RESTORING FRAMEWORK AND ASSESING DEGRADATION IN AN ALLUVIAL AQUIFER

Aquifer restoration is the concept of restoring degraded aquifers back to previous conditions. Aquifer restoration has almost completely been studied as a groundwater water quality problem while little research has focused on physical degradation. Surface mining of resources that comprise aquifer framework directly impacts aquifer functionality as well as characteristics such as transmissivity, storativity and water quality. The Brazos River Alluvium aquifer near Waco, Texas is exemplary of an aquifer that has been physically impacted by anthropological influences. These impacts are largely due to urban growth and easy access to sand and gravel resources in the alluvium. In order to restore the aquifer, the anthropological influences must first be identified and quantified. Some identified influences, such as aquifer volume lost by extraction (mining), can be quantified using GIS software and satellite imagery. Other influences require statistical analyses or modeling to quantify the impacts. Solutions for assessing these impacts and for restoring the Brazos River Alluvium aquifer are presented conceptually with proposed methodology. Aquifer restoration that targets physical degradation as well as water quality may be important in managing water resources for the future.