Transient Functioning of a Groundwater Wetland Complex, Allequash basin, Wisconsin

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Project Number:

WR05R007

Funding Year:

2005

Contract Period:

7/1/2005 - 6/30/2007

Funding Source:

UWS

Investigator(s):
PIs:
  • Mary Anderson, UW-Madison
Abstract:

The objective of this research is to quantify groundwater flux, flow directions and residence time of water within a fen/stream complex in the Allequash basin in Vilas County, northern Wisconsin, in order to provide insight into the transient response times and functioning of a wetland. Hydraulic head and temperature will be measured in 15 nested piezometers over a two year period. A ground penetrating radar survey will be conducted to determine the thickness of peat within the wetland. These data will then be input to a coupled groundwater flow and heat transport model. Temperature data will help constrain the calibration of the flow model. Modeling results will define temporal variability in groundwater flux over the growing and non-growing seasons. Results from this project will be useful to researchers studding the hydrology and ecology of wetlands and to those in charge of wetland management, design and creation.

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