Toxic trace metals in the Park River watershed
Since the summer of 2008 I have worked with students at Trinity College to understand how toxic trace metals such as lead, copper, zinc, cadmium and nickel accumulate and are transported in the Park River watershed. We have mapped metal concentrations throughout the watershed and determined that the south branch contains levels of toxic metals in the sediment that often exceed concentrations known to have an affect on the biota. Below are links to documents and websites that have highlighted some of our work. Several student (e.g. Victoria Doñé ('11), Kelsey Semrod ('12) and Kate Pool ('12) have worked on this project and have produced some excellent posters and oral presentations that were presented at the Geologic Socienty of America in a topical sessions that focuse on toxic trace metals in the environement.
Here are a few of our presentations (poster and oral sessions) that focus on metals in the Park River:
Gourley 2011, Detailed Mapping of toxic trace metal contaminated sediments using the geomorphological-geochemical approach, Trout Brook, West Hartford, Connecticut, in: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 43, No. 5, p. 346 (oral presentation - powerpoint).
Doñé, V., Zhu, S., Gourley, J., and Martin-Black, W., 2010, Toxic trace metal mobility in the Trout Brook at the West Hartford landfill, West Hartford, CT, in: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 42, no. 5, p. 616. abstract link (poster presentation)
Gourley, J., 2009, Visulizing toxic trace metals in the Park River watershed. Connecticut GIS Day poster presentation.
Gourley, J. and Doñé, V., 2009, Trace metal analysis of sediments in the Park River watershed, Hartford, CT, 2009 in: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 41 no. 7 p. 201 abstract link
Doñé, V., and Gourley J., 2009, Trace metal dispersal in the south branch of the Park River watershed and its possible impact on the Connecticut River sediments, Hartford, CT in: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 41 no. 7 p. 330 abstract link
North Branch watershed management plan - We contributed to baseline data in the summer of 2008 at the initiation of the watershed management plan. This document was student produced and provided the management planners with a regional picture of water and sediment quality for the mangagement plan (website).
Interactive Park River watershed map using ZeeMaps
In the spring of 2011 I started a collaborative mapping project with Mary Rickel Pelletier of the Park River Revitalization Initiative (www.parkriver.org). Using the ZeeMap platform we have constructed and interactive Park River map. This map can be added to by anyone and can includes links picutes and/or information about particular points. The project has two focuses at the moment (spring 2011): University of Hartford points that will be used for the interactive art installation presented by Mary Miss and Trinity College Environmental Science student projects within the south branch of the river. Visit http://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=196743 to view points within the Park River watershed and/o rmake your own points!