ASA Southern Branch 2008 Annual Meeting
February 3-5, 2008
Dallas, TX
Monday, February 4, 2008 - 2:15 PM
Monitoring Water Wells in Mddle Tennessee with down Well Camera.
Samuel Dennis1, Desh Duseja1, Paul F. Vendrell2, and Alvin Wade1. (1) IAgER, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209, (2) University of Georgia, 2300 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30602
Middle Tennessee has an abundance of limestone rocks that tend to weather into terrains referred to as karst. Karst is characterized by sinkholes and disappearing streams and caves, which could serve as conduits to contaminants because of their rapid groundwater flow especially in recharge conditions such as storm events. Groundwater can be vulnerable to contamination especially in karst terrain and in unconfined sand aquifers The protection of groundwater and surface water from contamination continues to pose a major challenge, because, it impacts source water quality. Down well camera technology has been used to inspect water wells for potential problems associated with improper well construction and/or maintenance, and to highlight the overall integrity of the wells. The goal of this study was to capture film footage by this technology in water wells located in the Middle Tennessee counties of Davidson Cheatham and Franklin. Davidson County well was located on Tennessee State University Agricultural Research Farm, whereas the Cheatham and Franklin county wells were on a private land-owner’s farm. No evidence of leaks through the casing or casing joints was observed in either of the wells. However, visual evidence of extensive fractures and dissolution channels within the sedimentary rock aquifer was noted during the video inspections of the open bore-hole. Due to the extensive fracturing observed, it would be rational to assume that the potential for seeping contaminants exists. Abundance of particulate matter was also evident on the video, which could be an indication of a biologically active ground water, or of other chemotropic matter dissolved from soil minerals, or both. Live fish were observed swimming in the Davidson County well at depths of 32 and 68 feet. They were tentatively identified as the Southern Cavefish, Typhlichthys subterraneus. Down well camera technology can be a valuable environmental educational tool for scientists and extension personnel in a ‘train the trainer’ program. Also, by demonstrating a recorded well camera video footage, farmers or well owners can be educated on the perils of not maintaining their water wells properly.