9321721 Buddemeier The recent anomalous precipitation pattern and resultant flooding in the Midwestern US presents extraordinary opportunities to investigate the dynamics of coupled surface-water/groundwater systems. Coincidentally, digital high resolution radar precipitation data serves powerful new techniques to the use of an extreme event as a hydrologic system probe. We propose a prompt, intensive reconstruction and interpretation of rainfall, surface water responses, aquifer recharge and groundwater equilibration in an aquifer that has been intensively studied and well characterized under "normal" conditions. The proposed research has three primary objectives. The first is to explore the novel use of weather radar rainfall estimates as a means of constructing precipitation estimates with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, and to compare the values thus derived with conventional weather station estimates. The second objective is to extend high- resolution hydrology to surface and groundwater by developing detailed recharge and runoff estimates. The third objective is to explore the feasibility of combining routine and special groundwater level measurements with the refined recharge estimates in order to determine aquifer characteristics by observing the groundwater equilibration following what may be considered a spatially-variable aquifer-scale slug test. ***
