Df. Boutt et al., Identifying potential land use-derived solute sources to stream baseflow using ground water models and GIS, GROUND WATE, 39(1), 2001, pp. 24-34
This paper presents an approach to examine potential relationships between
land use-derived solutes and baseflow surface water quality using regional
ground water and solute transport models linked to geographic information s
ystems (GIS), We demonstrate this approach by estimating chloride concentra
tions in surface water due to road salt transport through ground water in a
large coastal watershed in Michigan. The geologically parameterized model
for this study provides a good fit to measured hydraulic heads in the water
shed and offers a method to estimate spatially and temporally variable solu
te fluxes via ground water to streams and lakes. The results demonstrate th
at there is a considerable legacy of land use influencing surface water qua
lity at the study site. The simulated chloride concentrations produced with
salted roads as the only chloride source are similar to measured surface w
ater chloride concentrations throughout most of the watershed, except in re
gions where other sources for chloride (e.g., high-density septic systems,
locations of oil brine fields) likely exist, Impacts of other land use rela
ted solutes on baseflow surface water quality could also be explored using
this approach. As a result, watershed managers could be provided with quant
itative information about the potential impacts of developments and associa
ted surface-applied solutes on future surface water quality.