Barbara J Mahler (Former Employee)

To provide data for the Texas Source-Water Assessment and Protection Program, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a synoptic survey of 48 public water-supply reservoirs and 174 public water-supply wells during 1999–2001. The surface-water samples were analyzed for volatile organic compounds and soluble pesticides. The ground-water samples were analyzed for volatile organic compounds and...

Lake Meredith lies on the dry and windswept High Plains of the Texas Panhandle and is a popular recreation area for the region. Oil and gas exploration and extraction have been ongoing at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area since about 1930. More than 250 wells, including those abandoned or relocated, are within the boundaries of the recreation area. Oil and gas wells in the watershed...

No abstract available.

The increasing vehicle traffic associated with urban sprawl in the United States is frequently linked to degradation of air quality, but its effect on aquatic sediment is less well-recognized. This study evaluates trends in PAHs, a group of contaminants with multiple urban sources, in sediment cores from 10 reservoirs and lakes in six U.S. metropolitan areas. The watersheds chosen...

Karst aquifers, because of their unique hydrogeologic characteristics, are extremely susceptible to contamination by pathogens. Here we present the results of an investigation of contamination of a karst aquifer by fecal indicator bacteria. Two wells intercepting zones with contrasting effective hydraulic conductivities, as determined by pump test, were monitored both during the dry...

Here we investigate geochemical characteristics of sediment in different compartments of a karst aquifer and demonstrate that mobile sediments in a karst aquifer can exhibit a wide range of properties affecting their contaminant transport potential. Sediment samples were collected from surface streams, sinkholes, caves, wells, and springs of a karst aquifer (the Barton Springs portion of...