Impact of recharge water temperature on bioclogging during managed aquifer recharge: a laboratory study

To investigate the effect of recharge water temperature on bioclogging processes and mechanisms during seasonal managed aquifer recharge (MAR), two groups of laboratory percolation experiments were conducted: a winter test and a summer test. The temperatures were controlled at ~5±2 and ~15±3 °C, and the tests involved bacterial inoculums acquired from well water during March 2014 and August 2015, for the winter and summer tests, respectively. The results indicated that the sand columns clogged ~10 times faster in the summer test due to a 10-fold larger bacterial growth rate. The maximum concentrations of total extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the winter test were approximately twice those in the summer test, primarily caused by a ~200 μg/g sand increase of both loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS). In the first half of the experimental period, the accumulation of bacteria cells and EPS production induced rapid bioclogging in both the winter and summer tests. Afterward, increasing bacterial growth dominated the bioclogging in the summer test, while the accumulation of LB-EPS led to further bioclogging in the winter test. The biological analysis determined that the dominant bacteria in experiments for both seasons were different and the bacterial community diversity was ~50% higher in the winter test than that for summer. The seasonal inoculums could lead to differences in the bacterial community structure and diversity, while recharge water temperature was considered to be a major factor influencing the bacterial growth rate and metabolism behavior during the seasonal bioclogging process.     

Alleviating drought and water scarcity in the Mediterranean region through managed aquifer recharge

Drought and water scarcity can significantly impair the sustainable development of groundwater resources, a scenario commonly found in aquifers in the Mediterranean region. Water management measures to address these drivers of groundwater depletion are highly relevant, especially considering the increasing severity of droughts under climate change. This study evaluates the potential of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) to offset the adverse effects of drought and water scarcity on groundwater storage. Los Arenales aquifer (central Spain), which was unsustainably exploited for irrigation in the second half of the twentieth century, is employed as a case study. Two neighbouring zones within this aquifer are contrasted, namely, Los Arenales (LA) and Medina del Campo (MC). The primary difference between them in terms of water resources management is the wide-scale implementation of MAR systems in LA since the early 2000s. Several groundwater statistical methods are used. Groundwater-level trend analysis and average piezometric levels show in LA a faster recovery of aquifer storage and less susceptibility to drought compared to MC. On the other hand, standardised precipitation indexes and standardised groundwater level indexes of detrended groundwater-level time series, which do not include the effects of MAR, show that LA can be more negatively affected by drought and groundwater abstraction. The sharper recovery of piezometric levels in LA when considering MAR, and bigger drought impacts observed when the effects of this measure are removed, demonstrate that MAR can effectively alleviate the impacts of water scarcity and drought, providing an adaptation solution to climate change worldwide.

     

Application of advanced borehole geophysical logging to managed aquifer recharge investigations

Communities and water utilities are increasingly being forced to implement more hydrogeologically complex alternative water supply and storage options to meet increasing freshwater demands. The performance of managed aquifer recharge projects, including aquifer storage and recovery, is controlled by the movement and mixing of stored freshwater and native groundwater, and fluid–rock interactions, which, in turn, are strongly influenced by aquifer heterogeneity. Advanced borehole geophysical logging techniques developed for the oil and gas industry such as neutron-gamma ray spectroscopy, microresistivity imaging, and nuclear magnetic resonance, can provide hitherto unavailable fine-scale data on porosity (total and effective), hydraulic conductivity, salinity, and the mineralogical composition of aquifers. Data on aquifer heterogeneity obtained from advanced borehole geophysics logs, combined with information on larger-scale aquifer hydraulics obtained from pumping tests, have the potential for improving aquifer characterization and modeling needed for feasibility assessments and the design and optimization of the operation of managed aquifer recharge systems.     

屋面雨水回灌裂隙岩溶水工程风险评价

济南城市雨洪水回灌岩溶含水层是维护自然水循环,增加地下水补给量,维持济南泉群喷涌以及城市防洪的有效途径。但由于裂隙岩溶含水层具有渗透系数大、水流速度快,地下水一旦污染很难短时间恢复等特点,需要对回灌工程开展风险评价。本文以济南大学西校区的屋面雨水深井回灌裂隙岩溶水工程为例,利用澳大利亚MAR指南对工程进行风险评价。主要由初级风险评估、试运行调查、试运行风险评价及风险控制与管理4部分组成。初级风险评估结果显示屋面雨水回灌裂隙岩溶含水层工程的总体难度水平较低,项目可行。试运行调查期间监测的屋面雨水和回灌前后地下水水质可知屋面雨水经初期弃流、沉淀和过滤后,除浊度外基本达到地下水Ⅲ类标准,且处理后达标的雨水可迅速补充地下水。试运行风险评价结果显示屋面雨水中浊度经预处理后仍较高,使其成为该系统的最大风险项和关键控制点,故本项目的风险控制措施为改进预处理设施,降低雨水中的浊度。为保证工程能够高效持续运行,加强后期管理也尤为重要。      

Principles to coordinate managed aquifer recharge with natural resource management policies in Australia

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a tool available to water-resources managers that assists agencies to secure water supplies and protect aquifers and groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the face of climate change and growing water demand. Yet few natural-resources managers have access to a coordinated set of policies that enable the potential benefits of MAR to be fully realised in urban and rural areas. This paper reviews contemporary Australian water-resource policies and systematically applies a refined set of ‘robust separation of rights’ principles based on secure entitlements, annual allocations and end-use obligations to guide the coordination of policies specific to each of the four operational processes central to MAR schemes: source water harvesting, aquifer recharge, recovery of stored water and end use. Particular attention is given to the formulation of policies relating to the recovery of water, including the feasibility for market exchange of permanent and temporary rights to recover recharged water, as these have the potential to greatly expand the role of MAR. Aquifer characteristics, existing groundwater extractions and potential third party effects need to be taken into account in determining both recovery entitlements and annual allocations. A transitional pathway to implement novel MAR policies is suggested.     

The effect of typical geological heterogeneities on the performance of managed aquifer recharge: physical experiments and numerical simulations

Understanding the role of geological heterogeneity on the performance of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in terms of effective groundwater storage is crucial to design MAR systems. Natural aquifers are affected by a variety of geologic strata and structures at different scales, which are responsible for wide ranging hydraulic properties. This study combines physical experiments and numerical modeling to investigate the effect of geologic structures commonly encountered in sedimentary environments, on MAR-induced groundwater flow patterns using injection wells. Models were conceptualized and parametrized based on the hydrogeological conditions of Tailan River basin in arid NW China, which hosts a typical, structurally complex, alluvial-fan aquifer system affected by sediment layering, clay lenses and anticline barriers, and is extensively studied for the strategic potential of MAR in addressing water shortages in the region. Results showed that, compared to a homogeneous scenario, high-permeability aquifer layers shortened groundwater ages, decreased the thickness of the artificially recharged water lenses (ARWLs), and shifted the stagnation points downstream. Clay lenses increased groundwater residence times but had little effect on spatial flow patterns due to their elongation parallel-to-flow direction. Overall groundwater ages, as well as the thickness of ARWLs created through injection on the upstream side of an anticline, increased, and this to a larger extent than through injection on the downstream side, which did not increase significantly compared to the homogeneous scenario. Results provide insights for MAR optimization in naturally heterogeneous aquifer systems, along with a benchmark tool for application to a wide range of typical geological conditions.

     

A comparison of the geochemical response to different managed aquifer recharge operations for injection of urban stormwater in a carbonate aquifer

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is increasingly being considered as a means of reusing urban stormwater and wastewater to supplement the available water resources. Subsurface storage is advantageous as it does not impact on the area available for urban development, while the aquifer also provides natural treatment. However, subsurface storage can also have deleterious effects on the recovered water quality through water–rock interactions which can also impact on the integrity of the aquifer matrix. A recent investigation into the potential for stormwater recycling via Aquifer Storage Transfer and Recovery (ASTR) in a carbonate aquifer is used to determine the important hydrogeochemical processes that impact on the recovered water quality. An extensive period of aquifer flushing allows observation of water quality changes under two operating scenarios: (1) separate wells for injection and recovery, representing ASTR; and (2) a single well for injection and recovery, representing Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR).     

Investigation of recharge dynamics and flow paths in a fractured crystalline aquifer in semi-arid India using borehole logs: implications for managed aquifer recharge

The recharge flow paths in a typical weathered hard-rock aquifer in a semi-arid area of southern India were investigated in relation to structures associated with a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) scheme. Despite the large number of MAR structures, the mechanisms of recharge in their vicinity are still unclear. The study uses a percolation tank as a tool to identify the input signal of the recharge and uses multiple measurements (piezometric time series, electrical conductivity profiles in boreholes) compared against heat-pulse flowmeter measurements and geochemical data (major ions and stable isotopes) to examine recharge flow paths. The recharge process is a combination of diffuse piston flow and preferential flow paths. Direct vertical percolation appears to be very limited, in contradiction to the conceptual model generally admitted where vertical flow through saprolite is considered as the main recharge process. The horizontal component of the flow leads to a strong geochemical stratification of the water column. The complex recharge pattern, presented in a conceptual model, leads to varied impacts on groundwater quality and availability in both time and space, inducing strong implications for water management, water quality evolution, MAR monitoring and longer-term socio-economic costs.     

人工回灌过程中富里酸和Cu(Ⅱ)对多孔介质悬浮物堵塞的影响

地下水人工回灌是解决地下水超采问题的有效措施,悬浮颗粒物堵塞是影响回灌进行的技术瓶颈。目前多数研究聚焦在悬浮物堵塞方面,然而地表回灌水中重金属离子以及腐殖质对多孔介质物理堵塞的影响缺乏研究。本研究采用室内渗流砂柱试验研究富里酸、Cu(Ⅱ)以及两者共存对多孔介质悬浮物堵塞的影响,分别采用高岭土（SS组）、富里酸+高岭土（SS+FA组）、富里酸+Cu(Ⅱ)+高岭土（SS+FA+Cu组）配置模拟回灌用水。研究结果表明：（1）回灌结束时,SS组、SS+FA组、SS+FA+Cu组多孔介质整体相对渗透系数K’分别降至0.233,0.095,0.182。SS组和SS+FA+Cu组在中上层（0~7.50 cm）相对渗透系数K’均降至0.28以下,而在底层（7.50~10.50 cm）相对渗透系数K’仅降至0.45左右,说明2组多孔介质中上层重度堵塞（0相似文献   

Participatory groundwater modeling for managed aquifer recharge as a tool for water resources management of a coastal aquifer in Greece

Hydrogeology Journal - A participatory modelling approach is presented for effective groundwater management at the Mediterranean coastal plain of Marathon, Greece. The main objective was to...     

Two-dimensional meshfree modelling of contaminant transport through saturated porous media using RPIM

This paper presents a new numerical tool to model the two-dimensional contaminant transport through saturated porous media using a meshfree method, called radial point interpolation method (RPIM) with polynomial reproduction. In RPIM, an approximate solution is constructed entirely in terms of a set of nodes and no characterisation of the interrelationship of the nodes is needed. The advection–dispersion equation with sorption is considered to illustrate the applicability of the RPIM. The Galerkin weak form of the governing equation is formulated using 2D meshfree shape functions constructed using thin plate spline radial basis functions. MATLAB code is developed to obtain the numerical solution. Three numerical examples are presented and the results are compared with those obtained from the finite element method and analytical solutions. In order to test the practical applicability and performance of the RPIM, two case studies of contaminant transport through landfill liners are presented. A good agreement is obtained between the results of the RPIM and the field investigation data.     

Numerical simulation of a managed aquifer recharge system designed to supply drinking water to the city of Amsterdam,The Netherlands

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is increasingly used to secure drinking water supply worldwide. The city of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) depends largely on the MAR in coastal dunes for water supply. A new MAR scheme is proposed for the production of 10 × 10⁶ m³/year, as required in the next decade. The designed MAR system consists of 10 infiltration ponds in an artificially created sandbank, and 25 recovery wells placed beneath the ponds in a productive aquifer. Several criteria were met for the design, such as a minimum residence time of 60 days and maximum drawdown of 5 cm. Steady-state and transient flow models were calibrated. The flow model computed the infiltration capacity of the ponds and drawdowns caused by the MAR. A hypothetical tracer transport model was used to compute the travel times from the ponds to the wells and recovery efficiency of the wells. The results demonstrated that 98% of the infiltrated water was captured by the recovery wells which accounted for 65.3% of the total abstraction. Other sources include recharge from precipitation (6.7%), leakages from surface water (13.1%), and natural groundwater reserve (14.9%). Sensitivity analysis indicated that the pond conductance and hydraulic conductivity of the sand aquifer in between the ponds and wells are important for the infiltration capacity. The temperature simulation showed that the recovered water in the wells has a stable temperature of 9.8–12.5 °C which is beneficial for post-treatment processes. The numerical modelling approach is useful and helps to gain insights for implementation of the MAR.

     

The use of laboratory experiments for the study of conservative solute transport in heterogeneous porous media

 Laboratory experiments on heterogeneous porous media (otherwise known as intermediate scale experiments, or ISEs) have been increasingly relied upon by hydrogeologists for the study of saturated and unsaturated groundwater systems. Among the many ongoing applications of ISEs is the study of fluid flow and the transport of conservative solutes in correlated permeability fields. Recent advances in ISE design have provided the capability of creating correlated permeability fields in the laboratory. This capability is important in the application of ISEs for the assessment of recent stochastic theories. In addition, pressure-transducer technology and visualization methods have provided the potential for ISEs to be used in characterizing the spatial distributions of both hydraulic head and local water velocity within correlated permeability fields. Finally, various methods are available for characterizing temporal variations in the spatial distribution (and, thereby, the spatial moments) of solute concentrations within ISEs. It is concluded, therefore, that recent developments in experimental techniques have provided an opportunity to use ISEs as important tools in the continuing study of fluid flow and the transport of conservative solutes in heterogeneous, saturated porous media. Received, December 1996 · Revised, July 1997 · Accepted, August 1997     

Assessment of small-diameter shallow wells for managed aquifer recharge at a site in southern Styria,Austria

An approach to establish the recharge component of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has recently been proposed that uses small-diameter shallow wells installed using relatively inexpensive drilling methods such as direct push. As part of further development of that approach, a generalized procedure is presented for a technical and economic assessment of the approach’s potential in comparison to other systems. Following this procedure, the use of small-diameter wells was evaluated both experimentally and numerically for a site located in southern Styria, Austria. MAR is currently done at the site using a horizontal pipe infiltration system, and system expansion has been proposed with a target rate of 12 l/s using small-diameter wells as one possible option. A short-duration single-well field recharge experiment (recharge rate 1.3–3.5 l/s) was performed (recharge by gravity only). Numerical modeling of the injection test was used to estimate hydraulic conductivity (K). Quasi-steady-state, single-well recharge simulations for different locations, as well as a long-term transient simulation, were performed using the K value calibrated from the field injection test. Results indicate that a recharge capacity of 4.1 l/s was achievable with a maximum head rise of 0.2 m at the injection well. Finally, simulations were performed for three different well fields (4, 6 and 8 wells, respectively) designed to infiltrate a target rate of 12 l/s. The experimental and numerical assessments, supported by a cost analysis of the small-diameter wells, indicate that the small-diameter wells are a viable, cost-effective recharge approach at this and other similar sites.     

A three-dimensional numerical groundwater flow model to assess the feasibility of managed aquifer recharge in the Tamne River basin of Ghana

Hydrogeology Journal - Increasing population growth and global climatic changes threaten water security in semiarid regions such as Northern Ghana. The Tamnean Plutonic Suite aquifer is the main...