In the now closed topic YEC Problem with Science Above and Beyond Evolution, several areas of discussion were ended when the topic exceeded 300 posts. Among these areas were the implications the YEC belief system would have on hydrogeology. To return to the debate, please refer to the following two posts:
In a hydrogeology class back in 1983 we worked out how long it would take for rainfall in the Zuni Mountains (the souce of the water in the aquifer) to get to the San Juan River in Northwestern New Mexico through a confined aquifer. The answer was around 830,000 years, if my memory serves correct. The science behind the calculation is here:
http://www.ncwater.org/...sistance/Ground_Water/Hydrogeology
The reason I bring this up is that hydrogeology does have practical consequences since in the Western US agriculture and indeed, much human life, is largely dependent on groundwater from confined aquifers. In order to determine how much water is available, or indeed how soon an aquifer is depleted, is based upon the theoretical concepts outlined in the attached website. These are practical real-life consequences to the exact same set of theories that show how old groundwater may be at any point in a confined aquifer.
I guess if one were to demand all science be vetted by YEC mullahs, then such equations may be used to determine where science ends and Last Thursdayism takes over in each confined aquifer. However, this would not address groundwater management problems and solutions in the Western US as using the exact same equations that date groundwater also determine how fast it can be replinished.
And, in response to another post from Faith and to clarify:
You are assuming, per uniformitarian assumptions, that rainfall in the Zuni Mountains has always been the source of water in the aquifers.
No, only so much water can be pushed through a given volume of a confined aquifer depending on its hydraulic conductivity. Amount of rainfall has nothing to do with how fast water can be absorbed by the ground in a given amount of time. In this case velocity is independent of amount.
The only way the water could be there in many confined aquifers is that it was either absorbed through its recharge areas and is often even millions of years old or it was magically created with the appearance of age.
The same equations that provide age determine how long recharge takes.
To me, the hydrologic evidence of an old Earth is beyond logical refutation unless one is going to assert Last Thursdayism from an intentionally deceptive deity. Does anyone disagree?
This is intended to be the first in a series concerning what sciences are negatively affected by a YEC belief system. Further explorations will include, but are not limited to, genetic bottlenecking due to the Flood and Noah's Ark story, the clear differences in species lumped together as kinds, and the melting of the Earth under the laws of physics due to condensed volcanic activity and/or meteoric impacts.
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