Grand Valley: Geology Spotlights

Dr. Llerandi-Roman publishes paper on Puerto Rico Geology

Dr. Pablo Llerandi-Roman and two coauthors recently published an article entitled "Cretaceous-Paleogene thrust emplacement of serpentinite in southwestern Puerto Rico". This article was the culmination of many years of collaborative field work and research.

Using Google Earth to Make a Difference in Haiti

During a recent research trip to Haiti in May 2012, Dr. Peter Wampler and two colleages from GVSU used GPS and Google earth to find homes for our water and ethnographic surveys. This proves that Google Earth and Google Maps are good for more than just finding pizza! You can learn more about how the project in paper published in the International Journal of Health Geographic here.

Ciencias Terrestres, Geología y Puerto Rico (Earth Sciences, Geology and Puerto Rico) Blog

Ciencias Terrestres, Geología y Puerto Rico (Earth Sciences, Geology and Puerto Rico) is a collaboration between Dr. Pablo Llerandi-Roman and Dr. Lao Davila of Oklohoma State University. The blog is designed to share timely geoscience topics with a spanish-speaking audience. You can access the blog at http://geolpr.wordpress.com/.

2012 Research Featured in CLAS article

The GVSU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) recently released their 2008-2012 quadrennial report. A recent research trip (May 2012) was featured. The report and the article about Haiti research can be found at here, page 31-32.

February 24th 5-8 pm Haitian Dinner and Music

Students for Haiti, a GVSU student organization, is working with Campus Dining and Chez Olga’s Haitian Restaurant in Grand Rapids (http://www.chezolga.com/ ) to put on a Haitian Dinner and Music night at the GVSU Connection (the campus dining location near the Honors Dorms) on Sunday, February 24th from 5-8 pm. Olga will be working with the chef from the Connection to prepare Haitian chicken in red sauce, red beans and rice, fried plantains, Haitian Cole slaw, and a Caribbean vegetable.

We are selling tickets for the event for $10 to raise funds for the scholarship and the new club (~$3 will go toward the club and scholarship from each ticket sold and redeemed the night of the dinner). If you would like to purchase tickets you can 1) contact me at wamplerp@gvsu.edu or stop by my office, PAD 148; or 2) Contact Janet Potgeter at potgetej@gvsu.edu in the Geology department office, PAD 118. If you are interested in supporting the scholarship and club but are not interested in the meal you can still stop by and enjoy the music. We will be making a one-time contribution to the Scholarship fund from donations received in a giving box at the event.

GVSU Ravines Studied

2007-04-09 09:46:36.0

Grand Valley State University has undergone extensive land use changes since its founding in 1960. As the school and its student population has grown, the need for more facilities and parking has led to conversion of agricultural land. This urbanization has changed the way storm water runs off campus and is most evident in the ravines.

The Department of Geology has been studying erosion in the ravines for many years and collecting storm water runoff data since the summer of 2006. Geology students Patrick Womble and Ted Lacross, working with Dr. Peter Wampler, installed stream gages and measured stream flow in the ravines.

An ad-hoc committee called the Storm Water Advisory Group (SWAG) was formed in the Fall of 2006 with members from Natural Resources Management, Biology, Geology, and Facilities. SWAG will be working with Fishbeck Thompson Carr, and Huber, a Grand Rapids consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive storm water plan for the GVSU campus.

The Storm Water Advisory Group (SWAG) continues to work with James Moyer and facilities to finalize a Storm Water Management plan for the GVSU Allendale campus. The draft plan, finished in June, was prepared by Fishbeck, Thompson, Huber, and Carr (FTCH). Some of the discussions and Best Management Practices outlined in the plan have already been incorporated in new buildings and infrastructure under construction at the Allendale campus. For example, a portion of Parking Lot C was fitted with a strip of permeable asphalt to allow storm water runoff to infiltrate rather than proceed to the storm drains.

The monitoring of Storm water runoff has continued with the installation of new gages and monitoring sites. At the present, a total of 14 continuous gages have been installed and are being monitored with the help of geology students, Kirk Perschbacker, James Barr, and Sarah Negorsen. Also included in the new monitoring system are two web-based cameras to capture storm events, and one internet-based water level and water chemistry probe near Calder.

In September 2007 three shallow monitoring wells were installed with help of Peter Riemersma of the geology Department and Raymer Drilling. These wells will allow us to collect data and better understand a shallow sand aquifer which lies some 6-20 meters below campus. This aquifer provides an underground pathway for storm water to enter the ravines. About a dozen students helped with the drilling and geologic description of the drill holes.

The Storm Water monitoring effort was expanded this year with the help of biology professor Eric Snyder and his students. Biology students Jason Dragowski and Michelle Harju collected biologic data on algae growth and fish populations in the ravines. This has been combined with chemical analyses of storm water performed by geology student Katie Conroy to provide a baseline for future changes that may restore or alter ravine ecological functions and water chemistry.

SWAG is in the process of developing a long-term monitoring plan with facilities to insure that data can continue to be collected and inform future decisions regarding infrastructure at GVSU. This effort will include the participation of GVSUstudents. One of the exciting plans on the horizon is the construction of a large wetland complex near the radio towers. The proposed wetlands will allow storm water to runoff to the west instead of into the ravines.

The overarching goal of SWAG and facilities continues to be the return of GVSU to runoff levels present in 1960 when the University was founded. For more information please contact Dr. Peter Wampler (616) 331-2834.