A geostatistically based approach to the identification of aquifer transmissivities in Yolo Basin, California

A geostatistically based approach is developed for the identification of aquifer transmissivities in Yolo Basin, California. The approach combines weighted least-squares with universal kriging and cokriging techniques in an overall scheme that (1)considers a prioriknown information on aquifer transmissivity and specific capacities of wells, (2)considers uncertainties in water level and transmissivity data, and (3)estimates the reliability of the generated transmissivity values. Minimization of a global least-squares function that incorporates calibration and plausibility criteria leads to a transmissivity map that shows a good agreement with pumping-test results.     

Fuzzy algorithm for estimating average breach widths of embankment dams

Dam breach width significantly influences peak breach outflow, inundation levels, and flood arrival time, but uncertainties inherent in the prediction of its value for embankment dams make its accurate estimation a challenging task in dam risk assessments. The key focus of this paper is to provide a fuzzy logic (FL) model for estimating the average breach width of embankment dams as an alternative to regression equations (RE). The FL approach is capable of handling nonlinear behavior, imprecision in discrete measurements, and parameter uncertainty. Historical data from 69 embankment dam failures are used in the development and testing of the FL model. Application of the FL model is also presented for estimating average breach widths of two case studies that have adequately documented data. The accuracy of the FL rule-based model is investigated using uncertainty analysis: the mean prediction error between the FL estimates and the observed average breach widths is very small (=0.03) and comparable to that achieved using the best available RE. Moreover, the FL uncertainty band is found to be approximately ±0.51 order of magnitude smaller than the ±0.56 order of magnitude achieved with the best available RE. The simulation results indicate the potential of the FL model to be used as a predictive tool for estimating the average breach width of embankment dams.     

The availability of hydrogeologic data associated with areas identified by the US Geological Survey as experiencing potentially induced seismicity resulting from subsurface injection

A critical need exists for site-specific hydrogeologic data in order to determine potential hazards of induced seismicity and to manage risk. By 2015, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) had identified 17 locations in the USA that are experiencing an increase in seismicity, which may be potentially induced through industrial subsurface injection. These locations span across seven states, which vary in geological setting, industrial exposure and seismic history. Comparing the research across the 17 locations revealed patterns for addressing induced seismicity concerns, despite the differences between geographical locations. Most induced seismicity studies evaluate geologic structure and seismic data from areas experiencing changes in seismic activity levels, but the inherent triggering mechanism is the transmission of hydraulic pressure pulses. This research conducted a systematic review of whether data are available in these locations to generate accurate hydrogeologic predictions, which could aid in managing seismicity. After analyzing peer-reviewed research within the 17 locations, this research confirms a lack of site-specific hydrogeologic data availability for at-risk areas. Commonly, formation geology data are available for these sites, but hydraulic parameters for the seismically active injection and basement zones are not available to researchers conducting peer-reviewed research. Obtaining hydrogeologic data would lead to better risk management for injection areas and provide additional scientific evidential support for determining a potentially induced seismic area.     

Flowing fluid electrical conductivity logging of a deep borehole during and following drilling: estimation of transmissivity,water salinity and hydraulic head of conductive zones

Flowing fluid electrical conductivity (FFEC) logging is a hydrogeologic testing method that is usually conducted in an existing borehole. However, for the 2,500-m deep COSC-1 borehole, drilled at Åre, central Sweden, it was done within the drilling period during a scheduled 1-day break, thus having a negligible impact on the drilling schedule, yet providing important information on depths of hydraulically conductive zones and their transmissivities and salinities. This paper presents a reanalysis of this set of data together with a new FFEC logging data set obtained soon after drilling was completed, also over a period of 1 day, but with a different pumping rate and water-level drawdown. Their joint analysis not only results in better estimates of transmissivity and salinity in the conducting fractures intercepted by the borehole, but also yields the hydraulic head values of these fractures, an important piece of information for the understanding of hydraulic structure of the subsurface. Two additional FFEC logging tests were done about 1 year later, and are used to confirm and refine this analysis. Results show that from 250 to 2,000 m depths, there are seven distinct hydraulically conductive zones with different hydraulic heads and low transmissivity values. For the final test, conducted with a much smaller water-level drawdown, inflow ceased from some of the conductive zones, confirming that their hydraulic heads are below the hydraulic head measured in the wellbore under non-pumped conditions. The challenges accompanying 1-day FFEC logging are summarized, along with lessons learned in addressing them.     

The hydrogeologic potential conditioning factors of hydrographic catchments of Upper Velhas River Basin,Southeastern Brazil

The hydrogeologic potential of a drainage catchment represents its capacity of sustainable water production, with good maintenance of the baseflows. In basins of similar shapes and bio-climatic characteristics, the potential will depend on several physical and anthropogenic conditioning factors. The determination of the hydrogeologic potential is a complex procedure, but alternative methods exist, in which hydrologic series are used to determine certain indexes, such as the recession coefficient (α), the specific baseflow (SBF), the baseflow index (BFI), transmissivity and storativity. Aiming at the evaluation of the hydrogeologic potential and its conditioning factors in the Maracujá River Basin (southeastern Brazil), ten catchments were selected and monitored. The catchments have distinct geologic and geomorphologic characteristics but are submitted to similar climatic conditions. The hydrogeologic potential is higher in crystalline basement areas, especially where the relief is flat and the regolith is thick; however, it is lower in the areas affected by gullies. The advantages of the hydrologic method, in particular to regions where information is scarce, are that it is easily applied and of low cost, enabling the characterization of the hydrogeologic potential and contributing to the management of water resources.     

A Simple Approach to Account for Radial Flow and Boundary Conditions When Kriging Hydraulic Head Fields for Confined Aquifers

The estimation and mapping of realistic hydraulic head fields, hence of flow paths, is a major goal of many hydrogeological studies. The most widely used method to obtain reliable head fields is the inverse approach. This approach relies on the numerical approximation of the flow equation and requires specifying boundary conditions and the transmissivity of each grid element. Boundary conditions are often unknown or poorly known, yet they impose a strong signature on the head fields obtained by inverse analysis. A simpler alternative to the inverse approach is the direct kriging of the head field using the measurements obtained at observation wells. The kriging must be modified to incorporate the available information. Use of the dual kriging formalism enables simultaneously estimating the head field, the aquifer mean transmissivity, and the regional hydraulic gradient from head data in steady or transient state conditions. In transient state conditions, an estimate of the storage coefficient can be obtained. We test the approach on simple analytical cases, on synthetic cases with solutions obtained numerically using a finite element flow simulator, and on a real aquifer. For homogeneous aquifers, infinite or bounded, the kriging estimate retrieves the exact solution of the head field, the exact hydrogeological parameters and the flow net. With heterogeneous aquifers, kriging accurately estimates the head field with prediction errors of the same magnitude as typical head measurement errors. The transmissivities are also accurately estimated by kriging. Moreover, if inversion is required, the kriged head along boundaries can be used as realistic boundary conditions for flow simulation.     

Cokriging of aquifer transmissivities from field measurements of transmissivity and specific capacity

This paper presents a new application of the cokriging technique for constructing maps of aquifer transmissivity from field measurements of transmissivity and specific capacity. The technique is illustrated using data from Yolo Basin, California. Cokriging is well-suited for estimating undersampled variables. To improve the accuracy of the estimation, cokriging considers the spatial auto-correlation of the variable to be estimated and the spatial cross-correlation between the variable to be estimated and other, better-sampled variables. Consequently, in regions that lack data of the variable to be estimated, accurate estimation can still be made on the basis of auto- and cross-correlation. In addition, estimation variances can be obtained with a little additional computation effort.     

Estimating transmissivity using empirical and geostatistical methods in the volcanic aquifers of Upper Awash Basin, central Ethiopia

Transmissivity (T) is a basic hydraulic parameter of an aquifer that is utilized in most groundwater flow equations to understand the flow dynamics and is generally estimated from pumping tests. However, the cost of performing a large number of aquifer tests is expensive and time consuming. The fact that specific capacity (S _c) is correlated with hydraulic flow properties of aquifers simplifies parameter estimation mainly because specific capacity values are more abundant in groundwater databases than values of transmissivity and they offer another approach to estimate hydraulic parameters of aquifers. In this study, an empirical relation is derived using 214 pairs of transmissivity and specific capacity values that are obtained from pumping tests conducted on water wells penetrating the complex volcanic aquifers of Upper Awash Basin, central Ethiopia. Linear and logarithmic regression functions have been performed and it is found that the logarithmic relationship predicting transmissivity from specific capacity data has a better correlation (R = 0.97) than the linear relationship (R = 0.79). The two parameters are log-normally distributed, in which the logarithmic relation is also better statistically justified than the linear relation. Geostatistical estimations of the transmissivity were made using different inputs and methods. Measured and supplemented transmissivity data obtained from estimates using the derived empirical relation were krigged and cokrigged, spherical and exponential models were fitted to the experimental variograms. The cross-validation results showed that the best estimation is provided using the kriging procedure, the transmissivity field represented by the measured transmissivity data and the experimental variogram fitted with the exponential model. Based on the geostatistical approach, the transmissivity map of the aquifer is produced, which will be used for groundwater flow modeling of the study area that will follow this analysis.     

地下水位在非饱和水流数据同化中的应用

为理解地下水位观测信息在非饱和水流数据同化中的数据价值,建立了基于地下水位动态观测信息的一维饱和-非饱和水流集合卡尔曼滤波,通过虚拟数值实验检验了地下水位观测信息在非饱和水力参数估计和水分校正中的潜在价值。研究结果表明:在以地下水位为唯一观测数据时,同时更新参数和水头比仅更新水头能更好地校正土壤剖面的水头分布;当多层单个水力参数未知时,地下水位观测可以为参数估计提供有效信息;当多层多个参数未知时,地下水位与多层多个参数之间的复杂关系导致观测信息难以估计出最优的(唯一的)参数值;地下水位可作为辅助信息,与含水量观测等信息联合运用改善参数估计和含水量预测精度。     

Data-driven modeling for groundwater exploration in fractured crystalline terrain, northeast Brazil

It is not possible, using numerical methods, to model groundwater flow and transport in the fractured crystalline rock of northeastern Brazil. As an alternative, the usefulness of self-organizing map (SOM), k-means clustering, and Davies-Bouldin techniques to conceptualize the hydrogeology was evaluated. Also estimated was the well yield and groundwater quality across the Juá region. This process relies on relations in the underlying multivariate density function associated with a sparse local set of hydrogeologic (electrical conductivity, geology, temperature, and well yield) and a complete regional set of airborne geophysical (electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric) and satellite spectrometric measurements. Resampling of the regional well yield and electrical conductivity estimates provides sufficient resolution to construct variograms for stochastic modeling of the hydrogeologic variables. The combination of these stochastic maps provides a way to identify potential drilling targets for future groundwater development. The data-driven estimation approach, when applied to available airborne electromagnetic and water-well hydrogeologic measurements, provides a low-cost alternative to numerical groundwater flow modeling. In addition to fractured rock environments, the alternative modeling framework can provide spatial parameter estimates and associated variograms for constraints to improve the traditional calibration of equivalent groundwater-porous-media models.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics and sustainable use of a karst aquifer of high environmental value in the Cabrejas range (Soria,Spain)

This paper describes the research carried out in a karst aquifer located in Soria, Spain. The system presents considerable good-quality water resources, yielding a series of springs which constitute a “Natural Monument”. An integral study of the hydrological cycle is presented in order to characterize the hydrodynamic behavior of the aquifer. Research combines conventional geological and hydrogeological approaches with more innovative techniques such as speleo-diving. On the basis of relatively little available data, quantitative results are obtained. These include estimations on porosity, hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity, and groundwater renewal rate and aquifer reserves. A vulnerability assessment is carried out to evaluate the potential effects of overpumping. This is followed by a proposal for sustainable aquifer management. Since aquifers such as the one in this study are frequently found, this methodology could be successfully extrapolated to other cases.     

应用Kriging方法研究格尔木河流域地下水位动态观测网的优化配置

地下水动态是水文地质研究的一个重要方面，如何获满足一定精度要求全面而合理的地下水位动态资料具有现实经济效益。本文研究格尔木河流域地下水位动态测网，通过选取理想的变差函，运有Ｋｒｉｇｉｎｇ方法进行地下水位的线性无偏最优估计和计算估计误差的标准差，结合给定的允许误差限评判地下水位动态观测网的配置是否合适，并提出调整现有观测网的方案     

内蒙古清水河水源地地下水允许开采量计算

为解决内蒙古清水河县城新区供水问题, 在分析水源地水文地质条件的基础上, 利用勘察获得的资料, 对评价中相关水文地质参数的确定进行了讨论。经计算, 研究区的降水入渗系数为0.19, 河流补给量为873.13 m3/d。采用均衡法进行地下水资源评价, 确定了研究区地下水允许开采量为 40 769.14 m3/d, 能够满足该区未来需水量。     

Geostatistical approach for identification of transmissivity structure at Dulliu area in Taiwan

 A thorough understanding of the characteristics of transmissivity makes groundwater deterministic models more accurate. These transmissivity data characteristics occasionally possess a complicated spatial variation over an investigated site. This study presents both geostatistical estimation and conditional simulation methods to generate spatial transmissivity maps. The measured transmissivity data from the Dulliu area in Yun-Lin county, Taiwan, is used as the case study. The spatial transmissivity maps are simulated by using sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS), and estimated by using natural log ordinary kriging and ordinary kriging. Estimation and simulation results indicate that SGS can reproduce the spatial structure of the investigated data. Furthermore, displaying a low spatial variability does not allow the ordinary kriging and natural log kriging estimates to fit the spatial structure and small-scale variation for the investigated data. The maps of kriging estimates are smoother than those of other simulations. A SGS with multiple realizations has significant advantages over ordinary kriging and even natural log kriging techniques at a site with a high variation in investigated data. These results are displayed in geographic information systems (GIS) as basic information for further groundwater study. Received: 27 August 1999 · Accepted: 22 February 2000     

A practical approach for the interpretation of flowing well tests

Flowing well test is one of the tools employed to identify transmissivity and storage coefficient of a confined aquifer where the potentiometric surface is located above the ground surface, so that the groundwater flows naturally from the well without pumping. During a flowing well test, constant hydraulic head is preserved at the well while the discharge from the well decreases with time and the temporal variation of discharge provides significant information about aquifer characteristics. In this study, a simple and straightforward approach is presented as an alternative to a number of graphical or error minimization-based techniques available in the literature for analyzing data from flowing well tests. The proposed method employs a polynomial regression equation to establish a link between observed discharge and the theoretical dimensionless discharge that is introduced in the analytical solution, so as to retrieve the aquifer parameters. The method is tested with a vast number of synthetically generated data sets as well as a real data set reported in the literature. Besides its simplicity, the present method is seen to produce highly accurate and reliable estimations.     

Plan for a groundwater monitoring network in Taiwan

 In Taiwan, rapid economic growth, rising standards of living, and an altered societal structure have in recent years put severe demands on water supplies. Because of its stable quantity and quality, groundwater has long been a reliable source of water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial users, but the establishment of a management program that integrates groundwater and surface-water use has been hampered by the lack of groundwater data. In 1992, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) initiated a program entitled "Groundwater Monitoring Network Plan in Taiwan." Under this program, basic groundwater data, including water-level and water-quality data, are being collected, and a reliable database is being established for the purpose of managing total water resources. This paper introduces the goals, implementation stages, and scope of that plan. The plan calls for constructing 517 hydrogeologic survey stations and 990 groundwater monitoring wells within 17 years. Under this program, water-level fluctuations are continuously monitored, whereas water-quality samples are taken for analysis only at the initial drilling stage and, subsequently, at the time when a monitoring well is being serviced. In 1996, the DWR and the Water Resources Planning Commission were merged to form today's Water Resources Bureau. Received, July 1997 · Revised, February 1998 · Accepted, January 1998     

Inactive supply wells as conduits for flow and contaminant migration: conditions of occurrence and suggestions for management

Water supply wells can act as conduits for vertical flow and contaminant migration between water-bearing strata under common hydrogeologic and well construction conditions. While recognized by some for decades, there is little published data on the magnitude of flows and extent of resulting water quality impacts. Consequently, the issue may not be acknowledged widely enough and the need for better management persists. This is especially true for unconsolidated alluvial groundwater basins that are hydrologically stressed by agricultural activities. Theoretical and practical considerations indicate that significant water volumes can migrate vertically through wells. The flow is often downward, with shallow groundwater, usually poorer in quality, migrating through conduit wells to degrade deeper water quality. Field data from locations in California, USA, are presented in combination with modeling results to illustrate both the prevalence of conditions conducive to intraborehole flow and the resulting impacts to water quality. Suggestions for management of planned wells include better enforcement of current regulations and more detailed consideration of hydrogeologic conditions during design and installation. A potentially greater management challenge is presented by the large number of existing wells. Monitoring for evidence of conduit flow and solute transport in areas of high well density is recommended to identify wells that pose greater risks to water quality. Conduit wells that are discovered may be addressed through approaches that include structural modification and changes in operations.     

Reconstruction of natural groundwater flow paths in the multiple aquifer system of the northern Negev (Israel), based on lithological and structural evidence

 The Judea Group, a limestone and dolomite karstic aquifer of late Albian–Turonian age, is one of the most important sources of water in Israel. In the western part of the country, the Judea Group aquifer is also known as the Yarkon–Taninim basin. In the northern Negev, the Judea Group is a recipient for fresh water flowing southward from the Hebron Mountains and of brackish paleowater flowing northward from Sinai. Very little is known of the hydraulic properties of this aquifer. In order to outline assumed natural flow paths that existed in this karstic environment prior to groundwater exploitation, use was made of lithological, structural, and paleomorphological features. A detailed hydrogeological conceptual model of the Judea Group aquifer in northern Negev was established by the geological interpretation of high-resolution seismic reflection and by analysis of lithological evidence from boreholes. Isopach, isolith-contour, and isolith-ratio maps were compiled for the main lithological components. Increase in transmissivity values is inversely proportional with the cumulative thickness of argillaceous components. The lithological and hydraulic evidence provides the basis for subdividing the subsurface into distinctive permeability zones for the upper and lower sections of the aquifer; for outlining possible preferential groundwater flow paths for both subaquifers; and for improving understanding of groundwater-salinty variations that result from lithological variability, direction of groundwater flow paths, groundwater flow rates, and the duration of rock/water interactions. In an earlier conceptual model of the basin, the Judea Group aquifer was regarded as a continuous and undisturbed entity. The present study reveals an intricate groundwater flow pattern that is controlled by lithological and structural factors that create zones of preferential flow. This interpretation bears on the overall evaluation of groundwater resources and their management and exploitation. Received, December 1996 · Revised, October 1997, June 1998 · Accepted, July 1998