## Breadcrumb

-  Publications 
-  Conference Papers 

#           Using airborne geophysical surveys to improve groundwater resource management models      

      January 1, 2010    

Increasingly, groundwater management requires more accurate hydrogeologic frameworks for groundwater models. These complex issues have created the demand for innovative approaches to data collection. In complicated terrains, groundwater modelers benefit from continuous high‐resolution geologic maps and their related hydrogeologic‐parameter estimates. The USGS and its partners have collaborated to use airborne geophysical surveys for near‐continuous coverage of areas of the North Platte River valley in western Nebraska. The survey objectives were to map the aquifers and bedrock topography of the area to help improve the understanding of groundwater‐surface‐water relationships, leading to improved water management decisions. Frequency‐domain heliborne electromagnetic surveys were completed, using a unique survey design to collect resistivity data that can be related to lithologic information to refine groundwater model inputs. To render the geophysical data useful to multidimensional groundwater models, numerical inversion is necessary to convert the measured data into a depth‐dependent subsurface resistivity model. This inverted model, in conjunction with sensitivity analysis, geological ground truth (boreholes and surface geology maps), and geological interpretation, is used to characterize hydrogeologic features. Interpreted two‐ and three‐dimensional data coverage provides the groundwater modeler with a high‐resolution hydrogeologic framework and a quantitative estimate of framework uncertainty. This method of creating hydrogeologic frameworks improved the understanding of flow path orientation by redefining the location of the paleochannels and associated bedrock highs. The improved models reflect actual hydrogeology at a level of accuracy not achievable using previous data sets.

## Citation Information

## Related Content

                  -              Connect           

#### Steven  M. Peterson

##### Director

Upper Midwest Water Science Center

speterson@usgs.gov

763-314-1929

####             Bruce D Smith (Former Employee)          

##### Scientist Emeritus

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

#### Burke Minsley

##### Research Geophysicist

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

bminsley@usgs.gov

303-236-5718

#### Paul A Bedrosian

##### Research Geophysicist

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

pbedrosian@usgs.gov

303-236-4834

## Related Content

#### Steven  M. Peterson

##### Director

Upper Midwest Water Science Center

speterson@usgs.gov

763-314-1929

####             Bruce D Smith (Former Employee)          

##### Scientist Emeritus

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

#### Burke Minsley

##### Research Geophysicist

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

bminsley@usgs.gov

303-236-5718

#### Paul A Bedrosian

##### Research Geophysicist

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

pbedrosian@usgs.gov

303-236-4834

### Contact

#### Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

West 6th Avenue and Kipling StreetDenver Federal Center Building 20Denver, CO80225United States

303-236-1800

303-236-3200