Kentucky Karst Dye Trace Database

This dataset provides the geographical locations of karst groundwater basins, groundwater flowpaths, and dye injection/recovery points in Kentucky. Dye tracing is a common method used for understanding groundwater movement. Dye is poured (or injected) into a sinking stream, well, sinkhole, or body of water, where it is carried down-gradient by flowing water. The locations at which dye is recovered (typically at artesian springs) indicates a connection from injection to recovery site. This connection is refered to as a groundwater flowpath. Conducting multiple dye traces across an area allows for the interpretation of regional groundwater flow by assessing where flowpaths either converge or remain distinct. Groundwater basin boundaries can then be delineated, however unlike surficial watersheds, karst groundwater basins may differ significantly due to variations in subsurface hydrogeologic configurations and conduit geometries. During periods of increased flow, flowpaths may shift or hybridize with other flowpaths, creating overlapping basins. This dataset can be used for understanding the general flow of karst groundwater but does not guarantee the absolute accuracy of groundwater flow or basin boundaries.

本数据集提供了肯塔基州内喀斯特地下水盆地（karst groundwater basins）、地下水流动路径（groundwater flowpaths）以及染料注入/回收点位的地理坐标。染料示踪法（dye tracing）是探明地下水运动规律的常用手段，具体操作为将染料注入（或倾倒至）渗溪、水井、落水洞或水体中，染料会随水流沿顺坡降方向向下运移。染料被回收的点位（通常为自流泉（artesian springs））可指示出从注入点到回收点之间的地下水连通路径，该连通路径即被定义为地下水流动路径。在某一区域内开展多组染料示踪实验，可通过评估流动路径的交汇与分异情况，解析区域地下水的流动格局。据此可圈定地下水盆地的边界，但与地表流域（surficial watersheds）不同，喀斯特地下水盆地的边界会因地下水文地质构造（hydrogeologic configurations）与岩溶管道几何形态（conduit geometries）的差异而存在显著区别。在径流增大时段，流动路径可能发生偏移，或与其他流动路径发生融合，进而形成重叠的地下水盆地。本数据集可用于辅助解析喀斯特地下水的整体流动规律，但无法保证地下水流动路径与盆地边界的绝对准确性。