News Release, Kansas Geological Survey, Jan. 19, 2007
LAWRENCE--James J. Butler, Jr., a ground-water hydrologist, has been named acting chief of the ground-water program at the Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University of Kansas.
As head of the Geohydrology Section, Butler oversees the work of 14 scientific and support staff. The section pursues research on a variety of topics, including the major aquifers of Kansas, interaction between streams and aquifers, identification of natural and man-made contaminants, and the development of field methods tailored to conditions commonly found in Kansas.
Butler's research includes exploring ways to measure the permeability of underground rocks, stream-aquifer interactions, and the impact of certain water-hungry plants, such as cottonwoods, willows, and salt cedar, on water resources. He has authored many scientific papers and the book The Design, Performance, and Analysis of Slug Tests, which examines a method commonly used during the investigation of ground-water-contamination sites.
A senior scientist at the Survey, Butler has been a member of the Geohydrology Section since 1986. He has a Ph.D. and M.S. in applied hydrogeology from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree in geology from the College of William and Mary. He was recently named the 2007 Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecturer by the National Ground Water Association. In that capacity, he will give presentations on his research at more than 50 universities in North America, Europe, and Asia. He is also an associate of the KU Center for East Asian Studies and a courtesy professor in the KU Department of Geology.
"Jim Butler has an excellent understanding of ground-water issues in Kansas and is highly regarded in his field, as exemplified by his selection to the Darcy lectureship," said Survey director Bill Harrison. "He recognizes that the state's water problems are likely to become more acute in the future, and we look to his field-oriented research efforts to provide a better understanding of this critically important natural resource."