the ditch, and restore sheet flows of surface water to the peatland. A water budget was developed for C-3 Pool, which serves as the central receiving and distribution body for water in the affected wetland. Surface-water inflows and outflows were measured in associated ditches and natural creeks, ground-water flows were estimated using a network of wells and piezometers, and precipitation and evaporation/evapotranspiration components were estimated using local meteorological data. Water budgets for the 1999 springtime peak flow period and the 1999 water year were used to estimate required releases of water from C-3 Pool via outlets other than Walsh Ditch and to guide other restoration activities. Refuge managers subsequently used these results to guide restoration efforts, including construction of earthen dams in Walsh Ditch upslope from the pool to stop surface flow, installation of new water-control structures to redirect surface water to sheet flow and natural creek channels, planning seasonal releases from C-3 Pool to avoid erosion in natural channels, stopping flow in downslope Walsh Ditch to reduce erosion, and using constructed earthen dams and natural beaver dams to flood the ditch channel below C-3 Pool. Interactions between ground water and surface water are critical for maintaining ecosystem processes in many wetlands, and management actions directed at restoring either ground- or surface-water flow patterns often affect both of these components of the water budget. This approach could thus prove useful in guiding restoration efforts in many hydrologically altered and managed wetlands worldwide.

Journal of Hydrology↗

USGS2012

Comparison of particle-tracking and lumped-parameter age-distribution models for evaluating vulnerability of production wells to contamination

Environmental age tracers have been used in various ways to help assess vulnerability of drinking-water production wells to contamination. The most appropriate approach will depend on the information that is available and that which is desired. To understand how the well will respond to changing nonpoint-source contaminant inputs at the water table, some representation of the distribution of groundwater ages in the well is needed. Such information for production wells is sparse and difficult to obtain, especially in areas lacking detailed field studies. In this study, age distributions derived from detailed groundwater-flow models with advective particle tracking were compared with those generated from lumped-parameter models to examine conditions in which estimates from simpler, less resource-intensive lumped-parameter models could be used in place of estimates from particle-tracking models. In each of four contrasting hydrogeologic settings in the USA, particle-tracking and lumped-parameter models yielded roughly similar age distributions and largely indistinguishable contaminant trends when based on similar conceptual models and calibrated to similar tracer data. Although model calibrations and predictions were variably affected by tracer limitations and conceptual ambiguities, results illustrated the importance of full age distributions, rather than apparent tracer ages or model mean ages, for trend analysis and forecasting.

Hydrogeology Journal↗

USGS2026

Characterization and modeling approach for planning restoration strategies in a complex basin affected by acid mine drainage

The management of acid mine drainage (AMD) impacted catchments, such as the Odiel River basin, in southwestern Spain, prioritizes reclamation to meet water resources needs. Assessing water composition across its watercourses is needed to identify major AMD contributors and potentially guide remediation efforts. An equilibrium-based mixing model was developed to simulate AMD pollutant load reductions and estimate the impact of selective restorations on water quality in the Odiel River, particularly at the planned Alcolea Reservoir near its outlet. Sampling under varying flow conditions (average vs. high flow) showed a reduction in acidity transport (from 54.0 to 42.5 ton/day), attributed to greater neutralization effects during high flows. Over 90 % of metal-fluxes originate alone from the Riotinto (73.6 %), Tharsis (14.5 %), and San Telmo (5.00 %) mining districts, among many other mines. While geochemical model estimates fit well with observed data (R 2 = 0.99), some deviations in non-conservative constituents (i.e. pH, Fe and Al) were observed (R 2 = 0.73–0.99), likely due to uncertainties in solubility constants and redox/Fe speciation. After evaluating model reliability, two reduction scenarios (50 % and 100 %) were applied to the three primary sources. Full removal of contamination could subtantially improve impounded reservoir water quality, with pH values of 4.93 and 7.64, and a net acidity between 8.75 and 4.63 mg/L eq. CaCO 3 in both average and high flows, respectively. Such differences may be related to flow regime effects on water quality. However, a 50 % reduction is insufficient to meet drinking or irrigation standards, highlighting the need for full and appropriate reclamation. The model offers a management tool for decision-making in the restoration of the Odiel River basin and could be transferable to similar AMD-affected basins worldwide.

Odiel River basin, southwestern Spain↗

USGS1997

Creep of water ices at planetary conditions: A compilation

Many constitutive laws for the flow of ice have been published since the advent of the Voyager explorations of the outer solar system. Conflicting data have occasionally come from different laboratories, and refinement of experimental techniques has led to the publication of laws that supersede earlier ones. In addition, there are unpublished data from ongoing research that also amend the constitutive laws. Here we compile the most current laboratory-derived flow laws for water ice phases I, II, III, V, and VI, and ice I mixtures with hard particulates. The rheology of interest is mainly that of steady state, and the conditions reviewed are the pressures and temperatures applicable to the surfaces and interiors of icy moons of the outer solar system. Advances in grain-size-dependent creep in ices I and II as well as in phase transformations and metastability under differential stress are also included in this compilation. At laboratory strain rates the several ice polymorphs are rheologically distinct in terms of their stress, temperature, and pressure dependencies but, with the exception of ice III, have fairly similar strengths. Hard particulates strengthen ice I significantly only at high particulate volume fractions. Ice III has the potential for significantly affecting mantle dynamics because it is much weaker than the other polymorphs and its region of stability, which may extend metastably well into what is nominally the ice II field, is located near likely geotherms of large icy moons.

Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets↗

USGS2012

Rapid runoff via shallow throughflow and deeper preferential flow in a boreal catchment underlain by frozen silt (Alaska, USA)

In high-latitude catchments where permafrost is present, runoff dynamics are complicated by seasonal active-layer thaw, which may cause a change in the dominant flowpaths as water increasingly contacts mineral soils of low hydraulic conductivity. A 2-year study, conducted in an upland catchment in Alaska (USA) underlain by frozen, well-sorted eolian silt, examined changes in infiltration and runoff with thaw. It was hypothesized that rapid runoff would be maintained by flow through shallow soils during the early summer and deeper preferential flow later in the summer. Seasonal changes in soil moisture, infiltration, and runoff magnitude, location, and chemistry suggest that transport is rapid, even when soils are thawed to their maximum extent. Between June and September, a shift occurred in the location of runoff, consistent with subsurface preferential flow in steep and wet areas. Uranium isotopes suggest that late summer runoff erodes permafrost, indicating that substantial rapid flow may occur along the frozen boundary. Together, throughflow and deep preferential flow may limit upland boreal catchment water and solute storage, and subsequently biogeochemical cycling on seasonal to annual timescales. Deep preferential flow may be important for stream incision, network drainage development, and the release of ancient carbon to ecosystems

Alaska↗

USGS1981

Dissolution of salt on the east flank of the Permian Basin in the southwestern U.S.A.

Hydrogeologic studies prove that natural dissolution of bedded salt occurs at shallow depths in many parts of the Permian Basin of the southwestern U.S.A. This is especially well-documented on the east side of the basin in study areas on the Cimarron River and Elm Fork in western Oklahoma, and on the Red River in the southeastern part of the Texas Panhandle. Four requirements for salt dissolution are: (1) a deposit of salt; (2) a supply of water unsaturated with respect to NaCl; (3) an outlet for removal of brine; and (4) energy to cause water to flow through the system. The supply of fresh groundwater in the region is recharged through permeable rocks, alluvium, terrace deposits, karstic features and fractures. Groundwater dissolves salt at depths of 10–250 m, and the resulting brine moves laterally and upward under hydrostatic pressure through caverns, fractures in disrupted rock, and clastic or carbonate aquifers until it reaches the land surface, where it forms salt plains and salt springs. In many areas, salt dissolution produces a self-perpetuating cycle: dissolution causes cavern development, followed by collapse and subsidence of overlying rock; then the resulting disrupted rock has a greater vertical permeability that allows increased water percolation and additional salt dissolution.

Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas↗

USGS1987

Quantifying peak discharges for historical floods

It is usually advantageous to use information regarding historical floods, if available, to define the flood-frequency relation for a stream. Peak stages can sometimes be determined for outstanding floods that occurred many years ago before systematic gaging of streams began. In the United States, this information is usually not available for more than 100-200 years, but in countries with long cultural histories, such as China, historical flood data are available at some sites as far back as 2,000 years or more. It is important in flood studies to be able to assign a maximum discharge rate and an associated error range to the historical flood. This paper describes the significant characteristics and uncertainties of four commonly used methods for estimating the peak discharge of a flood. These methods are: (1) rating curve (stage-discharge relation) extension; (2) slope conveyance; (3) slope area; and (4) step backwater. Logarithmic extensions of rating curves are based on theoretical plotting techniques that results in straight line extensions provided that channel shape and roughness do not change significantly. The slope-conveyance and slope-area methods are based on the Manning equation, which requires specific data on channel size, shape and roughness, as well as the water-surface slope for one or more cross-sections in a relatively straight reach of channel. The slope-conveyance method is used primarily for shaping and extending rating curves, whereas the slope-area method is used for specific floods. The step-backwater method, also based on the Manning equation, requires more cross-section data than the slope-area ethod, but has a water-surface profile convergence characteristic that negates the need for known or estimated water-surface slope. Uncertainties in calculating peak discharge for historical floods may be quite large. Various investigations have shown that errors in calculating peak discharges by the slope-area method under ideal conditions for recent floods (i.e., when flood elevations, slope and channel characteristics are reasonably certain), may be on the order of 10-25%. Under less than ideal conditions, where streams are hydraulically steep and rough, errors may be much larger. The additional uncertainties for historical floods created by the passage of time may result in even larger errors of peak discharge.

Journal of Hydrology↗

USGS2013

Dating North America's oldest petroglyphs, Winnemucca Lake subbasin, Nevada

On the west side of the Winnemucca Lake subbasin, Nevada, distinctive deeply carved meter-scale petroglyphs are closely spaced, forming panels on boulder-sized surfaces of a partially collapsed tufa mound. The large, complex motifs at this side are formed by deeply carved lines and cupules. A carbonate crust deposited between 10 200 and 9800 calibrated years B.P. (ka) coats petroglyphs at the base of the mound between elevations of 1202 and 1206 m. Petroglyphs above the carbonate crust are carved into a branching form of carbonate that dates to 14.8 ka. Radiocarbon dates on a multiple-layered algal tufa on the east side of the basin, which formed at an elevation of 1205 m, as well as a sediment-core-based total inorganic carbon record for the period 17.0–9.5 ka indicate that water level in the Winnemucca Lake subbasin was constrained by spill over the Emerson Pass Sill (1207 m) for most of the time between 12.9 ± 0.3 and ≥9.2 ka. These and other data indicate that the lake in the Winnemucca Lake subbasin fell beneath its spill point between 14.8 and 13.2 ka and also between 11.3 and 10.5 ka (or between 11.5 and 11.1 ka), exposing the base of the collapsed tufa mound to petroglyph carving. The tufa-based 14C record supports decreased lake levels between 14.8–13.2 ka and 11.3–10.5 ka. Native American artifacts found in the Lahontan Basin date to the latter time interval. This does not rule out the possibility that petroglyph carving occurred between 14.8 and 13.2 ka when Pyramid Lake was relatively shallow and Winnemucca Lake had desiccated.

Nevada↗

USGS2009

Soil nitrogen balance under wastewater management: Field measurements and simulation results

The use of treated wastewater for irrigation of crops could result in high nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations in the vadose zone and ground water. The goal of this 2-yr field-monitoring study in the deep silty clay loam soils south of Dodge City, Kansas, was to assess how and under what circumstances N from the secondary-treated, wastewater-irrigated corn reached the deep (20-45 m) water table of the underlying High Plains aquifer and what could be done to minimize this problem. We collected 15.2-m-deep soil cores for characterization of physical and chemical properties; installed neutron probe access tubes to measure soil-water content and suction lysimeters to sample soil water periodically; sampled monitoring, irrigation, and domestic wells in the area; and obtained climatic, crop, irrigation, and N application rate records for two wastewater-irrigated study sites. These data and additional information were used to run the Root Zone Water Quality Model to identify key parameters and processes that influence N losses in the study area. We demonstrated that NO3-N transport processes result in significant accumulations of N in the vadose zone and that NO3-N in the underlying ground water is increasing with time. Root Zone Water Quality Model simulations for two wastewater-irrigated study sites indicated that reducing levels of corn N fertilization by more than half to 170 kg ha-1 substantially increases N-use efficiency and achieves near-maximum crop yield. Combining such measures with a crop rotation that includes alfalfa should further reduce the accumulation and downward movement of NO3-N in the soil profile. Copyright ?? 2009 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Journal of Environmental Quality↗

USGS2010

Changes of freshwater-lens thickness in basaltic island aquifers overlain by thick coastal sediments

Freshwater-lens thickness and long-term changes in freshwater volume in coastal aquifers are commonly assessed through repeated measurement of salinity profiles from monitor wells that penetrate into underlying salt water. In Hawaii, the thickest measured freshwater lens is currently 262 m in dike-free, volcanic-rock aquifers that are overlain by thick coastal sediments. The midpoint depth (depth where salinity is 50% salt water) between freshwater and salt water can serve as an indicator for freshwater thickness. Most measured midpoints have risen over the past 40 years, indicating a shrinking lens. The mean rate of rise of the midpoint from 1999–2009 varied locally, with faster rates in highly developed areas (1.0 m/year) and slower rates in less developed areas (0.5 m/year). The thinning of the freshwater lenses is the result of long-term groundwater withdrawal and reduced recharge. Freshwater/salt-water interface locations predicted from measured water levels and the Ghyben-Herzberg principle may be deeper than measured midpoints during some periods and shallower during other periods, although depths may differ up to 100 m in some cases. Moreover, changes in the midpoint are slower than changes in water level. Thus, water levels may not be a reliable indicator of the amount of freshwater in a coastal aquifer.

Hawai'i↗

USGS2013

Significance of exchanging SSURGO and STATSGO data when modeling hydrology in diverse physiographic terranes

The Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources (WATER) is a TOPMODEL-based hydrologic model that depends on spatially accurate soils data to function in diverse terranes. In Kentucky, this includes mountainous regions, karstic plateau, and alluvial plains. Soils data are critical because they quantify the space to store water, as well as how water moves through the soil to the stream during storm events. We compared how the model performs using two different sources of soils data--Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) and State Soil Geographic Database laboratory data (STATSGO)--for 21 basins ranging in size from 17 to 1564 km 2 . Model results were consistently better when SSURGO data were used, likely due to the higher field capacity, porosity, and available-water holding capacity, which cause the model to store more soil-water in the landscape and improve streamflow estimates for both low- and high-flow conditions. In addition, there were significant differences in the conductivity multiplier and scaling parameter values that describe how water moves vertically and laterally, respectively, as quantified by TOPMODEL. We also evaluated whether partitioning areas that drain to streams via sinkholes in karstic basins as separate hydrologic modeling units (HMUs) improved model performance. There were significant differences between HMUs in properties that control soil-water storage in the model, although the effect of partitioning these HMUs on streamflow simulation was inconclusive.

Kentucky↗

USGS2019

Integration of eDNA-based biological monitoring within the US Geological Survey’s national streamgage network

This study explores the feasibility and utility of integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) assessments of species occurrences into the United States (U.S.) Geological Survey’s national streamgage network. We used an existing network of five gages in southwest Idaho to explore the type of information that could be gained as well as the associated costs and limitations. Hydrologic technicians were trained in eDNA sampling protocols and they collected samples during routine monthly visits to streamgages over an entire water year (2016). We analyzed the eDNA in the filtered water samples to determine the presence of two fish species: bull trout and rainbow trout. We then modeled the spatiotemporal distribution of each species using discharge and temperature data. To assess the influence of the spatial distribution of the gages on the biological information obtained, we also collected eDNA samples from locations between the gages three times during the water year. We found eDNA monitoring at the five gages provided meaningful information about the distribution of both species, especially when detection probabilities accounted for variations in temperature and discharge. Sampling between the gages provided additional information about bull trout distribution — the rarer of the two species. Our study suggests the integration of eDNA sampling into a streamgage network is feasible and could provide a novel and powerful source of biological information for riverine ecosystems in the U.S.

Idaho, Nebraska↗

USGS1992

Leaks in pipe networks

Leak detection in water‐distribution systems can be accomplished by solving an inverse problem using measurements of pressure and/or flow. The problem is formulated with equivalent orifice areas of possible leaks as the unknowns. Minimization of the difference between measured and calculated heads produces a solution for the areas. The quality of the result depends on number and location of the measurements. A sensitivity matrix is key to deciding where to make measurements. Both location and magnitude of leaks are sensitive to the quantity and quality of pressure measurements and to how well the pipe friction parameters are known. The overdetermined problem (more measurements than suspected leaks) gives the best results, but some information can be derived from the underdetermined problem. The variance of leak areas, based on the quality of system characteristics and pressure data, indicates the likely accuracy of the results. The method will not substitute for more traditional leak surveys but can serve as a guide and supplement.

Journal of Hydraulic Engineering↗

USGS2005

Investigating surface water-well interaction using stable isotope ratios of water

Because surface water can be a source of undesirable water quality in a drinking water well , an understanding of the amount of surface water and its travel time to the well is needed to assess a well's vulnerability. Stable isotope ratios of oxygen in river water at the City of La Crosse, Wisconsin, show peak-to-peak seasonal variation greater than 4‰ in 2001 and 2002. This seasonal signal was identified in 7 of 13 city municipal wells, indicating that these 7 wells have appreciable surface water contributions and are potentially vulnerable to contaminants in the surface water. When looking at wells with more than 6 sampling events, a larger variation in δ 18 O compositions correlated with a larger fraction of surface water, suggesting that samples collected for oxygen isotopic composition over time may be useful for identifying the vulnerability to surface water influence even if a local meteoric water line is not available. A time series of δ 18 O from one of the municipal wells and from a piezometerlocated between the river and the municipal well showed that the travel time of flood water to the municipal well was approximately 2 months; non-flood arrival times were on the order of 9 months. Four independent methods were also used to assess time of travel. Three methods (groundwater temperature arrival times at the intermediate piezometer, virus-culture results, and particle tracking using a numerical groundwater-flow model) yielded flood and non-flood travel times of less than 1 year for this site. Age dating of one groundwater sample using 3 H– 3 He methods estimated an age longer than 1 year, but was likely confounded by deviations from piston flow as noted by others. Chlorofluorocarbons and SF 6 analyses were not useful at this site due to degradation and contamination, respectively. This work illustrates the utility of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of water to determine the contribution and travel time of surface water in groundwater, and demonstrates the importance of using multiple methods to improve estimates for time of travel of 1 year or less.

Journal of Hydrology↗