Ground Water Systems in West Tennessee: Sources, Contamination, and Management, Study notes of Civil Engineering

Download Ground Water Systems in West Tennessee: Sources, Contamination, and Management and more Study notes Civil Engineering in PDF only on Docsity! Ground Water Systems of West Tennessee The Earth’s six billion people already over tax its supply of accessible fresh water. Farmers and municipalities are pumping water out of the ground faster than it can be replenished The United Nations said that 2.7 billion people would face severe water shortages by 2025 1.2 billion people drink unclean water…more than five million people die each year from water-related diseases Source: National Geographic, Sept. 2002 Memphis and the Mid-South region is fortunate to have some of the best and most abundant ground water in the world! The Mississippi Embayment The basin is shallow and narrower toward the north and increases both in depth and width toward the Gulf of Mexico Axis of the embayment parallels the current location of the Mississippi River The Mississippi Embayment Cross-section of the Mississippi Embayment CIVL 1101 West Tennessee Groundwater 1/7 Cross-section of the Mississippi Embayment Cross-section of the Mississippi Embayment Cross-section of the Mississippi Embayment Early drinking water usage Yellow fever epidemics forced Memphis to look for a better water supply than the Wolf River R.C. Graves, superintendent of the Bohlen-Huse Ice Co.- (1887) Development of the Memphis aquifer as a source of drinking water A Memphis aquifer flowing well Drilling rig used around the turn of the century for well installation into the Memphis aquifer Flowing well in Jackson, TN (2002) CIVL 1101 West Tennessee Groundwater 2/7 Point/non-point source pollution of rivers with subsequent transport of contaminants to the aquifer Point/non-point source pollution of rivers with subsequent transport of contaminants to the aquifer Point/non-point source pollution of rivers with subsequent transport of contaminants to the aquifer Point/non-point source pollution of rivers with subsequent transport of contaminants to the aquifer Point/non-point source pollution of rivers with subsequent transport of contaminants to the aquifer Point/non-point source pollution of rivers with subsequent transport of contaminants to the aquifer CIVL 1101 West Tennessee Groundwater 5/7 The Ground Water Institute was founded in 1992 in response to a need for regional ground water management in West Tennessee The Institute operates under the Herff College of Engineering Mission: Understand, improve, and protect current and future ground water quality and quantity through research, education and application GROUND WATER INSTITUTE University of Memphis Pursuit of our Mission Continue to refine our knowledge of the Memphis aquifer and other aquifer systems within the Mississippi embayment Provide information regarding water resources and GIS technology to the local and regional community Expand the graduate program by adding new curriculum and by actively seeking graduate students both at the Master’s and Doctoral level The Ground Water Institute is committed to addressing the potential and current threats to our aquifer systems We do this through research and education Accomplishing our Mission Ground Water Institute facilities Student workers in our GIS computational lab and our ESRI Authorized training center Soil and water chemical analysis facilities within the Department of Earth Sciences, an inter-departmental effort Our facilities are not always indoor! Research sites in Fayette County and at Shelby Farms Recent, current and planned projects Investigate the transfer of shallow aquifer water vertically downward into the Memphis aquifer through confining unit breaches Develop a computerized geologic database accessible to researchers and the general public Estimate ground-water replenishment rates (recharge) by rainfall Assess and better understand the interaction between our ground-water systems and the rivers in the area Produce an educational video on the ground-water resources of West Tennessee for TDEC The Ground Water Institute thanks our local contributors and sponsors Memphis Light, Gas & Water is our leading supporter Local municipalities and industry Federal institutions CIVL 1101 West Tennessee Groundwater 6/7 Other Resources • Local Ground Water Information – http://gwi.memphis.edu/ – http://gwidc.gwi.memphis.edu/website/dws/risk/ – http://water.usgs.gov/wsc/ – http://www.state.tn.us/environment/ – http://www.mlgw.com/publications.htm – Available in November 2003: • Drops of Water in Oceans of Sand (Video describing ground water resources in Western TN.) CIVL 1101 West Tennessee Groundwater 7/7