Geochemical and flow modelling as tools in monitoring managed aquifer recharge

Due to a growing world population and the effects of anthropogenic climate change, access to clean water is a growing global concern. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a method that can help society's response to this increasing demand for pure water. In MAR, the groundwater resources are replenished and the quality of the recharged surface water is improved through effects such as the removal of organic matter. This removal occurs through mechanisms such as microbial decomposition, which can be monitored by studying the isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Nevertheless, the monitoring can be difficult when there are other factors, like dissolving calcite, affecting the isotopic composition of DIC.The aims of this study were to establish a method for monitoring the decomposition of organic matter (dissolved organic carbon – DOC) in cases where calcite dissolution adds another component to the DIC pool, and to use this method to monitor the beginning and amount of DOC decomposition on a MAR site at Virttaankangas, southwestern Finland. To achieve this, we calculated the mean residence times of infiltrated water in the aquifer and the fractions of this water reaching observation wells. We conducted geochemical modelling, using PHREEQC, to estimate the amount of DOC decomposition and the mineral reactions affecting the quality of the water.     

Application of WetSpass model to estimate groundwater recharge variability in the Nile Delta aquifer

Long-term groundwater recharge from rainfall in the Nile Delta is needed as an input for integrated groundwater modelling in the Nile Delta aquifer for more accurate simulation. The main objective is to estimate the spatial and temporal variation of groundwater recharge from rainfall in the Nile Delta aquifer. Water and Energy Transfer between Soil, Plants and Atmosphere under quasi-Steady State (WetSpass) model parameters were identified for the Nile Delta based on the available meteorological data for the area collected in 1991 and 2000. The collected data were rainfall, temperature, wind speed and evapotranspiration. Geomorphological characteristics, such as soil type, topography, groundwater depth and slope, were also collected as input data for the WetSpass model. ENVI software was used to come up with land use classification based on available land cover images of the Nile Delta for 1972, 1984, 1990, 2000 and 2009. The WetSpass model was calibrated by comparing the simulated groundwater recharge with the calculated one by using the water balance equation model. The results indicated close agreement in groundwater recharge between the two model outputs with R ² of 0.99 and 0.94, while the root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) were 4.86 and 9.39 mm for 1991 and 2000, respectively. The WetSpass model was then applied in respect of 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2010 for the purpose of validation. The overall RMSE and R ² for the 6 years were 8.83 mm and 0.88, respectively. The results of the WetSpass calibrated model provide information to support integrated groundwater modelling. The results reveal that WetSpass works well in simulating the components of the hydrological balance in the Nile Delta.     

Artificial groundwater recharge to a semi-arid basin: case study of Mujib aquifer,Jordan

Mujib watershed is an important groundwater basin which is considered a major source for drinking and irrigation water in Jordan. Increased dependence on groundwater needs improved aquifer management with respect to understanding deeply recharge and discharge issues, planning rates withdrawal, and facing water quality problems arising from industrial and agricultural contamination. The efficient management of this source depends on reliable estimates of the recharge to groundwater and is needed in order to protect Mujib basin from depletion. Artificial groundwater recharge was investigated in this study as one of the important options to face water scarcity and to improve groundwater storage in the aquifer. A groundwater model based on the MODFLOW program, calibrated under both steady- and unsteady-state conditions, was used to investigate different groundwater management scenarios that aim at protecting the Mujib basin. The scenarios include variations of abstraction levels combined with different artificial groundwater recharge quantities. The possibilities of artificial groundwater recharge from existing and proposed dams as well as reclaimed municipal wastewater were investigated. Artificial recharge options considered in this study are mainly through injecting water directly to the aquifer and through infiltration from reservoir. Three scenarios were performed to predict the aquifer system response under different artificial recharge options (low, moderate, and high) which then compared with no action (recharge) scenario. The best scenario that provides a good recovery for the groundwater table and that can be feasible is founded to be by reducing current abstraction rates by 20% and implementing the moderate artificial recharge rates of 26 million(M)m³/year. The model constructed in this study helps decision makers and planners in selecting optimum management schemes suitable for such arid and semi-arid regions.     

Isotopic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater in the Senegal River delta aquifer: implication of recharge and flow regime

Groundwater and surface water samples were collected to improve understanding of the Senegal River Lower Valley and Delta system, which is prone to salinization. Inorganic ion concentrations and environmental isotopes (¹⁸O, ²H and ³H) in groundwater, river, lake and precipitation were investigated to gain insight into the functioning of the system with regard to recharge sources and process, groundwater renewability, hydraulic interconnection and geochemical evolution. The geochemical characteristics of the system display mainly cation (Ca²⁺ and/or Na⁺) bicarbonated waters, which evolve to chloride water type; this occurs during groundwater flow in the less mineralized part of the aquifer. In contrast, saline intrusion and secondary brines together with halite dissolution are likely to contaminate the groundwater to Na–Cl type. Halite, gypsum and calcite dissolution determine the major ion (Na⁺, Cl⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, SO₄ ²⁻ and HCO₃ ⁻) chemistry, but other processes such as evaporation, salt deposition, ion exchange and reverse exchange reactions also control the groundwater chemistry. Both surface water and groundwater in the system show an evaporation effect, but high evaporated signatures in the groundwater may be due to direct evaporation from the ground, infiltration of evaporated water or enriched rainwater in this region. The stable isotopes also reveal two types of groundwater in this system, which geomorphologically are distributed in the sand dunes (depleted isotopes) and in the flood plain (enriched isotopes). Consideration of the ³H content reinforces this grouping and suggests two mechanisms of recharge: contribution of enriched surface water in recharging the flood plain groundwater and, in the sand dunes area where water table is at depth between 8 and 13 m, slow recharge process characterized the submodern to mixed water.     

Participatory groundwater modeling for managed aquifer recharge as a tool for water resources management of a coastal aquifer in Greece

Hydrogeology Journal - A participatory modelling approach is presented for effective groundwater management at the Mediterranean coastal plain of Marathon, Greece. The main objective was to...     

Investigation of recharge dynamics and flow paths in a fractured crystalline aquifer in semi-arid India using borehole logs: implications for managed aquifer recharge

The recharge flow paths in a typical weathered hard-rock aquifer in a semi-arid area of southern India were investigated in relation to structures associated with a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) scheme. Despite the large number of MAR structures, the mechanisms of recharge in their vicinity are still unclear. The study uses a percolation tank as a tool to identify the input signal of the recharge and uses multiple measurements (piezometric time series, electrical conductivity profiles in boreholes) compared against heat-pulse flowmeter measurements and geochemical data (major ions and stable isotopes) to examine recharge flow paths. The recharge process is a combination of diffuse piston flow and preferential flow paths. Direct vertical percolation appears to be very limited, in contradiction to the conceptual model generally admitted where vertical flow through saprolite is considered as the main recharge process. The horizontal component of the flow leads to a strong geochemical stratification of the water column. The complex recharge pattern, presented in a conceptual model, leads to varied impacts on groundwater quality and availability in both time and space, inducing strong implications for water management, water quality evolution, MAR monitoring and longer-term socio-economic costs.     

Application of advanced borehole geophysical logging to managed aquifer recharge investigations

Communities and water utilities are increasingly being forced to implement more hydrogeologically complex alternative water supply and storage options to meet increasing freshwater demands. The performance of managed aquifer recharge projects, including aquifer storage and recovery, is controlled by the movement and mixing of stored freshwater and native groundwater, and fluid–rock interactions, which, in turn, are strongly influenced by aquifer heterogeneity. Advanced borehole geophysical logging techniques developed for the oil and gas industry such as neutron-gamma ray spectroscopy, microresistivity imaging, and nuclear magnetic resonance, can provide hitherto unavailable fine-scale data on porosity (total and effective), hydraulic conductivity, salinity, and the mineralogical composition of aquifers. Data on aquifer heterogeneity obtained from advanced borehole geophysics logs, combined with information on larger-scale aquifer hydraulics obtained from pumping tests, have the potential for improving aquifer characterization and modeling needed for feasibility assessments and the design and optimization of the operation of managed aquifer recharge systems.     

A regional-scale groundwater flow model for the Leon-Chinandega aquifer,Nicaragua

Groundwater flow in the Leon-Chinandega aquifer was simulated using transient and steady-state numerical models. This unconfined aquifer is located in an agricultural plain in northwest Nicaragua. Previous studies were restricted to determining groundwater availability for irrigation, overlooking the impacts of groundwater development. A sub-basin was selected to study the groundwater flow system and the effects of groundwater development using a numerical groundwater flow model (Visual MODFLOW). Hydrological parameters obtained from pumping tests were related to each hydrostratigraphic unit to assign the distribution of parameter values within each model layer. River discharge measurements were crucial for constraining recharge estimates and reducing the non-uniqueness of the model calibration. Steady-state models have limited usefulness because of the major variation of recharge and agricultural pumping during the wet and dry seasons. Model results indicate that pumping induces a decrease in base flow, depleting river discharge. This becomes critical during dry periods, when irrigation is highest. Transient modeling indicates that the response time of the aquifer is about one hydrologic year, which allows the development of management strategies within short time horizons. Considering further development of irrigated agriculture in the area, the numerical model can be a powerful tool for water resources management.     

Supervised committee fuzzy logic model to assess groundwater intrinsic vulnerability in multiple aquifer systems

Groundwater vulnerability modeling is an alternative approach to evaluate groundwater contamination especially in areas affected by intensive anthropogenic activities. However, the DRASTIC model as a well-known method to assess groundwater vulnerability suffers from the inherent uncertainty associated with its seven essential parameters. In this study, three different fuzzy logic (FL) models (Sugeno fuzzy logic, Mamdani fuzzy logic, and Larsen fuzzy logic) are adopted to improve the DRASTIC system to be more realistic. The vulnerability map of groundwater from multiple aquifer systems (i.e., karstic, alluvium, and complex) in Basara basin, Iraq, was created using the FL models. Validation of the FL models results using NO₃-N concentration obtained from wells and springs of the study area indicating that all of the three FL models are applicable for improving the DRASTIC model. However, each of the FL models has its own advantages for groundwater vulnerability estimation in different types of aquifer systems in the Basara basin. Therefore, this study proposes the supervised committee fuzzy logic (SCFL) as a multimodel method to combine the advantages of individual FL models. The SCFL method confirms that no water well with high NO₃-N levels would be classified as low risk and vice versa. The study suggests that this approach has provided a convenient estimation of pollution risk in the study area and therefore, a more accurate prediction of the intrinsic vulnerability to pollution in the multiple aquifer system can be achieved through SCFL method.     

A comparison of the geochemical response to different managed aquifer recharge operations for injection of urban stormwater in a carbonate aquifer

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is increasingly being considered as a means of reusing urban stormwater and wastewater to supplement the available water resources. Subsurface storage is advantageous as it does not impact on the area available for urban development, while the aquifer also provides natural treatment. However, subsurface storage can also have deleterious effects on the recovered water quality through water–rock interactions which can also impact on the integrity of the aquifer matrix. A recent investigation into the potential for stormwater recycling via Aquifer Storage Transfer and Recovery (ASTR) in a carbonate aquifer is used to determine the important hydrogeochemical processes that impact on the recovered water quality. An extensive period of aquifer flushing allows observation of water quality changes under two operating scenarios: (1) separate wells for injection and recovery, representing ASTR; and (2) a single well for injection and recovery, representing Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR).     

A density-dependent multi-species model to assess groundwater flow and nutrient transport in the coastal Keauhou aquifer,Hawai‘i,USA

Hydrogeology Journal - Fresh groundwater is a critical resource supporting coastal ecosystems that rely on low-salinity, nutrient-rich groundwater discharge. This resource, however, is subject to...     

黑河流域走廊平原地下水补给源组成及其变化

通过环境同位素、水文分割法和相关分析研究表明,祁连山区降水、冰川雪融水和基岩裂隙水通过出山口地表径流补给构成黑河流域走廊平原地下水主要补给源,具有年际和年内丰枯动态变化规律,与祁连山区降水量和气温的关联度分别为0.97和0.79,与平原张掖站降水量和气温的关联度分别为0.43和0.60。在自然径流条件下,祁连山区降水量变化是改变走廊平原地下水补给的主导因素,约占91%权重;气温变化是重要影响因素,约占9%权重。20世纪80年代以来祁连山区各补给源处于偏丰期。因此,近年来走廊平原地下水补给量相对50年代减少27.1%,人类活动是重要影响因素,急需加强科学调控。     

Principles to coordinate managed aquifer recharge with natural resource management policies in Australia

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a tool available to water-resources managers that assists agencies to secure water supplies and protect aquifers and groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the face of climate change and growing water demand. Yet few natural-resources managers have access to a coordinated set of policies that enable the potential benefits of MAR to be fully realised in urban and rural areas. This paper reviews contemporary Australian water-resource policies and systematically applies a refined set of ‘robust separation of rights’ principles based on secure entitlements, annual allocations and end-use obligations to guide the coordination of policies specific to each of the four operational processes central to MAR schemes: source water harvesting, aquifer recharge, recovery of stored water and end use. Particular attention is given to the formulation of policies relating to the recovery of water, including the feasibility for market exchange of permanent and temporary rights to recover recharged water, as these have the potential to greatly expand the role of MAR. Aquifer characteristics, existing groundwater extractions and potential third party effects need to be taken into account in determining both recovery entitlements and annual allocations. A transitional pathway to implement novel MAR policies is suggested.     

黄河水对地下水补给深度的初步研究

本文根据河南省黄河下游影响带众多的水源地勘探孔资料和黄河4条剖面上同位素的分布特征,采用地层分析法、同位素法和数值法较准确地划分了黄河不同河段地表水对地下水的补给深度,其中,郑州剖面补给深度小于250m,中新剖面和开封剖面大于200m,濮阳剖面小于150m.     

The effect of typical geological heterogeneities on the performance of managed aquifer recharge: physical experiments and numerical simulations

Understanding the role of geological heterogeneity on the performance of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in terms of effective groundwater storage is crucial to design MAR systems. Natural aquifers are affected by a variety of geologic strata and structures at different scales, which are responsible for wide ranging hydraulic properties. This study combines physical experiments and numerical modeling to investigate the effect of geologic structures commonly encountered in sedimentary environments, on MAR-induced groundwater flow patterns using injection wells. Models were conceptualized and parametrized based on the hydrogeological conditions of Tailan River basin in arid NW China, which hosts a typical, structurally complex, alluvial-fan aquifer system affected by sediment layering, clay lenses and anticline barriers, and is extensively studied for the strategic potential of MAR in addressing water shortages in the region. Results showed that, compared to a homogeneous scenario, high-permeability aquifer layers shortened groundwater ages, decreased the thickness of the artificially recharged water lenses (ARWLs), and shifted the stagnation points downstream. Clay lenses increased groundwater residence times but had little effect on spatial flow patterns due to their elongation parallel-to-flow direction. Overall groundwater ages, as well as the thickness of ARWLs created through injection on the upstream side of an anticline, increased, and this to a larger extent than through injection on the downstream side, which did not increase significantly compared to the homogeneous scenario. Results provide insights for MAR optimization in naturally heterogeneous aquifer systems, along with a benchmark tool for application to a wide range of typical geological conditions.