KILOMETER-SCALE ELECTRICAL HYDROGEOLOGY OF A KARST MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE SITE

The science of hydrogeology was developed by creating conceptual models of the subsurface based on chemical or physical hydrogeology principles. Numerical and analytical modeling significantly added to the science. Now, the ability to collect high density electrical data on an academic and commercial basis has allowed us to use these data to fill in the gap between site and regional scale models. Surface electrical resistivity images were collected with line lengths of 1100 meters and smaller across a kilometer-scale block of the Eastern Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer. The site is a managed aquifer recharge research site which is part of the catchment for Byrds Mill Spring, the largest spring in Oklahoma. The results demonstrate the presence of mapped and previously unmapped faults across the site. Additionally, the structure of the bedrock weathering indicates new conceptual models for the functioning of Byrds Mill Spring siphon and conduit network.