Solution of the groundwater transport management problem by sequential relaxation

A heuristic algorithm is presented for problems which are formulated to find an optimal groundwater remediation strategy with constraints on confined groundwater flow and contaminant transport. The problem is simplified by decoupling the transport constraints from the hydraulic constraints to produce a linear hydraulic control optimization problem. The solution is obtained by an iterative process in which the constraints on hydraulic gradient are updated, using information from transport simulation, and the hydraulic control problem is solved repeatedly. In effect, the transport simulation is used to calibrate the head difference constraint values of the hydraulic control problem. The algorithm is described in detail and its convergence is demonstrated on several examples. The advantages and limitations of the algorithm are discussed.     

A BME solution of the inverse problem for saturated groundwater flow

In most real-world hydrogeologic situations, natural heterogeneity and measurement errors introduce major sources of uncertainty in the solution of the inverse problem. The Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME) method of modern geostatistics offers an efficient solution to the inverse problem by first assimilating various physical knowledge bases (hydrologic laws, water table elevation data, uncertain hydraulic resistivity measurements, etc.) and then producing robust estimates of the subsurface variables across space. We present specific methods for implementing the BME conceptual framework to solve an inverse problem involving Darcys law for subsurface flow. We illustrate one of these methods in the case of a synthetic one-dimensional case study concerned with the estimation of hydraulic resistivity conditioned on soft data and hydraulic head measurements. The BME framework processes the physical knowledge contained in Darcys law and generates accurate estimates of hydraulic resistivity across space. The optimal distribution of hard and soft data needed to minimize the associated estimation error at a specified sampling cost is determined. This work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Grant no. 5 P42 ES05948 and P30ES10126), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant no. 60-00RFQ041), the Army Research Office (Grant no. DAAG55-98-1-0289), and the National Science Foundation under Agreement No. DMS-0112069.     

Optimal and sustainable extraction of groundwater in coastal aquifers

Four examples are investigated for the optimal and sustainable extraction of groundwater from a coastal aquifer under the threat of seawater intrusion. The objectives and constraints of these management scenarios include maximizing the total volume of water pumped, maximizing the profit of selling water, minimizing the operational and water treatment costs, minimizing the salt concentration of the pumped water, and controlling the drawdown limits. The physical model is based on the density-dependent advective-dispersive solute transport model. Genetic algorithm is used as the optimization tool. The models are tested on a hypothetical confined aquifer with four pumping wells located at various depths. These solutions establish the feasibility of simulating various management scenarios under complex three-dimensional flow and transport processes in coastal aquifers for the optimal and sustainable use of groundwater.     

Inversion problem in regional electromagnetic induction studies

For completeness of the theory proposed by Oni (1972), the inversion problem is examined. It is shown that parameters which constrain distinct solutions of the inverse problem can be determined in the application of the theory. The fundamental basis of the inversion and the strategy to be adopted are discussed.     

Knowledge,transparency, and refutability in groundwater models,an example from the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system

This work demonstrates how available knowledge can be used to build more transparent and refutable computer models of groundwater systems. The Death Valley regional groundwater flow system, which surrounds a proposed site for a high level nuclear waste repository of the United States of America, and the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), where nuclear weapons were tested, is used to explore model adequacy, identify parameters important to (and informed by) observations, and identify existing old and potential new observations important to predictions. Model development is pursued using a set of fundamental questions addressed with carefully designed metrics. Critical methods include using a hydrogeologic model, managing model nonlinearity by designing models that are robust while maintaining realism, using error-based weighting to combine disparate types of data, and identifying important and unimportant parameters and observations and optimizing parameter values with computationally frugal schemes. The frugal schemes employed in this study require relatively few (10–1000 s), parallelizable model runs. This is beneficial because models able to approximate the complex site geology defensibly tend to have high computational cost. The issue of model defensibility is particularly important given the contentious political issues involved.     

华北平原地下水开采对区域地震活动性的影响

华北作为中国大陆强震区,同时也是我国人口最多的平原,20世纪60年代以来经历了大规模的地下水开采.本文基于华北平原1959—2016年地下水水位变化,结合区域地质背景建立了有限元孔隙弹性模型,定量分析地下水开采对区域地震活动性的影响.结果显示,地下水开采引起的卸载作用导致区域地壳隆升,最大约35 mm,同时在垂直方向上产生拉伸,地下10 km深度处拉应力最大达92 kPa.根据华北地区历史地震震源参数计算库仑应力变化,结果表明地下水弹性卸载增大了断层面上的正应力,但开采引起的孔隙压力减小使开采区内库仑应力变化为负,而开采区外结果为正.通过分析认为库仑应力变化结果受断层产状、位置等的影响,华北平原地下水开采减小了该地区强震发生的可能性,但随着开采速率放缓及未来可能的水位抬升,会对区域地震活动性产生进一步影响.

     

Mapping of regional potential groundwater springs using Logistic Regression statistical method

Increasing demand for fresh water extraction in the semi-arid regions necessitates the exploration of groundwater spring potential areas notwithstanding the importance of both conservation and management aspects for planning development. Potential map of groundwater springs reduces the costs of horizontal well drilling that provides useful tool for engineers to locate probable region for groundwater existence. The objective of this study is to establish a model of the potential map of groundwater spring occurrences. A statistical and probabilistic Logistic Regression (LR) model was developed in association with the specified spring location and effective occurrence factors. The most statistically significant effective factors on spring occurrences were selected to zone groundwater spring potential areas. The proposed model was evaluated statistically. Results showed a satisfactory prediction for the proposed model. The outcome of this study facilitates the low-cost utilization of groundwater resources when policy makers need strategic development planning.     

Increasing transmission losses from flood events due to groundwater extraction

This study continues the examination of the influence of groundwater exploitation upon the process of aquifer recharge by flood events. In the course of the developing an earlier hydrological model for the Hazeva Formation aquifer (the Wadi Paran watershed, southern Israel), it became apparent that groundwater extraction influenced absorption capacity of sub‐aquifers and regulated the distribution of percolating surface water between units. The present study lends numerical proof regarding the influence of Hazeva aquifer exploitation upon the regime of runoff and enhancement of transmission losses from flood events in Wadi Paran, and, as a result, upon increased recharge to the aquifer. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluating lacustrine groundwater discharge to a large glacial lake using regional scale radon-222 surveys and groundwater modelling

Lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD) can be an important pathway for delivering pollutants to lakes but this pathway is often poorly characterized. Evaluating the potential impact of LGD on lake water quality requires understanding the magnitude and spatial variability of LGD, as well as understanding the age and flow paths of the discharging groundwater (e.g., recharge area, groundwater flow paths, and travel times). This study first compares LGD rates along two ~40 km shoreline lengths of a large glacial lake, Lake Simcoe, Canada, that were independently estimated via a radon-222 (²²²Rn) field survey and via regional scale groundwater-surface water modelling. Backward particle tracking analysis is then used to examine the age and flow paths of the LGD and thereby assess the potential for the LGD to deliver anthropogenic pollutants to the lake. The field and modelling results compare well with respect to the magnitude and spatial variability of LGD. However, the comparison highlights the need for well-defined hydrogeological characterization if regional scale models are to be applied for LGD estimation. The particle tracking analysis indicates large variation in the groundwater flow path lengths and travels times (>1000 years to <50 years) for LGD along the shoreline. This illustrates that the LGD along different shoreline areas has varying potential to deliver anthropogenic pollutants to the lake. The study findings demonstrate the benefits of comparing independent field measured and model-simulated LGD estimates, and moreover suggest that it may be possible, in some cases, to use existing regional scale groundwater-surface water models, purpose-built for other water resource and quality objectives, to conduct preliminary evaluation of LGD contributions to lakes. Preliminary model-based evaluation would enable field efforts aiming to quantify and manage LGD to be better targeted rather than relying solely on regional scale field techniques that are often highly resource intensive.     

Numerical modeling of regional groundwater flow in the Heihe River Basin,China:Advances and new insights

Numerical groundwater modeling is an effective tool to guide water resources management and explore complex groundwater-dependent ecosystems in arid regions.In the Heihe River Basin(HRB),China’s second largest inland river basin located in arid northwest China,a series of groundwater flow models have been developed for those purposes over the past 20 years.These models have elucidated the characteristics of groundwater flow systems and provided the scientific basis for a more sustainable management of groundwater resources and ecosystem services.The first part of this paper presents an overview of previous groundwater modeling studies and key lessons learned based on seven different groundwater models in the middle and lower HRB at sub-basin scales.The second part reviews the rationale for development of a regional basin-scale groundwater flow model that unifies previous sub-basin models.In addition,this paper discusses the opportunities and challenges in developing a regional groundwater flow model in an arid river basin such as the HRB.     

Modification of the SWAT model to simulate regional groundwater flow using a multicell aquifer

The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) has been widely used and thoroughly tested in many places in the world. The application of the SWAT model has pointed out that 2 of the major weaknesses of SWAT are related to the nonspatial reference of the hydrologic response unit concept and to the simplified groundwater concept, which contribute to its low performance in baseflow simulation and its inability to simulate regional groundwater flow. This study modified the groundwater module of SWAT to overcome the above limitations. The modified groundwater module has 2 aquifers. The local aquifer, which is the shallow aquifer in the original SWAT, represents a local groundwater flow system. The regional aquifer, which replaces the deep aquifer of the original SWAT, represents intermediate and regional groundwater flow systems. Groundwater recharge is partitioned into local and regional aquifer recharges. The regional aquifer is represented by a multicell aquifer (MCA) model. The regional aquifer is discretized into cells using the Thiessen polygon method, where centres of the cells are locations of groundwater observation wells. Groundwater flow between cells is modelled using Darcy's law. Return flow from cell to stream is conceptualized using a non‐linear storage–discharge relationship. The SWAT model with the modified aquifer module, the so‐called SWAT‐MCA, was tested in 2 basins (Wipperau and Neetze) with porous aquifers in a lowland area in Lower Saxony, Germany. Results from the Wipperau basin show that the SWAT‐MCA model is able (a) to simulate baseflow in a lowland area (where baseflow is a dominant source of streamflow) better than the original model and (b) to simulate regional groundwater flow, shown by the simulated groundwater levels in cells, quite well.     

Computer analysis of regional groundwater flow and boundary conditions in the basin of Mexico

Mexico City is situated in the Valley of Mexico on the extensive lacustrine clays that overlay highly productive aquifers of both volcanic and sedimentary origin. The Valley is closed by volcanic mountains. The natural hydraulic boundary conditions associated withe mountain ranges and their relationship to the important aquifers were studied using a two-dimensional, steady-state finite-element model in cross section. Four cross sections were analysed under hydrologic conditions existing prior to the large scale pumping of the aquifers. Factors such as bulk hydraulic conductivities and regional infiltration rates were obtained from field observations and the literature to assess location of the associated groundwater divides, and the water-table in the mountains. The modeled flow patterns are consistent with the historical hydrologic records piezometric characteristics and observed surface features of the groundwater in the Basin of Mexico. From the modeling results, the groundwater recharge in the mountains is 30–50% of the mean average precipitation. Higher and lower rates result in a flow regime that is not compatible with field observations. In general the location of the divides in the mountains is displaced towards the Valley of Mexico, which influences the groundwater budget of the Valley. The water table in places is several hundred metres below ground surface, in accordance with field observations of a very thick unsaturated zone. Before major aquifer exploitation began about 50 years ago, 40–50% of the total discharge into the Valley was by upward flow through the lacustrine deposits. The best results were obtained using a subsurface distribution of hydrostratigraphic units based on recently published geological interpretations.     

Investigation of submarine groundwater discharge to tidal rivers: Evidence for regional and local scale seepage

Fluxes of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) were investigated into two tidal rivers on the north and south shore of Long Island, NY, during July 2015. Ground‐based handheld thermal infrared (TIR) imagery, combined with direct push‐point piezometer sampling, documented spatially heterogeneous small‐scale intertidal seepage zones. Pore waters were relatively fresh and enriched in nitrogen (N) within these small‐scale seeps. Pore waters sampled just 20 cm away, outside the boundary of the ground‐based TIR‐located seepage zone, were more saline and lower in N. These ground‐based TIR‐identified seeps geochemically represented the terrestrial fresh groundwater endmember, whereas N in pore waters sampled outside of the TIR‐identified seeps was derived from the remineralization of organic matter introduced into the sediment by tidal seawater infiltration. A ²²²Rn (radon‐222) time‐series was used to quantify fresh SGD‐associated N fluxes using the N endmembers sampled from the ground‐based TIR pore water profiles. N fluxes were up‐scaled to groundwater seepage zones identified from high‐resolution airborne TIR imagery using the two‐dimensional size of the airborne TIR surface water anomalies, relative to the N flux from the time‐series sampling location. Results suggest that the N load from the north‐shore tidal river to Long Island Sound is underrepresented by at least 1.6–3.6%, whereas the N load from SGD to a south‐shore tidal river may be up to 9% higher than previous estimates. These results demonstrate the importance of SGD in supplying nutrients to the lower reaches of tidal rivers and suggest that N loads in other tidal river environments may be underestimated if SGD is not accounted for.     

Pilot points method incorporating prior information for solving the groundwater flow inverse problem

The pilot points method is often used in nonlinear geostatistical calibration. The method consists of estimating the values of the hydraulic properties at a set of arbitrary (pilot) points so as to best fit the aquifer response as measured by available indirect observations (i.e., heads or drawdowns). Though this method remains general and appealing, no prior information of the hydraulic properties is usually included in the optimization process, which constrains the number of pilot points to ensure stability. In this paper, we present a modification of the pilot points method, including prior information in the optimization process by adding a plausibility term to the objective function to be minimized. This results from formulating the inverse problem in a maximum likelihood framework. The performance of the method is tested on a synthetic example. Results show that including the plausibility term improves the identification of heterogeneity. Furthermore, this term makes the inverse problem more stable and allows the use of larger number of pilot points, thus improving the identification of the heterogeneity as well. Therefore, the use of the plausibility term is recommended.     

Principles of regional estimation of infiltration groundwater recharge based on geohydrological models

Principles of estimation of infiltration groundwater recharge based on modeling the formation of water balance on the land surface and in the vadose zone are considered. The application of such models for regional discharge evaluation involves zoning of the territory by a set of meteorological, landscape, geological, soil, and hydrogeological factors. The reliability of the obtained estimates of water balance components, including infiltration recharge, should be assessed by correlating the calculated and measured river runoff characteristics for drainage basins within which the water-bearing section in the zone of active water exchange is completely drained. The application of such approach is illustrated by calculations for southwestern Moscow Artesian Basin.     

利用GRACE卫星重力数据监测关中地区地下水储量变化

关中地区作为一带一路重要的工农业发达地区之一,开展针对该地区地下水储量变化的监测和分析工作对揭示地下水储量变化特征与经济社会发展具有重要现实意义.本文基于2003—2014年GRACE卫星重力场模型数据,采用组合滤波及单一尺度因子方法反演了关中地区陆地水储量变化,扣除GLDAS地表水平均结果,对关中地区地下水储量变化进行了监测分析.将陆地水储量变化与GLDAS进行相关性分析,将地下水储量变化与WGHM地下水模型及实测地下水位结果进行对比分析.研究结果表明：①关中地区陆地水变化与GLDAS模型结果具有较强的相关性,相关系数多数大于0.7,其中与模型平均结果的相关系数可达0.8.② 2003—2008年关中地区地下水呈正增长趋势,增加速率为0.25 cm·a^-1,与同期实测数据变化趋势一致;但2003—2013年地下水存在长期亏损,亏损速率为-0.37 cm·a^-1等效水高,这与同时期WGHM估算结果-0.35 cm·a^-1十分吻合.③关中地区地下水存在明显的年变化特征,在2003—2014年期间地下水减少速率为-0.44 cm·a^-1,与该地区降雨量有较好的一致性,在降雨偏少的2008、2012和2013年,地下水也显著减少.

     

Comparing various approaches for assessing groundwater recharge at a regional scale in the Canadian Shield

ABSTRACT

Estimating groundwater recharge is crucial to ensuring the proper management of aquifers. In this study, net regional recharge and spatial potential recharge are estimated at four watersheds within the Charlevoix–Haute-Côte-Nord (CHCN) regions, Quebec Province, Canada. Four methods are applied based on available data. The first two approaches are regional water budget methods. These two methods differ in their estimation of vertical inflow (VI), which is estimated from two hydrological models: GR4J and HYDROTEL. The third method estimates potential recharge spatially over the study area. Finally, the streamflow data are analysed using the Eckhardt baseflow separation method to obtain an estimation of recharge, assuming that discharge is equal to recharge. According to the results of all investigated methods, the mean annual recharge for the CHCN region is approximately 183 mm, which is 18% of the total annual precipitation (P). The discussion section highlights uncertainties due to the assumptions of each method and the reliability of the data.     

Using multivariate statistical analysis of groundwater major cation and trace element concentrations to evaluate groundwater flow in a regional aquifer

Groundwater samples were collected from 11 springs in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in southern Nevada and seven springs from Death Valley National Park in eastern California. Concentrations of the major cations (Ca, Mg, Na and K) and 45 trace elements were determined in these groundwater samples. The resultant data were subjected to evaluation via the multivariate statistical technique principal components analysis (PCA), to investigate the chemical relationships between the Ash Meadows and Death Valley spring waters, to evaluate whether the results of the PCA support those of previous hydrogeological and isotopic studies and to determine if PCA can be used to help delineate potential groundwater flow patterns based on the chemical compositions of groundwaters. The results of the PCA indicated that groundwaters from the regional Paleozoic carbonate aquifers (all of the Ash Meadows springs and four springs from the Furnace Creek region of Death Valley) exhibited strong statistical associations, whereas other Death Valley groundwaters were chemically different. The results of the PCA support earlier studies, where potentiometric head levels, δ¹⁸O and δD, geological relationships and rare earth element data were used to evaluate groundwater flow, which suggest groundwater flows from Ash Meadows to the Furnace Creek springs in Death Valley. The PCA suggests that Furnace Creek groundwaters are moderately concentrated Ash Meadows groundwater, reflecting longer aquifer residence times for the Furnace Creek groundwaters. Moreover, PCA indicates that groundwater may flow from springs in the region surrounding Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National Park, to a spring discharging on the valley floor. The study indicates that PCA may provide rapid and relatively cost‐effective methods to assess possible groundwater flow regimes in systems that have not been previously investigated. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Role of reservoir regulation and groundwater feedback in a simulated ground-soil-vegetation continuum: A long-term regional scale analysis

The regional terrestrial water cycle is strongly altered by human activities. Among them, reservoir regulation is a way to spatially and temporally allocate water resources in a basin for multi-purposes. However, it is still not sufficiently understood how reservoir regulation modifies the regional terrestrial- and subsequently, the atmospheric water cycle. To address this question, the representation of reservoir regulation into the terrestrial component of fully coupled regional Earth system models is required. In this study, an existing process-based reservoir network module is implemented into NOAH-HMS, that is, the terrestrial component of an atmospheric–hydrologic modelling system, namely, the WRF-HMS. It allows to quantitatively differentiate role of reservoir regulation and of groundwater feedback in a simulated ground-soil-vegetation continuum. Our study focuses on the Poyang Lake basin, where the largest freshwater lake of China and reservoirs of different sizes are located. As compared to streamflow observations, the newly extended NOAH-HMS slightly improves the streamflow and streamflow duration curves simulation for the Poyang Lake basin for the period 1979–1986. The inclusion of reservoir regulation leads to major changes in the simulated groundwater recharges and evaporation from reservoirs at local scale, but has minor effects on the simulated soil moisture and surface runoff at basin scale. The performed groundwater feedback sensitivity analysis shows that the strength of the groundwater feedback is not altered by the consideration of reservoir regulation. Furthermore, both reservoir regulation and groundwater feedback modify the partitioning of the simulated evapotranspiration, thus affecting the atmospheric water cycle in the Poyang Lake region. This finding motivates future research with our extended fully coupled atmospheric–hydrologic modelling system by the community.     

The use of isotopes in evolving groundwater circulation models of regional continental aquifers: The case of the Guarani Aquifer System

The Guarani Aquifer System (GAS) has been studied since the 1970s, a time frame that coincides with the advent of isotopic techniques in Brazil. The GAS isotope data from many studies are organized in different phases: (a) the advent of isotope techniques, (b) consolidation and new applications, (c) isotope assessments and hydrochemistry evolution, and (d) a roadmap to a new conceptual model. The reasons behind the phases, their methodological approaches, and impacts on the regional flow conceptual models are examined. Starting with local δ²H and δ¹⁸O assessments of values for water fingerprinting and estimates of recharge palaeoclimate scenarios, studies evolved to more integrated approaches based on multiple tracers. Stable isotope application techniques were consolidated during the 1980s, when new dating approaches dealing with radiogenic and heavy isotopes were introduced. Through the execution of an international transboundary project, the GAS was studied and extensively sampled for isotopes. These results have triggered wider application of isotope techniques, reflecting also world research trends. Presently, hydrochemical evolution models along flow lines from recharge to discharge areas, across large‐scale tectonic features within the entire sedimentary basin, are being combined with residence time estimates at GAS outcrop areas and deep confined units. In a complex system, it is normal that many, and even contradictory hypotheses are proposed, but isotope techniques provide a unique chance to test them. Stable isotope assessments are still needed near recharge areas, and they can be combined with groundwater classical dating procedures, complemented by newer techniques (³H‐³He, CFCs, and SF₆)_. Recent noble gas sampling and world pioneer analytical efforts focused on the confined units in the GAS will certainly led to new findings on the overall GAS circulation. The objective of this article is to discuss how isotope information can contribute to the evolution of conceptual groundwater flow models for regional continental aquifers, such as the GAS.