Karst hydrogeology field site

Mission: establish a long-term research site for advancing fundamental understanding and modeling capability of flow and transport in karst aquifers.

Karst hydrogeology site in SE Minnesota

Karst aquifers, with their intricate triple-porosity system comprised of conduits, fractures, and rock matrix, present a uniquely challenging landscape due to their extensive multi-scale heterogeneity. This complexity severely complicates the prediction of transport phenomena within these aquifers. To address this challenge, our team has been contributing to a cutting-edge research field site dedicated to the long-term study of karst hydrogeology. Located at Bear Spring in Olmsted County, southeastern Minnesota, this site already has a wealth of data from previous monitoring endeavors, including tracer breakthrough curves and detailed water chemistry analyses. By collaborating with hydrogeologists from state agencies and engaging with the local agricultural community, our team is gaining a deeper understanding of the karst aquifer's dynamics. Our joint efforts are directed towards constructing a comprehensive field-scale groundwater model utilizing the MODFLOW-CFP framework, with the aim of achieving a more accurate representation of karst aquifers.

Selected publications