Premium
Results of Seepage Meter and Mini‐Piezometer Study, Lake Mead, Nevada
Author(s) -
Woessner William W.,
Sullivan Kevin E.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1984.tb01425.x
Subject(s) - piezometer , groundwater , hydrology (agriculture) , water quality , water table , surface water , borehole , environmental science , geology , metre , aquifer , geotechnical engineering , environmental engineering , astronomy , ecology , physics , biology
The seepage meter and the mini‐piezometer were utilized in an attempt to evaluate ground‐water reservoir interactions over a 12‐month period at Echo Bay in Lake Mead. In conjunction with these techniques three standard piezometers, refraction seismic data, and water chemistry data were utilized to interpret seepage device results. During a four‐month period, from December 1979 to March 1980, an 8 ft (2.5 m) rise in reservoir stage, the reservoir contributed water to Echo Wash bank storage at rates of up to 0.29 gpd/ft 2 (12 lpd/m 2 ). Ground‐water discharge occurred for the remainder of the project, during a stage decline from April 1980 to May 1980, a rise in June 1980, and leveling off and slight decline for the remainder of the year, July 1980 to December 1980. The maximum seepage meter ground‐water discharge rate of 3.0 gpd/ft 2 (122 lpd/m 2 ) was recorded in December 1980. Seepage meter water chemistry data for June were similar to Lake Mead water chemistry and were interpreted to be previously recharged Lake Mead water. September water chemistry data showed two possible components of ground‐water discharge, a high SpC calcium sulfate Echo Wash ground water and a lower SpC Lake Mead recharged bank storage water. December ground‐water chemistry data showed discharge to be a high SpC calcium sulfate water similar to Echo Wash ground‐water quality which was apparently unaffected by Lake Mead inflow. Mini‐piezometer data were collected at each seepage meter site. However, these data usually did not provide correlative results with seepage meter data probably because of suspended sediment in the piezometer water column and plugging of the perforated tip. Seepage meters were successfully utilized to characterize reservoir ground‐water interaction in Echo Bay.