RAPID: Monitoring hydrochemical effects of the 6.5 Monte Cristo Range Earthquake on groundwater systems in the Columbus Salt Marsh (central NV) and vicinity

地震会对地下水补给的威尔斯和泉水产生即时和长期的影响，包括水质和流速的变化。作为水质参数测量的化学特性受到沃茨来源地以及水与含水层中岩石和矿物相互作用方式的影响。 在干旱的西部，许多农村社区完全依赖地下水，了解地震可能对地下水质量和泉水流量造成的潜在威胁非常重要。在内华达州，2020年5月15日在托诺帕附近发生了6.5级地震，托诺帕是该州的一个农村地区，已知有经常发生地震的活动断层。这是内华达州60多年来发生的最大地震，超过12万平方英里的地区都有震感，大约有7000次余震。研究小组将继续进行初步采样活动，以确定靠近震中的威尔斯和泉水的水质和水流速度。该小组将在未来一年继续监测和采样这些地点，以寻找任何暂时或更持久的地震相关影响的流量和水质。这项研究将提供有价值的信息，以了解地震如何影响沙漠地区的地下水，特别是在重新连接供水时，并了解大地震后使用未受损的威尔斯井可能带来的健康风险。 该项目还将培训一名学生进行实地取样和实验室化学分析。 该项目旨在确定2020年5月15日基督山6.5级地震（NV）对震中30公里范围内地下水资源的水化学影响。一项为期一年的监测计划将用于评估地震反应和信号随时间的衰减，重点是元素和稳定同位素化学的变化以及自流威尔斯井的流速。这次地震提供了一个很好的机会，以调查地壳过程和地下水系统之间的联系，在不同的水文盆地在一个活跃的地震带，步行者巷，沿着东侧的塞拉内华达州山脉。这项研究对地震后的社区供水很重要，以前在内华达州还没有做过。内华达州的大部分农村地区都依赖地下水，包括住宅私人威尔斯和市政威尔斯井。 该监测项目吸引了社区成员的参与，提高了当地对影响井水的地震危害的认识，并将继续吸引社区成员参与，并在采样工作中培训大学生。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

Earthquakes can have both immediate and long-term effects on wells and springs fed by groundwater, including changes to water quality and flow rate. Chemical properties, measured as water quality parameters, are influenced by where the waters originate, and by how it interacts with rocks and minerals in the aquifer. In the arid west, many rural communities depend on groundwater exclusively, and it is important to understand potential threats to groundwater quality and spring flow that earthquakes may pose. In Nevada, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurred on May 15th, 2020 near Tonopah, a rural part of state known to have active faults with recurrent earthquakes. This event is the largest to have occurred in Nevada in over 60 years and was felt across more than 120,000 square miles with roughly 7000 aftershocks. The research team will continue a preliminary sampling campaign to determine water quality and water flow rate from wells and springs close to the epicenter. The team will continue to monitor and sample these sites over the next year to look for any temporary or more lasting earthquake-related effects to flow and water quality. This study will provide valuable information to understand how earthquakes affects groundwater in desert regions, especially when reconnecting water supplies, and understanding what the health risks may be of using undamaged wells after major earthquakes. This project will also train one student in field sampling and laboratory chemical analysis. This project seeks to determine the hydrochemical effects of the May 15, 2020 Mw 6.5 Monte Cristo Earthquake (NV) on groundwater resources within a 30km of the epicenter. A year-long monitoring program will be used to assess the seismic response and decay of that signal over time, focusing on changes in elemental and stable isotope chemistry, and flow rate of artesian wells. This earthquake provides a great opportunity to investigate the linkages between crustal processes and groundwater systems across distinct hydrographic basins in an active seismic zone, the Walker Lane, along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. This study is important for community water supplies after earthquakes and has not been done in Nevada before. Much of rural Nevada relies on groundwater, including residential private wells and municipal wells. The monitoring program has engaged community members and increased local awareness of seismic hazards affecting well water and will continue to involve community members and train university students in the sampling effort.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.