Geological and Geophysical Investigations of the Hydrogeology of Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Part 2: North-Central Cantonment Area

摘要

Ongoing investigations of the permafrost and ground water conditions in the north-central area of the Fort Wainwright, Alaska, cantonment, north of the Chena River, show the hydrogeology of the site to be extremely complex. Permafrost, being impermeable and discontinuous, controls the distribution and dimensions of ground water aquifers to a great degree. Aquifers are above, below, and adjacent to permafrost, and in some locations are within unfrozen zones surrounded by it. This complexity makes it difficult to predict the direction and velocity of ground water flow, as well as its seasonal and annual variability. Data have been obtained from ground-penetrating radar surveys, borehole logs, and ground water instruments. They have then been combined with interpretations of aerial photographs and ground observations to delineate the permafrost and aquifer distribution. They have also been used to develop conceptual hydrogeological models of the area. This information is necessary to remediate ground water contamination, while furthering the basic understanding of aquifer distribution and ground water flow in discontinuous permafrost terrain.