Active and inactive groundwater flow systems: Evidence from a stratified, mountainous terrain

Research Article| December 01, 2003 Active and inactive groundwater flow systems: Evidence from a stratified, mountainous terrain Alan L. Mayo; Alan L. Mayo 1Brigham Young University, Department of Geology, Provo, Utah 84602, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Thomas H. Morris; Thomas H. Morris 1Brigham Young University, Department of Geology, Provo, Utah 84602, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Steven Peltier; Steven Peltier 2ExxonMobil, 795 International Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77024, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Erik C. Petersen; Erik C. Petersen 3Petersen Hydrologic, 2695 North 600 East, Lehi, Utah 84043, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kelly Payne; Kelly Payne 4Norwest Corporation, 12th Floor, 136 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Laura S. Holman; Laura S. Holman 5ExxonMobil, 233 Benmar, Houston, Texas 77060, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David Tingey; David Tingey 6Brigham Young University, Department of Geology, Provo, Utah 84602, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Tamara Fogel; Tamara Fogel 7586 Bradford Lane, Evans, Georgia 30809, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Brian J. Black; Brian J. Black 8Landmark Graphic Corporation, 15150 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas 77079, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Todd D. Gibbs Todd D. Gibbs 9Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, 1201 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, Texas 77380, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Alan L. Mayo 1Brigham Young University, Department of Geology, Provo, Utah 84602, USA Thomas H. Morris 1Brigham Young University, Department of Geology, Provo, Utah 84602, USA Steven Peltier 2ExxonMobil, 795 International Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77024, USA Erik C. Petersen 3Petersen Hydrologic, 2695 North 600 East, Lehi, Utah 84043, USA Kelly Payne 4Norwest Corporation, 12th Floor, 136 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, USA Laura S. Holman 5ExxonMobil, 233 Benmar, Houston, Texas 77060, USA David Tingey 6Brigham Young University, Department of Geology, Provo, Utah 84602, USA Tamara Fogel 7586 Bradford Lane, Evans, Georgia 30809, USA Brian J. Black 8Landmark Graphic Corporation, 15150 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas 77079, USA Todd D. Gibbs 9Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, 1201 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, Texas 77380, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 06 Mar 2002 Revision Received: 13 Jan 2003 Accepted: 21 Feb 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2003) 115 (12): 1456–1472. https://doi.org/10.1130/B25145.1 Article history Received: 06 Mar 2002 Revision Received: 13 Jan 2003 Accepted: 21 Feb 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Alan L. Mayo, Thomas H. Morris, Steven Peltier, Erik C. Petersen, Kelly Payne, Laura S. Holman, David Tingey, Tamara Fogel, Brian J. Black, Todd D. Gibbs; Active and inactive groundwater flow systems: Evidence from a stratified, mountainous terrain. GSA Bulletin 2003;; 115 (12): 1456–1472. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B25145.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract We present a new conceptual model of groundwater flow that describes active and inactive groundwater flow regimes. The model is based on an analysis of interactions between surface water and shallow and deep groundwater in the 240-km-long Wasatch Range and Book Cliffs, Utah, USA. Active zone groundwater flow paths are continuous, responsive to annual recharge and climatic variability, and have groundwater resident times "ages" that become progressively older from recharge to discharge area. Active zone groundwater systems discharge at thousands of springs that issue from the 700+-m-thick, gently dipping, clastic bedrock formations. Springs waters contain appreciable 3H and anthropogenic 14C. In contrast, inactive zone groundwater has extremely limited or no communication with annual recharge and has groundwater mean residence times that do not progressively lengthen along the flow path. Groundwater in the inactive zone may be partitioned, occur as discrete bodies, and may occur in hydraulically isolated regions that do not have hydraulic communication with each other. Inactive zone groundwater is encountered in-mines (coal-mines 300–700 m below ground surface) where groundwater discharge rates decline rapidly and the waters have δ2H and δ18O compositions that are distinguishable from near surface groundwater. In general, deep waters have no 3H and have mean 14C residence times of 500 to 20,000 yr (45.9 to 4.9 pmc). Chemical evolution modeling, porosity-permeability core plug analysis, and in-mine hydrographs also indicate hydraulic partitioning. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.