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

地震会对地下水水井和泉水产生直接和长期的影响，包括水质和流量的变化。作为水质参数测量的化学性质受水的来源以及水与含水层中的岩石和矿物的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构成的潜在威胁是很重要的。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，已知有活动断层，经常发生地震。这次地震是内华达州60多年来发生的最大地震，震区超过12万平方英里，余震约7000次。研究小组将继续进行初步采样活动，以确定震中附近水井和泉水的水质和流速。该小组将在明年继续对这些地点进行监测和取样，以寻找与地震有关的任何暂时或更持久的水流和水质影响。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，以及了解在大地震后使用未损坏的井可能带来的健康风险。该项目还将训练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日发生的6.5兆瓦基督山地震（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，重点关注元素和稳定同位素化学的变化，以及自流井的流量。这次地震提供了一个很好的机会来研究地壳过程和地下水系统之间的联系，在一个活跃的地震带，沿着内华达山脉东侧的沃克巷，横跨不同的水文盆地。这项研究对地震后的社区供水很重要，以前从未在内华达州做过。内华达州大部分农村地区依赖地下水，包括住宅私人水井和市政水井。监测项目让社区成员参与进来，提高了当地对影响井水的地震灾害的认识，并将继续让社区成员参与进来，并对大学生进行抽样工作培训。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.