WILLIAM SIOK GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Figure 3: Cross section of White Bear Lake showing the four formations that underly the lake
(from Jones et al., 2013).
measurements of well water levels and expert interpretation of well construction and geologic data garnered through well logs. Additionally, water samples were collected and analyzed for physical properties, total dissolved solids, O-18/O-16 ratios, and deuterium/protium ratios. These data were collected in order to determine groundwater origin (e.g. atmospheric, lake, or deep aquifer). Understanding the results of these tests requires the ability to take the chemical significance of these parameters and place them in the context of the hydrogeological system. Further, a hydrogeologist must adhere to rigorous sampling and quality assurance procedures, such as replicate samples and equipment blanks, in order to maintain confidence in the results. Lastly, this study included a mini- piezometer and seepage meter survey. These instruments are subject to errors based on construction, installation, analysis, and interpretation. In particular, lakebed heterogeneity must be properly addressed. These lines of evidence suggested that water was moving from the lake into the underlying aquifers and that WBL wouldn’t recover without abundant precipita- tion or pumping reductions (Jones et al., 2013). A settlement was reached that required a municipal shift from groundwater sources to the Mississippi River. Costs were projected to be as high as $600 million (Metropolitan Council, 2014), which the MN legislature was unable to allocate. Currently, the case is being heard by the MN Supreme Court. The significance of this court case demonstrates society’s vital need for highly trained hydrogeologists.
Cases like this have been heard in courts all over the coun- try, including the US Supreme Court. The courts’ decisions were based in part on hydrogeologists’ expertise. This is only one facet of society’s increasing demand for people with this type of training. Considering current trends in climate change
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and population growth, it is likely that water supply issues will gain in importance and require the skills of hydrogeologists in courtrooms, government planning offices, consulting compa- nies, and regulatory offices over the next ten years and beyond.
About the Essayist
Matt is from the Twin Cities Metro area of Minnesota. He received a B.A. in geology from the University of Minnesota Morris in 2014. He is now a second year Master’s student at the University of Kansas studying hydrogeology. His research focuses on contaminated site characterization and surface water-groundwater interactions.
References
Brown, T.C., 1999, Past and Future Freshwater Use in the United States: A Technical Document Supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment: Rocky Mountain Research Station Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-39, 47 p.
Burness, H.S., and Quirk, J.P., 1979, Appropriative Water Rights and the Efficient Allocation of Resources: The American Economic Review, v. 69, p. 25–37.
Jones, P.M., Trost, J.J., Rosenberry, D.O., Jackson, P.R., Bode, J.A., and O’Grady, R.M., 2013, Groundwater and Surface- water Interactions near White Bear Lake, Minnesota, through 2011: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5044, 73 p.
Metropolitan Council, 2014, Feasibility Assessment of Approaches to Water Sustainability in the Northeast Metro -Summary, 14 p.
Swenson, E., 1999, Public Trust Doctrine and Groundwater Rights: University of Miami Law Review, v. 53, p. 363-.
Winter, T.C., 2001, Ground Water and Surface Water: the Linkage Tightens, But Challenges Remain: Hydrological Processes, v. 15, p. 3605–3606.
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