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U.S. Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5222
By Leslie D. Arihood, E. Randall Bayless, and William C. Sidle1
In cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OhioThis report is available as a 78-page PDF for viewing and printing.
The report cover (11" by 17" tabloid) is also available for viewing and printing.
Characteristics of ground-water/surface-water interactions were identified at a managed wetland (Hog Marsh) and a natural riverine wetland (LaSalle) located on the north and south sides, respectively, of the Kankakee River in northwestern Indiana. Hog Marsh covers about 390 hectares of the Grand Kankakee Marsh County Park. LaSalle covers about 100 hectares of the LaSalle State Fish and Wildlife Area, and is about 20 kilometers downstream of Hog Marsh. Hydrologic characteristics of the two wetlands were investigated using data from 1997 to 1999 for 22 wells adjacent to the Kankakee River in northwestern Indiana. Surface-water levels at the managed wetland were controlled by a system of channels, levees, and managed flooding. Surface-water levels at the natural riverine wetland were not controlled.
Ground-water levels in the unconfined surficial aquifer beneath the two wetlands were analyzed by assessing water-level fluctuations. Fifteen wells at Hog Marsh and seven wells at LaSalle were monitored. The interquartile range in ground-water levels away from the river at Hog Marsh fluctuated less (from 0.4 to 0.7 meters) than all ground-water levels in the same aquifer beneath LaSalle (from 0.9 to 1.0 meters). The difference in the range of water-level fluctuation probably is attributable to the managed flooding of Hog Marsh units, which tends to maintain somewhat uniform water levels in that wetland.
Ground-water-flow directions along a vertical section through the unconfined surficial aquifer at the managed wetland were more variable than those at the natural riverine wetland. During winter and spring, when flow in the Kankakee River is high, flow is from the Kankakee River into the adjacent surficial aquifer and towards a 2-meter-wide Brown Ditch on the north side of Hog Marsh. Water levels in Brown Ditch remain lower than those in the Kankakee River during this period. From June to December, when flow in the Kankakee River is moderate to low, a flow divide developed near the center of the managed wetland. Ground-water flow south of the divide is to the Kankakee River; north of the divide, it is toward Brown Ditch. Slight ground-water mounding near the center of the managed wetland is accentuated by water-management practices that intentionally flood that area. Ground-water flow in the surficial aquifer at the natural riverine wetland was not impeded by ditches or managed flooding, and a simple flow-through system from areas south of the Kankakee River to the river was observed.
A ground-water flow model was constructed along a representative cross section through the surficial aquifer at the managed wetland and calibrated using data collected at the site. A no-flow boundary was used beneath the Kankakee River, and head-dependent boundaries were used along the north end of the model and at the base of the model. The model simulations indicated that artificial controls on the managed-wetland hydrology create sites of recharge to and discharge from the surficial aquifer that are absent at the natural riverine wetland. The steady-state flow simulation represented flow conditions following a 4-month period of no changes in hydrologic stresses. The simulation results indicated that flow paths originating from flooded areas near the center of the managed wetland are sources of aquifer recharge during the managed-flooding period. Brown Ditch captured almost all of the ground water north of the managed wetland. The simulated water budget along a well transect indicated that 88 percent of inflow to the surficial aquifer beneath the managed wetland was from a distribution channel and from flooding in the management units. These modeling results identify differences in flow patterns between the managed and natural riverine wetlands in addition to those identified by the water-level data. Results of transient simulations indicated that surface water from the Kankakee River penetrated only about 2 to 3 meters into the surficial aquifer beneath the managed wetland during the 5-month high-flow period.
The model simulations and the result of a flood-wave-response analysis also indicate that ground-water/surface-water interactions at natural riverine wetlands and at managed wetlands in riverine areas may be affected by variations in the hydraulic conductivity of adjacent streambeds. During a low-flow period in the Kankakee River, ground-water-flow simulations of the surficial aquifer at the managed wetland indicated a streambed hydraulic conductivity of 0.021 meters per day. A flood-wave-response analysis during a period of intermediate streamflow determined the streambed hydraulic conductivity to be 0.18 meters per day. A transient model simulation during a period of high streamflow indicated that the streambed hydraulic conductivity was 2.44 meters per day. The apparent relation between streamflow and hydraulic conductivity of the streambed may indicate that the quantity of ground-water/surface-water exchange varies seasonally.
Abstract
Introduction
Purpose and Scope
Description of Study Areas
Background Information on the Wetland Sites
Geohydrology of the Study Area
Methods of Investigation
Well Transects
Hydraulic Tests
Numerical Modeling
Hydrologic Characteristics of the Hog Marsh and LaSalle Wetlands
Ground-Water Levels and Flow Directions
Hydraulic Properties
Numerical Simulations of Ground-Water Flow at the Managed Wetland
Modeling Approach
Model Grid and Boundary Conditions
Model Calibration
Model Sensitivity Analysis
Steady-State Simulation
Transient Simulation
Limitations of the Model
Summary and Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References Cited
1.-4. Maps showing:
1. Location of the Kankakee River Basin, northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois, and Hog Marsh and LaSalle study areas, northwestern Indiana.
2. Location of hydrogeologic section A-A’-A”, with wetland units and sampling sites at Hog Marsh.
3. Location of hydrogeologic section B-B’-B”, and sampling sites at LaSalle State Fish and Wildlife Area.
4. Surficial geology around LaSalle and Hog Marsh, near Shelby, Indiana, northwestern Indiana.
5. Generalized section showing major geohydrologic units and typical directions of ground-water flow in the study areas.
6. Map showing location of observation wells installed at Hog Marsh relative to steady-state, model-simulated contours of the water-table altitude in the surficial aquifer near Shelby, Indiana, 1981.
7. Map showing location of observation wells installed at LaSalle relative to steady-state, model-simulated contours of the water-table altitude in the surficial aquifer near Shelby, Indiana, 1981.
8. Section showing vertical location of wells at (a) Hog Marsh and (b) LaSalle.
9. Map showing (A) location of observation wells and figure showing (B) truncated boxplots of depth to water level below land surface at Hog Marsh and LaSalle, October 1997—August 1999.
10. Hydrograph and cross sections showing relation between streamflow hydrograph for the Kankakee River, October 1, 1997—October 1, 1999, and cross-sectional water-level contours at Hog Marsh and LaSalle, May 6, 1998.
11. Hydrograph and cross sections showing relation between streamflow hydrograph for the Kankakee River, October 1, 1997—October 1, 1999, and cross-sectional water-level contours at Hog Marsh and LaSalle, October 5, 1998.
12. Time/drawdown plot for aquifer test using wells (A) HM1A and (B) HM1B, Hog Marsh, October 1998.
13.-15. Graphs showing:
13. Simulated and measured hydrographs in near-stream observation wells during two storms at Hog Marsh, July—August 1998.
14. Ground- and surface-water levels at Hog Marsh.
15. Model grid, boundary conditions, and stream nodes used in the simulation of ground-water flow at Hog Marsh.
16. Cross section showing difference between simulated and measured ground-water levels, October 1998, in meters, for the calibrated steady-state ground-water-flow simulation at Hog Marsh .
17. Graph showing relation between simulated errors and changes in the value of model parameters for the sensitivity analysis of the steady-state simulation of ground-water flow at Hog Marsh.
18.-20. Sections showing:
18. Model-simulated ground-water-flow paths and water-level contours under steady-state conditions of October 1998, at Hog Marsh.
19. Differences between simulated and measured ground-water levels at Hog Marsh, in meters, for three points in time during the transient simulation, (A) January 21, 1999, (B) February 18, 1999, and (C) April 1, 1999.
20. Simulated ground-water-level contours after 17.5 and 150 days of flow reversal from the Kankakee River to the surficial aquifer and flow-path development after 150 days of flow reversal at Hog Marsh.
1. Selected characteristics for observation wells at Hog Marsh and LaSalle, northwestern Indiana.
2. Selected characteristics for surface-water-stage measurement sites at Hog Marsh.
3. Ground-water and surface-water levels measured at Hog Marsh and LaSalle, 1997–1999.
4. Hourly data for ground-water and surface-water levels measured at Hog Marsh, July 5, 1998 to August 23, 1998.
5. Hydraulic characteristics computed from aquifer-test data collected at Hog Marsh and LaSalle, October 1998.
6. Initial and calibrated model parameter values for the steady-state simulation of ground-water flow at Hog Marsh, October 1998.
7. Water budget determined by steady-state model simulation, Hog Marsh, October 1998.
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Suggested Citation:
Arihood, L.D., Bayless, E.R., and Sidle, W.C., 2006, Hydrologic Characteristics of a Managed Wetland and a Natural Riverine Wetland
along the Kankakee River in Northwestern Indiana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5222, 78 p.
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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