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- H41J-1298: Investigating Conduit Activation and Flow Dynamics in a Karst Aquifer Through Integrated Field Investigation and Modeling
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Board 1298‚ Hall EFG (Poster Hall)NOLA CC
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Jenny Huang, University of Minnesota Twin Cities (First Author, Presenting Author)
Charles Soucey, Barr Engineering Company
John Barry, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Christian Langevin, S.S. Papadopulos & Associates
Peter Kang, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Groundwater in karst aquifers travels along complex paths due to the presence of fractures and cave tunnels (conduits). We attempt to understand how water flows through the Bear Springshed, part of a karst aquifer in Southeastern Minnesota. We observe groundwater levels consistently increase to a certain elevation right before large increases in spring flow. We hypothesize that when groundwater levels rise sufficiently, water reaches conduits that sit higher in the aquifer, flowing quickly to the spring. To test this, we use two different models to recreate the flow behavior. One model treats the conduits as regions of porous rock with high hydraulic conductivity. This model is able to capture the steady, low-flow spring behavior but not the large increases in spring flow. To capture the large spring flow events, the second model simulates the springshed as a pipe network, which allows for representation of quick water movement through the network. Ongoing work combines these two models to represent the full range of spring flow behavior. We also investigate the importance of conduit layout on spring flow by running the models multiple times with randomly generated conduit networks. In the future, we will simulate contaminant movement through the springshed.
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