Sustainable groundwater management——problems and scientific tools

Groundwater is a strategic resource due to its usually high quality and perennial availability. However, groundwater management all over the world often lacks sustainability as evidenced by falling water tables, drying wetlands, increasing sea-water intrusion and general deterioration of water quality. As groundwater cannot be renewed artificially on a large scale, sustainable management of this resource is vital. A number of scientific tools are available to assist in his task. Three items are discussed here. They include methods for the determination of groundwater recharge, groundwater modeling including the estimation of its uncertainty, and thenterfacing to the socio-economic field. Generally the quality of water management work can be largely enhanced with new tools available, including remote sensing, digital terrain models, differential GPS, environmental tracers, automatic data collection, modeling and the coupling of models from different disciplines     

On some methodological problems in the use of environmental tracers to estimate hydrogeologic parameters and to calibrate flow and transport models

Environmental tracers are used qualitatively for a better formulation of conceptual models and quantitatively for assessing groundwater ages with the aid of box models or for calibrating numerical transport models. Unfortunately, tracers often yield different ages that do not represent uniquely the water ages. Difficulties result also from different definitions of age, e.g. water age, advective age, tracer age, or radiometric tracer age, that are measured differently and depend on aquifer parameters and characteristics of particular tracers. Even the movement of an ideal tracer can be delayed with respect to the advective movement of water due to diffusion exchange between mobile and immobile water zones, which for fissured rocks or thin aquifers, may lead to significant differences between advective and tracer ages, i.e. also between advective and tracer velocities. The advective velocity is of importance in water resources considerations as being related to Darcy velocity, whereas the tracer velocity is a more useful term for the prediction of pollutant transport. When a groundwater system changes from one hydrodynamic steady state to another, environmental tracers need much more time to reach a new steady state. Several tracer studies are recalled as examples of tracer-specific effects on the estimations of groundwater age.     

DNA tracers with information capacity and high detection sensitivity tested in groundwater studies

 In order to investigate the usefulness of unique synthetic DNA tracers in groundwater, a field experiment was conducted in Norway. DNA tracers and a sodium-chloride tracer were injected into an aquifer. The transport of DNA molecules was interpreted by comparing with the plume of chloride ions under forced-gradient steady-state flow conditions. Spatial concentration moments described the migration of conservative tracers. Mobility and migration of DNA in groundwater demonstrate that DNA tracers can be detected by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis. The results indicate that DNA tracers can be valuable tools as tracers in groundwater investigations. Received, June 1997 / Revised, July 1998, December 1998 / Accepted, January 1999     

荧光示踪剂的干扰实验研究

通过在室内无光照条件下开展干扰实验,探究了荧光素钠、罗丹明和荧光增白剂三种示踪剂之间的干扰规律,并应用于野外地下水二元示踪试验实例,说明了校正荧光示踪仪检测浓度(ΔC)的方法。结果表明:（1）在实验室条件下,荧光素钠的抗干扰性最强,罗丹明次之,荧光增白剂易受到干扰产生检测浓度增大的假象,这种假象服从线性变化规律;（2）当使用罗丹明作为示踪剂时,ΔC钠=0.052C罗、ΔC白=0.012C罗;当使用荧光素钠时,ΔC罗=0.507C钠、ΔC白=0.323C钠。在野外开展二元示踪试验时,建议尽量选用相互之间干扰较小的罗丹明和荧光增白剂进行组合投放,或利用本实验得到的不同示踪剂之间的干扰规律对荧光示踪仪的检测浓度进行校正。      

Characterizing groundwater flow in a faulted karst system using optical brighteners from septic systems as tracers

This study used optical brighteners (OB) released from septic systems to show that groundwater flow direction is largely controlled by the structural framework in a faulted karst groundwater system. Effective protection of groundwater resources requires that groundwater systems are adequately characterized and source water protection areas (SWPA) are developed for drinking water wells. Karst aquifers are among the most sensitive to contamination due to high recharge rates, and among the most difficult aquifers to characterize due to heterogeneity, and anisotropy. Because septic systems may be used to treat wastewater within SWPAs for karst aquifers there is a need to characterize these groundwater systems using tracers. The objective of this study was to characterize groundwater flow in a faulted portion of the Edwards aquifer in Bexar County, Texas using OB that are released as incidental tracers from septic systems. This study included measurement of water levels, sampling of groundwater and surface water, analysis for OB, and spatial analysis in a GIS. Results show that OB intensities were highest to the southwest of the septic area, a direction that is sub-parallel to the fault and fracture orientation and nearly perpendicular to the hydraulic gradient. This indicates that movement of OB, solutes, or non-aqueous liquids/solids in a faulted karst system can be largely controlled by fault/fracture orientation and structural relay ramps.     

高寒山区河水与地下水相互作用的温度示踪:以黑河上游葫芦沟流域为例

高寒山区的地表水与地下水相互作用的定量研究对水资源的评价及管理等具有重要意义,而目前在高寒山区开展的地表水与地下水相互作用的定量研究相对较少.以黑河上游葫芦沟流域为研究区域,采用温度示踪方法对高寒山区河水与地下水的相互作用进行了研究,并对温度示踪方法在高寒山区的适用性进行了讨论.监测了研究区两个时段的地温、河水水位、地下水水位以及河床沉积物底部不同深度处的温度,并对温度系列数据进行定量分析,计算了不同位置处河水入渗流速.结果表明:研究区河水水位普遍高于地下水水位;河床底部温度在9月份整体低于7月;流速计算结果表明监测时段内主要为河水入渗补给地下水,入渗速率整体介于2×10-6~5×10-5 m/s.温度示踪法在高寒山区的适用性分析表明:在地下水受多途径补给时,温度示踪法仅指示河水对地下水的补给,而其他水源对地下水的补给还要通过同位素方法和数值模拟等其他手段进行计算.影响高寒山区河水对地下水补给的因素主要有:河水与地下水水位、河床沉积物的水力传导系数与热容.      

岩溶地下水环境微生物信息技术应用研究进展

岩溶含水层特有的非均质性使其微生物群落具有多样性,微生物信息技术研究对岩溶地下水资源开发利用和保护具有重要意义。在总结国内外微生物信息技术应用研究现状基础上,分析岩溶地下水环境中微生物来源,重点讨论微生物示踪技术、微生物监测技术在岩溶地下水环境中的应用。认为,由于岩溶含水层的复杂性和微生物的易变异性,微生物信息技术应用过程中对岩溶地下水环境造成的污染风险还需进一步探讨,提出推进微生物信息技术在岩溶地下水资源合理开发利用中的研究展望。     

当前国际水文学科技术领域的研究方向

根据联合国有关机构发布的公报和世界各国近年来的学术研究情况，整理出了近期水文学科在地表水、地下水、水质、水资源系统、大气～土壤～植被、大陆侵蚀、冰雪、遥感技术和示踪技术等领域的热门研究课题，在一定程度上反映了当前国际上水文学科的研究和发展方向，对国内同行有一定的参考价值。     

Tracing groundwater discharge in a High Arctic lake using radon-222

In the High Arctic, groundwater fluxes are limited by the presence of continuous permafrost, although it has been hypothesized that there may be localized groundwater flow and hydraulic connectivity beneath large lakes, due to the presence of taliks, or large regions of unfrozen ground. However, due to the logistical difficulty of employing seepage meters and piezometers in deep, ice-covered lakes, relatively little is known about groundwater discharge to polar lakes. One method of assessing groundwater discharge is through the use of geochemical tracers. We conducted a pilot study to quantify groundwater discharge into a High Arctic lake using dissolved radon gas as a geochemical tracer. Lake water was collected in 15 L polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags with minimal atmospheric interaction from a 25-m deep lake near Shellabear Point, Melville Island, Northwest Territories, Canada. Sample bags were aerated through a closed water loop for 60 min to allow sufficient radon to equilibrate in a coupled air circuit. Radon in air concentrations were measured on a Durridge RAD7 portable alpha spectrometer. The field trial in a remote setting and separate tests with groundwater samples collected from a temperate site demonstrate the utility of the methodology. The limited results suggest that radon levels in the lower water column are elevated above background levels following nival melt in the surrounding watershed. Although these results are insufficient to quantify groundwater discharge, the results suggest subsurface flow may exist, and further study is warranted.     

环境同位素示踪的毛村地下河流域水流特征

岩溶水文特征是岩溶区生态环境可持续发展的关键驱动力。文章利用环境同位素示踪剂反馈的水动力过程,解译毛村地下河流域的水流特征。其流域内水体δD和δ¹⁸O范围均位于大气降水δD和δ¹⁸O的范围内,大气降水是流域主要的补给来源;基于δ¹³C_DIC利用质量守恒定律计算岩溶水体中DIC来源于碳酸盐岩溶解的平均值为52.13‰,可揭示相关的水—碳酸盐岩相互作用历程;流域内岩溶水点²²²Rn和EC值对大气降水的响应特征表明降水的蓄积作用可驱动深层岩溶裂隙水运移,且具有较强的稀释作用;基于²²²Rn的衰变特征,计算6月份地下河管道有效水流速度为2 427.49 m·d⁻¹;西南岩溶地下河水流与地表水流相似,且对降水响应敏感。综合毛村地下河流域的水文地质条件及其水文点SI、²²²Rn、δ¹³C_DIC和δ¹⁸O间的相关关系,环境同位素可更好地示踪岩溶裂隙水流特征,揭示岩溶含水系统的空间结构特征及水流路径。水化学环境天然示踪剂可提供有关岩溶含水系统的重要信息,对水动力学方法具有重要的补充作用。     

伊犁河支流大西沟河水与地下水转化关系研究

开展河流和地下水转换关系研究对于区域水资源合理开发利用具有重要意义。文章以大西沟河水与地下水转换关系为目标,在分析地下水动力场的基础上,通过水化学类型、溶解性总固体(TDS)、氯离子（Cl-）等水化学以及环境同位素18O、D、T等指标作为示踪剂,分析大西沟河和地下水的转换关系和转化强度。结果表明:研究区河流和地下水化学类型主要为HCO3—Ca,水化学类型空间分布特征相似;TDS和Cl-浓度表现为先增加后下降,但地下水的变化幅度大于河水。通过对大西沟河水和地下水中的水化学和环境同位素指标对比分析,发现研究区河流与地下水之间补给排泄关系具有明显的分段性;从河流出山口到下游地区,河水和地下水之间发生了三次转化关系:在山前倾斜砾质平原区以河水入渗补给地下水为主,补给量占该段潜水径流量的56%;到了细土平原区出现地下水补给河水地段,补给源为承压水越流补给潜水后的混合水体,潜水和承压水补给比例占该段河水径流量的20.4%与58.4%;风成沙漠区河水沿途渗漏补给地下水直至河流断流。本次研究结果为建立研究区水循环演化模式和水资源合理开发利用提供了理论和技术支持。     

Investigative approaches to determine exchange processes in the hyporheic zone of a low permeability riverbank

The hydraulic and hydrochemical interactions of surface water and groundwater in the riverbank of an alluvial stream in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg were investigated. Hydraulic conductivity in the riverbank is low and the aquifer is confined. Gauged surface-water levels and groundwater levels were recorded over several months to observe potential effluent and influent aquifer conditions. Water samples were taken under different hydraulic conditions in the stream and from three observation wells in the riverbank. Samples were analysed for inorganic parameters and selected dissolved pharmaceuticals. The recorded groundwater levels in the riverbank responded almost without delay to changes in stream stage, which is very dynamic. Frequent changes from effluent to influent aquifer conditions were observed. The analyses for selected ions and pharmaceuticals support the assumption that the pharmaceutical compounds enter the riverbank via the stream only. The chosen trace organics are therefore suitable as anthropogenic tracers for groundwater and surface-water interactions at this field site. They prove that water exchanges also take place in riverbanks even where the hydraulic conductivity is low and for this reason indicate the existence of a hyporheic zone in the investigated section of the stream.     

Environmental tracers and indicators bringing together groundwater,surface water and groundwater-dependent ecosystems: importance of scale in choosing relevant tools

Groundwater–surface water (GW–SW) interactions cover a broad range of hydrogeological and biological processes and are controlled by natural and anthropogenic factors at various spatio-temporal scales, from watershed to hyporheic/hypolentic zone. Understanding these processes is vital in the protection of groundwater-dependent ecosystems increasingly required in water resources legislation across the world. The use of environmental tracers and indicators that are relevant simultaneously for groundwater, surface water and biocenoses–biotope interactions constitutes a powerful tool to succeed in the management task. However, tracer type must be chosen according to the scale of interest and tracer use thus requires a good conceptual understanding of the processes to be evaluated. This paper reviews various GW–SW interaction processes and their drivers and, based on available knowledge, systemises application of conservative tracers and semi-conservative and reactive environmental indicators at different spatial scales. Biocenoses–biotopes relationships are viewed as a possible transition tool between scales. Relation between principal application of the environmental tracers and indicators, examples and guidelines are further proposed for examining GW–SW interactions from a hydrogeological and biological point of view by demonstrating the usability of the tracers/indicators and providing recommendations for the scientific community and decision makers.     

Recharge and discharge controls on groundwater travel times and flow paths to production wells for the Ammer catchment in southwestern Germany

Travel times and flow paths of groundwater from its recharge area to drinking-water production wells will govern how the quality of pumped groundwater responds to contaminations. Here, we studied the 180 km² Ammer catchment in southwestern Germany, which is extensively used for groundwater production from a carbonate aquifer. Using a 3-D steady-state groundwater model, four alternative representations of discharge and recharge were systematically explored to understand their impact on groundwater travel times and flow paths. More specifically, two recharge maps obtained from different German hydrologic atlases and two plausible alternative discharge scenarios were tested: (1) groundwater flow across the entire streambed of the Ammer River and its main tributaries and (2) groundwater discharge via a few major springs feeding the Ammer River. For each of these scenarios, the groundwater model was first calibrated against water levels, and subsequently travel times and flow paths were calculated for production wells using particle tracking methods. These computed travel times and flow paths were indirectly evaluated using additional data from the wells including measured concentrations of major ions and environmental tracers indicating groundwater age. Different recharge scenarios resulted in a comparable fit to observed water levels, and similar estimates of hydraulic conductivities, flow paths and travel times of groundwater to production wells. Travel times calculated for all scenarios had a plausible order of magnitude which were comparable to apparent groundwater ages modelled using environmental tracers. Scenario with groundwater discharge across the entire streambed of the Ammer River and its tributaries resulted in a better fit to water levels than scenario with discharge at a few springs only. In spite of the poorer fit to water levels, flow paths of groundwater from the latter scenario were more plausible, and these were supported by the observed major ion chemistry at the production wells. We concluded that data commonly used in groundwater modelling such as water levels and apparent groundwater ages may be insufficient to reliably delineate capture zones of wells. Hydrogeochemical information relating only indirectly to groundwater flow such as the major ion chemistry of water sampled at the wells can substantially improve our understanding of the source areas of recharge for production wells.     

Estimates of groundwater discharge to a coastal wetland using multiple techniques: Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park, USA

Quantifying water exchange between a coastal wetland and the underlying groundwater is important for closing water, energy and chemical budgets. The coastal wetlands of the Florida Everglades (USA) are at the forefront of a large hydrologic restoration project, and understanding of groundwater/surface-water interactions is needed to comprehend the effects of the project. Four independent techniques were used to identify water exchange at varying spatial and temporal scales in Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park. The techniques included a water-budget study and measurements of hydraulic head gradients, geochemical tracers, and temperature. During the 18-month study, the four methods converged as to the timing of groundwater discharge, typically between June and September, contemporaneous with the wet season and increasing surface-water levels. These results were unexpected, as groundwater discharge was predicted to be greatest when surface-water levels were low, typically during the dry season. Either a time lag of 1?C5?months in the response of groundwater discharge to low surface-water levels or precipitation-induced groundwater discharge may explain the results. Groundwater discharge was a significant contributor (27?%) to the surface water in Taylor Slough with greater rates of discharge observed towards the coastline in response to seawater intrusion.     

松嫩平原地下水流动模式的环境同位素标记

采用同位素水文学方法并结合传统水文地质方法,识别松嫩平原地下水流动模式。氢氧稳定同位素和地下水年龄分布表明该区地下水流动系统流动模式呈现出局部流、中间流和区域流系统。地下水中氚分布深度指示局部水流系统为现代水循环系统,以垂向运动为主要特征,循环深度一般小于50 m,山前区可达100m以下;区域流系统存在于深部承压含水层,以侧向水平径流为主要运动特征。松辽边界附近的环境同位素特征存在明显的差别,指示天然状态下可视为零通量边界。同位素示踪剂也反映出嫩江和地下水的相互作用关系,在齐齐哈尔以北,江水补给地下水;在齐齐哈尔以南,地下水向嫩江排泄。     

Multi-tracer investigation of river and groundwater interactions: a case study in Nalenggele River basin,northwest China

Environmental tracers (such as major ions, stable and radiogenic isotopes, and heat) monitored in natural waters provide valuable information for understanding the processes of river–groundwater interactions in arid areas. An integrated framework is presented for interpreting multi-tracer data (major ions, stable isotopes (²H, ¹⁸O), the radioactive isotope ²²²Rn, and heat) for delineating the river–groundwater interactions in Nalenggele River basin, northwest China. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were undertaken to estimate the bidirectional water exchange associated with small-scale interactions between groundwater and surface water. Along the river stretch, groundwater and river water exchange readily. From the high mountain zone to the alluvial fan, groundwater discharge to the river is detected by tracer methods and end-member mixing models, but the river has also been identified as a losing river using discharge measurements, i.e. discharge is bidirectional. On the delta-front of the alluvial fan and in the alluvial plain, in the downstream area, the characteristics of total dissolved solids values, ²²²Rn concentrations and δ¹⁸O values in the surface water, and patterns derived from a heat-tracing method, indicate that groundwater discharges into the river. With the environmental tracers, the processes of river–groundwater interaction have been identified in detail for better understanding of overall hydrogeological processes and of the impacts on water allocation policies.     

Dissolved organic matter tracers reveal contrasting characteristics across high arsenic aquifers in Cambodia:A fluorescence spectroscopy study

Organic matter in the environment is involved in many biogeochemical processes,including the mobilization of geogenic trace elements,such as arsenic,into groundwater.In this paper we present the use of fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize the dissolved organic matter(DOM)pool in heavily arsenicaffected groundwaters in Kandal Province,Cambodia.The fluorescence DOM(fDOM)characteristics between contrasting field areas of differing dominant lithologies were compared and linked to other hydrogeochemical parameters,including arsenic and dissolved methane as well as selected sedimentary characteristics.Absorbance-corrected fluorescence indices were used to characterize depth profiles and compare field areas.Groundwater fDOM was generally dominated by terrestrial humic and fulvic-like components,with relatively small contributions from microbially-derived,tryptophan-like components.Groundwater fDOM from sand-dominated sequences typically contained lower tryptophan-like,lower fulvic-like and lower humic-like components,was less bioavailable,and had higher humification index than clay-dominated sequences.Methane concentrations were strongly correlated with fDOM bioavailability as well as with tryptophan-like components,suggesting that groundwater methane in these arsenic-prone aquifers is likely of biogenic origin.A comparison of fDOM tracers with sedimentary OM tracers is consistent with the hypothesis that external,surface-derived contributions to the aqueous DOM pool are an important control on groundwater hydrogeochemistry.     

基于在线高分辨率示踪技术的岩溶泉污染来源及含水介质特征分析——以重庆黔江区鱼泉坎为例

在线高分辨率示踪技术以其精度高、成本低的特点在岩溶地下水文系统研究方面得到较为广泛的应用。重庆市黔江区鱼泉坎岩溶泉的污染问题导致蓬东乡、五里乡及其周边3 000居民饮水困难,为了确定水源地主要的污染源,选取荧光素钠、天来宝2种示踪剂,应用在线高分辨率示踪技术确定了重庆某畜禽养殖有限公司的化粪池与鱼泉坎泉之间存在水力联系。两种示踪剂的回收率均较低,分别为:荧光素钠3.51%,天来宝2.56%,且两回收曲线存在一定差别,可能与天来宝的水溶性较荧光素钠低有关。基于荧光素钠初现时间和首个峰值出现时间计算的地下水最大流速与平均流速分别为27.09 m/h、22.32 m/h,反映鱼泉坎岩溶孔隙、裂隙较小,化粪池污染渗漏缓慢、运移时间长。示踪剂质量浓度历时曲线表现为多峰型,推断化粪池至鱼泉坎泉段至少存在4条较大的径流通道,表明示踪段表层岩溶泉裂隙发育的相对均匀性。欲恢复鱼泉坎泉的水质,须对该养殖场进行防渗处理或勒令关闭。      

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.