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.     

Column experiments to investigate transport of colloidal humic acid through porous media during managed aquifer recharge

Colloids act as vectors for pollutants in groundwater, thereby creating a series of environmental problems. While managed aquifer recharge plays an important role in protecting groundwater resources and controlling land subsidence, it has a significant effect on the transport of colloids. In this study, particle size and zeta potential of colloidal humic acid (HA) have been measured to determine the effects of different hydrochemistry conditions. Column experiments were conducted to examine the effects on the transport of colloidal HA under varying conditions of pH (5, 7, 9), ionic strength (<0.0005, 0.02, 0.05 M), cation valence (Na⁺, Ca²⁺) and flow rate (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 ml/min) through collectors (glass beads) to model the properties and quality of artificial recharge water and changes in the hydrodynamic field. Breakthrough curves showed that the behavior of colloidal HA being transported varied depending on the conditions. Colloid transport was strongly influenced by hydrochemical and hydrodynamic conditions. With decreasing pH or increasing ionic strength, a decrease in the peak effluent concentration of colloidal HA and increase in deposition could be clearly seen. Comparison of different cation valence tests indicated that changes in transport and deposition were more pronounced with divalent Ca²⁺ than with monovalent Na⁺. Changes in hydrodynamic field (flow rate) also had an impact on transportation of colloidal HA. The results of this study highlight the need for further research in this area.     

Creating collaboration for contentious projects on managed aquifer recharge: two cases from Finland

In Finland, community water supply has increasingly relied on natural groundwater and artificially recharged groundwater as the raw water source. Several managed aquifer recharge (MAR) projects have been co-created with involved parties and have proceeded well, while some cases have raised considerable resistance among the stakeholders. It seems that success or failure in MAR cooperation is related to management cultures and the ways in which various interests are taken into account, from the very beginning and throughout the process. Empirically, this paper builds on comparison between two conflictual case studies in Finland: one in the Tampere region and the other in the Turku region. The study analyses the major constraints of these projects through the lens of collaborative rationality, also drawing upon discourse analysis and negotiation theory. The material is gathered through thematic interviews of stakeholders, newspaper articles and a stakeholder workshop. The results indicate that conventional management approaches, drawing from expert-based instrumental rationality, were insufficient in both cases. The collaborative rationality framework suggests that legitimacy for the groundwater projects should be gained through joint knowledge production and inclusive multiparty interaction for creating options for collaboration. Both cases lacked the tools and know-how for authentic dialogue and collaboration. The emerging paradigm emphasizes more collaborative approaches for natural resources management and urban planning. While MAR projects operate inside these areas and are highly complex in nature, it is essential to embrace the emerging paradigm in order to promote MAR systems along with their huge potential.

     

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.

     

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.     

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...     

The effects of geological heterogeneities and piezometric fluctuations on groundwater flow and chemistry in a hard-rock aquifer, southern India

Crystalline aquifers of semi-arid southern India represent a vital water resource for farming communities. A field study is described that characterizes the hydrodynamic functioning of intensively exploited crystalline aquifers at local scale based on detailed well monitoring during one hydrological year. The main results show large water-table fluctuations caused by monsoon recharge and pumping, high spatial variability in well discharges, and a decrease of well yields as the water table decreases. Groundwater chemistry is also spatially variable with the existence of aquifer compartments within which mixing occurs. The observed variability and compartmentalization is explained by geological heterogeneities which play a major role in controlling groundwater flow and connectivity in the aquifer. The position of the water table within the fracture network will determine the degree of connectivity between aquifer compartments and well discharge. The presented aquifer conceptual model suggests several consequences: (1) over-exploitation leads to a drop in well discharge, (2) intensive pumping may contribute to the hydraulic containment of contaminants, (3) groundwater quality is highly variable even at local scale, (4) geological discontinuities may be used to assist in the location of drinking-supply wells, (5) modeling should integrate threshold effects due to water-table fluctuations.     

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).     

Percolation pond as a method of managed aquifer recharge in a coastal saline aquifer: A case study on the criteria for site selection and its impacts

Percolation ponds have become very popular methods of managed aquifer recharge due to their low cost, ease of construction and the participation and assistance of community. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of a percolation pond in a saline aquifer, north of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, to improve the storage and quality of groundwater. Electrical resistivity and ground penetrating radar methods were used to understand the subsurface conditions of the area. From these investigations, a suitable location was chosen and a percolation pond was constructed. The quality and quantity of groundwater of the nearby area has improved due to the recharge from the pond. This study indicated that a simple excavation without providing support for the slope and paving of the bunds helped to improve the groundwater quality. This method can be easily adoptable by farmers who can have a small pond within their farm to collect and store the rainwater. The cost of water recharged from this pond works out to be about 0.225 Re/l. Cleaning the pond by scrapping the accumulated sediments needs to be done once a year. Due to the small dimension and high saline groundwater, considerable improvement in quality at greater depths could not be achieved. However, ponds of larger size with recharge shafts can directly recharge the aquifer and help to improve the quality of water at greater depths.     

Field experiments and numerical simulations of whirlpool foundation pit dewatering

A whirlpool foundation pit is a small-diameter, deep circular pit. Because of its depth and small diameter, a large drawdown is required, and a limited number of wells can be installed inside the pit. During excavation, partially penetrating wells inside and outside the foundation pit have to be installed to lower the water level when the aquifer is too thick. However, partially penetrating wells near partially penetrating curtains cannot be treated by analytical methods. Therefore, it is necessary to use numerical methods to predict dewatering during excavation. Field experiments were performed on whirlpool foundation pit 1880 of Baosteel Group, Shanghai, China, to obtain pumping rates and drawdown, pumping with a single well and two wells in the confined aquifer. The results indicate that the drawdown inside the pit induced by pumping wells outside the foundation pit was small, whereas it was large for pumping wells inside the pit. The pumping wells inside and outside the pit had to be combined to lower the water level. A three-dimensional numerical model was developed to simulate the dewatering process. The hydraulic conductivities of the confined aquifers were inversed by using the pumping tests. Operation schedules were simulated with the corrected model for different combinations of wells inside and outside the pit. The results suggest that different schedules and operation conditions affect drawdown. The monitored results during dewatering indicate that the simulation and field measurements were in agreement. The results can be applied to similar situations.     

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.

     

Automatic correction and simplification of geological maps and cross-sections for numerical simulations

Incorporating prior geological knowledge in geophysical process models often meets practical meshing challenges and raises the question of how much detail is to be included in the geometric model. We introduce a strategy to automatically repair and simplify geological maps, geological cross-sections and the associated meshes while preserving elementary consistency rules. To identify features breaking validity and/or the thin features potentially problematic when generating a mesh, we associate an exclusion zone with each model feature (horizon, fault). When these zones overlap, both the connectivity and the geometry of the geological layers are automatically modified. The output model enforces specific practical quality criteria on the model topology and geometry that facilitates the generation of a mesh with lower bounds on minimum angles and minimum local entity sizes. Our strategy is demonstrated on an invalid geological cross-section from a real-case study in the Lorraine coal basin. We further explore the impacts of the model modifications on wave propagation simulation. We show that the differences on the seismograms due to model simplifications are relatively small if the magnitude of simplifications is adapted to the physical problem parameters.     

Site selection for managed aquifer recharge using fuzzy rules: integrating geographical information system (GIS) tools and multi-criteria decision making

One of the most important water-resources management strategies for arid lands is managed aquifer recharge (MAR). In establishing a MAR scheme, site selection is the prime prerequisite that can be assisted by geographic information system (GIS) tools. One of the most important uncertainties in the site-selection process using GIS is finite ranges or intervals resulting from data classification. In order to reduce these uncertainties, a novel method has been developed involving the integration of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM), GIS, and a fuzzy inference system (FIS). The Shemil-Ashkara plain in the Hormozgan Province of Iran was selected as the case study; slope, geology, groundwater depth, potential for runoff, land use, and groundwater electrical conductivity have been considered as site-selection factors. By defining fuzzy membership functions for the input layers and the output layer, and by constructing fuzzy rules, a FIS has been developed. Comparison of the results produced by the proposed method and the traditional simple additive weighted (SAW) method shows that the proposed method yields more precise results. In conclusion, fuzzy-set theory can be an effective method to overcome associated uncertainties in classification of geographic information data.     

Use of treated wastewater for managed aquifer recharge in highly populated urban centers: a case study in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia

Fast population growth and rapid industrialization, on one hand, and lack of sewerage network and poor living condition, on the other, have led to the deterioration of surface and ground water quality in the city of Addis Ababa. The urban wastewater is discharged largely into streams that drain the city. Only less than 3% join the wastewater treatment facilities. Due to sporadic rainfall that causes shortage in groundwater recharge, managed aquifer recharge (MAR) experiment was tested on soil column collected from Akaki Well Field which is located in the southern part of the city using water from the Big Akaki River that crosses the same well field and effluent from Kaliti Wastewater Treatment Plant. Water quality analysis for 17 different parameters was done for both the inflow and outflow water samples and soils were tested for electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity. The results indicate improved water quality as a result of higher attenuation/filtration capacity of the vadose zone in the well field due to the presence of vertisols. The main geochemical processes that have acted in the soil column could be cation exchange, dissolution, precipitation, oxidation, nitrification, die off etc. that are responsible for the effectiveness of vadose zone for MAR.     

无越流补给含水层对煤层气排采影响的数值模拟

沁水盆地南部煤层气井具有“高产水、低产气”的特征,然而也有部分井存在“高产水、高产气”的现象。一般来说,煤层气井高产水,多与沟通含水层相关。针对这种情况,基于沁水盆地柿庄南区块煤储层地质条件,结合煤层气直井排采的实际情况,利用数值模拟方法,采用气水两相多组分的三维煤储层模拟软件(SIMEDWin)模拟煤层气井排采中,沟通无越流补给含水层对储层压力变化及煤层气水产出规律的影响。结果表明：与无含水层影响的煤层气井对比,沟通无越流补给含水层的煤层气井远井地带压降幅度显著,高产气时间久,累积产气量多,排水量大,但见气时间较晚;含水层渗透率越大,气井日产气峰值越高;气井日排水量越大,产气速度也会越快,但产气速度在排水量达到一定值时不再增大。综合考虑,沟通无越流补给高渗透率含水层,增大日排水量到一定值更有利于柿庄南区块煤层气的增产。