Laserfiche WebLink
49 <br /> sulfide minerals. Any water that is suspicious should be <br /> sampled for more complete analyses. If the water is flowing <br /> outdoors, then aquatic life will also be a clue. Acid mine <br /> water will usually kill vegetation except for certain algae <br /> in the water. Other water will support grasses and flowers <br /> along the banks. The color of the water can sometimes be <br /> deceptive. Water of a pH of 3 can be almost colorless, <br /> while water of a pH of 5 flowing over red/orange sediment <br /> can appear to be much worse than expected. <br /> To answer the question of aquifer type will take intui- <br /> tion, and a long period of observation. The characteristic <br /> of the two aquifer models is shown in Table IV. Flow is the <br /> primary physical observation, the consistency of the flow in <br />• i <br />d <br /> t <br />u <br />a diffuse aquifer is remarkable. On the other hand a con <br /> aquifer will react to changes in precipitation and to the <br /> spring thaw and runoff. A stake in the stream bed is all <br /> that is needed to observe variations in flow of 500 or more. <br /> Observations for a week to 10 days after a wet period are <br /> most important. The primary chemical test is conductivity <br /> and temperature. For a conduit aquifer, large amounts of <br /> precipitation or runoff will dilute the ground water and <br /> conductivity and temperature will drop. Also, the water may <br /> carry more suspended material. For a conduit aquifer, a <br /> large amount of precipitation or runoff may change the flow <br /> but if it does, the concentration is likely to increase <br /> because ground water that has been in contact with rock <br /> <br /> for long periods of time will be flushed out. The effect