Modeling Variably Saturated Multispecies Reactive Groundwater Solute Transport with MODFLOW‐UZF and RT3D

A numerical model was developed that is capable of simulating multispecies reactive solute transport in variably saturated porous media. This model consists of a modified version of the reactive transport model RT3D (Reactive Transport in 3 Dimensions) that is linked to the Unsaturated‐Zone Flow (UZF1) package and MODFLOW. Referred to as UZF‐RT3D, the model is tested against published analytical benchmarks as well as other published contaminant transport models, including HYDRUS‐1D, VS2DT, and SUTRA, and the coupled flow and transport modeling system of CATHY and TRAN3D. Comparisons in one‐dimensional, two‐dimensional, and three‐dimensional variably saturated systems are explored. While several test cases are included to verify the correct implementation of variably saturated transport in UZF‐RT3D, other cases are included to demonstrate the usefulness of the code in terms of model run‐time and handling the reaction kinetics of multiple interacting species in variably saturated subsurface systems. As UZF1 relies on a kinematic‐wave approximation for unsaturated flow that neglects the diffusive terms in Richards equation, UZF‐RT3D can be used for large‐scale aquifer systems for which the UZF1 formulation is reasonable, that is, capillary‐pressure gradients can be neglected and soil parameters can be treated as homogeneous. Decreased model run‐time and the ability to include site‐specific chemical species and chemical reactions make UZF‐RT3D an attractive model for efficient simulation of multispecies reactive transport in variably saturated large‐scale subsurface systems.     

Implementation of Solute Transport in the Vadose Zone into the “HYDRUS Package for MODFLOW”

The “HYDRUS package for MODFLOW” is an existing MODFLOW package that allows MODFLOW to simultaneously evaluate transient water flow in both unsaturated and saturated zones. The package is based on incorporating parts of the HYDRUS-1D model (to simulate unsaturated water flow in the vadose zone) into MODFLOW (to simulate saturated groundwater flow). The coupled model is effective in addressing spatially variable saturated-unsaturated hydrological processes at the regional scale. However, one of the major limitations of this coupled model is that it does not have the capability to simulate solute transport along with water flow and therefore, the model cannot be employed for evaluating groundwater contamination. In this work, a modified unsaturated flow and transport package (modified HYDRUS package for MODFLOW and MT3DMS) has been developed and linked to the three-dimensional (3D) groundwater flow model MODFLOW and the 3D groundwater solute transport model MT3DMS. The new package can simulate, in addition to water flow in the vadose zone, also solute transport involving many biogeochemical processes and reactions, including first-order degradation, volatilization, linear or nonlinear sorption, one-site kinetic sorption, two-site sorption, and two-kinetic sites sorption. Due to complex interactions at the groundwater table, certain modifications of the pressure head (compared to the original coupling) and solute concentration profiles were incorporated into the modified HYDRUS package. The performance of the newly developed model is evaluated using HYDRUS (2D/3D), and the results indicate that the new model is effective in simulating the movement of water and contaminants in the saturated-unsaturated flow domains.     

Testing density-dependent groundwater models: two-dimensional steady state unstable convection in infinite,finite and inclined porous layers

This study proposes the use of several problems of unstable steady state convection with variable fluid density in a porous layer of infinite horizontal extent as two-dimensional (2-D) test cases for density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport simulators. Unlike existing density-dependent model benchmarks, these problems have well-defined stability criteria that are determined analytically. These analytical stability indicators can be compared with numerical model results to test the ability of a code to accurately simulate buoyancy driven flow and diffusion. The basic analytical solution is for a horizontally infinite fluid-filled porous layer in which fluid density decreases with depth. The proposed test problems include unstable convection in an infinite horizontal box, in a finite horizontal box, and in an infinite inclined box. A dimensionless Rayleigh number incorporating properties of the fluid and the porous media determines the stability of the layer in each case. Testing the ability of numerical codes to match both the critical Rayleigh number at which convection occurs and the wavelength of convection cells is an addition to the benchmark problems currently in use. The proposed test problems are modelled in 2-D using the SUTRA [SUTRA––A model for saturated–unsaturated variable-density ground-water flow with solute or energy transport. US Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 02-4231, 2002. 250 p] density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport code. For the case of an infinite horizontal box, SUTRA results show a distinct change from stable to unstable behaviour around the theoretical critical Rayleigh number of 4π² and the simulated wavelength of unstable convection agrees with that predicted by the analytical solution. The effects of finite layer aspect ratio and inclination on stability indicators are also tested and numerical results are in excellent agreement with theoretical stability criteria and with numerical results previously reported in traditional fluid mechanics literature.     

Analytical Solutions for Water Flow and Solute Transport in the Unsaturated Zone

Analytical solutions for the water flow and solute transport equations in the unsaturated zone are presented. We use the Broadbridge and White nonlinear model to solve the Richards’ equation for vertical flow under a constant infiltration rate. Then we extend the water flow solution and develop an exact parametric solution for the advection-dispersion equation. The method of characteristics is adopted to determine the location of a solute front in the unsaturated zone. The dispersion component is incorporated into the final solution using a singular perturbation method. The formulation of the analytical solutions is simple, and a complete solution is generated without resorting to computationally demanding numerical schemes. Indeed, the simple analytical solutions can be used as tools to verify the accuracy of numerical models of water flow and solute transport. Comparison with a finite-element numerical solution indicates that a good match for the predicted water content is achieved when the mesh grid is one-fourth the capillary length scale of the porous medium. However, when numerically solving the solute transport equation at this level of discretization, numerical dispersion and spatial oscillations were significant.     

Modeling Variably Saturated Subsurface Solute Transport with MODFLOW‐UZF and MT3DMS

The MT3DMS groundwater solute transport model was modified to simulate solute transport in the unsaturated zone by incorporating the unsaturated‐zone flow (UZF1) package developed for MODFLOW. The modified MT3DMS code uses a volume‐averaged approach in which Lagrangian‐based UZF1 fluid fluxes and storage changes are mapped onto a fixed grid. Referred to as UZF‐MT3DMS, the linked model was tested against published benchmarks solved analytically as well as against other published codes, most frequently the U.S. Geological Survey's Variably‐Saturated Two‐Dimensional Flow and Transport Model. Results from a suite of test cases demonstrate that the modified code accurately simulates solute advection, dispersion, and reaction in the unsaturated zone. Two‐ and three‐dimensional simulations also were investigated to ensure unsaturated‐saturated zone interaction was simulated correctly. Because the UZF1 solution is analytical, large‐scale flow and transport investigations can be performed free from the computational and data burdens required by numerical solutions to Richards' equation. Results demonstrate that significant simulation runtime savings can be achieved with UZF‐MT3DMS, an important development when hundreds or thousands of model runs are required during parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis. Three‐dimensional variably saturated flow and transport simulations revealed UZF‐MT3DMS to have runtimes that are less than one tenth of the time required by models that rely on Richards' equation. Given its accuracy and efficiency, and the wide‐spread use of both MODFLOW and MT3DMS, the added capability of unsaturated‐zone transport in this familiar modeling framework stands to benefit a broad user‐ship.     

Environmental tracer transport (H and SF6) in the saturated and unsaturated zones and its use in nitrate pollution management

An important quantity in groundwater protection is the residence time of water in an aquifer. It relates to both the travel time of a pollutant to arrive at a well and the time span required for self-purification of a polluted aquifer after removal of pollutant inputs. Time scales for aquifers can be gained from artificial tracer experiments or from environmental tracer data, the latter offering the only realistic alternative if time scales of years or decades have to be taken into account.

Different tracers show different time scales due to their different transport mechanisms especially in the unsaturated zone. While solute tracers are moved advectively with the seepage water, gas tracers pass the unsaturated zone diffusively through the air phase. Depending on the properties of the unsaturated zone (hydraulic properties, thickness) this difference in behavior can be used to separate the subsurface transport process into the unsaturated and the saturated parts.

In a field study in Germany, SF₆ and ³H were used as environmental tracers. Both have a relatively well-known input function. Interpretation of data from observation wells by a box model approach led to spatially and temporally varying residence times. This was an indication that the influence of the unsaturated zone could not be neglected. While the gas tracer SF₆ shows only residence times in the saturated zone, the tracer ³H reflects the whole travel time of water including both the unsaturated and saturated zones. Using a one-dimensional plug-flow model for the unsaturated zone combined with a detailed two-dimensional flow and transport model for the saturated zone leads to a holistic and consistent interpretation of the measured tracer concentrations. The observed pattern of old water under thick loess cover and younger water under areas where the fractured basalt aquifer crops out is reproduced after adjusting only two parameters: the effective porosity of the saturated aquifer and the product of field capacity and thickness of the unsaturated zone. While the effective porosity of the saturated zone is adjusted by means of the SF₆ data, the field capacity of the loess layer is adjusted by means of the ³H observations. The thickness of the unsaturated zone is deduced from geological and pedological maps. All flow data are obtained from a calibrated flow model, which is based on geological data, observed heads and pumping tests only.

The transport model for the saturated zone was calibrated by fitting the porosity by means of gaseous tracer concentrations (SF₆). The combined saturated–unsaturated zone model was then calibrated by fitting the field capacity of the unsaturated zone by means of ³H concentrations. With this model it was possible to verify the observed NO₃ concentrations at the drinking water wells and to develop predictions for their future development under various scenarios of fertilizer input reduction in specific areas.     

Backward probabilistic model of groundwater contamination in non-uniform and transient flow

Backward location and travel time probabilities, which provide information about the former location of contamination in an aquifer, can be used to identify unknown contamination sources. Backward location probability describes the possible upgradient positions of contamination at a known time in the past, and backward travel time probability describes the time required for contamination to travel from a known upgradient location to an observation point. These probabilities are related to adjoint states of resident concentration, and their governing equation is the adjoint of a forward contaminant transport model. Using adjoint theory to obtain the appropriate governing equation, we extend the backward probability model for conservative solutes to more general non-uniform and transient flow fields. In particular, we address three important extensions, spatially-varying porosity, transient flow and temporally-varying porosity, and internal distributed sources and sinks of solute and water. For the first time we learn that forward and backward location and travel time probabilities are not necessarily equivalent to adjoint states, but are related to them. The extensions are illustrated using a vertically-integrated groundwater model, creating transient flow by a step change in pumping and using areal recharge as an internal distributed source. Both the movement and spread of probabilities are affected. With internal sources of water, there are two interpretations of backward probability, depending on whether or not the source of water is also a source of solute. The results demonstrate how the backward probability model can be applied to other, perhaps more important, non-uniform and transient flow conditions, with time- and space-varying water storage, such as time-varying pumping or unsaturated (or saturated–unsaturated) flow and transport with spatially- and temporally-varying moisture content.     

Groundwater flow with energy transport and water–ice phase change: Numerical simulations,benchmarks, and application to freezing in peat bogs

In northern peatlands, subsurface ice formation is an important process that can control heat transport, groundwater flow, and biological activity. Temperature was measured over one and a half years in a vertical profile in the Red Lake Bog, Minnesota. To successfully simulate the transport of heat within the peat profile, the U.S. Geological Survey’s SUTRA computer code was modified. The modified code simulates fully saturated, coupled porewater-energy transport, with freezing and melting porewater, and includes proportional heat capacity and thermal conductivity of water and ice, decreasing matrix permeability due to ice formation, and latent heat. The model is verified by correctly simulating the Lunardini analytical solution for ice formation in a porous medium with a mixed ice–water zone. The modified SUTRA model correctly simulates the temperature and ice distributions in the peat bog. Two possible benchmark problems for groundwater and energy transport with ice formation and melting are proposed that may be used by other researchers for code comparison.     

An isotopic investigation of a near-surface groundwater system

ABSTRACT

The distribution of environmental tritium, deuterium and oxygen-18 in the unsaturated zone and the underlying sandy phreatic aquifer was studied throughout 1981 in an area of high pine forests in the Rhine valley near Heidelberg. The observed vertical distribution of isotopes in the unsaturated zone can be satisfactorily explained by the combined use of a multi-cell model for moisture transport and an evapotranspiration model. The distribution in the underlying aquifer of the tracer input at the water table obtained using this method is found by replacing the total vertical diffusion coefficient in the diffusion equation with the dispersion coefficient. In this way observed tritium profiles are satisfactorily simulated for the period 1966–1981. The stable isotope profile in the unsaturated zone however remains largely unexplained due to inadequate data on the stable isotope content of precipitation over the investigated area.     

On the aquifer's integrated balance equations

A general methodology is presented for describing transport phenomena in porous media at a macroscopic level. Then, these macroscopic balance equations are integrated (or averaged) along the vertical for confined, leaky and phreatic aquifers.The results are employed to derive (averaged) aquifer equations for the flow of water and of a solute (hydrodynamic dispersion). It is shown that in all cases, the resulting equation is identical to that derived on the basis of an assumption of horizontal flow (the Dupuit assumption).Macrodispersion, occurring at the aquifer level, is discussed and appropriate coefficients are proposed.     

Testing a conceptual hillslope recession model based on the storage–discharge relationship with the Richards equation

The conceptual recession model based on the storage–discharge relationship was proposed to account for the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction. The recession model was formulated by combining the constitutive storage–discharge relationship with the integral balance equation for unsaturated and saturated water storage. The functional form of the constitutive storage–discharge relationship was determined from the spatial integration of the Richards equation. The performance of the recession model was tested by comparing with the solution of the Richards equation for different simulation geometric shapes and soil types. The conceptual recession model incorporating the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction was in good agreement with the recession response of the Richards equation. However, the recession model that neglected the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction was comparable to the Richards equation only for soils with the weak interaction between unsaturated water storage and saturated water storage. This result suggests the important role of the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction in the formulation of the recession process when the derivative of the functional relationship between the unsaturated water storage and saturated water storage becomes significant. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling solute leaching during fingered flow by integrating and expanding various theoretical and empirical concepts

Abstract

Wetting front instability (fingered flow) accelerates solute transport through the unsaturated zone to the groundwater table. Whether fingers widen or dissipate close to the groundwater is unclear. Water flow in a two-dimensional artificial capillary fringe below a dry layer exhibiting fingered flow was investigated. The flow diverged strongly in the wet soil, suggesting that fingers dissipate. Expressions for the finger radius in dry and wet soil were combined and adapted to a soil hydraulic property parameterization popular in numerical modelling. The modified equation provided finger radii for soils in humid and arid climates. The fingers in the arid soil were excessively wide. The finger radii were used to model solute transport, assuming fingers dissipated in the subsoil. Modelling was cumbersome for the arid climate. One shower may often be insufficient to trigger fingering in arid regions with short, heavy showers. In soils with shallow groundwater, the diverging subsoil flow determines solute leaching.     

A numerical investigation of bedrock groundwater recharge and exfiltration on soil mantled hillslopes

Here we use Richards Equation models of variably saturated soil and bedrock groundwater flow to investigate first-order patterns of the coupling between soil and bedrock flow systems. We utilize a Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis to identify important hillslope parameters controlling bedrock recharge and then model the transient response of bedrock and soil flow to seasonal precipitation. Our results suggest that hillslopes can be divided into three conceptual zones of groundwater interaction, (a) the zone of lateral unsaturated soil moisture accumulation (upper portion of hillslope), (b) the zone of soil saturation and bedrock recharge (middle of hillslope) and (c) the zone of saturated-soil lateral flow and bedrock groundwater exfiltration (bottom of hillslope). Zones of groundwater interaction expand upslope during periods of precipitation and drain downslope during dry periods. The amount of water partitioned to the bedrock groundwater system a can be predicted by the ratio of bedrock to soil saturated hydraulic conductivity across a variety of hillslope configurations. Our modelled processes are qualitatively consistent with observations of shallow subsurface saturation and groundwater fluctuation on hillslopes studied in our two experimental watersheds and support a conceptual model of tightly coupled shallow and deep subsurface circulation where groundwater recharge and discharge continuously stores and releases water from longer residence time storage.     

A coupled model for simulating surface water and groundwater interactions in coastal wetlands

Coastal wetlands are characterized by strong, dynamic interactions between surface water and groundwater. This paper presents a coupled model that simulates interacting surface water and groundwater flow and solute transport processes in these wetlands. The coupled model is based on two existing (sub) models for surface water and groundwater, respectively: ELCIRC (a three‐dimensional (3‐D) finite‐volume/finite‐difference model for simulating shallow water flow and solute transport in rivers, estuaries and coastal seas) and SUTRA (a 3‐D finite‐element/finite‐difference model for simulating variably saturated, variable‐density fluid flow and solute transport in porous media). Both submodels, using compatible unstructured meshes, are coupled spatially at the common interface between the surface water and groundwater bodies. The surface water level and solute concentrations computed by the ELCIRC model are used to determine the boundary conditions of the SUTRA‐based groundwater model at the interface. In turn, the groundwater model provides water and solute fluxes as inputs for the continuity equations of surface water flow and solute transport to account for the mass exchange across the interface. Additionally, flux from the seepage face was routed instantaneously to the nearest surface water cell according to the local sediment surface slope. With an external coupling approach, these two submodels run in parallel using time steps of different sizes. The time step (Δt_g) for the groundwater model is set to be larger than that (Δt_s) used by the surface water model for computational efficiency: Δt_g = M × Δt_s where M is an integer greater than 1. Data exchange takes place between the two submodels through a common database at synchronized times (e.g. end of each Δt_g). The coupled model was validated against two previously reported experiments on surface water and groundwater interactions in coastal lagoons. The results suggest that the model represents well the interacting surface water and groundwater flow and solute transport processes in the lagoons. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling unsaturated flow in a layered formation under quasi-steady state conditions using geophysical data constraints

The identification of vadose zone flow parameters and solute travel time from the surface to the water table are key issues for the assessment of groundwater vulnerability. In this paper we use the results of time-lapse monitoring of the vadose zone in a UK consolidated sandstone aquifer using cross-hole zero-offset radar to assess and calibrate models of water flow in the vadose zone. The site under investigation is characterized by a layered structure, with permeable medium sandstone intercalated by finer, less permeable, laminated sandstone. Information on this structure is available from borehole geophysical (gamma-ray) logs. Monthly cross-hole radar monitoring was performed from August 1999 to February 2001, and shows small changes of moisture content over time and fairly large spatial variability with depth. One-dimensional Richards’ equation modeling of the infiltration process was performed under spatially heterogeneous, steady state conditions. Both layer structure and Richards’ equation parameters were simulated using a nested Monte Carlo approach, constrained via geostatistical analysis on the gamma-ray logs and on a priori information regarding the possible range of hydraulic parameters. The results of the Monte Carlo analysis show that, in order to match the radar-derived moisture content profiles, it is necessary to take into account the vertical scale of measurements, with an averaging window size of the order of the antenna length and the Fresnel zone width. Flow parameters cannot be uniquely identified, showing that the system is over parameterized with respect to the information content of the (nearly stationary) radar profiles. Estimates of travel time of water across the vadose zone are derived from the simulation results.     

High concentration of solutes at the upper part of the saturated zone (water table) of a deep aquifer under sewage-irrigated land

The water-table region (upper 50 cm of the saturated zone) of a 25 m deep phreatic sandstone aquifer, lying under fields irrigated with sewage effluents for up to 22 yrs, was monitored in 1971 and 1984. Average concentrations of NO⁻₃, Cl⁻ and SO²⁻₄ of up to 225, 307 and 155 mg l⁻¹, respectively, were detected in the upper 50 cm of the saturated region in two research wells in 1984. These concentrations, which are related to effluent and fertilizer input to groundwater, were two to four times higher than those found deep (37–55 m) below the water table in nearby (1000 m distant) production wells. Nitrate data and the estimated transit time through the unsaturated zone (2 m yr⁻¹) support the model suggesting that the major source of nitrate pollution in the past should be related to the oxidation of soil organic matter. The SO²⁻₄/Cl⁻ ratio is found to be a useful indicator for the arrival of SO²⁻₄-fertilizers at the groundwater interface. The observations presented in this paper question the suitability of plans for using effluents as a water source for agriculture in regions which are the replenishment areas of phreatic aquifers.     

Characterising deep vadose zone water movement and solute transport under typical irrigated cropland in the North China Plain

Understanding the dynamics and mechanisms of soil water movement and solute transport is essential for accurately estimating recharge rates and evaluating the impacts of agricultural activities on groundwater resources. In a thick vadose zone (0–15 m) under irrigated cropland in the piedmont region of the North China Plain, soil water content, matric potential, and solute concentrations were measured. Based on these data, the dynamics of soil water and solutes were analysed to investigate the mechanisms of soil water and solute transport. The study showed that the 0–15‐m vadose zone can be divided into three layers: an infiltration and evaporation layer (0–2 m), an unsteady infiltration layer (2–6 m), and a quasi‐steady infiltration layer (6–15 m). The chloride, nitrate, and sulphate concentrations all showed greater variations in the upper soil layer (0–1 m) compared to values in the deep vadose zone (below 2 m). The average concentrations of these three anions in the deep vadose zone varied insignificantly with depth and approached values of 125, 242, and 116 mg/L. The accumulated chloride, sulphate, and nitrate were 2,179 ± 113, 1,760 ± 383, and 4,074 ± 421 kg/ha, respectively. The soil water potential and solute concentrations indicated that uniform flow and preferential flow both occurred in the deep vadose zone, and uniform flow was the dominant mechanism of soil water movement in this study. The piston‐like flow velocity of solute transport was 1.14 m per year, and the average value of calculated leached nitrate nitrogen was 107 kg/ha?year below the root zone. The results can be used to better understand recharge processes and improve groundwater resources management.     

Time–space fractional governing equations of transient groundwater flow in confined aquifers: Numerical investigation

In order to model non‐Fickian transport behaviour in groundwater aquifers, various forms of the time–space fractional advection–dispersion equation have been developed and used by several researchers in the last decade. The solute transport in groundwater aquifers in fractional time–space takes place by means of an underlying groundwater flow field. However, the governing equations for such groundwater flow in fractional time–space are yet to be developed in a comprehensive framework. In this study, a finite difference numerical scheme based on Caputo fractional derivative is proposed to investigate the properties of a newly developed time–space fractional governing equations of transient groundwater flow in confined aquifers in terms of the time–space fractional mass conservation equation and the time–space fractional water flux equation. Here, we apply these time–space fractional governing equations numerically to transient groundwater flow in a confined aquifer for different boundary conditions to explore their behaviour in modelling groundwater flow in fractional time–space. The numerical results demonstrate that the proposed time–space fractional governing equation for groundwater flow in confined aquifers may provide a new perspective on modelling groundwater flow and on interpreting the dynamics of groundwater level fluctuations. Additionally, the numerical results may imply that the newly derived fractional groundwater governing equation may help explain the observed heavy‐tailed solute transport behaviour in groundwater flow by incorporating nonlocal or long‐range dependence of the underlying groundwater flow field.     

Tidal effects on groundwater dynamics in unconfined aquifers

The variation of seawater level resulting from tidal fluctuations is usually neglected in regional groundwater flow studies. Although the tidal oscillation is damped near the shoreline, there is a quasi‐steady‐state rise in the mean water‐table position, which may have an influence on regional groundwater flow. In this paper the effects of tidal fluctuations on groundwater hydraulics are investigated using a variably saturated numerical model that includes the effects of a realistic mild beach slope, seepage face and the unsaturated zone. In particular the impact of these factors on the velocity field in the aquifer is assessed. Simulations show that the tidal fluctuation has substantial consequences for the local velocity field in the vicinity of the exit face, which affects the nearshore migration of contaminant in coastal aquifers. An overheight in the water table as a result of the tidal fluctuation is observed and this has a significant effect on groundwater discharge to the sea when the landward boundary condition is a constant water level. The effect of beach slope is very significant and simplifying the problem by considering a vertical beach face causes serious errors in predicting the water‐table position and the groundwater flux. For media with a high effective capillary fringe, the moisture retained above the water table is important in determining the effects of the tidal fluctuations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mobility of major ions and nutrients in the unsaturated zone during paddy cultivation: a field study and solute transport modelling approach

Study of the movement of water and solute within soil profiles is important for a number of reasons. Accumulation of prominent contaminants from agricultural chemicals in the unsaturated zone over the years is a major concern in many parts of the world. As a result, the unsaturated zone has been a subject of great research interest during the past decade. Hence, an intensive field study was conducted in a part of Palar and Cheyyar river basins to understand the variation of major ions and nutrients in the soil zone during paddy cultivation. The chloride and nitrate data were used to model the movement of these chemicals in the unsaturated zone using the HYDRUS‐2D model. The field study shows that fertilizer application and irrigation return flow increases the major ions and nutrients concentration in the unsaturated zone. Further, the nutrient concentrations are regulated by plant uptake, fertilizer application and infiltration rate. Additionally, denitrification and soil mineralization processes also regulate the nitrogen concentration in the unsaturated zone. The solute transport modelling study concluded that the simulated results match reasonably with the observed trends. Simulated concentrations of chloride and nitrate for a 5‐year period indicate that the concentrations of these ions fluctuate in a cyclic manner (from 60 to 68 mg l^?1 and from 3·4 to 3·5 mg l^?1 respectively in groundwater) with no upward and downward trend. The influence of excessive fertilizer application on groundwater was also modelled. The model predicts an increase of about 17 mg l^?1 of chloride and 2·3 mg l^?1 of nitrogen in the groundwater of this area when the application of fertilizers is doubled. The model indicates that the present level of use of agrochemicals is no threat to the groundwater quality. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.