Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USA
Ground water contamination from septic systems and the application of dairy cattle manure has been a long-standing problem in rural northeastern Wisconsin, especially in areas with thin soils over karstified Silurian dolostone bedrock, where as many as 60% of the wells show evidence of fecal contami...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Hydrology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/6/133 |
| _version_ | 1827737099252531200 |
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| author | John A. Luczaj Amber Konrad Mark Norfleet Andrew Schauer |
| author_facet | John A. Luczaj Amber Konrad Mark Norfleet Andrew Schauer |
| author_sort | John A. Luczaj |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ground water contamination from septic systems and the application of dairy cattle manure has been a long-standing problem in rural northeastern Wisconsin, especially in areas with thin soils over karstified Silurian dolostone bedrock, where as many as 60% of the wells show evidence of fecal contamination. We present the results of a citizen science supported water-isotope study in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin to evaluate aquifer recharge processes in the critical zone and to demonstrate the viability of time-series stable isotope data as a supplement to traditional water quality indicators in a contamination-prone aquifer. A meteoric water line was also constructed for Green Bay, Wisconsin, providing reasonable isotopic ranges for aquifer recharge events. Volunteer homeowners collected water samples from their domestic wells for a period of ~14 months to provide a measure of long-term isotopic variation in produced water and to determine whether event-driven responses could be identified using δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>2</sup>H isotopic values. Three shallower wells with a prior history of contamination exhibited significant seasonal variation, while the deepest well with the greatest soil thickness (above bedrock) showed less variation. For moderate precipitation events, the shallowest well showed as much as 5–13% of produced water coming from direct recharge, with smaller contributions for deeper wells. Our case study provides a clear example of how citizen science can collect useful time-series isotopic data to support groundwater recharge studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:22:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-641bf055e84746dc950f210b2824fdcd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:22:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology |
| spelling | doaj.art-641bf055e84746dc950f210b2824fdcd2023-11-18T10:42:42ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382023-06-0110613310.3390/hydrology10060133Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USAJohn A. Luczaj0Amber Konrad1Mark Norfleet2Andrew Schauer3Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Green Bay, Green Bay, WI 54311, USADepartment of Natural & Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Green Bay, Green Bay, WI 54311, USAResch School of Engineering, University of Wisconsin—Green Bay, Green Bay, WI 54311, USAIsoLab, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USAGround water contamination from septic systems and the application of dairy cattle manure has been a long-standing problem in rural northeastern Wisconsin, especially in areas with thin soils over karstified Silurian dolostone bedrock, where as many as 60% of the wells show evidence of fecal contamination. We present the results of a citizen science supported water-isotope study in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin to evaluate aquifer recharge processes in the critical zone and to demonstrate the viability of time-series stable isotope data as a supplement to traditional water quality indicators in a contamination-prone aquifer. A meteoric water line was also constructed for Green Bay, Wisconsin, providing reasonable isotopic ranges for aquifer recharge events. Volunteer homeowners collected water samples from their domestic wells for a period of ~14 months to provide a measure of long-term isotopic variation in produced water and to determine whether event-driven responses could be identified using δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>2</sup>H isotopic values. Three shallower wells with a prior history of contamination exhibited significant seasonal variation, while the deepest well with the greatest soil thickness (above bedrock) showed less variation. For moderate precipitation events, the shallowest well showed as much as 5–13% of produced water coming from direct recharge, with smaller contributions for deeper wells. Our case study provides a clear example of how citizen science can collect useful time-series isotopic data to support groundwater recharge studies.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/6/133stable isotopesgroundwaterkarst aquiferSilurianWisconsincitizen science |
| spellingShingle | John A. Luczaj Amber Konrad Mark Norfleet Andrew Schauer Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USA Hydrology stable isotopes groundwater karst aquifer Silurian Wisconsin citizen science |
| title | Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USA |
| title_full | Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USA |
| title_fullStr | Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USA |
| title_short | Stable Isotopic Evaluation of Recharge into a Karst Aquifer in a Glaciated Agricultural Region of Northeastern Wisconsin, USA |
| title_sort | stable isotopic evaluation of recharge into a karst aquifer in a glaciated agricultural region of northeastern wisconsin usa |
| topic | stable isotopes groundwater karst aquifer Silurian Wisconsin citizen science |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/6/133 |
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