Looking Under the Surface (opens in a new tab)
Groundwater and the Chesapeake Bay
By Rona KobellHalf of the U.S. population taps into groundwater for their drinking water. What should we know about it?
June 2020 · Volume 19 Number 1
Groundwater and the Chesapeake Bay
Ground Game (opens in a new tab)
How the Water We Can’t See Can Harm the Chesapeake Bay
By Rona KobellThe groundwater that feeds our population can also deliver to us unwanted elements: nitrogen from farm fields, wastewater plants, and septic tanks; saltwater intruding from increasing pumping that changes the water levels; and even pollutants from the air. How do we measure the problems and protect the water sources?
The Case of the Missing Nitrogen (opens in a new tab)
On-farm practices can reduce nitrogen runoff. But given the nitrogen cycle’s complexities, could some also add it to the air?
By Chesapeake Bay Quarterly StaffFarmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are investing in putting best practices on the land to reduce nitrogen running off from the soil. But recently, scientists have been trying to determine if there’s a denitrification downside – if reducing nitrogen runoff is fueling its appearance as a harmful gas.
Detecting Chemical Clues (opens in a new tab)
Researchers develop tracers to track water originating from septic systems
By Lisa D. TosseyWe don’t like to think about what happens after we flush the toilet. But some scientists do. Maryland has 420,000 septic systems, and each of them delivers about 23.2 pounds of nitrogen to the groundwater every year. Researchers are looking at where that nitrogen goes, and how to reduce it.
Maryland’s Geologic Regions (opens in a new tab)
America in Miniature
By Rona KobellAll drops of water may fall at the same rate, but where they land can determine how they’ll impact groundwater. Maryland’s 10,460 miles include a variety of subterranean formations, from the mountainous west to the looser, sandy soils of the Coastal Plain. Five regions, five different courses for water.
Mapping the Groundwater (opens in a new tab)
By Rona KobellHow does groundwater move, and where does it go?
Best Practices (opens in a new tab)
By Rona KobellUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore researchers have been looking at protecting groundwater near farms.
“He’s Just a Dynamo” (opens in a new tab)
Eric Buehl makes a difference as a Sea Grant watershed specialist
By Rona KobellMeet Maryland Sea Grant Extension Specialist Eric Buehl.
Keeping Freshwater Fresh (opens in a new tab)
A state panel is exploring ways to adapt to saltwater intrusion in wetlands, farms, and groundwater
By Rona KobellThe Maryland Department of Planning is leading an effort to prepare for, and prevent, saltwater intrusion.