gwh

Surface Water-Groundwater Field Lab

The Surface Water-Groundwater Field Lab supports both field-based research and hands-on teaching. The lab consists of a growing suite of deployable instruments for performing laboratory-grade analysis in natural environments. Our measurement capabilities are used to investigate the critical zone where surface water and groundwater meet, as well as broader groundwater resources. This includes

• High-resolution water quality analysis
• Near-real-time water budget calculations
• Hydraulic measurements
• Subsurface imaging using hydrogeophysical methods

By bringing these analytical tools to the field, we advance understanding and develop solutions for hydrological and environmental systems. These systems include:

• Interaction between surface water-groundwater systems and coastal estuaries
• Sustainability of vital groundwater aquifers and climate resilience
• Fate and transport of pesticides and nutrients from agricultural areas in south florida
• Sustainable agricultural inputs to improve crop productivity and reduce environmental impacts

Water quality measurements

• YSI ProSample P-12: A full-size, portable sampler with SDI-12 connectivity, designed for automated water sampling of up to (24) 1-liter bottles.
• YSI EXO2 Sonde: A multiparameter water quality sonde with six sensor ports. Accompanying sensors measure conductivity/temperature, optical DO, pH & ORP, Ammonium (NH4), Nitrate (NO3), and Rhodamine for dye tracer tests
• 12V Stainless Steel Monsoon XL pump: Used for groundwater sampling and low-flow pumping, mounted on a metal reel with a 130’ lead with Power Booster 2 XL LCD Controller (COMBO-XL-20)

Near-real-time water budget measurements

• Meter ATMOS 41W: An all-in-one wireless remote weather station providing comprehensive meteorological data
• Meter TEROS Soil Moisture Profile Probe: For detailed vertical soil moisture profiling
• Meter TEROS 12 Soil Moisture Sensors: Measures soil moisture at specific points
• Meter HYDROS 21: Measures water depth, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature
• Meter ZL6 logger: A central data logger with six ports to collect and store data from the weather station and various sensors
• Meter SATURO: An automated in-situ permeameter for measuring saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil

Surface water and groundwater hydraulic measurements

• YSI Global Water WL16 Vented Water Level & Temperature Logger: Measures water levels and temperature in wells and surface water bodies
• Hach FH950 Portable Velocity System: Measures water flow velocity in streams and open channels
• Solinst Water Level Meter: Used for manual groundwater level measurements in wells

Hydrogeophysical surveys

• ABEM Terrameter LS 2: An Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) system for imaging subsurface geological structures and groundwater, suitable for lab-scale models, long-term monitoring, and large-scale field applications

General fieldwork equipment and supplies

General equipment is available to support field operations, some of which may be borrowed from university partners.

• Tools and measurement: General toolset, post diggers, hand augers, San Angelo Bar, measuring tapes, bubble level, and a total station for surveying.
• Sampling and observation: Soil micro-auger, multi-level samplers, Secchi disk, and waders
• Logistics and support: Ice boxes, canopy shade, heavy-duty folding wagon, car batteries, and a generator
• Specialized: A portable concrete mixer for general installation

Software and computational tools

Beyond physical fieldwork, the lab host suite of software and high-performance computing resources for data analysis, computational modeling, and engineering designs.

• Core Software: We utilize industry-standard and open-source software, including MODFLOW family for surface water-groundwater modeling and the Python programming language with its extensive libraries for data analysis and machine learning. Our work involves a wide range of computational methods that includes
  • Environmental data science including remote sensing and climate data analysis
  • Geostatistical analysis for subsurface characterization
  • Numerical modeling including groundwater flow, contaminant transport, and surface water-groundwater interactions
  • Machine learning and AI for problems too complex for numerical modeling
  • Calibration and optimization using high-performance computing
  • Uncertainty analysis for analyzing potential range of outcomes and sampling optimization
• High-performance computing (HPC): The lab has access to HiPerGator AI for large-scale simulations, complex optimization problems, and training advanced machine learning models

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