Research Highlights:

Investigating Hydrologic Tracers for Assessing 

Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water

Funded Projects:

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Efficacy of using algae chloroplasts and berillyum-7 to aid in GWUDI determination. R. Gentry (PI), L. McKay (Co-PI), J. McCarthy (Co-PI), and A. Layton (Co-PI), $161,920.

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Photograph (a) shows Dr. Larry Mckay installing a pan to collect atmospheric deposition of ⁷Be, for comparisson to measurements of ⁷Be in the local wells that reside in karstic stratigraphy.

Investigating Leakage to Semi-Confined Aquifers Near Localized Leakage Features

Funded Projects:

National Science Foundation, Collaborative Research (USC and UT): A Study of Naturally Occurring Decay-Series Isotopes as Quantitative Hydro-Geochemical Tracers, T. Ku (PI), J. McCarthy (Co-PI), R. Gentry (Co-PI),  $114,306 ($90,000 Federal Funds).

American Water Works Association Research Foundation, A Novel Approach for Understanding the Recharge Mechanisms to the Memphis Aquifer in Shelby County, Tennessee, 2000-2002, R. Gentry (PI) with L. McKay, N. Thonnard, J. Anderson, D. Larsen, K. Solomon, and J. Carmichael. $494,812.

Tennessee Water Resources Research Center, An Investigation to Identify Sources and Quantities of Modern Recharge to the Memphis Aquifer in the Sheahan Well field in Shelby County, Tennessee, 2000-2001, R. Gentry (PI), D. Larsen, J. Harris, J. Anderson, K. Solomon. $24,996.

Shelby County Ground Water Quality Control Board, Preliminary study to determine whether modern water is entering the Memphis Sand aquifer beneath Memphis and Shelby County, TN., 1999-2000, with J. Anderson (PI), and D. Larsen. $46,500.

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Photographs (a) and (b) show Rotasonic drilling and Core from the Shelby Farms research site where a known window exists in the upper Claiborne aquitard.  Also shown (Photo c), are Drs. John McCarthy, Richard Ku and Shangde Luo setting up filter collection system for uranium and thorium isotopes from the Sheahan Wellfield.

The research is focused on investigating the groundwater hydrology associated with leakage occurring at highly localized areas of leakage, termed windows where the aquitard clay is known to be absent.  Inter-disciplinary teams are using a variety of investigative techniques to better understand the nature of the hydraulics and potential risk involved with the movement of water from shallow ground water or surface water sources to an otherwise confined aquifer system.  The various techniques being investigated include environmental tracers (i.e., tritium, helium-3, krypton-85, etc.) and inverse techniques (numerical modeling and GA techniques). 

Investigating the Occurrence of Pathogens as Related to Watershed Processes

Funded Projects:

Tennessee Water Resource Research Center, Evaluation of pathogen occurrence and causation within the Stock Creek watershed (Knox County) as a model for watershed restoration, J. McCarthy (PI), A. Layton (Co-PI), R. Gentry (Co-PI) and L. McKay (Co-PI), $34,070 federal funds, $102,580 Total Project.

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, An evaluation of watershed practices and the occurrence of E. Coli, R. Gentry (PI), Alice Layton (Co-PI), John McCarthy (Co-PI) and Larry McKay (Co-PI), $25,000.

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Photos (a) and (b) show Environmental Engineering graduate students Patrick McMahon and Shesh Koirala collecting flow data and sampling from Stock Creek in South Knoxville.

The focus of the project is to develop a database of hydrologic data and pathogen occurrence data to investigate the causation and possible source of pathogens in the Stock Creek watershed.   A novel approach for potential pathogen source identification is being developed by researchers at The Center for Environmental Biotechnology at The University of Tennessee.

Water Quality Monitoring and Surface/Groundwater Interactions

Funded Projects:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Effect of atmospheric deposition on fish and water quality in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, B. Robinson (PI-overall project), R. Gentry (PI- for GW/SW Interaction Study), $120,392. Contract Pending.

National Park Service, Little Yellow Creek Planning Level Assessment, 2002-2003, R. Gentry (PI), R. Robinson (Co-PI), G. Reed (Co-PI), $35,000.

National Park Service, Cumberland Gap National Historic Park analysis of water monitoring data and recommendations for future activity, R. Gentry (PI) and R. B. Robinson (Co-PI), $2,500.

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Photograph (a) shows Fern Lake at the Cumberland Gap National Park which discharges to Little Yellow Creek.

The initial focus of this research is to aid the NPS at Cumberland Gap National Historic Park in evaluating its current water quality monitoring strategy and effectiveness.  The research will identify trends associated with certain water quality parameters from historical data and will help fund the collection of stream gage data for Little Yellow Creek.

The second aspect of the research is aimed at evaluating the role that groundwater interaction might have on water quality in streams of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.  During storm events, the pH level in certain streams is know to drop to acidic conditions due to acid deposition and other issues in the park.  Groundwater interactions may play an important role in the overall water quality/fish habitat response in the system and has not been investigated to date.  Field work will begin in summer 2006 on this research.