Estimation of hydraulic conductivity in an alluvial system using temperatures

Well water temperatures are often collected simultaneously with water levels; however, temperature data are generally considered only as a water quality parameter and are not utilized as an environmental tracer. In this paper, water levels and seasonal temperatures are used to estimate hydraulic conductivities in a stream-aquifer system. To demonstrate this method, temperatures and water levels are analyzed from six observation wells along an example study site, the Russian River in Sonoma County, California. The range in seasonal ground water temperatures in these wells varied from <0.2 degrees C in two wells to approximately 8 degrees C in the other four wells from June to October 2000. The temperature probes in the six wells are located at depths between 3.5 and 7.1 m relative to the river channel. Hydraulic conductivities are estimated by matching simulated ground water temperatures to the observed ground water temperatures. An anisotropy of 5 (horizontal to vertical hydraulic conductivity) generally gives the best fit to the observed temperatures. Estimated conductivities vary over an order of magnitude in the six locations analyzed. In some locations, a change in the observed temperature profile occurred during the study, most likely due to deposition of fine-grained sediment and organic matter plugging the streambed. A reasonable fit to this change in the temperature profile is obtained by decreasing the hydraulic conductivity in the simulations. This study demonstrates that seasonal ground water temperatures monitored in observation wells provide an effective means of estimating hydraulic conductivities in alluvial aquifers.     

ALLUVIAL CHARACTERISTICS,GROUNDWATER–SURFACE WATER EXCHANGE AND HYDROLOGICAL RETENTION IN HEADWATER STREAMS

Conservative solute injections were conducted in three first-order montane streams of different geological composition to assess the influence of parent lithology and alluvial characteristics on the hydrological retention of nutrients. Three study sites were established: (1) Aspen Creek, in a sandstone–siltstone catchment with a fine-grained alluvium of low hydraulic conductivity (1·3×10⁻⁴ cm/s), (2) Rio Calaveras, which flows through volcanic tuff with alluvium of intermediate grain size and hydraulic conductivity (1·2×10⁻³ cm/s), and (3) Gallina Creek, located in a granite/gneiss catchment of coarse, poorly sorted alluvium with high hydraulic conductivity (4·1×10⁻³ cm/s). All sites were instrumented with networks of shallow groundwater wells to monitor interstitial solute transport. The rate and extent of groundwater–surface water exchange, determined by the solute response in wells, increased with increasing hydraulic conductivity. The direction of surface water–groundwater interaction within a stream was related to local variation in vertical and horizontal hydraulic gradients. Experimental tracer responses in the surface stream were simulated with a one-dimensional solute transport model with inflow and storage components (OTIS). Model-derived measures of hydrological retention showed a corresponding increase with increasing hydraulic conductivity. To assess the temporal variability of hydrological retention, solute injection experiments were conducted in Gallina Creek under four seasonal flow regimes during which surface discharge ranged from baseflow (0·75 l/s in October) to high (75 l/s during spring snowmelt). Model-derived hydrological retention decreased with increasing discharge. The results of our intersite comparison suggest that hydrological retention is strongly influenced by the geologic setting and alluvial characteristics of the stream catchment. Temporal variation in hydrological retention at Gallina Creek is related to seasonal changes in discharge, highlighting the need for temporal resolution in studies of the dynamics of surface water–groundwater interactions in stream ecosystems. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stage‐dependent transient storage of phosphorus in alluvial floodplains

Models for contaminant transport in streams commonly idealize transient storage as a well mixed but immobile system. These transient storage models capture rapid (near‐stream) hyporheic storage and transport, but do not account for large‐scale, stage‐dependent interaction with the alluvial aquifer. The objective of this research was to document transient storage of phosphorus (P) in coarse gravel alluvium potentially influenced by large‐scale, stage‐dependent preferential flow pathways (PFPs). Long‐term monitoring was performed at floodplain sites adjacent to the Barren Fork Creek and Honey Creek in northeastern Oklahoma. Based on results from subsurface electrical resistivity mapping which was correlated to hydraulic conductivity data, observation wells were installed both in higher hydraulic conductivity and lower hydraulic conductivity subsoils. Water levels in the wells were monitored over time, and water samples were obtained from the observation wells and the stream to document P concentrations at multiple times during high flow events. Contour plots indicating direction of flow were developed using water table elevation data. Contour plots of total P concentrations showed the alluvial aquifer acting as a transient storage zone, with P‐laden stream water heterogeneously entering the aquifer during the passage of a storm pulse, and subsequently re‐entering the stream during baseflow conditions. Some groundwater in the alluvial floodplains had total P concentrations that mirrored the streams' total P concentrations. A detailed analysis of P forms indicated that particulate P (i.e. P attached to particulates greater than 0·45 µm) was a significant portion of the P transport. This research suggests the need for more controlled studies on stage‐dependent transient storage in alluvial systems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heterogeneity influences on stream water–groundwater interactions in a gravel-dominated floodplain

ABSTRACT

Floodplains are composed of complex depositional patterns of ancient and recent stream sediments, and research is needed to address the manner in which coarse floodplain materials affect stream–groundwater exchange patterns. Efforts to understand the heterogeneity of aquifers have utilized numerous techniques typically focused on point-scale measurements; however, in highly heterogeneous settings, the ability to model heterogeneity is dependent on the data density and spatial distribution. The objective of this research was to investigate the correlation between broad-scale methodologies for detecting heterogeneity and the observed spatial variability in stream/groundwater interactions of gravel-dominated alluvial floodplains. More specifically, this study examined the correlation between electrical resistivity (ER) and alluvial groundwater patterns during a flood event at a site on Barren Fork Creek, in the Ozark ecoregion of Oklahoma, USA, where chert gravels were common both as streambed and as floodplain material. Water table elevations from groundwater monitoring wells for a flood event on 1–5 May 2009 were compared to ER maps at various elevations. Areas with high ER matched areas with lower water table slope at the same elevation. This research demonstrated that ER approaches were capable of indicating heterogeneity in surface water–groundwater interactions, and that these heterogeneities were present even in an aquifer matrix characterized as highly conductive. Portions of gravel-dominated floodplain vadose zones characterized by high hydraulic conductivity features can result in heterogeneous flow patterns when the vadose zone of alluvial floodplains activates during storm events.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis; ASSOCIATE EDITOR X. Chen     

Assimilation of historical head data to estimate spatial distributions of stream bed and aquifer hydraulic conductivity fields

Management of water resources in alluvial aquifers relies mainly on understanding interactions between hydraulically connected streams and aquifers. Numerical models that simulate this interaction often are used as decision support tools for water resource management. However, the accuracy of numerical predictions relies heavily on unknown system parameters (e.g., streambed conductivity and aquifer hydraulic conductivity), which are spatially heterogeneous and difficult to measure directly. This paper employs an ensemble smoother to invert groundwater level measurements to jointly estimate spatially varying streambed and alluvial aquifer hydraulic conductivity along a 35.6‐km segment of the South Platte River in Northeastern Colorado. The accuracy of the inversion procedure is evaluated using a synthetic experiment and historical groundwater level measurements, with the latter constituting the novelty of this study in the inversion and validation of high‐resolution fields of streambed and aquifer conductivities. Results show that the estimated streambed conductivity field and aquifer conductivity field produce an acceptable agreement between observed and simulated groundwater levels and stream flow rates. The estimated parameter fields are also used to simulate the spatially varying flow exchange between the alluvial aquifer and the stream, which exhibits high spatial variability along the river reach with a maximum average monthly aquifer gain of about 2.3 m³/day and a maximum average monthly aquifer loss of 2.8 m³/day, per unit area of streambed (m²). These results demonstrate that data assimilation inversion provides a reliable and computationally affordable tool to estimate the spatial variability of streambed and aquifer conductivities at high resolution in real‐world systems.     

Comparison of heat and bromide as ground water tracers near streams

Heat and bromide were compared as tracers for examining stream/ground water exchanges along the middle reaches of the Santa Clara River, California, during a 10-hour surface water sodium bromide injection test. Three cross sections that comprise six shallow (<1 m) piezometers were installed at the upper, middle, and lower sections of a 17 km long study reach, to monitor temperatures and bromide concentrations in the shallow ground water beneath the stream. A heat and ground water transport simulation model and a closely related solute and ground water transport simulation model were matched up for comparison of simulated and observed temperatures and bromide concentrations in the streambed. Vertical, one-dimensional simulations of sediment temperature were fitted to observed temperature results, to yield apparent streambed hydraulic conductivities in each cross section. The temperature-based hydraulic conductivities were assigned to a solute and ground water transport model to predict sediment bromide concentrations, during the sodium bromide injection test. Vertical, one-dimensional simulations of bromide concentrations in the sediments yielded a good match to the observed bromide concentrations, without adjustment of any model parameters except solute dispersivities. This indicates that, for the spatial and temporal scales examined on the Santa Clara River, the use of heat and bromide as tracers provide comparable information with respect to apparent hydraulic conductivities and fluxes for sediments near streams. In other settings, caution should be used due to differences in the nature of conservative (bromide) versus nonconservative (heat) tracers, particularly when preferential flowpaths are present.     

A Method to Evaluate the Vertical Distribution of VOCs in Ground Water in a Single Borehole

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in multiple water-bearing zones beneath and downgradient of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This area is composed of interfingering unconsolidated alluvial sediments with hydraulic conductivities ranging over four orders of magnitude. The more permeable sediments exhibit moderate hydraulic interconnection horizontally and less interconnection vertically, and appear to consist largely of interconnected stream channel deposits. To optimize selection of monitoring well screened intervals in this complex environment, a technique that enables collection of saturated formation samples from each water-bearing zone without contamination from other VOC-containing zones was developed, tested, and implemented. The technique utilizes a wireline punch-coring system that allows the drill bit to be replaced with a core barrel without removing the drill rod from the borehole. To help ensure that a sample from one water-bearing zone is not contaminated by VOCs from another zone, the drilling fluid is replaced with new fluid before each sampling run. Overnight chemical analysis by gas chromatography enables field personnel to know the vertical distribution of VOCs as drilling proceeds. Since its first use in 1985, the technique has successfully characterized the presence or absence of VOCs in ground water in 123 of 140 wells, many with concentrations in ground water in the low parts-per-billion range. Our sampling technique is a cost-effective and rapid method of evaluating the vertical distribution of VOCs in ground water in a complex hydrogeologic environment.     

Spatial variability in streambed hydraulic conductivity of contrasting stream morphologies: channel bend and straight channel

Streambed hydraulic conductivity is one of the main factors controlling variability in surface water‐groundwater interactions, but only few studies aim at quantifying its spatial and temporal variability in different stream morphologies. Streambed horizontal hydraulic conductivities (K_h) were therefore determined from in‐stream slug tests, vertical hydraulic conductivities (K_v) were calculated with in‐stream permeameter tests and hydraulic heads were measured to obtain vertical head gradients at eight transects, each comprising five test locations, in a groundwater‐dominated stream. Seasonal small‐scale measurements were taken in December 2011 and August 2012, both in a straight stream channel with homogeneous elevation and downstream of a channel meander with heterogeneous elevation. All streambed attributes showed large spatial variability. K_h values were the highest at the depositional inner bend of the stream, whereas high K_v values were observed at the erosional outer bend and near the middle of the channel. Calculated K_v values were related to the thickness of the organic streambed sediment layer and also showed higher temporal variability than K_h because of sedimentation and scouring processes affecting the upper layers of the streambed. Test locations at the channel bend showed a more heterogeneous distribution of streambed properties than test locations in the straight channel, whereas within the channel bend, higher spatial variability in streambed attributes was observed across the stream than along the stream channel. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predicting conductance due to upconing using neural networks

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were developed to accurately predict highly time-variable specific conductance values in an unconfined coastal aquifer. Conductance values in the fresh water lens aquifer change in response to vertical displacements of the brackish zone and fresh water-salt water interface, which are caused by variable pumping and climate conditions. Unlike physical-based models, which require hydrologic parameter inputs, such as horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivities, porosity, and fluid densities, ANNs can "learn" system behavior from easily measurable variables. In this study, the ANN input predictor variables were initial conductance, total precipitation, mean daily temperature, and total pumping extraction. The ANNs were used to predict salinity (specific conductance) at a single monitoring well located near a high-capacity municipal-supply well over time periods ranging from 30 d to several years. Model accuracy was compared against both measured/interpolated values and predictions were made with linear regression, and in general, excellent prediction accuracy was achieved. For example, although the average percent change of conductance over 90-d periods was 39%, the absolute mean prediction error achieved with the ANN was only 1.1%. The ANNs were also used to conduct a sensitivity analysis that quantified the importance of each of the four predictor variables on final conductance values, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of the system. The results demonstrate that the ANN technology can serve as a powerful and accurate prediction and management tool, minimizing degradation of ground water quality to the extent possible by identifying appropriate pumping policies under variable and/or changing climate conditions.     

Calibration of base flow separation methods with streamflow conductivity

The conductivity mass-balance (CMB) method can be used to calibrate analytical base flow separation methods. The principal CMB assumptions are base flow conductivity is equal to streamflow conductivity at lowest flows, runoff conductivity is equal to streamflow conductivity at highest flows, and base flow and runoff conductivities are assumed to be constants over the period of record. To test the CMB assumptions, fluid conductivities of ground water, surface runoff, and streamflow were measured during wet and dry conditions in a 12-km(2) stream basin. Ground water conductivities at wells varied an average of 6% from dry to wet conditions, while stream conductivities varied 58%. Shallow ground water conductivity varied significantly with distance from the stream, with lowest conductivities of 87 microS/cm near the divide, a maximum of 520 microS/cm 59 m from the stream, and 215 microS/cm 22 m from the stream. Runoff conductivities measured in three rain events remained nearly constant, with lower conductivities of 35 microS/cm near the divide and 50 microS/cm near the stream. The CMB method was applied to the records from 10 USGS stream-gauging stations in Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, and Florida to calibrate the USGS base flow separation technique, HYSEP, by varying the time parameter 2N*. There is a statistically significant relationship between basin areas and calibrated values of 2N*, expressed as N = 0.46A(0.44), with N in days and A in km(2). The widely accepted relationship N = 0.83A(0.2) is not valid for these basins. Other analytic methods can also be calibrated with the CMB method.     

Variability and comparison of hyporheic water temperatures and seepage fluxes in a small Atlantic salmon stream

Ground water discharge is often a significant factor in the quality of fish spawning and rearing habitat and for highly biologically productive streams. In the present study, water temperatures (stream and hyporheic) and seepage fluxes were used to characterize shallow ground water discharge and recharge within thestreambed of Catamaran Brook, a small Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stream in central New Brunswick, Canada. Three study sites were instrumented using a total of 10 temperature sensors and 18 seepage meters. Highly variable mean seepage fluxes, ranging from 1.7 x 10(-4) to 2.5 cm3 m(-2) sec(-1), and mean hyporheic water temperatures, ranging from 10.5 degrees to 18.0 degrees C, at depths of 20 to 30 cm in the streambed were dependent on streambed location (left versus right stream bank and site location) and time during the summer sampling season. Temperature data were usefulfor determining if an area of the streambed was under discharge (positive flux), recharge (negative flux), or parallel flow (no flux) conditions and seepage meters were used to directly measure the quantity of water flux. Hyporheic water temperature measurements and specific conductance measurements of the seepage meter sample water, mean values ranging from 68.8 to 157.9 microS/cm, provided additional data for determining flux sources. Three stream banks were consistently under discharge conditions, while the other three stream banks showed reversal from discharge to recharge conditions over the sampling season. Results indicate that the majority of the water collected in the seepage meters was composed of surface water. The data obtained suggests that even though a positive seepage flux is often interpreted as ground water discharge, this discharging water may be of stream water origin that has recently entered the hyporheic zone.The measurement of seepage flux in conjunction with hyporheic water temperature or other indicators of water origin should be considered when attempting to quantify the magnitude of exchange and the source of hyporheic water.     

Stream-aquifer interactions: evaluation of depletion volume and residual effects from ground water pumping

Numerical modeling techniques were used to simulate stream-aquifer interactions from seasonal ground water pumping. We used stream-aquifer models in which a shallow stream penetrates the top of an aquifer that discharges ground water to the stream as base flow. Because of the pumping, the volume of base flow discharged to the stream was reduced, and as the pumping continued, infiltration from the stream to the aquifer was induced. Both base-flow reduction and stream infiltration contributed to total stream depletion. We analyzed the depletion rates and volumes of the reduced base flow and induced stream infiltration during pumping and postpumping periods. Our results suggested that for a shallow penetrating stream with a low streambed conductance, base-flow reduction accounts for a significant percentage of the total stream depletion. Its residual effects in postpumping can last very long and may continue into the next pumping season for areas where recharge is nominal. In contrast, the contribution of the induced stream infiltration to the total stream depletion is much smaller, and its effects often become negligible shortly after pumping was stopped. For areas where surface recharge replenishes the aquifer, the residual effects of base-flow reduction and thus its depletion volume will be significantly reduced. A stream of large conductance has a high hydraulic connection to the aquifer, but the relationship between stream conductance and stream depletion is not linear.     

Migration of induced-infiltrated stream water into nearby aquifers due to seasonal ground water withdrawal

Analysis of stream-aquifer interaction due to ground water extraction has traditionally focused on the determination of the amount of water depleted in the stream. Less attention has been paid to the movement of infiltrated stream water inside aquifer, particularly for agricultural areas. This paper presents a method of using particle-tracking techniques to evaluate the transport of the leaked stream water in the nearby aquifers. Simple stream-aquifer conditions are used to demonstrate the usefulness of the analysis. Travel times, pathlines, and influence zones of stream water were determined between a stream and nearby pumping wells for seasonal ground water extraction areas. When water quantity is a concern, the analyses provide additional information about stream depletion; when water quality is an issue, they offer information for wellhead protection. Analyses were conducted for transient conditions, and both pumping and nonpumping periods were considered. According to the results from the simulation examples, migration of infiltrated stream water into the nearby aquifers is generally slow and most infiltrated stream water does not arrive at the pumping well at the end of a 90-day irrigation season. Infiltrated stream water may remain in the aquifer for several years before arriving at the pumping well. For aquifers with a regional hydraulic gradient toward streams, part of the infiltrated stream water may discharge back to streams during a recovery period.     

Simulation of fluid, heat transport to estimate desert stream infiltration

In semiarid regions, the contribution of infiltration from intermittent streamflow to ground water recharge may be quantified by comparing simulations of fluid and heat transport beneath stream channels to observed ground temperatures. In addition to quantifying natural recharge, streamflow infiltration estimates provide a means to characterize the physical properties of stream channel sediments and to identify suitable locations for artificial recharge sites. Rates of winter streamflow infiltration along stream channels are estimated based on the cooling effect of infiltrated water on streambed sediments, combined with the simulation of two-dimensional fluid and heat transport using the computer program VS2DH. The cooling effect of ground water is determined by measuring ground temperatures at regular intervals beneath stream channels and nearby channel banks in order to calculate temperature-depth profiles. Additional data inputs included the physical, hydraulic, and thermal properties of unsaturated alluvium, and monthly ground temperatures measurements over an annual cycle. Observed temperatures and simulation results can provide estimates of the minimum threshold for deep infiltration, the variability of infiltration along stream channels, and also the frequency of infiltration events.     

Vertical surface water–groundwater exchange processes within a headwater floodplain induced by experimental floods

Restoring hydrologic connectivity between channels and floodplains is common practice in stream and river restoration. Floodplain hydrology and hydrogeology impact stream hydraulics, ecology, biogeochemical processing, and pollutant removal, yet rigorous field evaluations of surface water–groundwater exchange within floodplains during overbank floods are rare. We conducted five sets of experimental floods to mimic floodplain reconnection by pumping stream water onto an existing floodplain swale. Floods were conducted throughout the year to capture seasonal variation and each involved two replicate floods on successive days to test the effect of varying antecedent moisture. Water levels and specific conductance were measured in surface water, soil, and groundwater within the floodplain, along with surface flow into and out of the floodplain. Vegetation density varied seasonally and controlled the volume of surface water storage on the floodplain. By contrast, antecedent moisture conditions controlled storage of water in floodplain soils, with drier antecedent moisture conditions leading to increased subsurface storage and slower flood wave propagation across the floodplain surface. The site experienced spatial heterogeneity in vertical connectivity between surface water and groundwater across the floodplain surface, where propagation of hydrostatic pressure, preferential flow, and bulk Darcy flow were all mechanisms that may have occurred during the five floods. Vertical connectivity also increased with time, suggesting higher frequency of floodplain inundation may increase surface water–groundwater exchange across the floodplain surface. Understanding the variability of floodplain impacts on water quality noted in the literature likely requires better accounting for seasonal variations in floodplain vegetation and antecedent moisture as well as heterogeneous exchange flow mechanisms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distinguishing sources of ground water recharge by using delta2H and delta18O

Stable isotope values of hydrogen and oxygen from precipitation and ground water samples were compared by using a volumetrically based mixing equation and stable isotope gradient to estimate the season and location of recharge in four basins. Stable isotopes were sampled at 11 precipitation sites of differing elevation during a 2-year period to quantify seasonal stable isotope contributions as a function of elevation. Supplemental stable isotope data collected by the International Atomic Energy Association during a 14-year period were used to reduce annual variability of the mean seasonal stable isotope data. The stable isotope elevation relationships and local precipitation elevation relationships were combined by using a digital elevation model to calculate the total volumetric contribution of water and stable isotope values as a function of elevation within the basins. The results of these precipitation calculations were compared to measured ground water stable isotope values at the major discharge points near the terminus of the basins. Volumetric precipitation contributions to recharge were adjusted to isolate contributing elevations. This procedure provides an improved representation of recharge contributions within the basins over conventional stable isotope methods. Stable isotope values from wells and springs at the terminus of each basin were used to infer the elevations of precipitation important for recharge of the regional ground water flow system. Ancillary climatic, geologic, and stable isotope values were used to further constrain the location where precipitation is entering the ground water flow system.     

Application of harmonic analysis of water levels to determine vertical hydraulic conductivities in clay-rich aquitards

A harmonic analysis method was used to determine vertical hydraulic conductivities (Kv) in geologic media between vertically separated piezometers using water level measurements. In this method, each water level time series was filtered and then decomposed using harmonic analysis into a sum of trigonometric components. The phase and amplitude of each harmonic function were calculated. These data were used to estimate Kv values between vertically separated data sets assuming one-dimensional transient flow. The method was applied to water level data collected from nested piezometers at two thick clay-rich till aquitards in Saskatchewan, Canada. At one site, routine water levels were measured in 12 piezometers (installed between 1 and 29 m below ground surface) since installation (1995). At the other site, water levels were measured in seven piezometers (installed between 4 and 53 m below ground surface) since installation (1998-1999). The Kv calculated using harmonic analysis decreased with depth below the water table at both sites, approaching matrix estimates of hydraulic conductivity between 10 and 11 m and between 21 and 43 m below ground surface. These depths reflected the depth of extensive vertical fracturing at the sites and showed that the depth of fracturing may be site specific.     

Does groundwater influence the sediment fauna beneath a small, sandy stream?

Gradients in the sediment fauna comprising groundwater (GW) and hyporheic taxa were investigated in the sand/silt-bottomed Marbling Brook in Western Australia. The structure of sediment invertebrate assemblages from Marbling Brook sediments and the adjacent GW were studied at five sites over 1 year and hydrological interactions were characterized using a suite of abiotic factors. Although all five stream sites were upwelling, the sites differed in the degree of hydrological interactions between GW and surface water. Sediment fauna taxa abundances were not correlated with any of the abiotic factors investigated and did not change gradually with depth. Faunal assemblages in the stream sediments were distinct from faunal assemblages in alluvial GW. While water exchanged between alluvial GW and sediment water, as shown by abiotic factors, the distinct differences in faunal assemblages indicated an unpredicted complexity in the catchment with fundamentally different hydrogeological situations on the decimetre scale. Sampling in sandy sediments needs to take this small-scale variability into account.     

Impacts of Seasonal Pumping on Stream‐Aquifer Interactions in Miryang,Korea

Large agricultural fields in South Korea are located mostly on alluvial plains, where a significant amount of groundwater is used for heating of water‐curtain insulated greenhouses. Such greenhouses are commonly used for crop cultivation during the winter dry season from November to March. After use the groundwater is discharged directly into streams, causing groundwater depletion. A hydrogeological study was carried out in a typical agricultural area of this type, located on an alluvial aquifer near the Nakdong River. Groundwater levels, chemical characteristics, and temperatures from 68 observation wells were analyzed to determine the impacts of seasonal groundwater pumping on the groundwater system and stream‐aquifer interactions. Our results show that the groundwater system has not yet reached a state of dynamic equilibrium. Decades of excessive seasonal pumping have caused a gradual decline of groundwater levels, leading to groundwater depletion, especially in areas further from the river. Seasonal pumping has also significantly affected groundwater quality in the aquifer near the river. Groundwater temperature is decreasing (in this case a disadvantage), and saline groundwater is being diluted by induced recharge. The results of this study provide a basic outline for effective integrated water management that is widely applicable in South Korea.     

Use of temperature profiles and stable isotopes to trace flow lines: Nagaoka area, Japan

In this study, we use borehole temperature data and stable isotopes to delineate the flow system and estimate the effect of urbanization in the Nagaoka area of Japan. Temperature profiles were measured four times in observation wells during the period 2000-2001 and compared with those measured in the same wells during the period 1977-1983 (Taniguchi 1986). Water was sampled in both observation and pumping wells during the same period. The temporal and spatial variability in temperature indicate clearly the effect of urban warming and heavy pumping on the ground water system. Urban warming caused higher temperatures recently as compared to the older values, and pumping caused induced recharge from the river to the ground water. The stable isotope data show the ground water flow system is divided into shallow, intermediate, and deep systems, and that land use and infiltration rate are affecting the shallow flow system.