Stochastic groundwater modeling of a sedimentary aquifer: evaluation of the impacts of abstraction scenarios under conditions of reduced recharge

A transient finite difference groundwater flow model has been calibrated for the Nasia sub-catchment of the White Volta Basin. This model has been validated through a stochastic parameter randomization process and used to evaluate the impacts of groundwater abstraction scenarios on resource sustainability in the basin. A total of 1500 equally likely model realizations of the same terrain based on 1500 equally likely combinations of the data of the key aquifer input parameters were calibrated and used for the scenario analysis. This was done to evaluate model non-uniqueness arising from uncertainties in the key aquifer parameters especially hydraulic conductivity and recharge by comparing the realizations and statistically determining the degree to which they differ from each other. Parameter standard deviations, computed from the calibrated data of the key parameters of hydraulic conductivity and recharge, were used as a yardstick for evaluating model non-uniqueness. All model realizations suggest horizontal hydraulic conductivity estimates in the range of 0.03–78.4 m/day, although over 70 % of the area has values in the range of 0.03–14 m/day. Low standard deviations of the horizontal hydraulic conductivity estimates from the 1500 solutions suggest that this range adequately reflects the properties of the material in the terrain. Lateral groundwater inflows and outflows appear to constitute significant components of the groundwater budgets in the terrain, although estimated direct vertical recharge from precipitation amounts to about 7 % of annual precipitation. High potential for groundwater development has been suggested in the simulations, corroborating earlier estimates of groundwater recharge. Simulation of groundwater abstraction scenarios suggests that the domain can sustain abstraction rates of up to 200 % of the current estimated abstraction rates of 12,960 m³/day under the current recharge rates. Decreasing groundwater recharge by 10 % over a 20-year period will not significantly alter the results of this abstraction scenario. However, increasing abstraction rates by 300 % over the period with decreasing recharge by 10 % will lead to drastic drawdowns in the hydraulic head over the entire terrain by up to 6 m and could cause reversals of flow in most parts of the terrain.     

Spatial and temporal constraints on regional-scale groundwater flow in the Pampa del Tamarugal Basin,Atacama Desert,Chile

Aquifers within the Pampa del Tamarugal Basin (Atacama Desert, northern Chile) are the sole source of water for the coastal city of Iquique and the economically important mining industry. Despite this, the regional groundwater system remains poorly understood. Although it is widely accepted that aquifer recharge originates as precipitation in the Altiplano and Andean Cordillera to the east, there remains debate on whether recharge is driven primarily by near-surface groundwater flow in response to periodic flood events or by basal groundwater flux through deep-seated basin fractures. In addressing this debate, the present study quantifies spatial and temporal variability in regional-scale groundwater flow paths at 20.5°S latitude by combining a two-dimensional model of groundwater and heat flow with field observations and δ¹⁸O isotope values in surface water and groundwater. Results suggest that both previously proposed aquifer recharge mechanisms are likely influencing aquifers within the Pampa del Tamarugal Basin; however, each mechanism is operating on different spatial and temporal scales. Storm-driven flood events in the Altiplano readily transmit groundwater to the eastern Pampa del Tamarugal Basin through near-surface groundwater flow on short time scales, e.g., 10⁰–10¹ years, but these effects are likely isolated to aquifers in the eastern third of the basin. In addition, this study illustrates a physical mechanism for groundwater originating in the eastern highlands to recharge aquifers and salars in the western Pampa del Tamarugal Basin over timescales of 10⁴–10⁵ years.     

利用环境同位素识别酒泉-张掖盆地地下水补给和水流系统

详细了解干旱区地下水的补给机制对地下水资源管理来说是非常重要的,天然环境同位素在过去的40年里广泛应用于解决有关地下水补给、流动等问题。笔者通过分析酒泉-张掖盆地水的环境同位素变化特征,识别地下水的补给和流动.研究结果表明,酒泉-张掖盆地地下水的补给源主要来自山区出山河流,补给发生在祁连山前戈壁带,在山前冲积扇带地下水主要为1963年以来的快速补给,而部分深部地下水为1952年以前补给。同时,环境同位素指示盆地存在深部区域流系统和浅部局域流系统,酒泉盆地和张掖盆地之间不存在明显的水力联系。该研究不仅对黑河流域地下水的开发管理有着重要意义,对我国西北类似的内陆盆地地下水的开发管理有着借鉴意义。     

Choosing appropriate techniques for quantifying groundwater recharge

Various techniques are available to quantify recharge; however, choosing appropriate techniques is often difficult. Important considerations in choosing a technique include space/time scales, range, and reliability of recharge estimates based on different techniques; other factors may limit the application of particular techniques. The goal of the recharge study is important because it may dictate the required space/time scales of the recharge estimates. Typical study goals include water-resource evaluation, which requires information on recharge over large spatial scales and on decadal time scales; and evaluation of aquifer vulnerability to contamination, which requires detailed information on spatial variability and preferential flow. The range of recharge rates that can be estimated using different approaches should be matched to expected recharge rates at a site. The reliability of recharge estimates using different techniques is variable. Techniques based on surface-water and unsaturated-zone data provide estimates of potential recharge, whereas those based on groundwater data generally provide estimates of actual recharge. Uncertainties in each approach to estimating recharge underscore the need for application of multiple techniques to increase reliability of recharge estimates. Electronic Publication     

A catchment water balance model for estimating groundwater recharge in arid and semiarid regions of south-east Iran

This paper presents a new model of the rainfall-runoff-groundwater flow processes applicable to semiarid and arid catchments in south-east Iran. The main purpose of the model is to assess the groundwater recharge to aquifers in these catchments. The model takes into account main recharge mechanisms in the region, including subsurface flow in the valley alluvium in mountainous areas and recharge from the bed of ephemeral rivers. It deals with the effects of spatial variation in the hydrological processes by dividing the catchment into regions of broad hydrologic similarity named as highland, intermediate and aquifer areas. The model is based on the concept of routing precipitation within and through the catchment. The model has been applied to the Zahedan catchment and the results indicate that the groundwater level estimated by the recharge model generally is in agreement with the behaviour of groundwater levels in observation wells. The sensitivity analysis indicates that when the rainfall in the aquifer area is used to replace the values recorded in the intermediate area and the highland area, the recharge estimates are reduced by 42-87%. This result supports the division of the catchment into different zones of hydrological similarity to account for spatial variability of hydrological processes. Electronic Publication     

玛纳斯河流域地下水水位变化及水量平衡研究

天山北坡玛纳斯河流域地下水长期大规模开采引发了一系列生态环境问题,地下水均衡状态和地下水流动模式明显发生了改变。为研究节水灌溉条件下的地下水系统流动模式及其对地下水均衡要素的改变规律,以平原绿洲区为研究对象,采用三维地下水数值模拟方法,研究玛纳斯河流域地下水水位动态变化及水量平衡规律。结果表明:研究区地下水水位的抬升和回落受农业灌溉的影响显著,具有一定的周期性,存在着明显的时空差异;地下水均衡处于负均衡状态,补排差为-2.81×108m3。模拟期内观测水头与计算水头两者相关系数各月均在0.81以上,模拟效果较好。     

忻州盆地边山岩溶水系统与盆地孔隙水补给分析

忻州盆地边山岩溶水与盆地孔隙水存在密切的水力联系,岩溶水系统的圈划与分析对盆地孔隙水资源评价十分重要。文章运用地下水系统分析理论,基于地理信息系统技术,定量提取区域地质(岩相古地理、地层与构造)和水文地质信息,绘制了基于区域隔水底板等高线图、典型剖面图、盆地-山区两壁投影图等信息的岩溶水系统图;运用岩溶水系统图分析得出下马圈泉岩溶水系统与盆地孔隙水存在间接汇水、潜流和河流(泉)渗漏等补给关系,并给出了补给量的计算方法,为忻州盆地地下水资源评价与定量模拟提供了新的水文地质依据与基础。     

黑河中游盆地南部山区地下水对平原区侧向径流补给量的估算

山区地下水对平原区的侧向径流补给量是一个长期争议且悬而未决的难题,这个量在西北内陆干旱盆地,被估算得或很小或很大。在总结前人研究的基础上,采用地质水文地质调查、物探、钻探、抽水试验、地下水动态观测、水化学测试、盆地地下水水位统测和综合研究等技术方法,查明了黑河中游盆地南部山盆交接带的地质构造接触关系、地层岩性接触关系及梨园河口白垩系风化壳含水层结构和水文地质参数。通过山区不同流域等级的地表水与地下水转化关系分析,将山区地下水对平原区侧向径流补给带划分为大中型河流河谷补给段和小微型河流或冲沟群流域构成的浅山带补给段。河谷补给段勘探资料较为丰富,多用达西断面流方法计算;针对浅山带补给段极为缺乏勘探资料的实际,以梨园河口断面径流量为参照,构建了浅山带岩性、汇水区面积、降水量等3 个变量的山区地下水对平原区侧向径流补给量的估算方法。估算出黑河中游盆地南部山区浅山带地下水对平原的侧向径流补给量为0.40×108 m3/a,河谷段基岩侧向补给量为0.07×108 m3/a;推算出河谷段第四系地下水补给量为0.30×108 m3/a;3 项补给量之和为0.77×108 m3/a,占盆地地下水资源量的3.0%。该研究为西北内陆干旱盆地山区地下水对平原区侧向径流补给量的估算提供了一个可供借鉴的实例。     

Assessment of paleo-recharge under the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet and its impact on regional groundwater flow in the northern Baltic Artesian Basin using a numerical model

The study investigates the mechanism of glacial meltwater recharge under the Fennosciandian Ice Sheet during the last glacial maximum (LGM) and its impact on regional groundwater flow in the northern Baltic Artesian Basin (BAB) in Estonia and Latvia. The current hypothesis is that a flow reversal occurred in the BAB due to subglacial recharge during the LGM. This hypothesis is supported by an extensive dataset of geochemical and isotopic measurements in the groundwater of northern Estonia, exhibiting significant depletion in δ¹⁸O with respect to modern precipitation. To verify the consistency of this hypothesis and better understand groundwater flow dynamics during the LGM period, a numerical model is developed for this area. Two cross-sectional models have been created across the northern BAB, in which groundwater flow and the transport of δ¹⁸O have been simulated from the beginning of the LGM to present-day. Several simulations were performed with different subglacial boundary conditions, to investigate the uncertainty related to subglacial recharge of meltwater during the LGM and the subsequent flow reversal in the northern BAB. Several simulations provide a satisfying fit between computed and observed values of δ¹⁸O, which means that the hypothesis of subglacial recharge of meltwater is consistent with δ¹⁸O distribution. The numerical model suggests that preservation of meltwater in northern Estonia is controlled by confining layers and the proximity to the outcrop area of aquifers, located in the Gulf of Finland. The results also suggest that glacial meltwater has been preserved under the Baltic Sea in the Gulf of Riga.     

Characterising the distribution of near-shore submarine groundwater discharge along a coastline using 222Rn and electrical conductivity

The spatial and temporal distribution of near-shore fresh submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) was characterised from the coastal aquifers of the Willunga Basin, South Australia, an extensive aquifer system that supports an important viticultural region. Measurements of electrical conductivity (EC) and ²²²Rn (radon) activity were collected at 19 sites along the coastline during the Southern Hemisphere spring (2011) and summer (2013). At each site, samples were collected from the surf zone as well asporewater from beach sediment in the intertidal zone. Surf-zone radon activity ranged from <5 to 70mBq L^–1, and intertidal porewater radon ranged over two orders of magnitude (220–36 940 mBq L^–1) along the Willunga Basin coastline during both surveys. Overall, surf-zone and porewater EC was lower in the spring 2011 survey than in the summer 2013 survey. Porewater EC was similar to that of coastal water at most sites along the coastline, except at three sites where porewater EC was found to be lower than coastal water during both surveys, and three sites where evaporated seawater was observed in the summer survey. Based on the patterns in radon and EC along the coastline, two sites of localised fresh SGD were identified, in addition to a groundwater spring that is known to discharge to the coast. The results indicate that near-shore fresh SGD occurs as localised seeps rather than diffuse seepage along the entire coastline. The apparent absence of groundwater discharge at most locations is also consistent with current evidence suggesting that extensive groundwater pumping within the basin has resulted in seawater intrusion across much of the coastline. These observations also suggest that previous studies are likely to have over-estimated SGD rates from the Willunga Basin because they assumed that SGD occurred along the entire coastline.     

降水入渗补给过程中优先流的确定

优先流是降水、灌溉水等入渗补给地下水的主要形式之一, 流速快, 流动路径复杂, 难以定量描述.针对优先流难以定量描述的问题, 以郑州地中渗透仪观测资料为基础, 探讨了新乡亚砂土等试筒降水入渗过程及其中的优先流补给量比例.根据土壤的水力性质、气候等资料建立不存在优先流的数值模拟模型来刻画降水入渗补给过程, 通过模拟获得的地下水入渗补给量与实测地下水入渗补给量的历时曲线, 将大于模拟值的实测值视为优先流的量及确定其在总补给量中所占的比例.结果表明, 优先流占总补给量的比例在10%~80%之间; 随着土壤粘性增加, 优先流所占比例呈增加趋势; 随地下水位埋深的增大, 优先流所占比例呈逐渐下降趋势.      

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.     

The impact of intensive groundwater abstraction on recharge to a shallow regional aquifer system: evidence from Bangladesh

Quantitative evaluations of the impact of groundwater abstraction on recharge are rare. Over a period (1975??007) during which groundwater abstraction increased dramatically in the Bengal Basin, changes in net groundwater recharge in Bangladesh are assessed using the water-table fluctuation method. Mean annual groundwater recharge is shown to be higher (300??00?mm) in northwestern and southwestern areas of Bangladesh than in southeastern and northeastern regions (<100?mm) where rainfall and potential recharge are greater. Net recharge in many parts of Bangladesh has increased substantially (5??5?mm/year between 1985 and 2007) in response to increased groundwater abstraction for irrigation and urban water supplies. In contrast, net recharge has slightly decreased (??.5 to ???mm/year) in areas where groundwater-fed irrigation is low (<30% of total irrigation) and where abstraction has either decreased or remained unchanged over the period of 1985??007. The spatio-temporal dynamics of recharge in Bangladesh illustrate the fundamental flaw in definitions of “safe yield??based on recharge estimated under static (non-pumping) conditions and reveal the areas where (1) further groundwater abstraction may increase actual recharge to the shallow aquifer, and (2) current groundwater abstraction for irrigation and urban water supplies is unsustainable.     

A method to estimate the artificial recharge capacity of the Crestatx aquifer (Majorca, Spain).

This paper presents a method for the feasibility of an artificial recharge scheme in a limestone aquifer. A 3D digital groundwater flow model was developed and calibrated to gain a better understanding of the aquifer dynamics and to estimate its capacity for artificial recharge. Several scenarios, based on different pumping alternatives, were tested over a 30 year period. The results were then analysed by yearly input-output balances. Worst case scenario model output suggests that implementing the scheme might ensure a sustainable use of the aquifer in the future.     

Isotopic constraints on the origin of groundwater in the Ordos Basin of northern China

Despite its extreme aridity, the Ordos Basin in northern China is rich in groundwater. Many artesian wells or springs with large fluxes are utilized for drinking, irrigation and industrial production. In a search for the origin of the groundwater, a detailed investigation of the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in the local precipitation, the river water, the springs, the well water, as well as the soil water extracted from six soil profiles in the Ordos Basin, was carried out. The data show that δD, δ¹⁸O and TDS values of the river water are similar to those of groundwater, while the TDS values of the soil water are about ten times greater than those of groundwater. Furthermore, the mean isotopic compositions of the local precipitation are significantly higher than those of river water and groundwater. Based on the chloride mass balance method, the estimated recharge rates range from 5.2 to 17.2 mm/year, with a mean value of 10.5 mm/year. The results show that the main source of recharge of the groundwater in the Ordos Basin is not the local precipitation, but must come from a region where the precipitation is characterized by much lower δD and δ¹⁸O values. In addition, the groundwater in the Ordos Basin contains a component of mantle-derived ³He and crust-derived ⁴He suggesting that the groundwater may partly derive from flows through basement faults beneath the Ordos Basin.     

城市化对地下水流系统的影响

随着世界经济的飞速发展和人口增长,城市的规模和数量也在急剧增加,城市化的趋势变得日益明显,尤其在发展中国家。在这一过程中,地下水所扮演的角色越来越重要,揭示城市化与地下水各方面之间的相互影响规律以实现其可持续发展,成为一个全球性的重要研究课题。本文在分析世界城市人口增长规律和地下水对城市供水的重要性基础上;以三个典型示范城市为例,进一步具体探讨了城市化对地下水补给与地下水流系统的影响。最后认为,城市化会引起地下水补给量的增加;但城市大规模和经常性毫无节制地开采地下水可产生明显的地下水位下降、地面沉降和盐水入侵而导致地下水流系统的剧烈改变。     

Chloride and the environmental isotopes as the indicators of the groundwater recharge in the Gobi Desert,northwest China

The long term recharge in Gobi Desert from Hexi Corridor to Inner Mongolia Plateau was estimated to be 1 mm year⁻¹ by using the chloride mass balance method from one unsaturated zone profile, which shows that no effective modern recharge is taking place. A good rainfall database from Zhangye provides definition of the stable isotopic composition of modern rainfall. The signature of groundwater from the late Pleistocene differs markedly from that of the Holocene, shown clearly by the compositions of −10.5‰ δ¹⁸O as compared with values of −7‰ at the present day. It is apparent that the groundwaters in the Minqin Basin, Ejina Basin and feeding the lake system of the Badain Jaran are part of a regional flow network related to a wetter past climate as source of recharge. The recharge source in the past and to a limited extent in the more arid conditions of the present day included the foothills of the mountains of the Tibetan Plateau. The tritium age determinations accurate to the year are impossible and of no meaning to groundwater studies. A tritium value in the groundwater means multiple recharge ages in this region.     

Using groundwater levels to estimate recharge

Accurate estimation of groundwater recharge is extremely important for proper management of groundwater systems. Many different approaches exist for estimating recharge. This paper presents a review of methods that are based on groundwater-level data. The water-table fluctuation method may be the most widely used technique for estimating recharge; it requires knowledge of specific yield and changes in water levels over time. Advantages of this approach include its simplicity and an insensitivity to the mechanism by which water moves through the unsaturated zone. Uncertainty in estimates generated by this method relate to the limited accuracy with which specific yield can be determined and to the extent to which assumptions inherent in the method are valid. Other methods that use water levels (mostly based on the Darcy equation) are also described. The theory underlying the methods is explained. Examples from the literature are used to illustrate applications of the different methods. Electronic Publication     

Stochastic water balance model for rainfall recharge quantification in Ruataniwha Basin,New Zealand

Quantification of groundwater recharge is important for water resources management. Different methods can be used to estimate groundwater recharge. The most suitable approach depends on site characteristics. Water balance model was used in this study to quantify groundwater recharge from rainfall in Ruataniwha Basin, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. Because it is a closed basin, this method was determined to be more suitable than any other method. The basin is fed by surface water flow and rainfall, without any lateral groundwater flow. Records of surface water inflow and outflow are available with a certain degree of reliability. To cope with uncertainty in different components of water balance, different sampling methods were used. The Mean Value Latin Hypercube Sampling (MVLHS) was used and compared with Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS), and Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). It was found the groundwater recharge from rainfall is about 415 million m³/year. Results of this study have revealed that MVLHS converges faster and with lower variance than LHS and MCS.     

黑河流域中游盆地地表水与地下水转化机制研究

地表水与地下水相互转化是中国西北干旱内流盆地水循环的显著特征,转化机制研究是盆地水循环规律认知和水资源可持续管理的重要基础。以我国西北干旱内流河黑河流域中游的张掖盆地和盐池盆地为研究区,建立了黑河主干河道时变水平衡模型和地表水地下水耦合数值模型,研究了长周期水文变化和人类活动双重影响下地表水与地下水转化机制,得到如下认识:（1）补给条件由以天然条件下河流渗漏为主的线状补给演变为以河流与引水渠道渗漏的线状补给和灌区田间入渗面状补给,排泄条件由以泉水溢出和天然湿地排泄演变为以泉水溢出与地下水开采为主的排泄。（2）张掖盆地黑河干流河道入渗段和溢出段大致以G312 大桥为界,亦称为地表水与地下水转化的转折点。莺落峡—G312 大桥段为悬河渗漏段,河道入渗补给主要受控于进入河道的实际过水量。其中,莺落峡—草滩庄段河道入渗补给率为28.20 %;草滩庄—G312 大桥段河道入渗补给量与河道过水量的关系可用分段函数表达,河道过水量大于或等于0.37×108 m3/mon时呈幂函数关系,小于则呈线性函数关系。G312 大桥—正义峡段为地下水溢出段,其中G312大桥—平川大桥段地下水溢出量约占全部溢出量的70%,溢出峰值出现在高崖水文站下游约6 km处,其单长溢出量可达0.46 m3/(s·km)。（3）研究区是一个相对完整的河流—含水层系统,近31年来经历了连枯和连丰的水文变化,地下水补给排泄条件及与地表水转化机制均发生了相应的变化。地表水与地下水转化最强烈的地区为张掖盆地中部的黑河—梨园河倾斜平原。1990—2001 年连枯期,灌区引水量总体逐年减少,以河道入渗和渠系渗漏为主的补给量平均以0.06×108 m3/a速率减少,农田灌溉面积增加导致灌溉用水增加,地下水开采量显著增加,地下水水位逐年下降,储存量累计减少5.77×108 m3,地下水溢出量平均减少0.16×108 m3/a;而2002—2020 年连丰期,灌区引水量总体逐年减少,河道入渗量呈增加趋势,地下水总补给量平均增加0.15×108 m3/a,灌溉面积继续扩大,农灌开采量随之增加,以河道入渗量增加为主导,地下水水位持续上升,储存量累计增加5.45×108 m3,地下水溢出量平均增加0.08×108 m3/a。总之,补给和排泄条件变化较大,地下水储存量先减后增,地下水溢出总量变化较为平缓,反映了该区巨厚含水层系统的巨大调蓄功能。（4）位于张掖盆地东部的诸河倾斜平原地下水水位长期处于持续下降状态,这是由于地表水开发过度,补给量锐减。黑河侵蚀堆积平原地下水水位基本稳定。30 多年来盐池盆地倾斜平原地下水水位长期处于持续下降状态,这是由于移民开垦导致地下水过量开采。（5）内流盆地天然悬河入渗段是珍贵的地下水补给通道,无论连枯期还是连丰期,河道实际过水量是河道渗漏补给量的关键,保护上游天然河道和一定的河道实际过水量是内流盆地水资源可持续管理的关键。