Re: [Paddlewise] Disposal of Human Waste

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 09:23:09 -0700
Elaine Harmon wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 30 Aug 1999 Outfit3029_at_aol.com wrote:

> > I
> > am supposing that the science is this, the water table at sea level is high,
> > the salt water is heavier than the fresh water.  The first water entering the
> > well is fresh, but before long the salt water intrusion takes over.
> 
> Interesting! What kinds of places have these fresh water deposits
> (lenses?) close to the shore? Is it common? 

This only works where there is a *very* high water table inshore -- maybe a
couple of feet below ground level, such that when the tide is very low, there
is a substantial "downhill" slope from the (fresh) water table surface to the
(salt) water surface.

I'd guess it works well in the winter/spring/early summer in wet places like
the coast of BC, WA, OR, and the like.  Probably not workable in late summer
in those regions.  Under exceptional circumstances it might work in a tropical
region where there is substantial annual rainfall and no local easy route for
the water table to "leak" to the sea.  In other words, no stream or tidal
slough.

Where I live, there is a humongous aquifer located in some 45 square miles of
sandy deposits adjacent to the Columbia River, which "renews" itself every 6
years or so, due to our 6 feet (sometimes 8 feet) of rain annually.  Despite
the favorable circumstances, some of the water wells drilled in this aquifer
produce nasty sulfur/iron saturated water.  YMMV

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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Received on Mon Aug 30 1999 - 09:26:50 PDT

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