Evaluating modern recharge to the Memphis aquifer at the Lichterman well field, Memphis, Tennessee

Identifier

6225

Author

Michael Ryan Smith

Date

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Earth Sciences

Concentration

Geology

Committee Chair

Daniel Larsen

Committee Member

Hsiang-te Kung

Committee Member

Brian Waldron

Abstract

The Lichterman well field is a municipal water plant in Shelby County, Tenneessee, vulnerable to vertical seepage of modern groundwater (<60 yrs) into the underlying semiconfined Memphis aquifer. In order to identify probable pathways and sources of modern water, 11 production wells and 1 shallow monitoring well sampled for major solute chemistry,3H,3He, SF6and noble gases. Hydrostratigraphic cross sections reveal potential pathways of modern water leakage to the Memphis aquifer adjacent to the well field. Geochemical inverse modeling estimates up to 14% modern water from sampled production wells. Lumped parameter modeling best fit a piston flow model for regional recharge and dispersion model for local recharge through suspected hydrologic windows estimating fractions of modern water from 14 to 29.5%. Unconfined conditions in the Memphis aquifer and limited saturation of the overlying shallow aquifer may limit vertical leakage of modern water into the Memphis aquifer.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

Recommended Citation

Smith, Michael Ryan, "Evaluating modern recharge to the Memphis aquifer at the Lichterman well field, Memphis, Tennessee" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1855.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd/1855