Geology Colloquium | Balancing Climate and Land Use Changes with Limited Groundwater Resources of a Paleokarst Aquifer System, Dec. 6

Dr. Xizhen “Jenny” Schenk

The Geological Sciences Colloquium Series presents Dr. Xizhen “Jenny” Schenk discussing “Balancing Climate and Land Use Changes with Limited Groundwater Resources of a Paleokarst Aquifer System” on Friday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. in Clippinger 205.

Schenk is an Assistant Professor of Instruction at Ohio University Department of Geological Sciences.

Abstract: The seaward movement of freshwater naturally prevents saltwater from encroaching into coastal freshwater aquifers; however, extensive groundwater withdrawals have resulted in substantial declines in the Upper Floridan Aquifer level in southwest Florida. Such reduction has, consequently, accelerated the encroachment of saltwater into freshwater aquifers. Such problems are exacerbated by climate change, which affects aquifer resource by changing the precipitation and the demand associated with precipitation changes.  Public water supply is estimated to reach at least 220 million gallons/day by 2050.  With the increasing freshwater demand, decreasing freshwater storage, and subsequent saltwater encroachment, this study is aimed to better understand the freshwater and saltwater interface movement, the relations among rainfall, pumpage, and aquifer level, and as well as regional geologic heterogeneities.