Freshwater Colloquium: The Vadose Zone or the Twilight Zone? Tales of Uranium and Road Salt Travels Below Ground but Above the Water Table
The School of Freshwater Sciences’ Freshwater Colloquium creates a platform for students, faculty and scientists to discuss their research and emergent issues related to freshwater resources. Presentations are open to the public.
All events will take place on Mondays from 3:30-4:20 p.m. in-person in the GLRF Ballroom.
The School of Freshwater Sciences Great Lakes Research Facility, is located at 600 E. Greenfield Ave.
Field data from an experimental river flooding event at a former uranium mill tailings site will be presented to show that the vadose zone can be a major source and sink for contaminant transport down into and up out of the water table. Lab data from experimental road salt wicking and flushing tests will show how pore structure, grain size, and evaporation conditions control contaminant transport in the vadose zone. A brief introduction will also be given on the strange physics of the vadose zone and the non-linear mathematics that describe groundwater flow and solute transport therein.
Dr. Paradis is a physical hydrogeologist with expertise in field tracer studies to better understand the sources and pathways of contaminants to and from groundwater. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee in the Department of Geosciences where he teaches physical hydrogeology, field methods in hydrogeology, and groundwater modeling.