CAREER: Integrating Research and Education to Advance the Use of Heat as a Tracer of Surface-Ground Water Interaction at Multiple Spatial and Temporal Scales

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CAREER: Integrating Research and Education to Advance the Use of Heat as a Tracer of Surface-Ground Water Interaction at Multiple Spatial and Temporal ScalesL. K. Lautz, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and ForestryStream-groundwater (SW-GW) interaction is a critical component of a variety of water quality and quantity issues. It has proven difficult to accurately characterize SW-GW interactions, particularly in streams, and they are often ignored due to the challenges of spatial and temporal generalization of point-in-space or -time measurements. There has been a renewed interest in the use of heat as a tracer in hydrologic systems because heat transport has a number of advantages over traditional methods of characterizing SW-GW interaction. Despite recent technological and analytical developments in the application of heat as a tracer in hydrologic systems, much remains to be learned. The major objective of this proposal is to integrate research and teaching to advance the application of heat transport theory to characterize water flux between streams and groundwater and to relate those fluxes to changes in water quality over a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Proposed work includes: (1) Linking field observations of temperature with modeling to quantify SW-GW flux rates over different scales and (2) linking SW-GW interaction to geochemical variability. Research innovations in this proposal include scaling-up observations while maintaining fine-scale spatial resolution by using fiber optic distributed temperature sensor technology and thermal remote sensing. Innovations also include quantifying SW-GW fluxes over a range of temporal and spatial scales and developing procedures for integrating observations across scales into process-based models. The techniques developed and tested through this proposal will be of broad interest to a spectrum of researchers and professionals to inform stream restoration, contaminant remediation, nutrient dynamics and solute transport in streams. The results of this work will also have broad applicability for collaborators from industry and from non-profit organizations. This work will establish the foundation for a sustained and strengthened program to integrate the study of heat as a tracer of SW-GW interaction with educational opportunities for students enrolled in undergraduate, community college and graduate programs across a number of institutions. Mentoring relationships between undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, industry professionals and representatives of non-profit agencies will be formally developed to support the recruitment and success of underrepresented minority groups, including Native Americans, and women.Start Date: March 1st, 2008