Browsing by Subject "hydrogeology"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 41
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    19 June 2006 Dye Trace of the Cave Farm Blind Valley Stream Sink (MN23:B0058)
    (2006-08) Costello, Daniel E; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin
    A qualitative fluorescent dye trace has established that water sinking in the Cave Farm Blind Valley resurges at Bly’s Spring on Bear Creek in Fillmore County, Minnesota. This trace establishes the resurgence point for the Cave Farm Blind Valley and a lower limit of > 1 kilometer per day on the groundwater flow velocity. This trace documents the potential impact of a break in the British Petroleum pipeline, which is directly below the blind valley, could have on the Spring Valley karst. The Spring Valley karst also may act as an underground flow path that pirates water from Deer Creek to Bear Creek.
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    Ahrensfeld Creek and Borson Northeast Dye Trace Report 2007-2010 Winona County, MN
    (2017) Green, Jeffrey A; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin; Alexander, Scott C; Luhmann, Andrew J; Runkel, Anthony C; Peters, Andrew J
    Southeastern Minnesota’s karst lands support numerous trout streams. These trout streams are formed by springs discharging from Paleozoic bedrock. Dye tracing has been the tool of choice for mapping the springsheds (karst groundwater basins) that feed these springs. Previous work was focused on the Galena limestone karst. In order to accelerate springshed mapping, a two-year study was funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Across southeastern Minnesota, numerous springs discharge from the Cambrian St. Lawrence formation. The St. Lawrence is considered to be a confining unit under the Minnesota well code. A dye trace was initiated when a stream sink was discovered in the upper St. Lawrence Formation. The sampling points included springs, stream crossings, and a municipal well that may be at risk for surface contamination. Dye was recovered at one spring in less than two weeks and at two other springs in less than three weeks. This translates into travel times of 200-300 meters/day. The springs all discharge from the lower St. Lawrence Formation. The St. Lawrence contains beds of dolostone; the dye trace demonstrates that there is a karst conduit flow component in this formation. This is evidence that these springs are significantly more susceptible to degradation than previously thought.
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    Altura Minnesota lagoon collapses
    (Proceedings of the First Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes. Orlando, Florida 15-17 October 1984. "Sinkholes: Their Geology, Engineering and Environmental Impact. Edited by Barry F. Beck of the Florida Sinkhole Research Institute, University of Central Florida, Orlando. Page 311 - 318. Taylor & Francis, London, UK. Offprint, 1984-10-17) Book, Paul R; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin
    In April 1976, a series of karst sinkholes opened in the holding lagoon of the Altura, Minnesota Waste Treatment Facility. This major failure was preceded by minor sinkhole formation during the construction of the facility in 1974. Subsequent detailed field mapping of the region around the community revealed at least 23 sinkholes not shown on existing maps. The distribution of the sinkholes as well as post-failure investigations of the lagoon indicate that catastrophic collapse is related to the presence of a thin, poorly indurated, jointed sandstone overlying a thick carbonate unit. The sandstone served to collect solutionally aggressive vadose water and to concentrate that water onto specific areas of the underlying carbonate. The resulting differential solution produced voids into which the overlying materials collapsed.
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    Altura, MN Waste Treatment Lagoon Failures: A Hydrogeologic Study
    (1984-02) Book, Paul R; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin
    In April 1976, a series of karat sinkholes opened in the holding lagoon of the Altura MN Waste Treatment Facility. Subsequent detailed field mapping of the region around the community revealed at least 22 sinkholes not shown on existing maps. The distribution of the sinkholes as well as post-failure investigations of the lagoon indicate that catastrophic collapse is related to the presence of a thin, poorly indurated, jointed sandstone overlying a thick carbonate unit. The sandstone served to collect solutionally aggressive vadose water and to concentrate that water onto specific areas of the underlying carbonate. The resulting differential solution produced voids into which the overlying materials collapsed. The disabled facility has been diverting partially treated effluent into a nearby dry run since the lagoon collapsed. A dye trace documented that the effluent after sinking underground reemerges from three local springs and then flows into a river which is a regional trout fishery. However, a second dye trace from the sinkhole in the lagoon failed to establish a connection to any local well or spring.
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    Canton Area Dye Tracing- Canton Stormwater Estavelle and Highway Runoff Receptor Sinkholes, Fillmore County, MN
    (2020-06) Green, Jeffrey A.; Alexander, E. Calvin Jr.; Alexander, Scott C.; Barry, John D.
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    Contamination of Water Supplies in Limestone Formation
    (American Water Works Association. Vol 35, p. 1450-1456, 1943-11) Kingston, S.P.
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    Crystal Creek Dye Trace Report Fillmore County, Minnesota
    (2017-05) Kuehner, Kevin J; Green, Jeffrey A; Barry, John D; Rutelonis, J. Wes; Wheeler, Betty J; Kasahara, Sophie M; Luhmann, Andrew J; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin
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    Dye Tracing Sewage Lagoon Discharge in a Sandstone Karst, Askov, Minnesota
    (Proceedings of the 10th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst. © 2005 American Society of Civil Engineers. Published online: April 26, 2012, 2005-09-28) Alexander Jr., E. Calvin; Alexander, Scott C; Piegat, James J; Barr, Kelton D; Nordberg, Brad
    An investigation of the sandstone karst at Askov, Pine County, Minnesota was conducted utilizing fluorescent dye tracing techniques. Connections were documented between the effluent from WWTF lagoons discharged into a sinking stream and local residential water supply wells southwest of the stream sink, over kilometer-scale distances. The apparent velocity of dye from the steam sink to the residential well was 57 m/day, much faster than would be expected for porous-media flow in a sandstone but slower than expected for well-developed conduit karst in carbonate rock. The traces also document stage-dependent, divergent flow to the northeast and west from recharge to a sinkhole adjacent to the lagoons. A well-developed conduit system extends a few hundred meters under the northern portion of the lagoons with flow velocities greater than 128 m/day to the northeast. A slower flow system extends for at least a kilometer to the west and northwest with a range of apparent flow velocities that average about 9 m/day. The slower flow system reached a broad “fan” of residential wells to the west but was not detected in other wells in the same direction.
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    Dye Tracing to Camp Coldwater Spring, Minneapolis, MN
    (Minnesota Ground Water Association Newsletter Volume 20 Number 4: December 2001 Page 4 - 6. Additional results from Sophie Kasahara's Senior Thesis "A Hydrological Study of Coldwater Spring, Minneapolis, MN." - UM Geoengineering Department, 2016., 2017-06) Alexander Jr., E. Calvin; Alexander, Scott C; Barr, Kelton D; Kasahara, Sophie M; Wheeler, Betty J
    Camp Coldwater Spring is a ~6.3 liter/sec spring that emerges from a Platteville Limestone ledge at the top of the west side of the Mississippi River gorge. It was the original water supply for Ft. Snelling in the early-mid 1800’s and is a registered Minnesota State Landmark. Potential impacts from nearby highway construction led to two successful dye traces to help define the groundwater basin feeding the spring. These traces are the first traces through the Platteville in the Twin Cities. Dye input trenches were dug with a backhoe to the top of the water table. Input B reached the top of the Platteville and the water table was a few inches above the bedrock surface. Eosin dye input into the trench reached Camp Coldwater Spring, 125 meters away in less than 1.5 hours. The minimum flow velocity in the fractured Platteville Limestone was 83 m/hr. Input C reached the water table while still in glaciofluvial sediments and was 305 meters from the spring. Fluorescein dye from Input C reached the spring in 16 days. The slower flow velocity is a combination of flow through the glaciofluvial sediments and through the fractured Platteville Limestone. These two positive traces demonstrate that Inputs B and C are inside the ground-watershed that supplies the Spring and support concerns about the potential impact of dewatering and construction activities on the Spring. The trace is ongoing.
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    Dye Tracing to Understand Karst Groundwater Flow Systems In Southeastern Minnesota
    (2009) Greene, Julie; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin
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    Dye Tracing Within the St. Lawrence Confining Unit in Southeastern Minnesota
    (Proceedings of the 11th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst. © 2008 American Society of Civil Engineers. Published online: June 20, 2012, 2008-09-26) Green, Jeffrey A; Luhmann, Andrew J; Peters, Andrew J; Runkel, Anthony C; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin; Alexander, Scott C
    Southeastern Minnesota’s karst lands support numerous trout streams. These trout streams are formed by springs discharging from Paleozoic bedrock. Dye tracing has been the tool of choice for mapping the springsheds (karst groundwater basins) that feed these springs. Previous work was focused on the Galena limestone karst. In order to accelerate springshed mapping, a two-year study was funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative- Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Across southeastern Minnesota, numerous springs discharge from the Cambrian St. Lawrence formation. The St. Lawrence is considered to be a confining unit under the Minnesota well code. A dye trace was initiated when a stream sink was discovered in the upper St. Lawrence Formation. The sampling points included springs, stream crossings, and a municipal well that may be at risk for surface contamination. Dye was recovered at one spring in less than two weeks and at two other springs in less than three weeks. This translates into travel times of 200- 300 meters/day. The springs all discharge from the lower St. Lawrence Formation. The St. Lawrence contains beds of dolostone; the dye trace demonstrates that there is a karst conduit flow component in this formation. This is evidence that these springs are significantly more susceptible to degradation than previously thought.
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    Gilbert Creek Dye Trace Report Wabasha County, Minnesota
    (2017-03) Green, Jeffrey A; Ustipak, Kelsi R; Wheeler, Betty J; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin
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    Groundwater Recharge Rates in Minnesota as Related to Precipitation
    (Water Resources Research Center, University of Minnesota, 1983-03) Kanivetsky, Roman; Palen, Barbara
    Quantitative estimates of recharge rates and storage coefficients in sufficient detail are essential to any meaningful state water-resources management, policies, plans and legislation. A methodology was developed to derive quantitative estimates of groundwater recharge rates and storage coefficients for unconfined aquifers in the various hydrologic regions of Minnesota. Recharge estimates are based on information from groundwater hydrographs. Statistical analysis of groundwater level fluctuations and their correlation with precipitation, evaporation, stream discharge were evaluated. Harmonic analysis and autoregression analysis of water levels were done. Storage coefficients were estimated from pumping test data, soil moisture method and empirical equations. Groundwater recharge rates were determined by combining data on groundwater level fluctuations and storage coefficient evaluation for unconfined aquifers in Minnesota. This work is fundamental to the ultimate goal of an interactive water resources model of the state.
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    Guidebook 8. Field Trip Guide Book for Hydrogeology of the Twin Cities Artesian Basin
    (Minnesota Geological Survey, 1972) Winter, T.C.; Norvitch, R.F.
    This field trip focuses on several of the more significant aspects of the hydrogeology of the Minneapolis-St. Paul (Twin Cities) area. Emphasis is placed on the principal bedrock aquifer and the role of glacial drift in the hydrology. Stops (fig. 1) include field examination of the Jordan-Prairie du Chien aquifer, a well-screen manufacturing plant and its research well field, views of surface expression of partly buried bedrock valleys, an artificial-recharge site where experiments were run on deep-well water injection into the Prairie du Chien Group (carbonate rock), and a site where ground water discharges as a large spring from the Prairie du Chien Group. Although much glacial geology is seen along the trip route, emphasis is placed on the drift-filled bedrock valleys. An understanding of the hydrogeology of the Twin Cities area is becoming more critical as urbanization progresses. The population of the metropolitan area is 1,874,000 (1970), an increase of 350,000 since 1960. Predictions of population for the year 2000 are in the neighborhood of 3,000,000. Accompanying the population increase are questions concerning the adequacy of water supply; the effect of surface and subsurface waste disposal, paving, sewering, and other land-use practices on the hydrologic system; and the reasons for lake-level declines and accelerated eutrophication. The Twin Cities supply themselves and 13 surrounding municipalities with water from the Mississippi River. Water from a large number of wells within the cities is used mainly for industry and air conditioning. In addition, most suburban communities use ground water to the extent that ground water now exceeds surface water as a source of supply. Total ground water use in 1970 in the metropolitan area was 194 mgd (million gallons per day); 48 mgd was for domestic purposes, 75 mgd for air conditioning (based on 137 days), 100 mgd for industrial and commercial purposes, and 38 mgd for irrigation (based on 90 days). According to Norvitch (unpublished data), the amount of ground water that can be developed in the metropolitan area on a sustained basis is about 845 mgd. Optimum development of the ground-water resources will be possible only through proper management based on a thorough understanding of the hydrologic system.
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    Hydrogeology of Scott County
    (Minnesota Geological Survey, 2008) Tipping, R.G.; Runkel, A.C.
    This report describes the hydrogeology of Scott County, based on the assembly of existing data and data acquired as part of this investigation. The focus of this report is on bedrock hydrogeology, with additional discussion of the hydrogeology of Quaternary unconsolidated deposits. The report is intended to supplement maps provided as part of the Scott County Geologic Atlas revision, produced with the support of the Scott County Board of Commisioners.
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    Hydrology of Goliath’s Cave, Fillmore County, Minnesota
    (2007) Maas, Benjamin J; Green, Jeffrey A; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin
    https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper283919.html
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    Indian Springs Creek Dye Trace Report Houston County, Minnesota
    (2017-03) Green, Jeffrey A; Luhmann, Andrew J; Alexander, Scott C; Wheeler, Betty J; Alexander Jr., E. Calvin