Groundwater source assessment program for the state of Hawaii, USA: Methodology and example application

Robert B. Whittier, Kolja Rotzoll, Sushant Dhal, Aly I. El-Kadi, Chittaranjan Ray, Daniel Chang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

The 1996 reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act required that each state in the US addresses the protection of public drinking water sources, including the development and implementation of a source-water assessment program. Such a program includes delineating source-water assessment areas, inventorying potential contaminant sources within this area, and determining the water system's susceptibility to contamination. The public was also involved in various phases of the program. Hawaii's groundwater source assessment program is presented, along with an approach for implementation, which is consistent with federal requirements. The approach integrates groundwater models, aquifer databases, and a geographic information system. Source assessment areas were delineated by using numerical groundwater-flow models that used site-specific data to their fullest availability. The proposed approach is flexible enough to allow easy future updates as more sources are identified or as new information becomes available. The final product includes numerical scores that quantify the relative source susceptibility to contamination. Aquifer models developed in this study are potentially useful for future site-specific protection efforts or for other modeling purposes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)711-723
Number of pages13
JournalHydrogeology Journal
Volume18
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Groundwater management
  • Groundwater protection
  • Numerical modeling
  • USA
  • Water-resources conservation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Water Science and Technology
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

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