Groundwater - Surface Water Interactions in Three Utah Watersheds

Location

Eccles Conference Center Auditorium

Event Website

http://water.usu.edu

Start Date

3-31-2015 11:20 AM

End Date

3-31-2015 11:30 AM

Description

Groundwater-surface water interactions are being studied in three Utah watersheds as part of the iUTAH efforts aimed at understanding water resource sustainability in the urbanizing Wasatch Front. The Logan River, Red Butte Creek, and Provo River watersheds were selected for the iUTAH project because these watersheds are in the urbanizing Wasatch Front and are characterized by gradients along mountain to urban transitions. Over three different seasons in 2014, point measurements for discharge, temperature, and conductivity were collected along each river to capture longitudinal changes as well as inputs from tributaries and any diversions. Net differences in discharge were used to identify where significant gains and losses are occurring during different times of the year. We have identified reaches where net gaining and losing persists seasonally and other reaches that alternate seasonally between losing and gaining. Seasonal changes in water table or water use are potential causes for reaches to alternate between losing and gaining. Identification of these gaining and losing reaches will guide future data collection. To further understand the impact of these exchanges on water quantity and quality, various methods and techniques are being investigated including: energy, flow, and mass balances; hydrograph separation; and differential gauging approaches.

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Mar 31st, 11:20 AM Mar 31st, 11:30 AM

Groundwater - Surface Water Interactions in Three Utah Watersheds

Eccles Conference Center Auditorium

Groundwater-surface water interactions are being studied in three Utah watersheds as part of the iUTAH efforts aimed at understanding water resource sustainability in the urbanizing Wasatch Front. The Logan River, Red Butte Creek, and Provo River watersheds were selected for the iUTAH project because these watersheds are in the urbanizing Wasatch Front and are characterized by gradients along mountain to urban transitions. Over three different seasons in 2014, point measurements for discharge, temperature, and conductivity were collected along each river to capture longitudinal changes as well as inputs from tributaries and any diversions. Net differences in discharge were used to identify where significant gains and losses are occurring during different times of the year. We have identified reaches where net gaining and losing persists seasonally and other reaches that alternate seasonally between losing and gaining. Seasonal changes in water table or water use are potential causes for reaches to alternate between losing and gaining. Identification of these gaining and losing reaches will guide future data collection. To further understand the impact of these exchanges on water quantity and quality, various methods and techniques are being investigated including: energy, flow, and mass balances; hydrograph separation; and differential gauging approaches.

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2015/2015Posters/19