Opportunities

CHL Assistant Director, Lee Anne Bledsoe presented a week-long groundwater investigation workshop to a group of Brazilian hydrologists and cave explorers. The workshop detailed techniques for using fluorescent dyes to study the flow of underground water. Participants were not only exposed to lecture and discussion of dye tracing techniques but also got experience in laboratory procedures, equipment operation and field methods. The group conducted two dye injections in the Lagoa Santa area and was able to collect new hydrologic information for one of the groundwater basins in the area, adding groundwater travel times to their base of knowledge. Knowing how quickly or slowly groundwater is moving can assist in remediation, emergency response, along with protection and management of groundwater resources.

The workshop was organized for Carste Ciência e Meio Ambiente, a Brazilian environmental consulting firm, providing training to better address environmental and water resource issues in Brazil. The Crawford Lab, within WKU’s Applied Research and Technology Program, works with a range of companies and agencies around the United States and world to provide specialized groundwater investigation services and training. Such training provides an excellent opportunity for outreach, as experience in these methods is limited in many parts of the world, including South America.