Guest Scientist Visits the Huron-Manistee National Forests

Hydro-Geology Professor Dr. Paul Doss was a guest scientist on the Forests thanks to a partnership agreement with the Geologic Society of America.

Dr. Paul Doss, a Professor of Hydro-Geology, served as a guest scientist on the Huron-Manistee National Forests through a partnership agreement with the Geologic Society of America. Doss worked with Huron-Manistee staff to develop a ground-water sampling strategy to address the deficiencies in information for ground-water extraction on water dependent ecosystems.

Doss presented his findings on large-scale groundwater/surface water interactions in the headwaters of the White River basin November 7 at the Supervisor's Office of the Huron-Manistee.

The ultimate goal of the analysis was to create field data that would show the linkage between ground-water and surface water in water dependent ecosystems. Towards this, Doss designed a sampling strategy to address some of the deficiencies within the existing field data.

By placing wells at strategic locations, he was able to monitor the water levels to find baseline data for the river basin over the next year. Monitors located within the wells collect the data which is then downloaded into a computer for analysis. The wells are placed approximately 50 feet apart at various elevations to obtain a range of data.

The project is currently in its beginning stages and it will be at least a year before an accumulation of data is collected to create the needed baseline data.

"The implications of this monitoring are tremendous," said Dr. Pat Fowler, Hydrologist for the Huron-Manistee National Forests. "We will gain a better understanding of how these systems work. We will be able to better predict the effects of any proposed groundwater withdrawals on the groundwater dependent ecosystems of the Forests."

Based on the fact that high volume extraction wells lower groundwater, thus diverting stream flow from the channel - the question was what the sustainable yield of ground water within the headwaters of the White River Basin would be.

"The data will be used to model the effects of water withdrawal on nearby groundwater ecosystems," Fowler exdplained. "This is the first near surface groundwater/surface water monitoring data collected on the Huron-Manistee National Forests. This monitoring will help us understand the groundwater/surface water dynamics, ultimately refining our concepts of how these systems work."

Doss will be monitoring the sample wells through the spring of 2009. The Huron-Manistee is hopeful that monitoring efforts can continue past the initial year.

Doss is a professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Southern Indiana and was stationed out of the Baldwin office of the Huron-Manistee National Forests during his stint as a guest scientist. Doss said he was very enthusiastic about his experience on the Huron-Manistee and was grateful for the opportunity to work here during his sabbatical.