#KUFieldWorks: Assessing Kansas water resources through geology

Editor’s note: Fieldwork provides invaluable insights about real-world environments and processes, expanding and reinforcing what researchers learn in classrooms, labs and collections. KU faculty, staff and students across a spectrum of disciplines take their inquiry directly to rivers, prairies, dig sites, glaciers, islands, archives and more. Through the #KUFieldWorks series, we'll join them on their adventures.

Q&A with Kate Andrzejewski, assistant scientist at the Kansas Geological Survey

To best manage natural resources, policymakers first must know what those resources are and how they relate to other parts of the physical world. That’s where scientists like Kate Andrzejewski come in. Andrzejewski and colleagues recently traveled to Ellsworth County to evaluate the rocks that comprise the Dakota Aquifer System, which is an essential source of groundwater for the state.

Why does your study matter to your field or for society?

Our goal for this project is to gain a better understanding of the Dakota Aquifer System in the state of Kansas, which serves as an important groundwater resource. To answer pertinent questions about the aquifer, it is essential to understand the rocks that comprise the aquifer. This requires measuring and testing rocks that we observe at the surface in outcrops, but also rocks beneath the surface of the earth that we collect as core samples. Using data from the subsurface, we can start to model the complexities of the aquifer and assess different variables of the aquifer, including lateral connectivity and changes in hydrologic conductivity. The results of the study are made public so that officials can make informed decisions on use of the aquifer.   

What methods, approaches, experiments, etc. are you using?

This project involves drilling and collecting core rock samples from targeted locations in Kansas. Initial site selection requires combining field observations and historic well log datasets to determine the best possible location for capturing the rocks we are targeting. The drill campaign itself involves heavy equipment and machinery designed to drill down and recover rocks from beneath the surface. We then use tools such as rock hammers, hand lenses and measuring tapes to carefully test and record observations from the recovered core material.

What do you enjoy most about being in the field?

I have always enjoyed being outdoors, but what I absolutely love about geology fieldwork is you never know what you are going to discover on any given day. Each rock outcrop and core sample we collect contains a unique story of Earth’s history. It may contain fossils from an ocean that formed millions of years ago or record ancient landscapes that dinosaurs once walked across. Every day in the field is an adventure.

What are some memorable (funny, scary, surprising, etc.) moments from the field?

We did have a surprising and funny moment on this project. To preface this, our equipment normally stays outside next to the drill site for the duration of the project. We arrived early on the third day of the project to get the drill rig running. When one of our team members went to open the case that stores the drill bits, he quickly jumped back and was a little startled when he discovered that two field mice had decided to make a nest inside the case. The mice quickly went on their way, but we all had a good laugh at the early morning wake-up call.

When is fieldwork frustrating, challenging or overwhelming?

Every drill project has its own unique challenges. Equipment can break, the weather can throw you a curveball, etc. For this project, we were dealing with sandstones that are poorly consolidated. Once we began drilling and introduced water into the hole, it caused these sandstones to cave in and collapse around the drill stem, bringing progress to a halt. Despite the setbacks, our team strives to remain flexible and come up with solutions when faced with challenging situations. 

How does fieldwork complement the work you do elsewhere?

Fieldwork is an essential part of projects at the Kansas Geological Survey as it provides samples that we can analyze in the lab and observations that we can use to interpret the geologic setting recorded in the rocks. Without the data provided through fieldwork it would be impossible to assess critical resources needed for the state of Kansas including but not limited to groundwater, aggregate, oil, and gas, and critical mineral resources.

First photo: University of Kansas researchers conduct fieldwork in prairies, rivers, streams and mountains. The #KUFieldWorks series follows researchers on their fieldwork adventures.

Second photo: Kansas Geological Survey drill rig deployed in Ellsworth County, KS against a backdrop of large storm clouds on the horizon.

Third photo: Kate Andrzejewski measuring and recording observations from the extracted core sample. Photo taken by Jay Kalbas.

Fourth photo: Drill operators, Connor Umbrell (left) and Cole Bunker (right) monitoring the drill rig. Photo taken by Jay Kalbas.