photo by: Public Domain

U.S. Geological Survey scientists release nontoxic Rhodamine dye at the beginning of a river study to examine water flow.

U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners will inject a harmless, bright red fluorescent dye into the Kansas River at Eudora Wednesday through Friday, weather permitting, according to a news release from the USGS.

The study is being done to improve understanding of streamflow velocities and travel times in the Kansas River. It’s in cooperation with the City of Lawrence, City of Manhattan, City of Olathe, City of Topeka, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Water Office, the Nature Conservancy and WaterOne.

The Kansas River provides drinking water for multiple cities in northeastern Kansas, including Lawrence.

The dye-tracing study will provide a better understanding of how quickly water flows from one location to another, the release said. Water-resource managers will use the information to respond to potential events such as harmful algal blooms or contaminant spills that may make the water unsafe for the public. The first experiment of this study occurred in late September 2020 and the second in late April 2021.

“Recent events with spills above intakes in rivers have pointed out the need for travel-time data to monitor and respond appropriately,” said Tom Stiles, Bureau of Water director at KDHE. “With so many people dependent upon surface water supplies in Kansas, understanding how those rivers move is critical to proper water management.”

The study will consist of multiple experimental runs to optimize time-of-travel data collection by injecting nontoxic rhodamine water-tracing dye into the Kansas River during low, medium and high flow conditions.