Modeling of multiyear water-table fluctuations in response to intermittent artificial recharge

Hydrogeology Journal - Artificial groundwater recharge is an important component of water resources management in arid areas. Knowledge of the surface-water/groundwater interaction in a...     

Correlation of hydraulic conductivity with stratigraphy in a fractured-dolomite aquifer, northeastern Wisconsin, USA

This study integrated surface and subsurface stratigraphic data with geophysical logs and hydrogeologic data in order to characterize the hydraulic properties of the Silurian dolomite in northeastern Wisconsin. Silurian stratigraphy consists of predictable alternations of characteristic facies associations. A vertical profile of hydraulic conductivity, obtained from short-interval packer tests in a core hole that penetrates a majority of the Silurian section, indicates that hydraulic conductivity ranges over five orders of magnitude (10^–1 to 10^–6 cm/s). Matrix conductivity is generally low and varies with texture; the finer-grained restricted-marine and transitional facies being less permeable than the coarser-grained open-marine facies. High-conductivity values are generally associated with bedding-plane fractures, and fracture frequency is greater in the restricted-marine facies. High-flow features in 16 wells were identified using fluid-temperature/resistivity and heat-pulse flowmeter logs. Natural-gamma logs were used to identify the stratigraphic position of flow features in each well and to correlate flow features to specific stratigraphic horizons. By combining stratigraphic, geophysical, and hydrogeologic data, 14 high-permeability zones within the Silurian aquifer have been identified and correlated in wells more than 16 km apart. These zones parallel bedding, appear most pronounced at contacts between contrasting lithologies, and are most abundant in restricted-marine lithologies. Electronic Publication     

Capture-zone design in an aquifer influenced by cyclic fluctuations in hydraulic gradients

Design of a groundwater pumping and treatment system for a wood-treatment facility adjacent to the tidally influenced Fraser River estuary required the development of methodologies to account for cyclic variations in hydraulic gradients. Design of such systems must consider the effects of these cyclic fluctuations on the capture of dissolved-phase contaminants. When the period of the cyclic fluctuation is much less than the travel time of the dissolved contaminant from the source to the discharge point, the hydraulic-gradient variations resulting from these cycles can be ignored. Capture zones are then designed based on the average hydraulic gradient determined using filter techniques on continuous groundwater-level measurements. When the period of cyclic fluctuation in hydraulic gradient is near to or greater than the contaminant travel time, the resulting hydraulic-gradient variations cannot be ignored. In these instances, procedures are developed to account for these fluctuations in the capture-zone design. These include proper characterization of the groundwater regime, assessment of the average travel time and period of the cyclic fluctuations, and numerical techniques which allow accounting for the cyclic fluctuations in the design of the capture zone. Electronic Publication     

随机单裂隙饱和/非饱和渗透系数研究

裂隙易在降雨作用下诱发滑坡等灾害,裂隙的饱和/非饱和渗透特性是研究此类问题的关键。利用精密数控机床制作随机粗糙裂隙面,并研制了一套仪器进行此随机粗糙裂隙的渗流试验,得到了裂隙的饱和渗透系数,然后通过间接方法预测此裂隙的非饱和渗透系数。研究发现,当裂隙平均开度为0.4 mm时,其饱和渗透系数为0.1 m/s。通过立方定律得到的水力等效隙宽为0.35 mm,小于其平均隙宽。同时裂隙的渗透系数与平均隙宽的平方成正比,这与立方定律的趋势相一致。研究得到了不同隙宽裂隙的非饱和渗透系数函数,当基质吸力小于进气值时,渗透系数为一常数,即为饱和渗透系数;当基质吸力大于进气值时,裂隙板的渗透系数急剧减小。当裂隙板的基质吸力达到其残余含水率对应的吸力值时,裂隙板的渗透系数基本稳定。在此情况下,基质吸力的继续增加对渗透系数的影响非常小,很难使渗透系数减小。     

利用CFCs定年数据计算静升盆地含水层渗透系数

文章利用CFCs(氟氯碳化合物)定年数据,计算山西静升盆地含水层渗透系数。结果表明:补给条件较好的区域与补给条件差的深层承压区相比,地下水年龄偏年轻;从冲洪积扇顶部到扇缘,地下水径流逐渐变缓,含水层渗透系数变小;盆地南部较北部,地下水流动缓慢,渗透系数整体偏小。该方法获得的渗透系数符合实际地质条件。     

咸淡水驱替过程中含水介质渗透性变化的试验研究

在野外水文地质调查的基础上,采集青岛市大沽河下游咸水入侵区砂样,首先对含水介质的粒度和矿物组成进行了分析,然后通过室内砂槽模拟试验,对咸淡水驱替过程中含水介质的渗透性变化规律进行了研究。结果表明,当咸淡水相互驱替时,含水介质的渗透性会发生显著变化,这种变化主要是由于驱替液盐浓度的变化,使得伊利石、高岭石和绿泥石等非膨胀性粘土矿物经释放、迁移、絮凝和沉积,从而重新分布所引起的。含水介质渗透性的变化具有明显的非均质性,即位于距入水处不同水平距离以及不同高度处的含水介质,其渗透性变化规律有所不同。     

Estimating groundwater evapotranspiration rates using diurnal water-table fluctuations in a semi-arid riparian zone

In semi-arid climates, phreatophytes draw on shallow aquifers, and groundwater evapotranspiration (ET_G) is a principal component of groundwater budgets. Diurnal water table fluctuations, which often are a product of ET_G, were monitored in the riparian zone of Red Canyon Creek, Wyoming, USA. These fluctuations were higher in a riparian wetland (2–36 mm) than a grass-covered meadow (1–6 mm). The onset and cessation of water-table fluctuations correspond to daily temperatures relative to freezing. Spatial differences were due to vegetation type and specific yield, while temporal changes were due to vegetation dormancy. Ratios of ET_G to potential evapotranspiration (PET), K _c,GW, were similar to ratios of actual evapotranspiration (ET) to PET, K _c, in semi-arid rangelands. Before vegetation senescence, K _c,GW increased between precipitation events, suggesting phreatophytes pull more water from the saturated zone as soil moisture decreases. In contrast, K _c decreases with soil moisture following precipitation events as ET becomes increasingly water-limited. Error in ET_G is primarily from estimates of specific yield (S _y), which is difficult to quantify in heterogeneous sediments. ET_G values may be more reliable because the range of acceptable S _y is smaller than K _c and S _y does not change with vegetation type or soil moisture.     

Variations in hydraulic conductivity with scale of measurement during aquifer tests in heterogeneous, porous carbonate rocks

 Previous studies have shown that hydraulic conductivity of an aquifer seems to increase as the portion of the aquifer tested increases. To date, such studies have all relied on different methods to determine hydraulic conductivity at each scale of interest, which raises the possibility that the observed increase in hydraulic conductivity is due to the measurement method, not to the scale. This study analyzes hydraulic conductivity with respect to scale during individual aquifer tests in porous, heterogeneous carbonate rocks in southeastern Wisconsin, USA. Results from this study indicate that hydraulic conductivity generally increases during an individual test as the volume of aquifer impacted increases, and the rate of this increase is the same as the rate of increase determined by using different measurement methods. Thus, scale dependence of hydraulic conductivity during single tests does not depend on the method of measurement. This conclusion is supported by 22 of 26 aquifer tests conducted in porous-flow-dominated carbonate units within the aquifer. Instead, scale dependency is probably caused by heterogeneities within the aquifer, a conclusion supported by digital simulation. All of the observed types of hydraulic-conductivity variations with scale during individual aquifer tests can be explained by a conceptual model of a simple heterogeneous aquifer composed of high-conductivity zones within a low-conductivity matrix. Received, January 1997 Revised, August 1997, November 1997 Accepted, November 1997     

Large-scale hydraulic conductivity distribution in an unconfined carbonate aquifer using the ocean tidal propagation

The hydraulic conductivity of an unconfined carbonate aquifer at the uplifted atoll of Minami-Daito, Japan, was evaluated by a combination of cross-spectral analysis, analytical solution, and density-dependent groundwater modeling based on observed groundwater levels in 15 wells and at sea level. The island area was divided into 10 subregions based on island morphology and on inland propagation of ocean tides. The hydraulic conductivity was obtained for each subregion using analytical solutions based on phase lags of M₂ constituents of ocean tides at each well by assuming two aquifer thicknesses (300 and 1,800 m) and two effective porosities (0.1 and 0.3). The density-dependent groundwater model evaluated the hydraulic conductivity of the subregions by reproducing observed groundwater levels. The hydraulic conductivity in the subregions was estimated as 3.46?×?10^?3 to 6.35?×?10^?2 m/s for aquifer thickness of 300 m and effective porosity of 0.1, and as 1.73?×?10^?3 to 3.17?×?10^?2 m/s for aquifer thickness of 1,800 m and the effective porosity of 0.3. It was higher in southern and northern areas, and higher in interior lowland than in the western and eastern areas. Fissures and dolomite distributions on the island control differences of the omnidirectional ocean tidal propagation and cause these differences in hydraulic conductivity. The method used for this study may also be applicable to other small islands that have few or no data for hydraulic conductivity.

     

磁共振探测估算含水层渗透系数的原位试验研究

通过一个完整的磁共振探测（MRS）、钻探、抽水试验过程,开展了MRS估算含水层渗透系数的原位试验研究。在分析MRS估算渗透系数准确性的基础上,系统剖析了引起准确性差异的主要因素,并对进一步提高估算效果提出了建议。结果显示：（1）采用现阶段常用的参数设置,与抽水试验计算值相比,MRS估算渗透系数的差值为抽水试验计算值的17.59%。（2）MRS推断的含水层顶板、底板埋深与钻孔揭示的信息相比,差值分别为4.11m、1.03m,表明其对估算渗透系数准确性的影响较小。（3）CP值是影响估算准确性的重要因素,其值为10-9数量级符合大多数地层的特点。另外,通过在已知渗透系数的钻孔附近进行MRS,从而获取CP参考值,应用该值估算的渗透系数准确性高于常用的参数设置。（4）指数a、b设置方面,应用Seevers公式（a=1、b=2）的估算效果优于Kenyon公式（a=4、b=2）。本成果有助于提高MRS估算渗透系数方法在野外条件下的适用性。     

Determination of heterogeneities in the hydraulic properties of a phreatic aquifer from tidal level fluctuations: a case in Argentina

A well-known analytical solution of Jacob (1950) for groundwater flow due to tidal-wave propagation, together with field measurements along a complete tidal cycle and geological data, were used to evaluate the heterogeneities in the hydraulic properties of a phreatic aquifer located next to the River Ajo in the coastal plain environment of the southern sector of the Samborombon Bay wetland, Argentina. From the analysis of water-table fluctuations in a set of monitoring wells located along a riverbank-normal transect, it was possible to quantify the piecewise spatial variations of the hydraulic diffusivity of the phreatic aquifer. The results show the strong lateral variations of the sedimentary environment due to the influence of the different transport and deposition agents that characterize the coastal plain. The known thickness of the phreatic aquifer and the estimated range of the specific yield allowed the hydraulic conductivity to be identified as the most influential factor. [Jacob CE (1950) Flow of ground water. In: Rouse H (ed) Engineering Hydraulics. Wiley, New York]     

Recharge estimation from discrete water-table datasets in a coastal shallow aquifer in a humid subtropical climate

A time-series approach to the estimation of recharge rate in unconfined aquifers of highly variable water level is proposed. The approach, which is based on the water-table fluctuation method (WTF), utilizes discrete water-level measurements. Other similar techniques require continuous measurements, which makes them impossible to apply in cases where no data from automatic loggers are available. The procedure is deployed at the Ressacada Farm site, southern Brazil, on a coastal shallow aquifer located in a humid subtropical climate where diurnal water-level variations of up to 1 m can follow a precipitation event. The effect of tidal fluctuations on the groundwater levels is analyzed using a harmonic component builder, while a time-variable drainage term is evaluated through an independent analysis and included in the assessment. The estimated recharge values are compared with those obtained from the continuous measurements showing a good agreement with the approaches for discrete dataset intervals of up to 15 days. Subsequently, the estimated recharge rates are incorporated into a transient groundwater-flow model and the water levels are compared showing a good match. Henceforth, the approach extends the applicability of WTF to noncontinuous water-level datasets in groundwater recharge studies.     

Hydraulic interactions between fractures and bedding planes in a carbonate aquifer studied by means of experimentally induced water-table fluctuations (Coaraze experimental site, southeastern France)

In aquifers with variable permeabilities, the water exchanges between high- and low-permeability regions are controlled by the hydraulic head gradient. Past studies have addressed this problem mainly considering steady-state hydraulic conditions. To study such exchanges during water-table fluctuations, a spring in southeastern France was equipped with a water-gate that creates 10-m artificial fluctuations of the water table. The water exchanges are discussed with respect to hydrochemical and pressure measurements in the groundwater. With successive water-table fluctuations the mineralization and pH decrease, but the bicarbonate content increases in response to carbon dioxide dissolution. At this scale of single fractures and surroundings, the hydrochemistry allows water flows from low- or high-permeability discontinuities to be discriminated. During hydraulic head fluctuations, the waters from low- and high-permeability discontinuities become mixed. During water-table rise, the low-permeability matrix contributed to the refilling of the permeable faults and to the mixing of the waters. Dynamic flows in the opposite direction to the hydraulic gradient can expel mineralized water, pushing it towards permeable discontinuities. This mechanism could be the cause of the peak in the mineralization recorded in some karst springs at the start of flood events.     

含水层渗透系数空间变异性对地下水数值模拟的影响

地下水数值模拟是目前定量研究地下水水量和水质的重要手段。使用基于随机理论的MonteCarlo方法来进行地下水数值模拟。这种方法能较好地考虑水文地质参数的空间变异性。主要将MonteCarlo方法和确定性模型模拟方法的模拟结果在渗透系数场、水头场、速度场和浓度场等方面进行了比较。结果表明:在模拟三维非均质含水层中的溶质运移问题时,充分考虑了含水层渗透系数空间变异性的MonteCarlo法比确定性方法更为有效,模拟精度提高了很多,且对模拟误差及误差来源有合理的数学解释。     

Estimating hydraulic conductivity using grain-size analyses, aquifer tests, and numerical modeling in a riverside alluvial system in South Korea

Hydraulic conductivity (K) for an alluvial system in a riverbank filtration area in Changwon City, South Korea, has been studied using grain-size distribution, pumping and slug tests, and numerical modeling. The alluvial system is composed of layers: upper fine sand, medium sand, lower fine sand, and a highly conductive sand/gravel layer at the base. The geometric mean of K for the sand/gravel layer (9.89?×?10^?4 m s^?1), as determined by grain-size analyses, was 3.33 times greater than the geometric mean obtained from pumping tests (2.97?×?10^?4 m s^?1). The geometric mean of K estimates obtained from slug tests (3.08?×?10^?6 m s^?1) was one to two orders of magnitude lower than that from pumping tests and grain-size analyses. K estimates derived from a numerical model were compared to those derived from the grain-size methods, slug tests and pumping tests in order to determine the degree of deviation from the numerical model. It is considered that the K estimates determined by the slug tests resemble the uppermost part of the alluvial deposit, whereas the K estimates obtained by grain-size analyses and pumping tests are similar to those from the numerical model for the sand/gravel layer of the riverside alluvial system.     

Modeling unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of granular soils using a combined discrete element and pore-network approach

Acta Geotechnica - Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is an essential input data for many engineering problems involving water flow through unsaturated soils. The paper aims to present a pore-scale...     

Spatial relationship of groundwater arsenic distribution with regional topography and water-table fluctuations in the shallow aquifers in Bangladesh

The present study has examined the relationship of groundwater arsenic (As) levels in alluvial aquifers with topographic elevation, slope, and groundwater level on a large basinal-scale using high-resolution (90 m × 90 m) Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model and water-table data in Bangladesh. Results show that high As (>50 μg/l) tubewells are located in low-lying areas, where mean surface elevation is approximately 10 m. Similarly, high As concentrations are found within extremely low slopes (<0.7°) in the country. Groundwater elevation (weekly measured by Bangladesh Water Development Board) was mapped using water-table data from 950 shallow (depth <100 m) piezometers distributed over the entire country. The minimum, maximum and mean groundwater elevation maps for 2003 were generated using Universal Kriging interpolation method. High As tubewells are located mainly in the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna delta, Sylhet Trough, and recent floodplains, where groundwater elevation in shallow aquifers is low with a mean value of 4.5 m above the Public Works Datum (PWD) level. Extremely low groundwater gradients (0.01–0.001 m/km) within the GBM delta complex hinder groundwater flow and cause slow flushing of aquifers. Low elevation and gentle slope favor accumulation of finer sediments, As-carrying iron-oxyhydroxide minerals, and abundant organic matter within floodplains and alluvial deposits. At low horizontal hydraulic gradients and under reducing conditions, As is released in groundwater by microbial activity, causing widespread contamination in the low-lying deltaic and floodplain areas, where As is being recycled with time due to complex biogeochemical processes.     

Prediction of seasonal water-table fluctuations in La Pampa and Buenos Aires, Argentina

The fluctuation of the water table east of La Pampa province and northwest of Buenos Aires province, Argentina, influences agricultural production in the region because it is closely related to the alternation of dry and wet periods. Sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies have been used as predictors to forecast atmospheric variables in different regions of the world. The objective of this work is to present a simple model to forecast seasonal rainfall using SST distribution in the Pacific Ocean as a predictor. Once the relationship between precipitation and water-table fluctuations was established, a methodology for the prediction of water-table fluctuations was developed. A good agreement between observed and predicted water-table fluctuations was found when estimating water-table fluctuations in the summer and autumn seasons. Electronic Publication