Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS05 Groundwater at Aquatic Margins (Environmental Connections)

Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2001, Time: 10:45:00 AM

Location: Cimarron

Inniss, L, V, Louisiana State University, Coastal Ecology Institute, Baton Rouge, USA, linniss@lsu.edu

Cable, J, E, Louisiana State University, Coastal Ecology Institute, Baton Rouge, USA, jcable@lsu.edu

AN ANALYSIS OF GROUNDWATER SIGNIFICANCE IN COASTAL WATERSHEDS

The significance of groundwater contributions to coastal wetland hydrology is becoming more important in decision making now that the tools are available to quantify this potentially major component of the water budget. The aim of this analysis is to compare the significance of groundwater discharge into surface waters of the coastal watersheds along the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico states. Watersheds were investigated for differences based on hydrologic region, watershed size, stream discharge magnitude, and wetland surface area. Water budgets were calculated for each watershed using annual average precipitation, evapotranspiration, stream discharge, and change in storage. Since the end product of the budget equation was net groundwater flow, the change in storage for each watershed was critical. Using the change in water level along each mainstream river and its major tributaries, the change in slope was integrated over the major streams. Using water level data for two peak floods, the change in storage was obtained. The regional significance of groundwater contribution was compared for trends according to geologic regions, watershed size and the percentage of wetland area.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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