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Regional Hydrogeochemistry of a Modern Coastal Mixing Zone
Author(s) -
Wicks Carol M.,
Herman Janet S.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/95wr03244
Subject(s) - groundwater , groundwater recharge , aquifer , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater flow , groundwater discharge , gypsum , precipitation , saline water , salinity , geotechnical engineering , oceanography , geography , meteorology , paleontology
In west central Florida, groundwater samples were collected along flow paths in the unconfined upper Floridan aquifer that cross the inland, freshwater recharge area and the coastal discharge area. A groundwater flow and solute transport model was used to evaluate groundwater flow and mixing of fresh and saline groundwater along a cross section of the unconfined upper Floridan aquifer. Results show that between 8% and 15% of the fresh and 30–31% of the saline groundwater penetrates to the depth in the flow system where contact with and dissolution of gypsum is likely. The deeply circulating fresh and saline groundwater returns to the near‐surface environment discharging CaSO 4 ‐rich water to the coastal area where it mixes with fresh CaHCO 3 groundwater, resulting in a prediction of calcite precipitation in the modern mixing zone.