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EVALUATING GROUNDWATER FILTRATION IN A WETLAND USING DYE TRACERS AND MONITORING WELLS

Abstract

Wetlands serve as critical natural filters, yet their role in subsurface groundwater filtration has been less understood than surface water filtration processes. This study investigated the effectiveness of the Piedmont University wetland in Georgia at filtering groundwater using a dye tracer approach. A series of five groundwater monitoring wells were installed along the expected flow path, and a non-toxic red dye was injected into the upgradient well. Well water was sampled at regular time intervals and dye absorbance values were measured at regular intervals using UV/VIS spectrophotometry at 556 nm to track solute transport through the subsurface. Groundwater water table fluctuations in the injection well were continuously monitored using HOBO groundwater monitoring devices. Data was analyzed using a Kruskal-Wallis test to compare downgradient wells and regression analyses to examine absorbance changes over time in the injection well. Results demonstrated that the wetland significantly reduced dye concentrations through a combination of physical, chemical, and biological filtration processes, highlighting the importance of wetlands in maintaining groundwater quality. Groundwater levels and dye transport exhibited substantial variability associated with precipitation events, demonstrating that rainfall strongly influenced subsurface hydrologic conditions and dye movement in this unconfined aquifer system. Overall, the study demonstrated that wetlands effectively filter groundwater and highlighted the importance of hydrologic variability in wetland tracer studies.

Acknowledgements

Piedmont University Natural Science Department

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