Date of Defense

9-23-1992

Department

Geosciences

First Advisor

Dr. John Grace

Second Advisor

Dr. Alan Kehew

Third Advisor

Connie Cousins-Leatherman

Abstract

Concentrations of nitrate, chloride, specific conductance, hardness, iron, sodium and fluoride were collected by the Kalamazoo County Health Department (KCHD) from 377 wells in the areas of Pavilion, Brady, and Wakeshma townships of Kalamazoo County. An attempt was made by the worker to identify areas in which groundwater nitrate concentrations exceed the Federal and State Drinking water standards of 10 ppm (mg/l) and to identify sources and other factors which produce high levels. The other ground water parameters - chloride, specific conductivity, hardness, iron, sodium and fluoride - were studied only in terms of average concentrations found.

Three areas were found to have wells with nitrate levels above 10 ppm. Five percent of the 377 wells tested for nitrate exceeded the 10 ppm standard. Seven percent of the wells had concentrations ranging from 5 - 9 ppm. Levels were generally higher under urban - residential rather than agricultural land, which suggests that urban activities contribute more nitrate to groundwater.

Concentrations of hardness and iron were generally high throughout the study areas whereas the concentrations of chloride, sodium and fluoride were very low.

DRASTIC and AQUIPRO, two models which estimate aquifer vulnerability to contamination, were evaluated according to their general accuracy in predicting areas of maximum nitrate contamination.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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