Karst groundwater vulnerability determined by modeled age and residence time tracers
Geophysical Research Letters
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Abstract
Karst aquifers are a vital groundwater resource globally, but features such as rapid recharge and conduit flow make them highly vulnerable to land-surface contamination. We apply environmental age tracers to the south-central Texas Edwards aquifer, a karst resource in a rapidly urbanizing and drought-prone region, to assess vulnerability to land-surface contamination and risks unique to karst aquifers. We show that vulnerability of Edwards aquifer groundwater follows similar spatial and depth patterns common to porous-media type aquifers, despite complicated karst hydrogeologic features. Shallow and unconfined parts are more vulnerable to land-surface contamination than the deeper and confined parts, although even the oldest groundwater is mixed with some recent recharge. When modeled age-tracer results are coupled with other independent geochemical tracers of water-rock interaction specific to karst settings, they can yield insight into residence time and associated vulnerability.
Suggested Citation
Musgrove, M., Jurgens, B., and Opsahl, S.P., 2023, Karst groundwater vulnerability determined by modeled age and residence time tracers: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 50, no. 18, e2023GL102853, 10 p., https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102853.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Karst groundwater vulnerability determined by modeled age and residence time tracers |
| Series title | Geophysical Research Letters |
| DOI | 10.1029/2023GL102853 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 18 |
| Publication Date | September 14, 2023 |
| Year Published | 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Geophysical Union |
| Contributing office(s) | California Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center |
| Description | e2023GL102853, 10 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Other Geospatial | Edwards Aquifer |