The objective of this study is to assess impacts of groundwater/surface water interactions
on the quantity and quality of water in Texas. The assessment will be accomplished through a review of existing
studies, an evaluation of the potential impact of groundwater/surface water interactions on both water quality
and water quantity, and technology transfer of results to interested agency staff.
BEG will conduct a number of tasks to accomplish the objective. (1) The study will include a review of
studies assessing groundwater/surface water (gw/sw) interactions in the U.S. relative to water quality and
water quantity issues. (2) Evaluation of impacts of gw/sw interactions on water quality will include comparison
of stream water quality with adjacent groundwater quality to assess connectivity. Potential impacts of
groundwater discharge on river segments identified as impaired in the Total Maximum Daily Load program will
also be examined. The status of knowledge on distribution of riparian vegetation will also be examined because
riparian vegetation can markedly affect contamination of surface water from groundwater discharge. (3)
Assessing impacts of gw/sw interactions on water quantity will include evaluation of different approaches for
hydrograph separation to quantify the component of surface water that is groundwater. Previous programs to
model water quantity of surface water (Water Availability Models [WAM]) and groundwater (Groundwater
Availability Models [GAM]) will be examined to determine the feasibility of using output from GAM for a
selected aquifer as input to WAM. Materials will be developed for technology transfer for interested agency
staff. This study began in November 2004 and will continue through August 2005. |
