Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2024
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Department
Geographic and Environmental Sciences
Degree Program
Geography (Applied), MS
Committee Chair
Day, Andrew C.
Committee Member
Mahoney, Tyler
Committee Member
Zhang, Charlie
Author's Keywords
Coal ash ponds; environmental management; groundwater contamination; rainfall impact analysis; random forest
Abstract
This study examines the impact of rainfall event characteristics and water table elevations on arsenic and boron contamination in groundwater near two coal ash ponds in Louisville, Kentucky. Utilizing data from 2011 to 2019, the research focuses on both capped and uncapped ponds at Mill Creek and Cane Run sites, employing Threshold Analysis, Regularized Discriminant Analysis (RDA) and Random Forest (RF) to assess contamination levels in groundwater. Analysis shows that capped ponds generally exhibit reduced arsenic levels, though variations exist depending on the contaminant and site. Key predictors such as maximum precipitation and river height were identified, highlighting their significant roles in predicting exceedance events (defined by a minimum 1/3 total wells exceeding minimum EPA safe limit for contaminants). The findings reveal that containment strategies and local hydrological conditions significantly impact contamination levels, suggesting the need for tailored environmental management practices.
Recommended Citation
Chen, Daryl Jialiang, "Predicting the effects of precipitation on groundwater contamination near capped and uncapped coal ash storage facilities in Louisville, Kentucky." (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4312.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/4312
