Groundwater Modeling of the West Plains, WA

Located in Eastern Washington in the West Plains Region sits a plateau of Columbia River Basalts between Deep Creek, Hangman Creek, and south of the Spokane River. Primarily in Airway Heights, the amount of drinking water as well as the quality of the water has affected residents in the area. The most recent issue is PFAS contamination, which is thought to negatively affect human health and is found in drinking water wells across the West Plains. We can interpret subsurface geology using new well logs from Fairchild Air Force Base and in the Palisades area. When using ArcGIS PRO, well information can then be interpreted and projected as various data points. After this, it can be interpolated to predict multiple geological horizons and can be used to estimate the flow direction of groundwater. We will also use real PFAS results from across the West Plains to estimate if contamination can be linked to possible sources, including airports, fire stations, car washing facilities, or dumps. These models can help residences in the West Plains Region understand the possible sources of contamination as well as create a safer environment for them and their families. This research could put worried residents at ease and help them find clarity in this difficult situation

Preliminary Groundwater modeling of the West Plains, Spokane County, Washington: ​ Deciphering erratic trends in PFAS contamination ​

The West Plains of Spokane County, eastern Washington is a plateau of Columbia River Basalt between Deep Creek, Hangman Creek, and south of the Spokane River. Primarily in Airway Heights, the quantity and quality of drinking water pumped from basalt aquifers has affected residents in the area. The most recent issue is PFAS contamination, which is thought to negatively affect human health and is found in drinking water wells across the West Plains. We interpret subsurface geology using new well logs from the Palisades area. When using ArcGIS PRO, well information can then be interpreted and projected as various data points. After this, it can be interpolated to predict multiple geological horizons and can be used to estimate the flow direction of groundwater. Using PFAS results from across the West Plains the erratic contamination can be linked to possible sources, including airports, fire stations, car washing facilities, or dumps. These models can help residents in the West Plains Region understand the possible contamination-sinks as well as create a safer environment for them and their families

The Water Crisis of Lake Mead, Nevada

The Colorado River flows from the western flanks of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado to the Gulf of California and is the primary water source for millions of residents of the southwestern United States. When Hoover Dam was completed in 1935, it created Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. At its fullest, Lake Mead holds 2 years of Colorado River flow. Lake Mead provides water to the cities of Las Vegas, Boulder City and Henderson, NV, and it provides electricity for Los Angeles, CA. Hoover Dam and the upstream Glen Canyon Dam regulate the amount of water in the Colorado River. Unfortunately, due to aridity and continuing high demand for water from both Lake Mead and Lake Powell, lake levels are dropping significantly. Lake Mead is expected to drop 20 feet within the next year. With levels dropping at an alarming rate, residents of southern Nevada are experiencing a water shortage crisis in what is already one of the driest areas in the nation, the Mojave Desert. We discuss the severity of the crisis, as well as the impacts on residents of the region