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.
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 |
| 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 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |