Brayden Kuester

The hyporheic zone is the region of sediment and porous pace beneath and alongside a stream bed, where there is mixing of shallow groundwater and surface water. Hydrogeologic, geochemical, as well as solid and dissolved Fe concentration can be linked to processes occurring in the hyporheic zone; which make it an important area of focus. The steep geochemical gradients at hyporheic zones, along with advection and microbial metabolisms have the potential to cause contaminants to transform into less bioavailable species. A knowledge of the amount of variability in hydrogeologic and geochemical conditions at the field site in South Carolina, can lead to important understanding of how contaminants behave during different times of the year. To investigate Fe processes, surface water gauges and shallow piezometers have been installed to examine vertical fluxes in the hyporheic zone. Pressure transducers have been installed in every surface water gauge and piezometer, which allows for surface water and groundwater hydraulic head data to be collected every 15 minutes. Using this data, hydraulic head gradient is calculated and changes in hyporheic flux can be observed over time. Seasonal and annual variations in data, or lack thereof, will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms driving processes related to hyporheic zone systems. This research can help predict fate and transport of contaminants in wetland environments.