GROUNDWATER FLUX INTO A PORTION OF EASTERN LAKE-MICHIGAN

One of the world's most precious resources is groundwater. Groundwater flow in the Great Lakes region is estimated to be 111.7 million m(3) day(-1). Not only is groundwater's value in the Great Lakes region attributed to its Consumptive quality, but groundwater is also important to the hydrologic cycle in the region. The objective of this study is to:quantify the volume of groundwater by applying two methods. In the past, groundwater volumes were quantified by computing the baseflow component of streamflow. This study compares the past method of computing groundwater flow with results obtained from a three-dimensional finite-difference model. A three river basin area on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan was chosen for this comparison. The results showed that traditionally computed groundwater flow (baseflow) is three orders of magnitude smaller than modeled flow.