• Research

• Longleaf Pine Research
• Aquatics Research
• Wetlands
• Streams/Rivers
• Groundwater
• Preliminary Aquatic Assessment of the Chickasawhatchee Swamp
• Baseline Hydrology of the Chickasawhatchee Swamp
• Effects of the Chickasawhatchee Swamp on Surface-Water Quality
• Nitrogen and Carbon Transformations in the Chickasawhatchee Swamp
• Biogeochemical Studies of the Upper Floridan Aquifer
• Evaluation of Groundwater and Surface-Water Exchanges in the Lower Flint River Basin, Georgia
• Land-Use Impacts
• Wildlife Research
• Research Publications
• Graduate Projects

Groundwater Research

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide, and more than 50 percent of the population of the United States rely on groundwater as a source of fresh water and as a primary drinking water supply. Yet, the dynamic nature of groundwater is not readily apparent because it is not visible except where it is discharged from the earth at springs and wells. The dynamic aspects of groundwater flow systems, their recharge, and interactions with streams and wetlands are numerous and extend over many different time scales. A groundwater system comprises the subsurface water, the geologic media containing the water, boundaries that constrain the water, recharge that replenishes the water, and springs and wells that return the water to the surface of earth. The aquifers and confining beds that underlie any area comprise the groundwater system of the area. Our aquifers store recharge water received from rainfall to the extent of the porosity of the media, and transmit water from areas of recharge to areas of discharge. Under natural conditions the time scale for this transfer can range from days to millions of years. Thus, the age of groundwater can vary from recent rainfall to water trapped during geologic time when the aquifer media was originally deposited. In most ecosystems, groundwater is a critical part of the hydrologic cycle. During times of reduced rainfall, our groundwater systems sustain our streams, wetlands and aquatic communities. It is for these reasons that we must conserve and protect this valuable natural resource. Prudent development of this resource requires a complete understanding of the factors that affect the recharge, storage, and movement of groundwater, and its effect on the terrestrial environment, streamflow, and biota.