Groundwater budget for the upper and middle parts of the River Gash Basin, eastern Sudan

The River Gash Basin is filled by the Quaternary alluvial deposits, unconformably overlying the basement rocks. The alluvial deposits are composed mainly of unconsolidated layers of gravel, sand, silt, and clays. The aquifer is unconfined and is laterally bounded by the impermeable Neogene clays. The methods used in this study include the carry out of pumping tests and the analysis of well inventory data in addition to the river discharge rates and other meteorological data. The average annual discharge of the River Gash is estimated to be 1,056?×?10⁶ m³ at El Gera gage station (upstream) and 587?×?10⁶ m³ at Salam-Alikum gage station (downstream). The annual loss mounts up to 40% of the total discharge. The water loss is attributed to infiltration and evapotranspiration. The present study proofs that the hydraulic conductivity ranges from 36 to 105 m/day, whereas the transmissivity ranges from 328 to 1,677 m²/day. The monitoring of groundwater level measurements indicates that the water table rises during the rainy season by 9 m in the upstream and 6 m in the midstream areas. The storage capacity of the upper and middle parts of the River Gash Basin is calculated as 502?×?10⁶ m³. The groundwater input reach 386.11?×?10⁶ m³/year, while the groundwater output is calculated as 365.98?×?10⁶ m³/year. The estimated difference between the input and output water quantities in the upper and middle parts of the River Gash Basin demonstrates a positive groundwater budget by about 20?×?10⁶ m³/year     

Assessment of village-wise groundwater draft for irrigation: a field-based study in hard-rock aquifers of central India

Extracted groundwater, 90% of which is used for irrigated agriculture, is central to the socio-economic development of India. A lack of regulation or implementation of regulations, alongside unrecorded extraction, often leads to over exploitation of large-scale common-pool resources like groundwater. Inevitably, management of groundwater extraction (draft) for irrigation is critical for sustainability of aquifers and the society at large. However, existing assessments of groundwater draft, which are mostly available at large spatial scales, are inadequate for managing groundwater resources that are primarily exploited by stakeholders at much finer scales. This study presents an estimate, projection and analysis of fine-scale groundwater draft in the Seonath-Kharun interfluve of central India. Using field surveys of instantaneous discharge from irrigation wells and boreholes, annual groundwater draft for irrigation in this area is estimated to be 212 × 10⁶ m³, most of which (89%) is withdrawn during non-monsoon season. However, the density of wells/boreholes, and consequent extraction of groundwater, is controlled by the existing hydrogeological conditions. Based on trends in the number of abstraction structures (1982–2011), groundwater draft for the year 2020 is projected to be approximately 307 × 10⁶ m³; hence, groundwater draft for irrigation in the study area is predicted to increase by ～44% within a span of 8 years. Central to the work presented here is the approach for estimation and prediction of groundwater draft at finer scales, which can be extended to critical groundwater zones of the country.     

Use of geochemical tracers for estimating groundwater influxes to the Big Sioux River,eastern South Dakota,USA

Understanding the spatial distribution and variability of geochemical tracers is crucial for estimating groundwater influxes into a river and can contribute to better future water management strategies. Because of the much higher radon (²²²Rn) activities in groundwater compared to river water, ²²²Rn was used as the main tracer to estimate groundwater influxes to river discharge over a 323-km distance of the Big Sioux River, eastern South Dakota, USA; these influx estimates were compared to the estimates using Cl^? concentrations. In the reaches overall, groundwater influxes using the ²²²Rn activity approach ranged between 0.3 and 6.4 m³/m/day (mean 1.8 m³/m/day) and the cumulative groundwater influx estimated during the study period was 3,982–146,594 m³/day (mean 40,568 m³/day), accounting for 0.2–41.9% (mean 12.5%) of the total river flow rate. The mean groundwater influx derived using the ²²²Rn activity approach was lower than that calculated based on Cl^? concentration (35.6 m³/m/day) for most of the reaches. Based on the Cl^? approach, groundwater accounted for 37.3% of the total river flow rate. The difference between the method estimates may be associated with minimal differences between groundwater and river Cl^? concentrations. These assessments will provide a better understanding of estimates used for the allocation of water resources to sustain agricultural productivity in the basin. However, a more detailed sampling program is necessary for accurate influx estimation, and also to understand the influence of seasonal variation on groundwater influxes into the basin.     

Assessing sustainability of groundwater resources on Jeju Island,South Korea,under climate change,drought, and increased usage

Numerical groundwater models were used to assess groundwater sustainability on Jeju Island, South Korea, for various climate and groundwater withdrawal scenarios. Sustainability criteria included groundwater-level elevation, spring flows, and salinity. The latter was studied for the eastern sector of the island where saltwater intrusion is significant. Model results suggest that there is a need to revise the current estimate of sustainable yield of 1.77?×?10⁶ m³/day. At the maximum extraction of 84  % of the sustainable yield, a 10-year drought scenario would decrease spring flows by 28 %, dry up 27 % of springs, and decrease hydraulic head by an island-wide average of 7 m. Head values are particularly sensitive to changes in recharge in the western parts of the island, due to the relatively low hydraulic conductivity of fractured volcanic aquifers and increased groundwater extraction for irrigation. Increases in salinity are highest under drought conditions around the current 2-m head contour line, with an estimated increase of up to 9 g/L under 100 % sustainable-yield use. The study lists recommendations towards improving the island’s management of potable groundwater resources. However, results should be treated with caution given the available data limitations and the simplifying assumptions of the numerical modeling approaches.     

Modeling of groundwater flow for Mujib aquifer, Jordan

Jordan is an arid country with very limited water resources. Groundwater is the main source for its water supply. Mujib aquifer is located in the central part of Jordan and is a major source of drinking water for Amman, Madaba and Karak cities. High abstraction rates from Mujib aquifer during the previous years lead to a major decline in water levels and deterioration in groundwater quality. Therefore, proper groundwater management of Mujib aquifer is necessary; and groundwater flow modeling is essential for proper management. For this purpose, Modflow was used to build a groundwater flow model to simulate the behavior of the flow system under different stresses. The model was calibrated for steady state condition by matching observed and simulated initial head counter lines. Drawdown data for the period 1985–1995 were used to calibrate the transient model by matching simulated drawdown with the observed one. Then, the transient model was validated by using drawdown data for the period 1996–2002. The results of the calibrated model showed that the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the B2/A7 aquifer ranges between 0.001 and 40m/d. Calibrated specific yield ranges from 0.0001 to 0.15. The water balance for the steady state condition of Mujib aquifer indicated that the total annual direct recharge is 20.4 × 10⁶m³, the total annual inflow is 13.0 × 10⁶ m³, springs discharge is 15.3 × 10⁶ m³, and total annual outflow is 18.7 × 10⁶ m³. Different scenarios were considered to predict aquifer system response under different conditions. The results of the sensitivity analysis show that the model is highly sensitive to horizontal hydraulic conductivity and anisotropy and with lower level to the recharge rates. Also the model is sensitive to specific yield     

Analysis of groundwater mining in two carbonate aquifers in Sierra de Estepa (SE Spain) based on hydrodynamic and hydrochemical data

The carbonate aquifers of Lora and Mingo form part of the hydrogeological unit of Sierra de Estepa (SE Spain). By means of time series analysis and a 1D numerical groundwater model, groundwater exploitation was quantified and the mean annual recharge in both systems was estimated (2001–2004). During this period, the Lora and Mingo aquifers received an average groundwater recharge of 0.29 × 10⁶ m³/year and 0.14 × 10⁶ m³/year, respectively, whereas an average of 0.34 × 10⁶ m³/year and 0.21 × 10⁶ m³/year, respectively, was extracted. These conditions led to a conspicuous lowering of the water table in both systems. In addition, the analysis of the evolution of the main hydrogeochemical parameters of the groundwater showed that the increased pumping rates produced an increase in total dissolved solids, and chloride and sodium ions in both aquifers. In the case of the Lora aquifer, the only ion that presented decreased levels was nitrate. The results show that groundwater pumping in both aquifers should not exceed the mean annual recharge of 0.29 × 10⁶ m³/year and 0.14 × 10⁶ m³/year in the Lora and Mingo aquifers, respectively. Nevertheless, it would be advisable to reduce pumping rates to below these values in order to restore piezometric levels and improve groundwater quality for different uses in the future.     

Characterization of the shallow groundwater system in an alpine watershed: Handcart Gulch,Colorado, USA

Water-table elevation measurements and aquifer parameter estimates are rare in alpine settings because few wells exist in these environments. Alpine groundwater systems may be a primary source of recharge to regional groundwater flow systems. Handcart Gulch is an alpine watershed in Colorado, USA comprised of highly fractured Proterozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks with wells completed to various depths. Primary study objectives include determining hydrologic properties of shallow bedrock and surficial materials, developing a watershed water budget, and testing the consistency of measured hydrologic properties and water budget by constructing a simple model incorporating groundwater and surface water for water year 2005. Water enters the study area as precipitation and exits as discharge in the trunk stream or potential recharge for the deeper aquifer. Surficial infiltration rates ranged from 0.1–6.2×10^?5 m/s. Discharge was estimated at 1.28×10^?3 km³. Numerical modeling analysis of single-well aquifer tests predicted lower specific storage in crystalline bedrock than in ferricrete and colluvial material (6.7×10^?5–2.0×10^?3 l/m). Hydraulic conductivity in crystalline bedrock was significantly lower than in colluvial and alluvial material (4.3×10^?9–2.0×10^?4 m/s). Water budget results suggest that during normal precipitation and temperatures water is available to recharge the deeper groundwater flow system.     

Groundwater sustainability and groundwater/surface-water interaction in arid Dunhuang Basin,northwest China

The Dunhuang Basin, a typical inland basin in northwestern China, suffers a net loss of groundwater and the occasional disappearance of the Crescent Lake. Within this region, the groundwater/surface-water interactions are important for the sustainability of the groundwater resources. A three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was established and calibrated using MODFLOW 2000, which was used to predict changes to these interactions once a water diversion project is completed. The simulated results indicate that introducing water from outside of the basin into the Shule and Danghe rivers could reverse the negative groundwater balance in the Basin. River-water/groundwater interactions control the groundwater hydrology, where river leakage to the groundwater in the Basin will increase from 3,114?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2017 to 11,875?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2021, and to 17,039?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2036. In comparison, groundwater discharge to the rivers will decrease from 3277?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2017 to 1857?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2021, and to 510?×?10⁴ m³/year by 2036; thus, the hydrology will switch from groundwater discharge to groundwater recharge after implementing the water diversion project. The simulation indicates that the increased net river infiltration due to the water diversion project will raise the water table and then effectively increasing the water level of the Crescent Lake, as the lake level is contiguous with the water table. However, the regional phreatic evaporation will be enhanced, which may intensify soil salinization in the Dunhuang Basin. These results can guide the water allocation scheme for the water diversion project to alleviate groundwater depletion and mitigate geo-environmental problem.     

Radiocarbon age distribution of groundwater in the Konya Closed Basin, central Anatolia, Turkey

Annual abstraction of 2.6?×?10⁹ m³ of groundwater in the 53,000 km² Konya Closed Basin of central Turkey has caused a head decline of 1 m/year over the last few decades. Therefore, understanding the hydrogeology of this large endorheic basin, in a semi-arid climate, is important to sustainable resource management. For this purpose, the groundwater’s radiocarbon age distribution has been investigated along a 150-km transect parallel to regional flow. Results show that the groundwater ranges in age from Recent at the main recharge area of the Taurus Mountains in the south, to about 40,000 years around the terminal Salt Lake located in the north. In this predominantly confined flow system, radiocarbon ages increase linearly by distance from the main recharge area and are in agreement with the hydraulic ages. The mean velocity of regional groundwater flow (3 m/year) is determined by the rate of regional groundwater discharge into the Salt Lake. Calcite dissolution, dedolomitization and geogenic carbon dioxide influx appear to be the dominant geochemical processes that determine the carbon isotope composition along the regional flow path. The groundwater’s oxygen-18 content indicates more humid and cooler paleorecharge. A maximum drop of 5°C is inferred for the past recharge temperature.     

Groundwater balance in the Khor Arbaat basin, Red Sea State, eastern Sudan

The Khor Arbaat basin is the main source of potable water supply for the more than 750,000 inhabitants of Port Sudan, eastern Sudan. The variation in hydraulic conductivity and storage capacity is due to the heterogeneity of the sediments, which range from clay and silt to gravely sand and boulders. The water table rises during the summer and winter rainy seasons; it reaches its lowest level in the dry season. The storage capacity of the Khor Arbaat aquifer is estimated to be 21.75?×?10⁶ m³. The annual recharge through the infiltration of flood water is about 1.93?×?10⁶ m³. The groundwater recharge, calculated as underground inflow at the ‘upper gate’, is 1.33?×?10⁵ m³/year. The total annual groundwater recharge is 2.06?×?10⁶ m³. The annual discharge through underground outflow at the ‘lower gate’ (through which groundwater flows onto the coastal plain) is 3.29?×?10⁵ m³/year. Groundwater discharge due to pumping from Khor Arbaat basin is 4.38?×?10⁶ m³/year on average. The total annual groundwater discharge is about 4.7?×?10⁶ m³. A deficit of 2.6?×?10⁶ m³/year is calculated. Although the total annual discharge is twice the estimated annual recharge, additional groundwater flow from the fractured basement probably balances the annual groundwater budget since no decline is observed in the piezometric levels.     

Variability of dissolved reactive phosphate flux rates in nearshore estuarine sediments: Effects of groundwater flow

Theoretical diffusive flux rates for dissolved reactive phosphate (DRP) were determined for sediments in a small area of the Indian River, Florida for the period March–May 1982. Flux rates from the sediment varied from 29 to 70 × 10^?6g per m² per day in seagrass associated sediments to 3–25 × 10^?6g per m² per day for an area devoid of seagrass. Simultaneous measurements of groundwater seepage velocities indicated greater velocities in seagrass associated sediments (1.03 × 10^?6m per sec) than an area devoid of grass (0.77 × 10^?6m per sec). Measured seepage flux accounted for more than 99% of the combined estimated diffusive and seepage flux of DRP for nearshore seagrass sediments. Also noted was an apparent direct relationship between tidal height, DRP and seepage velocity in nearshore sediments (25 m from shore) which further demonstrates the importance of hydrogeologic variables to these areas.     

Changes in isotope ratio and content of dissolved helium through groundwater evolution

The dissolved He content and He isotope ratio are proxy indicators of groundwater evolution in the Shimokita peninsula. The record of ³H and excess bomb tritiogenic ³He reveals the intrusion depth of shallow and young groundwater into deep groundwater. The record of tritiogenic ³He suggests that prior to the period of nuclear testing, the natural production level of ³H irradiated by cosmic rays was probably 6 TU. Helium isotope ratios in the groundwater converge to that of the regional crustal He with increasing depth and dissolved He content. The regional degassed He has a ³He/⁴He (R) ratio of 7.24 × 10⁻⁷ which consists of 6% mantle He (with R=1. 1 × 10⁻⁵) and 94% radiogenic He (with R=1 ×10⁻⁸). The magnitude of degassing He flux is 5×10⁻⁹ m³/m² a. Based on the accumulation of He, and taking into consideration the degassing He flux, groundwater at depths greater than 300 m below sea level is estimated to be stagnant, exhibiting residence times in excess of 10² Ka.     

Numerical modeling of groundwater resource management options in the East Oweinat area,SW Egypt

Southwest Egypt is an arid area with no surface water and limited resources of useable groundwater in the well-known Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System. These groundwater reserves have been heavily exploited since the 1960s, which has led to substantial decline in the potentiometric surface of the aquifer. A calibrated regional numerical model with refined grids on the pumping centers has been used to investigate the hydrodynamic impacts of different groundwater management options on the potentiometry of the aquifers. The results indicate that there is a real danger of either dewatering the shallow aquifer in some areas (e.g., Kharga Oasis), or increasing the water depth to uneconomic lifting depth. They also indicate that, although the planned extraction rates in Dakhla, Farafra, and Bahariya oases are feasible for at least the coming 100 years, the present rate for Kharga Oasis and the planned rate for the East Oweinat area have to be reduced substantially.     

Groundwater simulation using a numerical model under different water resources management scenarios in an arid region of China

Groundwater plays an important role in the economic development and ecological balance of the arid area of northwest China. Unfortunately, human activity, for example groundwater extraction for irrigation, have resulted in excessive falls in groundwater level, and aquifer overdraft in the oasis, disrupting the natural equilibrium of these systems. A groundwater numerical model for Minqin oasis, an arid area of northwest China, was developed using FEFLOW software to simulate regional groundwater changes under transient conditions. The vertical recharge and discharge (source/sink terms) of the groundwater models were determined from land-use data and irrigation systems for the different crops in the different sub-areas. The calibrated model was used to predict the change for the period from 2000 to 2020 under various water resources management scenarios. Simulated results showed that under current water resources management conditions groundwater levels at Minqin oasis are in a continuous drawdown trend and groundwater depth will be more than 30 m by 2020. Reducing the irrigation area is more effective than water-saving irrigation to reduce groundwater decline at Minqin oasis and the annual groundwater budget would be −0.978 × 10⁸ m³. In addition, water-diversion projects can also reduce the drawdown trend of groundwater at Minqin oasis, and the groundwater budget in the Huqu sub-area would be in zero equilibrium if the annual inflow into the oasis was enhanced to 2.51 × 10⁸ m³. Furthermore, integrative water resources management including water-diversion projects, water-saving irrigation, and reducing the irrigation area are the most effective measures for solving groundwater problems at Minqin oasis.     

Quantitative assessment of the impact of an inter-basin surface-water transfer project on the groundwater flow and groundwater-dependent eco-environment in an oasis in arid northwestern China

Inter-basin water transfer projects (IBWTPs) can involve basins as water donors and water receivers. In contrast to most studies on IBWTPs, which mainly impact the surface-water eco-environment, this study focuses on the impacts of an IBWTP on groundwater and its eco-environment in a water donor basin in an arid area, where surface water and groundwater are exchanged. Surface water is assumed to recharge groundwater and a groundwater numerical simulation model was constructed using MODFLOW. The model was used to quantitatively evaluate the impact of an IBWTP located in the upstream portion of Nalenggele River (the biggest river in the Qaidam basin, Northwest China). The impact involved decrease in spring flow, drawdown of groundwater, reduction in oasis area, and an increase in species replacement of oasis vegetation in the midstream and downstream of the river. Results show that the emergence sites of springs at the front of the oasis will move 2–5 km downstream, and the outflow of springs will decrease by 42 million m³/a. The maximum drawdown of groundwater level at the front of the oasis will be 3.6 m and the area across which groundwater drawdown exceeds 2.0 m will be about 59.02 km², accounting for 2.71% of the total area of the oasis. Under such conditions, reeds will gradually be replaced by Tamarix, shrubs, and other alternative plant species. These findings have important implications for the optimization of water resource allocation and protection of the eco-environment in arid regions.     

In situ infiltration test using a reclaimed abandoned river bed: managed aquifer recharge in Shijiazhuang City,China

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is necessary for water resources management in arid and semiarid regions. Infiltration rate is often a decisive limiting factor in site selection for MAR. In order to avoid scale effects in the application of infiltration rate parameters, the largest in situ infiltration test in China was undertaken between August 19 and August 30, 2009 to measure the infiltration rate of the field selected for MAR in Shijiazhuang City, China. The in situ test lasted for 10 days, and about 1.82 × 10⁷ m³ of water was introduced into the infiltration field. Groundwater level variations were monitored during the test. Monitoring showed that the infiltration rate of surface water was 1.5 m/day, which means that about 10–15 × 10⁸ m³/a of water could be injected into the target aquifer. Also, groundwater level variations showed that the northern part of the infiltration field had a higher infiltration rate, as predicted, and the test result supplied a sound foundation for validation of the groundwater numerical simulation, which will be of benefit for future predictions of the response of the groundwater level to artificial recharge engineering. Finally, an artificial recharge plan was proposed based on the infiltration test results and the water source conditions, which would be useful for the development of MAR programs and management of local water resources.     

Groundwater flow in a transboundary fault-dominated aquifer and the importance of regional modeling: the case of the city of Querétaro,Mexico

The city of Querétaro, located near the political boundary of the Mexican states of Querétaro and Guanajuato, relies on groundwater as it sole water supply. Groundwater extraction in the city increased from 21?×?10⁶ m³/yr in 1970 to 104?×?10⁶ m³/yr in 2010, with an associated drawdown of 100 m in some parts of the aquifer. A three-dimensional numerical groundwater-flow model has been developed that represents the historical evolution of the aquifer’s potentiometric levels and is used to simulate the effect of two scenarios: (1) a 40 % reduction in the extraction rate from public water supply wells in early 2011 (thus reducing the extraction to 62?×?10⁶ m³/yr), and (2) a further reduction in 2021 to 1?×?10⁶ m³/yr. The modeling results project a temporary recovery of the potentiometric levels after the 40 % reduction of early 2011, but a return to 2010 levels by 2020. If scenario 2 is implemented in 2021, the aquifer will take nearly 30 years to recover to the simulated levels of 1995. The model also shows that the wells located in the city of Querétaro started to extract water from part of the aquifer beneath the State of Guanajuato in the late 1970s, thus showing that the administrative boundaries used in Mexico to study and develop water resources are inappropriate, and consideration should be given to physical boundaries instead. A regional approach to studying aquifers is needed in order to adequately understand groundwater flow dynamics.     

Evolution of the groundwater system under the impacts of human activities in middle reaches of Heihe River Basin (Northwest China) from 1985 to 2013

Investigation of the evolution of the groundwater system and its mechanisms is critical to the sustainable management of water in river basins. Temporal and spatial distributions and characteristics of groundwater have undergone a tremendous change with the intensity of human activities in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin (HRB), the second largest arid inland river basin in northwestern China. Based on groundwater observation data, hydrogeological data, meteorological data and irrigation statistical data, combined with geostatistical analyses and groundwater storage estimation, the basin-scaled evolution of the groundwater levels and storage (from 1985 to 2013) were investigated. The results showed that the unbalanced allocation of water sources and expanded cropland by policy-based human activities resulted in the over-abstraction of groundwater, which induced a general decrease in the water table and groundwater storage. The groundwater level has generally fallen from 4.92 to 11.49 m from 1985 to 2013, especially in the upper and middle parts of the alluvial fan (zone I), and reached a maximum depth of 17.41 m. The total groundwater storage decreased by 177.52?×?10⁸ m³; zone I accounted for about 94.7 % of the total decrease. The groundwater balance was disrupted and the groundwater system was in a severe negative balance; it was noted that the groundwater/surface-water interaction was also deeply affected. It is essential to develop a rational plan for integration and management of surface water and groundwater resources in the HRB.     

Estimation of Groundwater and Nutrient Fluxes to the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina

A study was conducted between April 2004 and September 2005 to estimate groundwater and nutrient discharge to the Neuse River estuary in North Carolina. The largest groundwater fluxes were observed to occur generally within 20 m of the shoreline. Groundwater flux estimates based on seepage meter measurements ranged from 2.86?×?10⁸ to 4.33?×?10⁸ m³ annually and are comparable to estimates made using radon, a simple water-budget method, and estimates derived by using Darcy’s Law and previously published general aquifer characteristics of the area. The lower groundwater flux estimate (equal to about 9 m³ s^?1), which assumed the narrowest groundwater discharge zone (20 m) of three zone widths selected for an area west of New Bern, North Carolina, most closely agrees with groundwater flux estimates made using radon (3–9 m³ s^?1) and Darcy’s Law (about 9 m³ s^?1). A groundwater flux of 9 m³ s^?1 is about 40% of the surface-water flow to the Neuse River estuary between Streets Ferry and the mouth of the estuary and about 7% of the surface-water inflow from areas upstream. Estimates of annual nitrogen (333 tonnes) and phosphorus (66 tonnes) fluxes from groundwater to the estuary, based on this analysis, are less than 6% of the nitrogen and phosphorus inputs derived from all sources (excluding oceanic inputs), and approximately 8% of the nitrogen and 17% of the phosphorus annual inputs from surface-water inflow to the Neuse River estuary assuming a mean annual precipitation of 1.27 m. We provide quantitative evidence, derived from three methods, that the contribution of water and nutrients from groundwater discharge to the Neuse River estuary is relatively minor, particularly compared with upstream sources of water and nutrients and with bottom sediment sources of nutrients. Locally high groundwater discharges do occur, however, and could help explain the occurrence of localized phytoplankton blooms, submerged aquatic vegetation, or fish kills.     

Assessment of groundwater inflows into Kuteshwar Limestone Mines through flow modeling study, Madhya Pradesh, India

The development of limestone mining activities in Katni, Madhya Pradesh becomes necessary to increase the depth of exploration to produce ore. Increase in the exploration depth means that mining pits were subjected to water inrush. A hydrological and a hydrogeological model for the Katni area have been developed using USGS flow code, MODFLOW 2000. Collected GIS-based information was synthesized in a finite difference numerical model. The regional steady flow was calibrated under pre-development conditions assuming an equivalent porous medium approach. Water budget calculations show that the total groundwater flow into the aquifer system due to interaction with river amounts to 14,783 m³/day. Infiltration from precipitation provides 1,600 m³/day of the groundwater supply, while 1,446 m³/day comes from lateral inflow and the remaining. The inflows into mine pit area amounts to 15,725 m³/day. Although the karstic nature of the limestone aquifer the equivalent porous medium flow model is appropriate to represent hydraulic heads and recharge/discharge relationships on a regional scale. The results of this study can be used to predict the required amounts of pumping and the possible locations to dewater the groundwater in the mining pits.