Thermal Imagery along Ellerbe Creek in Durham, North Carolina

An initial reconnaissance survey in March 2016 and a subsequent survey in July 2016 was conducted to identify possible groundwater discharge points along the stream reach using a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera in seasonal extremes. The high-resolution thermal imaging camera captures the emitted infrared radiation of the objects in view. Recent studies using similar ground-based thermal infrared imaging techniques have been successful in qualitatively locating groundwater discharge along discrete features, such as fractures and faults, as well as diffuse seepage along stream banks (Deitchman and Loheide, 2009; Pandey and others, 2013). Sites of interest were those where temperature differences were observed between the stream [...]