198 R. W. Buddemeier et al.
2.1 The Hutchinson-Nickerson Area
In the area of the communities Hutchinson and Nickerson, oil brine contamination
and salt mine wastes pose local threats in specific places. However, the major
potential threat to the general quality of municipal water supplies in the area is
migration of groundwater of low quality from south of the Arkansas River to north
of the river. Intensive pumping has lowered the groundwater surface north of the
river below the elevation of the Arkansas River surface in various locations. This
creates or enhances the potential for migration of salt northward into the municipal
well fields and private wells.
Figure 3 shows some of the monitoring sites in the Hutchinson-Nickerson area
(GMD2). Several transects of nests of groundwater monitoring wells were
installed (Young et al. 1997); findings are summarized below.
Significant local factors include: (1) the water supply areas of the urban
communities of Hutchinson (about 40 000 people) and Nickerson (about 1000
people) incorporate significant quantities of agricultural and industrial water
pumping close to the Arkansas River; (2) local industrial parks release highchloride wastewater into the municipal treatment plant, so chloride content in the
secondary-treated municipal effluent discharged to the Arkansas River is quite
high (about 400 ppm); (3) groundwater monitoring in the GMD2 aquifer shows
that high rates of pumping cause both transient and time average drawdowns well
below the undisturbed water table elevation sustained by natural recharge.
2.2 The Rattlesnake Creek Corridor
The Rattlesnake Creek corridor is a major avenue for releasing significant salt
quantities from the Permian bedrock to the land surface (Quinodoz and
Buddemeier 1997). Rattlesnake Creek water is critical for the survival of the
National Wildlife Refuge in the Quivira marsh area. Several engineering projects
in the middle of the last century were designed and constructed to supply adequate
quantities of water to that wildlife refuge. These projects involved changes of the
courses of some local creeks, diversion of local springs with different water
quantities and qualities, and construction and connection of mixing and storage
basins connected with Rattlesnake Creek for management of the wildlife refuge
water supply. At present, the water supply system of the wildlife refuge thus
depends on an innovative combination of natural phenomena with engineering
ingenuity. However, during recent decades, monitoring has shown that in the dry
season the water supply to the Quivira marsh area is not sufficient to meet all
needs of the wildlife refuge, and additional unappropriated local water resources
are not available.
2.1 The Hutchinson-Nickerson Area
In the area of the communities Hutchinson and Nickerson, oil brine contamination
and salt mine wastes pose local threats in specific places. However, the major
potential threat to the general quality of municipal water supplies in the area is
migration of groundwater of low quality from south of the Arkansas River to north
of the river. Intensive pumping has lowered the groundwater surface north of the
river below the elevation of the Arkansas River surface in various locations. This
creates or enhances the potential for migration of salt northward into the municipal
well fields and private wells.
Figure 3 shows some of the monitoring sites in the Hutchinson-Nickerson area
(GMD2). Several transects of nests of groundwater monitoring wells were
installed (Young et al. 1997); findings are summarized below.
Significant local factors include: (1) the water supply areas of the urban
communities of Hutchinson (about 40 000 people) and Nickerson (about 1000
people) incorporate significant quantities of agricultural and industrial water
pumping close to the Arkansas River; (2) local industrial parks release highchloride wastewater into the municipal treatment plant, so chloride content in the
secondary-treated municipal effluent discharged to the Arkansas River is quite
high (about 400 ppm); (3) groundwater monitoring in the GMD2 aquifer shows
that high rates of pumping cause both transient and time average drawdowns well
below the undisturbed water table elevation sustained by natural recharge.
2.2 The Rattlesnake Creek Corridor
The Rattlesnake Creek corridor is a major avenue for releasing significant salt
quantities from the Permian bedrock to the land surface (Quinodoz and
Buddemeier 1997). Rattlesnake Creek water is critical for the survival of the
National Wildlife Refuge in the Quivira marsh area. Several engineering projects
in the middle of the last century were designed and constructed to supply adequate
quantities of water to that wildlife refuge. These projects involved changes of the
courses of some local creeks, diversion of local springs with different water
quantities and qualities, and construction and connection of mixing and storage
basins connected with Rattlesnake Creek for management of the wildlife refuge
water supply. At present, the water supply system of the wildlife refuge thus
depends on an innovative combination of natural phenomena with engineering
ingenuity. However, during recent decades, monitoring has shown that in the dry
season the water supply to the Quivira marsh area is not sufficient to meet all
needs of the wildlife refuge, and additional unappropriated local water resources
are not available.