Date of Award
5-10-2019
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Geosciences
First Advisor
Brian Meyer
Abstract
Sea level rise as a function of climate change is projected to have profound impacts on coastal environments, and groundwater inundation is expected to follow. In this study, Bryan County, Georgia (USA) was evaluated using ground penetrating radar to determine future impacts of groundwater inundation to onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS). Also known as septic fields, OWTSs were mapped using handheld GPS units. These locations were then compared to groundwater projections of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0-m heights above the seasonal high-water table. OWTS depths were modeled at 0.45 and 0.9 m, based on similar studies in North Carolina (Manda et al., 2015). These conditions create an environment where OWTSs will be a danger to water resources in the area. Modeling shows OWTS groundwater inundation ranging from 99% in Upper Bryan County to 100% in Lower Bryan County at seasonal high-water tables and 1 m of groundwater rise.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/14302761
Recommended Citation
Hodges, Ben, "Groundwater Inundation and Wastewater Treatment in the Coastal Plain of Georgia." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2019.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/14302761