Locating groundwater discharge in large lakes using bottom sediment electrical conductivity mapping

Abstract

Groundwater‐surface water studies that use conventional near‐shore piezometers and /or seepage meters are impractical in larger, areal extensive lakes, as they require exorbitant numbers of instruments to quantify groundwater discharge zones. In smaller lakes an electrical conductivity mapping method has proven useful in mapping groundwater discharge zones. The technique identifies groundwater discharge by measuring variations in sediment pore water electrical conductivity and reduces the number of instruments necessary to quantify inflow, thereby lowering instrumentation costs and increasing a study's efficiency. This study sought to determine the technique's applicability in larger lakes. Thus the method was tested within the Hamilton Harbour, at the western end of Lake Ontario. This study found systematic variations between nearshore and offshore sediments and identified three anomalous zones that were thought to represent groundwater inflow. Onshore and offshore piezometers were used to verify the presence of upward gradients and elevated electrical conductivities. The sediment probe survey provided qualitative maps of areas of elevated electrical conductivity indicative of groundwater discharge and allowed a fairly extensive shoreline to be mapped quickly and economically. Survey results guided the installation of nearshore piezometers to discharge zones, eliminating the inefficiency of more conventional “hit or miss” point source installation approaches. This research demonstrated that the sediment probe was a valuable tool for studying groundwater inputs into large lakes.