Groundwater deterioration in Nankou—a suburban area of Beijing: data assessment and remediation scenarios

Since the 1980s, high-nitrate concentration in one of the groundwater sampling wells at the Nankou site, northwest of the Beijing Plain, has become a major concern for the local water authority. In a previous study (Sun et?al. in Environ Earth Sci 64(5):1323?C1333, 2011), a hydrogeological structural model was developed based on the borehole logs of this area and the steady, as well as transient groundwater-flow models, were calibrated using the measured hydraulic heads. In this paper, the potential pollution sources in this area are investigated. The chemical analysis of the groundwater is also presented. The results demonstrate that the most likely pollution source is the untreated wastewater discharge from a nearby fertilizer factory. Furthermore, a mass transport model is developed to reproduce the nitrate transport process in the aquifer at the Nankou site under different pollution sources, i.e., a fertilizer factory, river with wastewater and an agriculture field. The combined effects of the river and agriculture fields present a better understanding of the nitrate transport in the local aquifer. In addition, a pumping scenario is designed to clean up the current nitrate concentration. The pumping rate and the well location are first estimated with 2-D analytical solutions of the type curves method. Then a 3-D numerical model is used to calculate the nitrate-concentration changes after the pumping activities start. In the downstream direction of the regional groundwater flow, three pumping wells are set up for the clean-up strategy. The calculated pumping rate in each well is about 1,500 m³/day. After 1?year, the nitrate concentration in the observation well recedes to 68?mg/l from the initial value of 72.9?mg/l, and it will be lower than the limitation value (20?mg/l) after 5,400 days of groundwater extraction. The data assessment and clean-up scenarios reported in this paper are fundamental for the contaminated aquifer management in the future.     

开封市垃圾场污染物运移模拟与控制

在对开封市某典型垃圾场进行野外调查的基础上,应用Visual Modflow建立了该垃圾场污染场地的水流和溶质运移耦合模型并进行数值模拟预测,预测了20年后该污染场地垃圾渗滤液污染羽运移范围、途径及方式等特点。模拟了应用防渗墙和抽水井两种方式控制地下水污染的措施和方案,并利用计算机模型对污染控制的效果进行了模拟分析。模拟结果表明,模拟初期污染羽覆盖了3个抽水井,污染羽前缘距离村庄688 m。模拟20年后污染羽已经覆盖了7个抽水井,其中浓度超标井有3口,污染羽前缘距离村庄605 m。建议在加强污染物监测的同时协助开展其他的污染控制措施,进一步控制污染羽的扩散。     

Recharging of contaminated aquifer with reclaimed sewage water

About 40% of the water supply of Cairo, Egypt, is drawn from a groundwater reservoir located southeast of the Nile Delta. Several thousand shallow wells supply drinking water to the farmers from the same groundwater reservoir, which is recharged by seepage from Ismailia canal, the irrigation canal network, and other wastewater lagoons in the same areas. Sewage water lagoons were located at the high ground of the area, recharging contaminated water into the aquifer. Since the groundwater in this area is used for drinking purposes, it was decided to treat the sewage water recharging the aquifer for health reasons. In this paper a solution to the problem is presented using an injection well recharging good quality water into the aquifer. A pumping well located at a distance downstream is used to pump the contaminated water out of the aquifer. A three-dimensional solute transport model was developed to study the concentration distribution with remediation time in the contaminated zone.     

Site characterization and monitoring of natural attenuation indicator parameters in a fuel contaminated coastal aquifer: Karaduvar (Mersin,SE Turkey)

This paper presents results from a site characterization and monitoring study at Karaduvar area (Mersin, SE Turkey), where high concentrations of refined petroleum products have been detected in domestic and irrigation water wells. The saturated and unsaturated zones in the deltaic aquifer are contaminated by large quantities of gasoline and diesel range fuel hydrocarbons (GRHs and DRHs) released from diverse sources that include accidental spills, storage tank fires, pipeline breaks, deliberate discharge of waste petroleum products from slop tanks and illegal tanker truck washing facilities. At the site, due to the complex nature of the pollution sources, overlapping contaminant plumes exist and cover an area of about 0.5 km². In both polluted and unpolluted parts of the aquifer, monitoring of groundwater physicochemical parameters in a total of 55 sampling points was carried out between 2006 and 2007. The results show that the terminal electron acceptors (e.g. dissolved oxygen, nitrate, Mn(IV), Fe(III), sulfate) were reduced near the source area(s) indicating presence of actively operating biodegradation processes at the site. Close to the contaminant source area(s), conditions in the plume are highly anoxic and reducing; where high amounts of transformation products (e.g. bicarbonate, dissolved iron, and manganese) are present in solution. Additionally, at the site, excessive pumping, careless land use, and deliberate wastewater discharges significantly deteriorated the quality and quantity of groundwater. Excessive groundwater pumping for industrial and agricultural uses has resulted in substantial water level declines (2–3 m) near the coastal part where seawater intrusion threatens the groundwater resources.     

Aquifer contamination by chlorinated-VOCs: the case of an urban metropolis megasite overlying the Coastal Plain aquifer in Israel

The Tel Aviv metropolitan region (200 km²), located on the sandy and phreatic Mediterranean Coastal Plain aquifer in Israel, is an example of a contaminated megasite that is additionally complicated by being part of a densely populated urban environment. Despite being a major source of fresh potable water, no dedicated aquifer monitoring systems exist. The vast majority of tested water supply wells (82% of 90 wells) were found to be contaminated with one or more chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs) such as trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene, originating from multiple sources, including former industrial sites. Temporal variations in Cl-VOC concentrations in water supply wells were large and unpredictable. Such aquifer contamination requires immediate action in terms of aquifer management and municipal water distribution. To cope with temporal and spatial variations in contaminant concentrations in water supply wells in an area where monitoring wells are absent, aquifer impact areas were defined based on the concentration of the Cl-VOC contaminant in pumping wells that was greatest in relation to its drinking water standard over a 3-year period. Such a map can be used to define water supply treatment and municipal well monitoring requirements, until an adequate monitoring system is established.     

Numerical groundwater-flow modeling to evaluate potential effects of pumping and recharge: implications for sustainable groundwater management in the Mahanadi delta region,India

Process-based groundwater models are useful to understand complex aquifer systems and make predictions about their response to hydrological changes. A conceptual model for evaluating responses to environmental changes is presented, considering the hydrogeologic framework, flow processes, aquifer hydraulic properties, boundary conditions, and sources and sinks of the groundwater system. Based on this conceptual model, a quasi-three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was designed using MODFLOW to simulate the groundwater system of Mahanadi River delta, eastern India. The model was constructed in the context of an upper unconfined aquifer and lower confined aquifer, separated by an aquitard. Hydraulic heads of 13 shallow wells and 11 deep wells were used to calibrate transient groundwater conditions during 1997–2006, followed by validation (2007–2011). The aquifer and aquitard hydraulic properties were obtained by pumping tests and were calibrated along with the rainfall recharge. The statistical and graphical performance indicators suggested a reasonably good simulation of groundwater flow over the study area. Sensitivity analysis revealed that groundwater level is most sensitive to the hydraulic conductivities of both the aquifers, followed by vertical hydraulic conductivity of the confining layer. The calibrated model was then employed to explore groundwater-flow dynamics in response to changes in pumping and recharge conditions. The simulation results indicate that pumping has a substantial effect on the confined aquifer flow regime as compared to the unconfined aquifer. The results and insights from this study have important implications for other regional groundwater modeling studies, especially in multi-layered aquifer systems.     

Recovery of groundwater in the Sanriku region contaminated by the tsunami inundation from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake

Many wells in the Sanriku region used as sources for water supply systems were heavily contaminated by the tsunami of the 2011 great Tohoku earthquake on March 11 in 2011. To better understand the nature of the groundwater contamination by the tsunami inundation and to clarify the recovery process of contaminated groundwater at the study wells, groundwater monitoring has been conducted once or twice yearly since early summer in 2011. High and abnormal values of electric conductivity (EC), chloride ion concentration (CIC), Na⁺, Ca⁺, heavy metal ions, and heavier isotopes of the contaminated groundwater were also obtained in April and June 2011. The chemical elements have rapidly and exponentially decreased as a result of effective pumping of the contaminated groundwater from the study wells and because of abundant rainfall in 2011. In April 2015 (about 4 years after the tsunami inundation), the CIC and EC of the contaminated groundwater of two study wells in Minamisanriku town had reached pre-inundation values. The estimated residence times of groundwater of the two study wells were 105–118 days in the full-day pumping stage and 910–1000 days in the daytime-only pumping stage.     

某地下空间承压含水层抽水试验及成果分析

由于地下水突涌风险,地下空间在施工作业中有必要通过抽水试验确定承压含水层的水文地质参数。依据勘察报告的初步评价,基坑开挖15.5m时,场地内第⑦1层承压含水层有可能产生突涌,为确保工程安全施工,需开挖前进行承压含水层抽水试验,取得场地承压含水层水文地质参数及降水引起的沉降特征,为地下空间设计和施工提供可靠依据。本次布设抽水井、观测井、分层沉降标组、孔隙水压力观测孔及地面沉降观测点,依据抽水试验技术要求获取渗透系数、抽水影响半径等相关水文地质参数。最后,针对工程场地内承压水情况及特点进行分析,提出基坑开挖时的承压水降压建议方案。     

The impact of urban development on coastal aquifers near Cotonou, Benin

Mineralization processes and water quality of Quaternary to Mio-Pliocene sanstone aquifers near Cotonou, Benin have been studied using wells sampled during May 1991, August 1991 and April 1992. Anthropogenic pollution, indicated especially by high concentrations of nitrate, P and K, has been detected in the upper aquifer. In contrast, the lower aquifer has acceptable concentrations of solutes, with the exception of the Godomey pumping area, where incipient saline intrusion is detected. Some suggestions are made for aquifer protection based on the careful understanding of groundwater flow directions.     

The dependence of stream depletion by seasonal pumping on various hydraulic characteristics and engineering factors

Compensation pumping is used to alleviate deficiencies in streamflow discharge during dry seasons. Short-term groundwater pumping can use aquifer storage instead of catchment-zone water until the drawdown reaches the edge of the stream. The capacitance is a complex, dimensionless parameter of an aquifer system that defines the delayed effect on streamflow when there is groundwater pumping. This parameter is a function of aquifer hydraulic characteristics, pumping time, and distance between the well and stream edge; the latter can involve stream leakance and vertical leakance of an associated aquitard. Three typical hydraulic cases of combined water systems (major catchment-zone wells close to the stream and compensation pumping wells) were classified depending on their capacitance structure (i.e. the relationship between surface water and groundwater): (1) perfect hydraulic connection between the stream and aquifer; (2) imperfect hydraulic connection between the stream and aquifer; and (3) essentially imperfect hydraulic connection between the stream and the underlying confined aquifer. The impact of various hydraulic characteristics and engineering factors on stream depletion was examined by conceptual and numerical modeling. To predict the suitability and efficiency of a combined water system application, regression tests were undertaken on unit stream depletion and capacitance, and power dependencies were defined.     

Application of Numerical Modeling for Groundwater Flow System Analysis in the Akaki Catchment,Central Ethiopia

A three dimensional steady-state finite difference groundwater flow model is used to quantify the groundwater fluxes and analyze the subsurface hydrodynamics in the Akaki catchment by giving particular emphasis to the well field that supplies water to the city of Addis Ababa. The area is characterized by Tertiary volcanics covered with thick residual and alluvial soils. The model is calibrated using head observations from 131 wells. The simulation is made in a two layer unconfined aquifer with spatially variable recharge and hydraulic conductivities under well-defined boundary conditions. The calibrated model is used to forecast groundwater flow pattern, the interaction of groundwater and surface water, and the effect of pumping on the well field under different scenarios. The result indicates that the groundwater flows regionally to the south converging to the major well field. Reservoirs and rivers play an important role in recharging the aquifer. Simulations made under different pumping rate indicate that an increase in pumping rate results in substantial regional groundwater level decline, which will lead to the drying of springs and shallow hand dug wells. Also, it has implications of reversal of flow from contaminated rivers into productive aquifers close to main river courses. The scenario analysis shows that the groundwater potential is not enough to sustain the ever-growing water demand of the city of Addis Ababa. The sensitivity and scenario analysis provided important information on the data gaps and the specific sites to be selected for monitoring, and may be of great help for transient model development. This study has laid the foundation for developing detailed predictive groundwater model, which can be readily used for groundwater management practices.     

Hydrogeological investigation of Antalya basin concerning the future domestic water needs of Antalya City (Turkey)

A hydrogeological study has been carried out in Antalya travertine basin for the future domestic water supply of Antalya. Geological formations that could be used as an aquifer have been identified, and a hydrogeological map has been prepared. Water-quality analyses show that groundwater has been and is being contaminated by sewage discharge, industrial works, and other activities that create an ever-expending impact to the only available aquifer. Something should be done immediately to protect the aquifer from additional degradation. Received: 28 April 1998 · Accepted: 18 August 1998     

A model of radionuclide transfer by groundwater on the territory of the Russian Research Centre Kurchatov Institute

The convective transfer of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr by groundwater on the territory of the Russian Research Centre Kurchatov Institute (RRCKI) was modeled. Geological data on the RRCKI site and possible sources of radionuclides show that the uppermost aquifer, composed of Quaternary sediments, is the most probable region of spreading of radioactive contamination. Since the lateral migration of radionuclides is predominant, a 2D horizontal model was used for the forecasting of spreading of radioactive contaminants in the subsurface medium. Transient or long-term repositories of radioactive materials at the RRCKI site (concentrated sources) and aquifer rocks contaminated in the course of removal of radionuclides from these repositories (distributed source) are responsible for groundwater pollution. The initial ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr distributions used in the forecasting of radionuclide migration were determined from their contents in core samples taken from wells drilled in contaminated areas of the RRCKI site. The zone of radionuclide migration is limited by poorly permeable moraine loam from below and by the water table from above. To determine the upper and lower boundaries, these surfaces were mapped in plan view. The data of meteorological observations over a long period were used to map the intensity of precipitation in the studied territory. The density of rocks in the uppermost aquifer and partition coefficients of radionuclides between rocks and groundwater were estimated from the data of laboratory examination of the core samples. The available data on the permeability of rock samples and the results of test pumping out of some wells were involved in the consideration. The results obtained and the data on the water table allowed us to define a gauge problem for determining the distribution of the filtration coefficient in the uppermost aquifer. This problem was solved taking the intensity of precipitation into account. The properties of the uppermost aquifer and the initial radionuclide distribution therein were used as initial data for modeling ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr migration on the territory of the RRCKI over 50 years.     

Physical model test of transparent soil on coupling effect of cut-off wall and pumping wells during foundation pit dewatering

Water level is decreased during foundation pit excavation to avoid water inrush under confined water pressure. Cut-off wall is often used as waterproof curtain to partially cut off the dewatered aquifer. When a foundation pit is located in a built-up area and the underlying confined aquifer is not cut off, the drawdown must be minimized outside the pit to avoid land subsidence in buildings and pipelines. The coupling effect of the cut-off wall and pumping well is used to control the drawdown outside the foundation pit. However, the coupling mechanism is not intuitively well understood because of the limitations of existing experimental methods. In this study, transparent soil was introduced to model the coupling mechanism in the physical model test. High-purity fused silica and mixed paraffin oil were used as skeleton and fluid to simulate the confined aquifer and groundwater. Industrial solid dye and paraffin oil were used as tracers. A camera was used to collect flow information. Tests were performed for the combinations of cut-off wall and partially penetrating pumping wells. The insertion depth ratio of the cut-off wall most effectively influenced the drawdown. The layout of the pumping wells in horizontal direction influenced water level distribution and flow rate. The optimal depth of the pumping wells was 1–5 m above the bottom of the cut-off wall, and the optimal horizontal distance between the cut-off wall and the pumping wells was 25% of the pit width. Non-Darcy flow was observed within the range of 0–10 m around the bottom of the cut-off wall. These results were significant in understanding the cut-off wall and pumping well coupling effect on foundation pit dewatering.

     

Environmental impact assessment using FORM and groundwater system reliability concept: case study Jining, China

In this paper, fist-order reliability method (FORM) is used to evaluate the impacts of uncertainties posed by traditional deterministic models on the environment in Jining, China. Because of groundwater contamination in shallow aquifer, and an increase in water demand, the new wells target the confined aquifer with constant pumping rate of 5,000 m³/d. Using Theis equation, the groundwater drawdown is analyzed to determine whether the confined aquifer will be contaminated. Although the piezometric level is higher than the phreatic level by 11.0 m, the risk of drawdown is still 19.49% when the pumping rate of 5,000 m³/d is maintained for 2 years. The deterministic model indicates a drawdown of 8.94 m which is lower than the maximum tolerance drawdown of 11.0 m. The sensitivity and uncertainty analysis reveal that the model result is more sensitive to transmissivity than specific yield, while the reliability analysis offers significant information for the decision makers. This approach exposes and minimizes the risk of undesirable consequences such as groundwater contamination.     

Benefits and hurdles of using brackish groundwater as a drinking water source in the Netherlands

The production of fresh drinking water from brackish groundwater by reverse osmosis (BWRO) is becoming more attractive, even in temperate climates. For successful application of BWRO, the following approach is advocated: (1) select brackish source groundwater with a large volume and a composition that will yield a concentrate (waste water) with low mineral saturation; (2) maintain the feed water salinity at a constant level by pumping several wells with different salinities; (3) keep the permeate-to-concentrate ratio low, to avoid supersaturation in the concentrate; (4) keep the system anoxic (to avoid oxidation reactions) and pressurized (to prevent formation of gas bubbles); and (5) select a confined aquifer for deep well injection where groundwater quality is inferior to the membrane concentrate. This approach is being tested at two BWRO pilot plants in the Netherlands. Research issues are the pumping of a stable brackish source water, the reverse osmosis system performance, membrane fouling, quality changes in the target aquifer as a result of concentrate disposal, and clogging of the injection well. First evaluations of the membrane concentrate indicate that it is crucial to understand the kinetics of mineral precipitation on the membranes, in the injection wells, and in the target aquifer.     

越流含水层系统中的溶质运移方程

越流含水层系统在我国分布十广泛,但国内有关越流含水层系统的地下水污染模型尚见报导,为建立越流含水层系统地下水污染的数学模型,本文导出了包括越流和井流项的溶质运移方程。     

基于解析法和数值法的非稳定流抽水试验参数反演

含水层的水文地质参数是进行地下水资源计算、地下水污染防控等所必需的基础数据,结合数值模拟技术进行含水层参数反演很有必要.按照1:5万水文地质调查规范在江汉平原仙桃市杨林尾镇复兴水厂不同含水层位开展抽水试验,包括深层含水层单孔抽水试验以及浅层含水层中群孔(2孔)抽水试验.对于单孔抽水试验,应用第1类越流系统井流理论进行参数反演;对于群孔抽水试验,推导了特定综合井函数,并利用特定标准曲线匹配法和直线图解法求解了含水层参数.随后利用FEFLOW软件建立了相应数值模型,拟合了含水层参数.结果表明:浅层含水层的渗透系数变化范围为21.66~54.00 m/d,贮水率变化范围为1.28×10-5~8.00×10-4 m-1;深层含水层渗透系数变化范围为1.27~7.00 m/d,贮水率变化范围为3.90×10-6~5.00×10-6 m-1.对于深层承压含水层而言,越流补给量较大.采用数值模拟方法结合抽水试验数据求参,综合考虑了含水层结构,拟合效果好,所得结果更加可靠.      

Characterization of the hydrogeologic environment at a petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated site in Korea

The hydrogeologic environment of a petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated site in Korea is characterized by hydrogeologic field work and chemical analyses of groundwater. Quaternary alluvium is the main aquifer contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons, mainly TEX (toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes). Contamination at this site was derived from the leaking of petroleum storage tanks. The aquifer is highly permeable, but vertically heterogeneous. Water-table fluctuations reach up to 2 m during heavy rains. Contaminants migrated to the northwest along the main groundwater-flow direction. The concentration of hydrocarbons in groundwater is particularly high downgradient from the source area. The ubiquitous distribution of TEX was caused by the heterogeneity of the aquifer material and the significant fluctuation of the water-table. Chemical properties of the contaminated groundwater and field parameters indicate that intrinsic biodegradation, including aerobic respiration, nitrate reduction, iron reduction, manganese reduction, and sulfate reduction, occurs at this site. The dilution and mixing due to new groundwater recharge from rainfall is also identified as one of the major attenuation processes of TEX.     

A predictive modeling approach to assessing the groundwater pollution susceptibility of the Paluxy Aquifer, Central Texas, using a Geographic Information System

The Paluxy aquifer in north-central Texas is composed primarily of Lower Cretaceous clastics. This aquifer provides water for both domestic and agricultural purposes in the region. The study area for this investigation incorporates the outcrop and recharge areas, as well as the confined and unconfined portions of the aquifer. The purpose of this investigation is to develop a predictive modeling approach for evaluating the susceptibility of groundwater in the Paluxy aquifer to contamination, and then compare this susceptibility evaluation to water-chemistry data collected from wells completed within the aquifer. Using such an approach allows one to investigate the potential for groundwater contamination on a regional, rather than site-specific scale. Based on data from variables such as land use/land cover, soil permeability, depth to water, aquifer hydraulic conductivity and topography, subjective numerical weightings have been assigned according to each variables' relative importance in groundwater pollution susceptibility. The weights for each variable comprise a Geographic Information System (GIS) map layer. These map layers are combined to formulate the final pollution susceptibility map. Using this method of investigation, the pollution susceptibility map classifies 32% of the study area as having low pollution susceptibility, 41% as having moderate pollution susceptibility, 25% as having high pollution susceptibility, and 2% as having very high pollution susceptibility. When comparing these modeling results with water-chemistry data from wells within the Paluxy aquifer, the four wells with the highest concentration of nitrate contamination are all found within regions of very high pollution potential. This confirms the accuracy and usefulness of the predictive modeling approach for assessing aquifer pollution susceptibility. Received: 1 June 1999 · Accepted: 30 August 1999