Hydrology of basalt aquifers, Idaho USA

In the Palouse Basin, Idaho, drinking water is abstracted from basalt formations. The groundwater level is declining at a rate of 30-60 cm/y. The aim of hydrological and geohydrological research in this area is to determine which role the geological formation that cover the basalt aquifer play in the groundwater recharge.

The field experiments will (predominantly) consist of determining the locations of springs and seepage areas and thus the locations of paleo-channels in the Paradise creek catchment. Do the paleo-channels have impact on the recharge of the underlying Wanapum basalt aquifer?

The modelling (MODFLOW) will aim at reproducing paleo-channels in a simple groundwater model, and quantifying the effect of paleo-channels on recharge.