Rachel McQuiggan joined the DGS staff in June 2017. Ms. McQuiggan was initially hired to oversee field tasks, including the installation of new monitoring wells, and compile geological and hydrological data for the Kent County Groundwater and Saline Water Intrusion Monitoring Network Infrastructure Improvement Project. She works on a variety of projects related to the hydrogeology and water resources of Delaware, many of which include large-scale field data collection and management using automated sensors. Current research topics include salinization and saltwater intrusion in coastal areas, road deicer impacts to groundwater, and water quality and supply issues in Delaware’s major aquifers.
Prior to joining the DGS, Ms. McQuiggan worked as a Hydrogeologist at a consulting firm in New England and as a microscopy analyst at an environmental laboratory.
Hingst, M.H., McQuiggan, R., Peters, C.N., He, C., Andres, A.S. & Michael, H.A. (2022). Surface water-groundwater connections as pathways for inland salinization of coastal aquifers. Groundwater, published online November 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.13274.
McQuiggan, R., Andres, A. S., Roros, A., & Stuchio, N. C. (2022) Stormwater drives seasonal geochemical processes beneath an infiltration basin. Journal of Environmental Quality, 51, 6. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20416
Peters, C. N., Kimsal, C., Frederiks, R. S., Paldor, A., McQuiggan, R., & Michael, H. A. (2022). Groundwater pumping causes salinization of coastal streams due to baseflow depletion: Analytical Framework and application to Savannah River, GA. Journal of Hydrology, 604, 127238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127238
McQuiggan, R., Andres, A.S., Roros, A. & Sturchio, N.C. (April 2023). Characterizing Impacts of Road Salt in Groundwater from Stormwater Infiltration. Oral presentation at the 13th National Water Quality Monitoring Conference, Virginia Beach, VA, 24-28 Apr.
Hingst, M., McQuiggan, R., Andres, A.S. & Michael, H. (December 2021). Saltwater Intrusion – Early awareness leading to early mitigation. Abstract #H45W-1482. Poster presented at AGU Fall Meeting 2021, San Francisco, CA, 13-17 Dec.
McQuiggan, R. & Andres, A.S. (September 2021). Field Study of Deicing Salt Impacts On Groundwater From Stormwater Infiltration Best Management Practices. Oral presentation at the American Water Resource Association (AWRA) Mid-Atlantic Conference 2021, held virtually, 22-24, Sept. - Link to recording
Andres, A.S. & McQuiggan, R. (December 2019). Challenges of characterizing impacts of de-icing salt in a heterogeneous aquifer. Abstract #495277. Poster presented at AGU Fall Meeting 2019, San Francisco, CA, 9-13 Dec.
Hingst, M., McQuiggan, R., Peters, C., Andres, A.S. & Michael, H. (December 2019). A-Salt on Delaware Farmland: Investigation of Pathways and Dynamics of Saltwater Intrusion near Dover. Abstract #617689. Poster presented at AGU Fall Meeting 2019, San Francisco, CA, 9-13 Dec.
McQuiggan, R. & Andres, A.S. (September 2018). Groundwater Level Decline in the Piney Point Aquifer of Delmarva. Oral presentation at the annual Maryland Groundwater Symposium: Baltimore, Maryland. - Link to program with abstracts