Yet more documentation on why
gouging a pipeline under the Withlacoochee River,
or through this Valdosta Limesink area anywhere,
would be a bad idea:
In most watersheds (river basins) in Florida the interactions
between ground water and surface water typically result in a single
dynamic flow system. This direct hydraulic linkage results from
numerous karst features (such as sinkholes, conduit systems in the
underlying limestone, and springs) that facilitate the exchange of
water between the surface and subsurface (fig. 1). Unique problems
can arise in protecting water quality in karst areas because of the
direct and rapid transport of recharge through conduits to the
subsurface and through resurgence by springs. In some areas,
recharge from unknown drainage pathways to areas of discharge may
contribute to chemical and biological contamination of water
supplies. Such contamination in karst areas has been documented by
many studies.
Yes, it says Florida, but the geology doesn’t stop at the state line,
as USGS spelled out in
a 1999 study of the Withlacoochee River.
It works like this in Georgia, too: Continue reading →
With the artesian level as much as 100 feet above sea level and the land surface
is seldom more than 200 feet, a
Sabal Trail pipeline drilling frac-out wouldn’t
have to go far to get into the Floridan Aquifer
groundwater used by wells around here.
We already saw such water contamination would go underground is
hard to predict.
This is not news: here’s a paper from 1966 with the main points.
