Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2006NJ98B

Advancing the characterization of fractured bedrock aquifers using electrical geophysical methods: application to water resources evaluation in the New Jersey Highlands

Institute: New Jersey
Year Established: 2006 Start Date: 2006-03-01 End Date: 2007-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $11,917

Principal Investigators: DeBonne Wishart, Lee Slater

Project Summary: The scientific aims of this project are: (1) to improve the effectiveness of electrical geophysical methods in the hydrogeological characterization of fractured bedrock aquifers and (2) to apply the methods to improve understanding of fracture geometry in the north New Jersey Highlands. The complex fracture geometry in the bedrock of this region encourages the application of such integrated geophysical methods that are sensitive to hydraulic anisotropy and direction of groundwater flow. The program of research will study how integrated geoelectric measurements can be used to distinguish hydraulically-conductive clay-lined fractures and to infer direction (and possibly rates) of groundwater flow. This will initiate hydrogeophysical research in the New Jersey Highlands directed towards improving water resources management and reducing aquifer vulnerability in the region.