Publication Date
April 2018
Abstract
Dye tracing is a powerful tool in karst hydrogeology, allowing to specify groundwater connections, drainage organization and groundwater flow characteristics in impenetrable places (underground rivers, flooded caves…). The use of in situ monitoring devices enables improved investigation quality and efficiency during field work. Autonomous field fluorometers developed in the last decades now give reliable data for dye tracing with fluorescent tracers, with a limited investment on the field and limited human resources. Nevertheless, the karst environment remains difficult to access and explore with scientific equipment. The size, weight, robustness and user-friendliness of the tool is determinant to improve the efficiency of field work and allow the acquisition of reliable data. In order to tackle this issue, we developed the Fluo-Green field fluorometer. This is a compact, extra-light and 2-in-1 field fluorometer (probe and data-logger) designed specifically for karst environment. The fluorometer allows the monitoring of fluorescein, turbidity and water temperature with a user-defined resolution (1 minute to 1 day). An improved management of energy gives an extended lifetime that is useful for monitoring in remote locations. The compact device is especially useful to carry into the field and facilitates the monitoring of multiple sampling points. Several dye traces in Belgian karst show the field performance of the Fluo-Green (precision, accuracy, resolution, lifetime…). Different karst environments were investigated using dye tracing: underground rivers, flooded caves, karst springs, vadose percolations. Those experiences illustrate the routine use of the Fluo-Green in various remote karst environments.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5038/9780991000982.1068
Advances in Ultra-portable Field Fluorometry for Dye Tracing in Remote Karst
Dye tracing is a powerful tool in karst hydrogeology, allowing to specify groundwater connections, drainage organization and groundwater flow characteristics in impenetrable places (underground rivers, flooded caves…). The use of in situ monitoring devices enables improved investigation quality and efficiency during field work. Autonomous field fluorometers developed in the last decades now give reliable data for dye tracing with fluorescent tracers, with a limited investment on the field and limited human resources. Nevertheless, the karst environment remains difficult to access and explore with scientific equipment. The size, weight, robustness and user-friendliness of the tool is determinant to improve the efficiency of field work and allow the acquisition of reliable data. In order to tackle this issue, we developed the Fluo-Green field fluorometer. This is a compact, extra-light and 2-in-1 field fluorometer (probe and data-logger) designed specifically for karst environment. The fluorometer allows the monitoring of fluorescein, turbidity and water temperature with a user-defined resolution (1 minute to 1 day). An improved management of energy gives an extended lifetime that is useful for monitoring in remote locations. The compact device is especially useful to carry into the field and facilitates the monitoring of multiple sampling points. Several dye traces in Belgian karst show the field performance of the Fluo-Green (precision, accuracy, resolution, lifetime…). Different karst environments were investigated using dye tracing: underground rivers, flooded caves, karst springs, vadose percolations. Those experiences illustrate the routine use of the Fluo-Green in various remote karst environments.
