The stratigraphy and hydraulic properties of tills in southern New England

Melvin, R.L.; Lima, Virginia De; Stone, Byron D.

doi:10.3133/ofr91481

Cited by 18 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The calibrated recharge rate in the model ranged from 0.0023 to 0.0025 ft/d (26-28 cm/year). The estimated K glacial deposits values of Tiedeman et al (1997) compare favorably with values summarized by Melvin et al (1992), who compiled the results of tests of hydraulic properties of tills. The results included 184 measurements of horizontal hydraulic conductivity, 81 measurements of vertical hydraulic conductivity, and 15 measurements of specific yield.…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 65%

“…The porosity used in the models for particle tracking was 0.25. The median porosity in till samples reported by Melvin et al (1992) was 0.26. The porosity of the bedrock was irrelevant for the simulations discussed here.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Specific yields were measured in laboratory tests. The median horizontal hydraulic conductivity from Melvin et al (1992) is 4.6 × 10 −6 ft/s (1.4 × 10 −6 m/s). The median vertical hydraulic conductivity is 2.6 × 10 −6 ft/s (7.8 × 10 −7 m/s).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Performance Assessments of a Novel Well Design for Reducing Exposure to Bedrock‐Derived Arsenic

Winston

Ayotte

2017

Groundwater

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Arsenic in groundwater is a serious problem in New England, particularly for domestic well owners drawing water from bedrock aquifers. The overlying glacial aquifer generally has waters with low arsenic concentrations but is less used because of frequent loss of well water during dry periods and the vulnerability to surface-sourced bacterial contamination. An alternative, novel design for shallow wells in glacial aquifers is intended to draw water primarily from unconsolidated glacial deposits, while being resistant to drought conditions and surface contamination. Its use could greatly reduce exposure to arsenic through drinking water for domestic use. Hypothetical numerical models were used to investigate the potential hydraulic performance of the new well design in reducing arsenic exposure. The aquifer system was divided into two parts, an upper section representing the glacial sediments and a lower section representing the bedrock. The location of the well, recharge conditions, and hydraulic properties were systematically varied in a series of simulations and the potential for arsenic contamination was quantified by analyzing groundwater flow paths to the well. The greatest risk of arsenic contamination occurred when the hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock aquifer was high, or where there was upward flow from the bedrock aquifer because of the position of the well in the flow system.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 65%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 89%

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Performance Assessments of a Novel Well Design for Reducing Exposure to Bedrock‐Derived Arsenic

Winston

Ayotte

2017

Groundwater

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“…For example, well ME-ARW906 at Presque Isle in northern Maine had decreasing trends in February and September, and increasing trends for March and November. Tills in the northeast United States have low hydraulic conductivity and storage capacity (Melvin et al, 1992) and the wells completed in till in this study are the shallowest wells used in this study. These wells are likely more sensitive to short-term local variability in precipitation and ET than deeper sand and gravel and bedrock wells.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical Groundwater Trends in Northern New England and Relations with Streamflow and Climatic Variables

Dudley¹,

Hodgkins²

2013

J American Water Resour Assoc

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Water‐level trends spanning 20, 30, 40, and 50 years were tested using month‐end groundwater levels in 26, 12, 10, and 3 wells in northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont), respectively. Groundwater levels for 77 wells were used in interannual correlations with meteorological and hydrologic variables related to groundwater. Trends in the contemporary groundwater record (20 and 30 years) indicate increases (rises) or no substantial change in groundwater levels in all months for most wells throughout northern New England. The highest percentage of increasing 20‐year trends was in February through March, May through August, and October through November. Forty‐year trend results were mixed, whereas 50‐year trends indicated increasing groundwater levels. Whereas most monthly groundwater levels correlate strongly with the previous month's level, monthly levels also correlate strongly with monthly streamflows in the same month; correlations of levels with monthly precipitation are less frequent and weaker than those with streamflow. Groundwater levels in May through August correlate strongly with annual (water year) streamflow. Correlations of groundwater levels with streamflow data and the relative richness of 50‐ to 100‐year historical streamflow data suggest useful proxies for quantifying historical groundwater levels in light of the relatively short and fragmented groundwater data records presently available.

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“…While some organic materials are underlain by highly permeable sands and gravels, others sit atop glacial tills, which can have low permeability. Parent materials such as outwash and alluvium typically contain stratifi ed layers of permeable sands and gravels (Larson and Stone, 1982;Melvin et al, 1992;Benn and Evans, 1998). Th us, in these riparian zones there is probably significant groundwater fl ow in the subsurface (Kellogg et al, 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Distribution of Carbon in the Subsurface of Riparian Zones

Blazejewski¹,

Stolt

Gold

et al. 2009

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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Soil C supplies vary spatially within and among riparian wetlands. Understanding this variability is essential to assessments of C-dependent riparian wetland functions such as water quality enhancement and C storage. In this study, we examined the distribution of C with depth across the riparian landscape. Our objectives were to describe the spatial distribution of various C forms in the subsurface of riparian wetlands, and to identify the watershed, landscape, and soil characteristics that govern the distribution of these forms. Twenty-two riparian sites, mapped as alluvial or outwash soils, were examined along fi rst-through fourth-order streams. Soils were described from pits and auger borings along transects established perpendicular to the stream. Roots and buried A horizons represent the majority of C in the subsurface, representing an important source of C for riparian zone functions. Buried A horizons and C-rich lenses, indicative of alluvial soils, were identifi ed in 21 of the 22 sites. Higher order riparian zones tended to have greater quantities of alluvium. Roots were generally distributed to the greatest depths close to the streams where alluvial deposits were thickest. All fi rst-, second-, and thirdorder riparian zones were mapped as outwash soils on county-scale soil surveys. Th ese sites, however, contained predominantly alluvial soils, suggesting that soil surveys at the 1:15,840 scale are inadequate for identifying alluvial soils along lower order streams. To assess the best predictors of alluvium distribution within riparian zones, 11 watershed characteristics were examined. A forward stepwise regression revealed that watershed size and fl oodplain width are two of the most important indicators of the quantity, width, and depth of alluvium, and subsequently subsurface C, within glaciated riparian zones.

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The stratigraphy and hydraulic properties of tills in southern New England

Cited by 18 publications

References 37 publications

Performance Assessments of a Novel Well Design for Reducing Exposure to Bedrock‐Derived Arsenic

Performance Assessments of a Novel Well Design for Reducing Exposure to Bedrock‐Derived Arsenic

Historical Groundwater Trends in Northern New England and Relations with Streamflow and Climatic Variables

Spatial Distribution of Carbon in the Subsurface of Riparian Zones

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