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Groundwater Hydrology and Contamination on Jamestown Island, VA: A Study of the Geochemistry and Microbiology of Groundwater
Pasley, Heather R.
Pasley, Heather R.
Abstract
The harsh living conditions of the 1607 Jamestown colonists were centered largely around their inability to find drinkable water. In addition to the brackish James River and the Pitch and Tar Swamp bordering their settlement, the groundwater system proved to be contaminated. Groundwater contamination can arise from its source or from human interference. This study seeks to determine the relationship between the groundwater system and the James River as a potential contamination source and tests the groundwater system for the presence of fecal coliform. This research not only defines the contamination input of the James River, but investigates the groundwater flow system associated with both a river and a swamp. Results of this study show that the James River flows into and contaminates the groundwater system both directly and via the Pitch and Tar Swamp. The majority of the wells had ion concentrations that exceed the EPA regulations on Drinking Water, determining that the groundwater is unsafe to drink. In addition to this, the five wells tested also proved to be positive for fecal coliform.
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2009-01-01
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Geology