Application to Conduct research on the Butte Creek Ecological Reserve
Requested by Jeffrey Sanchez
February 21, 2007
Understanding the exchange between ground and surface waters is essential to
many aspects of the Environmental Sciences. It is crucial to developing water budgets
and has implications for aquifer recharge, aquatic habitat quality and riparian zone
hydrology. By addressing certain aspects of this exchange, the processes can be
simplified to the point that accurate quantitative assessments can be made. Due to the
nature of subsurface exchanges, direct flux measurements are difficult to make. By using
heat as a tracer, the monitoring the movement of water in the riparian zone can be made
manageable.
The interaction of ground water and surface water can be traced and analyzed by
monitoring the temperatures of both the stream and the ground water. USGS
Publications C-1260, and WRIR 03-4154 as well as work by Anderson (2004) establish
methods of measuring ground water temperature beneath streams and using temperature
gradients to determine if the reach is gaining or losing water to the ground. These
published works rely on ground water temperature measurement from directly beneath
the stream bed to determine the direction of flow. While it is important to understand the
hydrology beneath a stream, it is not always feasible to place instruments directly into the
stream bed.
By constructing an array of piezometers fitted with temperature sensors, I will
modify the under-stream sampling method by measuring groundwater temperature
adjacent to the stream. By sampling outside of the stream bed, critical aquatic habitat can
be protected. The piezometers will provide water level measurements, and coupled with
appropriate equations, I will develop a model to use near-stream ground water
temperatures to determine groundwater- surface water interactions.
The site I will instrument is located in the Butte Creek Ecological Reserve
(BCER), located on Honey Run Road in Butte County. The field site is located
approximately 300 meters east of the storage shed on the BCER. Figure 1 shows an
aerial view of the Reserve with pointers to the proposed site. At flows of 3,500 ft³/s the
site is approximately 1-2 feet above the water line. When choosing locations for
piezometers, natural vegetation will be avoided to minimize impact to the Reserve. The
installation of the piezometers will include probing for and removing large cobbles in the
first foot of each hole. A pipe will then be driven into the ground using a slide hammer.
If the pipe is stopped by large cobbles, the pipe will be removed and another attempt to
drive it in will be made nearby. Once the pipes are in place the tops will be painted silver
to reduce solar heating, and caps will be fitted to prevent tampering or removal of the
temperature sensor inside.
At the edge of the creek three simple stage gauges will be inserted into the stream
bed. These gauges will consist of a six-foot garden stake driven two feet into the stream
bed, with a PVC pipe attached by zip tie and marked with lines to measure water level.
These will be inserted when water levels allow for safe installation. A cinder block with
a temperature sensing data logger attached will be placed on the stream bed and will be
read only when the storage capacity of the unit is reached (not very often). During a
period of low flows in the summer of 2007, the channel and field site will be surveyed
and discharge measurements will be made. A 3’x 2’x 2’ wooden foot locker will be
chained to a tree in a discrete location to provide a secure storage for the main data logger
and power supply. In late August or early September, all pipes, wires and staff gauges
will be removed and recycled. Every attempt will be made to return the site to preproject conditions: e.g. filling in holes or depressions left from the pipe removal.
The proposed site has undergone significant morphological and hydrological
adjustments resulting from decades of gravel dredging in the main channel. The current
near-surface geology is now dominated by deep cobble-boulder tailings piles. These
porous deposits will allow ground water to fluctuate over short time periods and should
show a gradient near the Butte Creek channel. By monitoring both the water level and
temperature at nine locations near the stream bank, I will be able to detect any gradient
present in three dimensions. Coupled with in-stream temperature and level
measurements, I will be able to determine if the stream is gaining or losing over this
reach. The broader implications of the results are yet to be determined.
The array of instruments consist of three transects perpendicular to the channel,
with three, six-foot deep piezometers each. Figure 2 shows the site and approximate
locations of the main data logger and two transects. A central data logger (chained to
local tree for security) will record the temperature of the groundwater from each hole.
Powered by a 12-volt car battery, the central data logger unit will be connected to
thermocouple wire which will spread out to each pipe in the array. By necessity, each
wire must have the same length regardless of its distance from the central unit. One
submersible HOBO data logger will be placed at the bottom of the channel to record
ambient stream temperature, and one will be placed within the array to record air
temperature. Roughly twice each week, the water level in the pipes will be measured
using a sounding reel. Rough staff gauges (PVC pipe and garden stakes) at the edge of
the channel adjacent to each transect will be used to measure stream level. By accurately
surveying the site, I will be able to create a model of the area and plot the hydraulic
gradient as well as the temperature gradient between the stream and ground waters. If the
data produce results similar to those derived from beneath stream measurements it would
validate the technique as well as provide valuable information about the hydrology of
Butte Creek.
Under the supervision of Dr. Karin Hoover, I will conduct the necessary literary
and physical research to produce a high quality Masters Thesis. Dr. David Brown has
agreed to be on my thesis committee and I am actively seeking a third member to assist
with technical advising. I will seek the physical assistance of fellow undergraduate and
graduate students in implementing the project and will repay them by increasing their
understanding of fluvial and hydrological processes.
Table 1 is a list of the equipment which I believe will be necessary to properly
conduct this experiment. I have submitted a request for funding assistance to the
Department of Geosciences, but due to budget limitations I do not expect the full cost
will be covered. If there are any funding sources which I might utilize, please consider
me for those or direct me to where I may apply.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Jeffrey Sanchez
Approved by:
Dr. Karin Hoover
Department of Geosciences
California State University, Chico
Figure 1. Shows approximate location of 3 transects, and main datalogger location.
White line leads to parking area.
Figure 2. Shows field site with 3500 cfs in channel. Locations of Transects will avoid
vegetation.
Table 1.
Equipment List (prices do not include taxes or shipping)
21x Multilogger*- Repair ($200 estimated) and Calibration ($200)
by Manufacturer Cambell Scientific
$400
Thermocouple Extension Wire 1000ft spool
www.omega.com 1@ $260/ spool
$260
Deep Cycle Marine Battery to power 21x Micrologger
Batteries Plus (Chico) 2 @ $80/ each
$160
Hobo Brand Temperature Data Logger 2 @ $49/ each
Online order from www.1800loggers.com
$98
Galvanized Pipe for Piezometers
Lowe’s 10 @ $9.83/ each
$98.30
Miscellaneous Pipe Fittings- Joints 10 @ $0.84, Caps 10 @ $0.96,
Risers 10 @ $1.98, Driving pipe 1 @ $5.43: Lowe’s
$43.23
Miscellaneous Equipment: ½”x 10 ft PVC pipe $1.08,
Heavy Duty Fence Post 3 @ 3.97, ¼” x 7ft chain $1.66/ ft,
Bulk Zip Ties (500) @ $6.98, Lowe’s
$31.59
Transportation Costs (gas money) 20 miles round trip (From CSUC)
2 times per week for ~20 weeks =800 miles;
800 miles @ $0.485/ mi = $388 Total estimated Transportation
(Request for half that cost)
$194
Total Estimated cost of Project $1285.12
* 21x Multilogger will be borrowed from Dr. Randy Senock*