Investigation of Groundwater Flow Paths Using Quantitative Dye-Tracing and Fluorometry in the Clear Creak Area, Greene County, Missouri

Rebecca Dodd

Date of Graduation

Summer 2007

Degree

Master of Science in Geospatial Sciences

Department

Geography, Geology, and Planning

Committee Chair

Douglas Gouzie

Abstract

Rapid growth and development have stressed the water resources and affected water quality in southwest Missouri. In Greene County, urban areas and major transportation corridors are located in recharge areas of the karst aquifer and water management issues are escalating. Recent events of groundwater contamination in the Clear Creek area have focused public attention on water quality issues and emphasized the need for hydrologic research. The groundwater basins of Greene County are largely undefined and more detailed information is vital to evaluate and manage water resources. Due to the complexity karst conditions add to groundwater flow mechanisms, the combination of qualitative and quantitative dye-tracing techniques is crucial to effectively understand the groundwater basins. This study used qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the groundwater basin in the Clear Creek area. Qualitative dye-tracing with passive dye detectors identified point-to-point connections between sinkholes and springs. Automatic samplers and a fluorescence spectrophotometer were used to conduct quantitative dye traces. This analysis quantified the passage of the dye cloud, determined ground water travel time, peak dye concentration, and persistence of the dye cloud at the selected discharge points, which were used to establish a more defined southern boundary of the Clear Creek groundwater basin.

Keywords

groundwater, dye-tracing, fluorometry, quantitative dye-tracing, karst, hydrology

Subject Categories

Hydrology | Water Resource Management

Copyright

© Rebecca Dodd

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Dissertation/Thesis

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