Margaret A. Townsend

Address Information

Kansas Geological Survey

1930 Constant Avenue

Lawrence, KS 66047-3726

Phone: (785) 864-2111

Fax: (785) 864-5317

E-mail: townsend@kgs.ku.edu

Education

• B.S., Geology, Beloit College, Wisconsin, 1976
• University of Arizona, Field Hydrology course, 1978
• M.A., Geology, University of Texas at Austin, 1981

Professional Experience:

• Research Associate, Geohydrology Section, Kansas Geological Survey, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, 1985 to present.
• Geologist II, Kentucky Geological Survey, Lexington, Kentucky, 1980-1985.
• Research Assistant, Radian Corporation, Austin, Texas, 1979.
• Research Assistant, Center for Applied Research and Technology, San Antonio, Texas, 1978-1979, field thesis work.
• Research Assistant, Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, Texas, 1977-1978.
• Research Assistant, National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C., 1976-1977.
• Laboratory Assistant, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1976.
• Hydrologist, NSF Undergraduate Research Participant, Department of Geology, Beloit College, WI, 1975, field work.

Honors, Memberships and Affiliations

• Member, Geological Society of America
• Member, American Ground Water Association
• Member, Kansas Water Well Association
• Registered Professional Geologist, Kansas, 2001 to present

Present Major Interests:

Hydrologic and geochemical interactions of groundwaters with various rock units; study of movement of agrichemicals and tracers through the unsaturated zone to the groundwater; statistical analysis of geochemical data; use of isotopes in tracer studies.

Publications:

Selected Nitrate Studies

• Towsend, M. A., 2007, Use of the Nitrogen-15 Natural abundance method and other chemical tracers to identify nitrate sources at Lincolnville, Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2007-13, 31 p.
• Townsend, M. A., and Macko, S.A., 2007, Preliminary identification of ground-water nitrate sources using nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes, Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Current Research in Earth Sciences, Bulletin 253, part 3, 11 p. [available online]
• Townsend, M. A., and Sleezer, R. O., 2007, Factors affecting spatial patterns of vadose-zone nitrate in south-central Kansas: in, Sakar, D., Datta, R., and Hannigan, R. (eds.), Concepts and Applications in Environmental Geochemistry, Developments in Environmental Science 5: Elsevier, p. 381-406.
• Sophocleous, M., Townsend, M. A., Willson, T., Vocasek, F., and Zupancic, J., 2006, Fate of Nitrate Beneath Fields Irrigated with Treated Wastewater in Ford County, Kansas: Kansas Water Research Institute First-Year Progress Rpt. (March 1, 2005-Feb. 28, 2006), 62 p.
• Sophocleous, M., Townsend, M. A., Willson, T., Vocasek, F., and Zupancic, J., 2006, Fate of Nitrate Beneath Fields Irrigated with Treated Wastewater in Ford County, Kansas: First-Year Progress Report to KWRI; Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2007-14, 62 p.
• Townsend, M. A., 2005, Sources of Nitrate at McPherson County Feeders, McPherson County, Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Report 2005-35, 21 p. [available online]
• Townsend, M. A., and Macko, S. A., 2005, Evapoconcentration not an indicator of nitrate in Kansas ground water: 15 V. M. Goldschmidt Conference, May 2005, Moscow, Idaho, Abstracts, p. A605. [PDF Online]
• Townsend, M. A., and Sleezer, R. O., 2004, Implications of temporal and spatial variability in nitrate-N concentrations derived from soil-water samplers and soil cores in the vadose zone of south-central Kansas: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 36, No. 5, p. 330. [Abstract]
• Townsend, M. A., and Macko, S. A., 2004, Use of Nitrogen-15 Isotope Method in Soils and Ground Water to Determine Potential Nitrogen Sources Affecting a Municipal Water Supply in Kansas, USA: EOS Trans. AGU, 85 (47) Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract H41D-0330. [Online]
• Townsend, M. A., Young, D. P., and Macko, S. A., 2003, Kansas case study applications of nitrogen-15 natural abundance method for identification of nitrate sources: Journal of Hazardous Substance Research, vol. 4, no. 4, 22 p. [PDF]
• Townsend, M. A., and Macko, S. A., 2003, The use of nitrogen-15 natural abundance: a method for source identification of agricultural based nitrate: Soil Science Society of America, 2003 Annual meeting, Symposium--Stable isotopes in agriculturally-impacted Watersheds II, Annual Meeting Abstracts CD, Nov. 2-3, 2003, Denver, CO. Invited paper.
• Townsend, M. A., and Young, D. P., 2000, Assessment of nitrate-nitrogen distribution in Kansas Groundwater, 1990-1998: Natural Resources Research, v. 9, no. 2, p. 125-134. [PDF]
• Townsend, M. A., Macko, S. A., and Young, D. P., 2001, Distribution and sources of nitrate-nitrogen in Kansas groundwater, in, Optimizing Nitrogen Management in Food and Energy Production and Environmental Protection. Proceedings of the 2nd International Nitrogen Conference on Science and Policy, The ScientificWorld 1 (S2), p. 216-222. [Abstract]
• Townsend, M. A., 2000, Reno County Swine Facility Report: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Rept 2000-41, 26 p. [Online]
• Townsend, M. A., and Young, D. P., 1999, Nitrate in Kansas ground water: Kansas Geological Survey, Public Information Circular 14. 4 p. [Online]
• Townsend, M.A., Sleezer, R.O., and Macko, S.A. 1996, Effects of agricultural practices and vadose zone stratigraphy on nitrate concentration in groundwater in Kansas, USA. Water Science and Technology. v. 33. No. 4-5. p. 219-226. [PDF]
• Townsend, M.A., and Young, D.P. 1995, Factors affecting nitrate concentration in groundwater in Stafford County, Kansas: urrent Research in Earth Sciences, Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 238. p. 1-9. [PDF]
• Sophocleous, M., Townsend, M.A., and Whittemore, D.O., 1990, Movement and fate of agrichemicals in field soils as indicated by the simultaneous study of atrazine and bromide: a Kansas cropland case: Journal of Hydrology, v. 115, p. 115-137.

Ground Water Education

• Rule, A., and Townsend, M. A., Use of the nitrogen cycle to assist teachers with environmental and geohealth topics: Joint South-Central and North-Central Sections, 41st Annual Meeting (11-13 April 2007) Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 39, No. 3, p. 13.
• Townsend, M. A., Rule, A. C., Meyer, M. A., Dockstader, C.J., 2007, Teaching the Nitrogen Cycle and Human Health Interactions: Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 55, no. 2, p. 158-168.
• Macfarlane, P.A., Bohling, G., Thompson, K. W., and Townsend, M. A., 2006, Helping Students Make the Transition from Novice Learner of Ground-water Concepts to Expert Using the Plume Busters Software: J. Geoscience Education, v. 54, no. 5, p. 610-619.
• Macfarlane, P.A., Townsend, M.A., Bohling, G.C., Case, S., 2004, A teacher's guide to plume busters: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Report no. 2004-60, 74 p. [available online]
• Macfarlane, P.A., Townsend, M.A., Bohling, G.C., Reber, A., Case, S., 2004, The Summer 2004 Ground-water Workshop for Secondary Teachers of Earth and Environmental Science: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Rept. 2004-47.
• Townsend, M.A., Macfarlane, P.A., Bohling, G.C., and Case, S., 2004, The ground water tutor: an interactive method to develop understanding of hydrogeology and environmental issues: North Central Section meeting, Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 36, No. 3, p. 48. [Abstract]
• Townsend, M. A., and Davis, J. C., 2004, Have you considered donating your favorite data set to the education community?: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 36, No. 5, p. 162. [Online]

High Plains Aquifer

• Townsend, M. A., Macfarlane, P. A., Sophocleous, M. A. and Whittemore, D. O., 2005, Overview of anthropogenic and natural contaminant impacts on the High Plains Aquifer in Kansas: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 37, No. 7, p. 248. [Abstract]
• Young, D. P., Briggeman, S., Townsend, M. A., and Clark, G., 2004, High Plains Aquifer Information Network (HIPLAIN)-Year 2: 21st Annual Water and the Future of Kansas Conference, Competing Priorities: Resolving Conflicts, March 11, 2004 Lawrence, Kansas, Program and Abstracts, p. 45.
• Townsend, M.A., and Young, D.P., 2003, If you look for it you will find it--water quality problems in Kansas: Geological Society of America, North-Central section, 37th Annual Meeting (March 24-25, 2003), Kansas City, MO. [Abstract]
• Townsend, M. A., Young, D. P. and Hecox, G., 2002, Potential Impacts of Past Land Use and Recharge Rates on the Ogallala Aquifer: Water Quality Issues in Kansas: Denver Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting abstract, v. 34, no. 6, p. 97. [Abstract]

Ground Water Chemistry

• Macfarlane, P.A., Townsend, M.A., and Ohlmacher, G., 2005, Midcontinent Meeting for the National Karst Map Project-Field Trip Notes: KGS Open-File Report 2005-50, 79 p. [available online]
• Townsend, M. A., and Whittemore, D. O., 2004, Natural and anthropogenic sources of contamination to the surface and ground waters of Kansas: Geology and Human Health NSF On the Cutting Edge--Professional Development for Geoscience Faculty Workshop, Chico Hot Springs, Pray, MT, May 2004, invited participant. [Poster Image]
• Townsend, M. A., and Macfarlane, P. A., 2003, Seasonality effects on karst aquifers multidisciplinary conference, Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst September 6-10, 2003, Huntsville, AL: Geotechnical Special Publication no. 122, American Society of Civil Engineers, p. 277-286.
• Macfarlane, P. A., and Townsend, M. A., 2004, Evaporite Karst and Ground-water Flow, Discharge, and Quality in the Crystal Spring Catchment Area in the Central Flint Hills of Kansas, in Johnson, K. S., and Neal, J. T., eds. Evaporite karst and engineering/environmental problems in the United States: Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular, 109 p.
• Townsend, M. A., and Young, D. P., 2000, Atrazine and its metabolites as indicators of stream-aquifer interaction in Kansas, USA. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry. V. 78, no. 1, p. 9-23.

Kansas Geological Survey, Geohydrology Section
Updated Jan. 15, 2008
Comments to webadmin@kgs.ku.edu
URL=http://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/Personnel/tw/townsend.html