Date Available
8-8-2024
Year of Publication
2024
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Agriculture; Engineering
Department/School/Program
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
First Advisor
Dr. Tiffany Messer
Abstract
Water quality is an issue that continues to be worsened by extreme flooding, specifically in Eastern Kentucky. The most recent 2022 flooding event in Eastern Kentucky resulted in loss of human life, over $23.3 billion in damaged infrastructure, and impaired human health. Infrastructure failures, such as leaky pipes, are a growing challenge in these regions as rebuilding has occurred. Therefore, the goal of this project was to evaluate water quality in two of the counties most impacted by the 2022 flood in Kentucky, Breathitt and Perry Counties, using sulfur isotopes as a novel tracer to identify potentially failures in distribution lines.
Isotopes can chemically identify potential failing infrastructure by using isotopic signatures in surrounding waters to identify non-treated water intrusion It was hypothesized the flooding in Eastern Kentucky led to increased amounts pollutants in distribution lines, including E. coli, in the water in this area due to potentially line failures. Naturally occurring sulfate isotopic signatures are a potential method to identify where in the distribution lines these failures are occurring to pinpoint regions in the county for the most urgent infrastructure improvements.
This study was accomplished through monthly monitoring of ten local streams to collect naturally occurring isotopic sulfate signatures in surface water, along with tap water sampling of 55 homes in Breathitt and Perry Counties. Findings from this project will help establish a foundation for utilizing water quality data and isotopic signatures to improve distribution of treated drinking water and more efficiently and cost effectively complete infrastructure enhancement projects in rural communities.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.348
Funding Information
UK-CARES through Grant P30 ES026529
National Science Foundation under a National Research Traineeship Grant No. 1922694
Recommended Citation
McFadden, Katrina Alexis, "UTILIZING ISOTOPE TRACING TO ASSESS LAND USE IMPLICATIONS TO TAP AND STREAM WATER CHEMISTRY" (2024). Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. 115.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/bae_etds/115
