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The Practical Application of Geology to the
Mitigation and Regulation of Isolated Wetlands
November 6, 2012Geological Society of America
Charlotte, NC
Amy Keyworth, Rick Bolich and Evan KaneNCDENR, Division of Water Quality
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Background
• Geographically isolated from surface water• The Clean Water Act of 1972
does not protect IWs
– 2001 – Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)
– 2006 – Rapanos/Carabell
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Background
• Wetland functions– Flood control– Erosion control– Surface water quality– Biodiversity– Unique functions – amphibian reproduction
• NC – regulate IWs since 2001Protect the function, and the presence
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Isolated Wetlands Hydrologic Connectivity Study
Multidisciplinary EPA grant-funded study– Biology, Ecology, Hydrology, Water quality
• Our role – hydrologic connectivity to surface water
• Bonus – knowledge we can apply to existing regulatory programs
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• Activities that we regulate that might affect the presence and function of IWs– Mine dewatering– Land application of wastewater
• What level of hydrogeologic assessment is necessary?
Today’s objective
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Legend
newphysiography83m_region
PHYSIOGRAP
Blue Ridge Province
Inner Coastal Plain
Outer Coastal Plain
Piedmont Province
50 Miles
50 Miles
Blue Ridge Province
Piedmont Province
Coastal Plain
North Carolina
Bladen County Brunswick County
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10 Miles
#####
#
##
Owens 19891:250,000
2 Miles
##
#
#
#
#
2 Miles
Weems 20111:100,000
2 Miles
##
#
#
#
#
2 Miles
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Isolated Wetlands Hydrologic Connectivity Study
• Lessons learned– Stratigraphy– Hydrology
• Horizontal flow direction• Vertical gradient
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Data Collection
• 44 cores• 72 monitoring wells• 3 pumping wells• 10 stream gaging stations• Water levels
– monthly point-in-time– 32 automatic data-loggers
• 3 Aquifer tests
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Stratigraphic Conceptual Models
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Isolated wetland Stream
ETP
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Isolated wetland Stream
Dark gray clay layer
Sandy layer
Water Level
Sand at Site BL7
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Isolated wetland Stream
Silt bodies at BL1
Silt body
Sandy layerWater Level
Dark gray clay layer
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Silt confining layer at site BL6
Isolated wetland Stream
Unconfined aquifer
Confined aquiferUnconfined
aquifer
Silt body
Sandy layerWater Level
Dark gray clay layer
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Elev
ation
(fe
et)
Distance (feet)0 600200 400
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Interbedded sand and clay
Sandy layer
Clay chips
Unknown
Wood
Isolated wetland
Connected wetland
Lower K layer at site GS1
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250 Feet
250 Ft
Site BL9 – cemented zones
Core site
Cemented zone
Isolated Wetland
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Hydrology Results
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500 ft
Flow direction Site BL7 - topographic control
#
#
#
####
Monitoring wells
Surface Water gaging
Flow direction
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500 ft
#
Monitoring wells
Flow direction
Flow directionSite BL17 - radial
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10/1
5/10
11/4
/10
11/2
4/10
12/1
4/10
1/3/
11
1/23
/11
2/12
/11
3/4/
11
3/24
/11
4/13
/11
5/3/
11
5/23
/11
6/12
/11
7/2/
11
7/22
/11
8/11
/11
8/31
/11
60
61
62
63
64
BL6-MW2 D and S
BL6-MW2d
BL6-MW2s
Wa
ter
Ta
ble
Ele
va
tio
n (
ft m
sl)
Vertical gradientUpward
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10/1
5/10
11/4
/10
11/2
4/10
12/1
4/10
1/3/
11
1/23
/11
2/12
/11
3/4/
11
3/24
/11
4/13
/11
5/3/
11
5/23
/11
6/12
/11
7/2/
11
7/22
/11
8/11
/11
8/31
/11
73
74
75
76
77
BL17 - MW1D and S
BL17-MW1d
BL17-MW1s
Wa
ter
Ta
ble
Ele
va
tio
n (
ft m
sl)
Vertical gradientDownward
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10/1
5/10
11/4
/10
11/2
4/10
12/1
4/10
1/3/
11
1/23
/11
2/12
/11
3/4/
11
3/24
/11
4/13
/11
5/3/
11
5/23
/11
6/12
/11
7/2/
11
7/22
/11
8/11
/11
8/31
/11
51
52
53
54
55
56
BL1 - MW1d and s
BL1-MW1d
BL1-MW1s
Wat
er T
able
Ele
vati
on
(ft
msl
)
Vertical gradientNo vertical gradient
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Vertical gradientChanges with conditions
BL7-MW1D BL7-MW1S Precipitation
50
51
52
0
1
2
Aug SepApr May JulJun
Wat
er T
able
Ele
vatio
n (ft
msl
)
Hou
rly P
reci
pita
tion
(in)
BL7 - MW1D and S
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What level of assessment is necessary?
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10 Miles
#####
#
##
Owen 19892 Miles
##
#
#
#
#
2 Miles
Weems 20112 Miles
##
#
#
#
#
2 Miles
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Conclusions
• Can’t assume a simple system• Scale matters• Detailed stratigraphic characterization
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Sample site plan
Core locationMonitoring well location
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Conclusions
• Can’t assume a simple system• Scale matters• Detailed stratigraphic characterization• Think local scale
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Acknowledgements
• EPA Cooperative Agreement Number CD 95415809 and CWA Section 106
• Bladen Lakes State Forest• Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest• The Nature Conservancy