Numerical simulation of the influence of management alternatives of a projected reservoir on a small alluvial aquifer affected by seawater intrusion (Almuñécar, Spain)

The present study concerns the application of a numerical approach to describe the influence of anthropogenic modifications in surface flows (operation of a projected reservoir) on the freshwater-seawater relationships in a downstream coastal aquifer which has seasonal seawater intrusion problems (River Verde alluvial aquifer, Almuñécar, southern Spain). A steady-state finite element solution to the partial differential equation governing the regional motion of a phreatic surface and the resulting sharp interface between fresh water and salt water was used to predict the regional behavior of the River Verde aquifer under actual surface flow conditions. The present model approximates, with simple triangular elements, the regional behavior of a coastal aquifer under appropriate sinks, sources, Neumann and open boundary conditions. A steady-state solution to this numerical approach has been shown to precisely calculate freshwater heads, saltwater thicknesses, and freshwater discharges along steeply sloping coasts. Hence, the adequate treatment and interpretation of the hydrogeological data which are available for the River Verde aquifer have been of main concern in satisfactorily applying the proposed numerical model. Present simulated conditions consider steady-state yearly averaged amounts of external supplies of fresh water in order to determine the influences of the projected Otívar reservoir on the further behavior of the River Verde coastal aquifer. When recharges occur at the coastline, essentially because of freshwater deficits due to groundwater overexploitation, a hypothesis of mixing for the freshwater-saltwater transition zone is made in order to still allow the model to continue calculating groundwater heads under the sea level, and, as a consequence, the resulting seawater intrusion and recharges of saltwater from the sea. Simulations show that a considerable advance in seawater intrusion would be expected in the coastal aquifer if current rates of groundwater pumping continue and a significant part of the runoff from the River Verde is channeled from the Otívar reservoir for irrigation purposes.     

Sustainable groundwater development in the coastal Tra Vinh province in Vietnam under saltwater intrusion and climate change

Three-dimensional transient groundwater flow and saltwater transport models were constructed to assess the impacts of groundwater abstraction and climate change on the coastal aquifer of Tra Vinh province (Vietnam). The groundwater flow model was calibrated with groundwater levels (2007–2016) measured in 13 observation wells. The saltwater transport model was compared with the spatial distribution of total dissolved solids. Model performance was evaluated by comparing observed and simulated groundwater levels. The projected rainfalls from two climate models (MIROC5 and CRISO Mk3.6) were subsequently used to simulate possible effects of climate changes. The simulation revealed that groundwater is currently depleted due to overabstraction. Towards the future, groundwater storage will continue to be depleted with the current abstraction regime, further worsening in the north due to saltwater intrusion from inland trapped saltwater and on the coast due to seawater intrusion. Notwithstanding, the impact from climate change may be limited, with the computed groundwater recharge from the two climate models revealing no significant change from 2017 to 2066. Three feasible mitigation scenarios were analyzed: (1) reduced groundwater abstraction by 25, 35 and 50%, (2) increased groundwater recharge by 1.5 and 2 times in the sand dunes through managed aquifer recharge (reduced abstraction will stop groundwater-level decline, while increased recharge will restore depleted storage), and (3) combining 50% abstraction reduction and 1.5 times recharge increase in sand dune areas. The results show that combined interventions of reducing abstraction and increasing recharge are necessary for sustainable groundwater resources development in Tra Vinh province.

     

Numerical studies on saltwater intrusion in a coastal aquifer in northwestern Germany

Saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers depends on the distribution of hydraulic properties, on the climate, and on human interference such as land reclamation. In order to analyze the key processes that control saltwater intrusion, a hypothetical steady-state salt distribution in a representative cross-section perpendicular to the coastline was calculated using a two-dimensional density-dependent solute transport model. The effects of changes in groundwater recharge, lowering of drainage levels, and a rising sea level on the shape and position of the freshwater/saltwater interface were modeled in separate simulations. The results show that the exchange of groundwater and surface water in the marsh areas is one of the key processes influencing saltwater intrusion. A rising sea level causes rapid progression of saltwater intrusion, whereas the drainage network compensates changes in groundwater recharge. The time scale of changes resulting from altered boundary conditions is on the order of decades and centuries, suggesting that the present-day salt distribution does not reflect a steady-state of equilibrium.     

海水入侵的实验研究

在海岸含水层中,含较多盐分的海水向陆地方向入侵形成淡-咸水交界面,通常称为海水入侵界面。该界面的动态变化受气象、水文地质和人类活动等因素的影响,是海水入侵问题的主要研究内容。本文介绍了海水向含水层中入侵的室内实验研究,以着色海水和图像处理方法获得入侵界面的形态及其动态变化。实验方法先进,所得数据整体性强,精度高,而且观测方法对流场没有干扰,比传统的提取水样进行化验的方法更有效。实验中模拟了海洋潮汐条件,揭示了入侵界面在不同实验条件下的动态特征。应用数值模拟方法揭示了流场的特征。计算表明,流场分两个区———淡水区和咸水区,由入侵界面分开。淡水区的水流相对活跃,淡水由入侵界面以上区域渗出边界,在界面以上形成淡水通道。     

Numerical modelling assessment of climate-change impacts and mitigation measures on the Querença-Silves coastal aquifer (Algarve,Portugal)

Predicted changes in climate will lead to seawater intrusion in the Querença-Silves (QS) coastal aquifer (south Portugal) during the coming century if the current water-resource-management strategy is maintained. As for much of the Mediterranean, average rainfall is predicted to decrease along with increasing seasonal and inter-annual variability and there is a need to understand how these changes will affect the sustainable use of groundwater resources. A density-coupled flow and transport model of the QS was used to simulate an ensemble of climate, water-use and adaptation scenarios from 2010 to 2099 taking into account intra- and inter-annual variability in recharge and groundwater use. By considering several climate models, bias correction and recharge calculation methods, a degree of uncertainty was included. Changes in rainfall regimes will have an immediate effect on groundwater discharge; however, the effect on saltwater intrusion is attenuated by the freshwater–saltwater interfaces’ comparatively slow rate of movement. Comparing the effects of adaptation measures demonstrates that the extent of intrusion in the QS is controlled by the long-term water budget, as the effectiveness of both demand and supply oriented measures is proportional to the change in water budget, and that to maintain the current position, average groundwater discharge should be in the order of 50 × 10⁶ m³ yr^?1.     

Energy transition,CO2 mitigation,and air pollutant emission reduction: scenario analysis from IPAC model

The salinization of freshwater-dependent coastal ecosystems precedes inundation by sea level rise. This type of saltwater intrusion places communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure at substantial risk. Risk perceptions of local residents are an indicator to gauge public support for climate change adaptation planning. Here, we document residential perspectives on the present and future threats posed by saltwater intrusion in a rural, low-lying region in coastal North Carolina, and we compare the spatial distribution of survey responses to physical landscape variables such as distance to coastline, artificial drainage density, elevation, saltwater intrusion vulnerability, and actual salinity measured during a synoptic field survey. We evaluate and discuss the degree of alignment or misalignment between risk perceptions and metrics of exposure to saltwater intrusion. Risk perceptions align well with the physical landscape characteristics, as residents with greater exposure to saltwater intrusion, including those living on low-lying land with high concentrations of artificial drainages, perceive greater risk than people living in low-exposure areas. Uncertainty about threats of saltwater intrusion is greatest among those living at higher elevations, whose properties and communities are less likely to be exposed to high salinity. As rising sea levels, drought, and coastal storms increase the likelihood of saltwater intrusion in coastal regions, integrated assessments of risk perceptions and physical exposure are critical for developing outreach activities and planning adaptation measures.

     

Simulation-optimization approach to assess groundwater availability in Refugio County, TX

Sustainable management of groundwater resources is critical for viable development of semi-arid regions. Refugio County, TX, is predominantly a rural community that is in close proximity to two large urban areas of Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Large-scale water supply projects are being planned to export surplus water available in Refugio County to nearby growing cities. Being a coastal county with several sensitive bays and estuaries, these projects have caused concerns with regard to decreases in freshwater inflows to coastal bodies and raised the possibility of saltwater intrusion. A simulation model characterizing groundwater flow in the shallower unconfined and the deeper semi-confined formations of the Gulf coast aquifer was calibrated and evaluated. The model results were used in conjunction with a mathematical programming scheme to estimate maximum available groundwater in the county. Stakeholder concerns were incorporated as constraints, which included prevention of saltwater intrusion in the aquifer, limiting the amount of allowable drawdown in shallow aquifers, as well as maintaining current flow gradients especially near baseflow-dependent streams and rivers. For the conditions assumed in this study, the model results indicate that roughly 4.93 × 10⁷ m³ of water can be extracted in a typical year. The management model was noted to be very sensitive to the imposed saltwater intrusion constraint.     

咸淡水界面位置确定的综合方法(TEcG)及其应用

准确确定咸淡水界面位置是评价咸水入侵范围的前提。对于咸淡水界面位置的确定,传统研究以水化学法和物探法为主。为克服单一使用传统方法造成的人力、物力和财力的大量浪费,以莱州湾西南岸广饶县小清河以南咸水入侵区为研究对象,在综合分析研究区地下水开采现状、水化学监测结果的基础上,选择3个典型断面,采用水化学法中的野外现场电导率法,快速判断咸淡水界面大致位置（某两眼监测井之间）;再在一咸一淡的两眼监测井之间,采用高密度电阻率法快速、准确地确定咸淡水界面的空间分布。结果表明：该地区的地下水电导率若大于1.61 mS/cm,即可认为此处受到咸水入侵;咸淡水界面位置的视电阻率特征值为11~13 Ω·m,咸淡水界面附近咸水体呈舌状入侵并主要发生在地表以下13 m内的浅层地下水中。     

Assessing the impacts of climate change on sustainable management of coastal aquifers

Water is a vital resource for the survival of not only human population, but also almost all ecosystems. Constituting 30 % of all freshwater, groundwater is the main source of available freshwater. Coastal aquifers, which serve as the major freshwater source for densely populated zones, are of vital importance and quite vulnerable to climate change. This paper examines the significant consequences of climate change, decreasing recharge rates, sea-level rise and increasing freshwater demand on the sustainable management of coastal aquifers, via a hypothetical case study. A 3-D numerical model is developed using SEAWAT, to simulate a circular island aquifer in the form of a freshwater lens surrounded by saltwater. Issues such as sloping land surface resulting in landward migration of the coastal boundary and transient response of the system due to pumping are considered through a set of predictive simulations. To assess the sensitivity of the model results to important parameters, a sensitivity analysis is performed. Results of this research, revealing the effects of mentioned pressures on the long-term sustainability of the freshwater resource, are evaluated on the basis of groundwater reserves and intrusion of the freshwater–saltwater interface in lateral and vertical directions. These outcomes are further used to determine the sustainable pumping rate of the system, considering both quantity and quality of the groundwater resources.     

Climate change and groundwater resources in Thailand

The average temperature of Thailand is projected to increase by 2-3 °C, and the annual rainfall is projected to increase by 25% and up to 50% in certain areas. The climate change in future is expected to provide changes in hydrological cycle and therefore impacts the groundwater resources too. In this study, we analyzed the general climate change trends and reviewed the groundwater conditions of Thailand. The climate changes, hydrologic variability and the impact of climate change on groundwater sustainability are also discussed based on a national groundwater monitoring program. Currently, there are 864 groundwater monitoring stations and 1 524 monitoring wells installed in Thailand. Moreover, the impact of climate change on groundwater-dependent systems and sectors is also discussed according to certain case studies, such as saline water intrusion in coastal and inland areas. Managing aquifer recharge and other projects are examples of groundwater adaptation project for the future.     

Use of time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) method to investigate seawater intrusion in the Lebna coastal aquifer of eastern Cap Bon,Tunisia

A multi-method geophysical survey, using time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) fields, is conducted on the north-eastern coastal aquifer of Cap Bon, Tunisia. The aim of the study is to investigate the inland extent saltwater intrusion, to estimate the fresh-saltwater transition zone, and to characterize the lithologic spatial variability of the underground layers. Moreover, the TDEM is used to determine both fluid resistivity and bulk resistivity which are required to calculate the porosity by applying the Archie’s equation. The survey of TDEM profiles is carried out along the left and right overbanks of the Lebna river from the coast until the Lebna dam. The interpretation and the analysis of these profiles allow us to better identify the flux exchanges between the river and the underlying aquifer. On the basis of the 1D and 2D longitudinal and transversal resistivity profiles as well as the existing boreholes data and groundwater quality, it seems that the freshwater-saltwater interface is moving forward inland. Furthermore, electromagnetic results combined to the Archie’s law show that the porosity values are at the ranges of 12–36 and 5–31% for the Quaternary outcropping and Pliocene formation, respectively.     

Assessing the impacts of sea-level rise and precipitation change on the surficial aquifer in the low-lying coastal alluvial plains and barrier islands,east-central Florida (USA)

A three-dimensional variable-density groundwater flow and salinity transport model is implemented using the SEAWAT code to quantify the spatial variation of water-table depth and salinity of the surficial aquifer in Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral Island in east-central Florida (USA) under steady-state 2010 hydrologic and hydrogeologic conditions. The developed model is referred to as the ‘reference’ model and calibrated against field-measured groundwater levels and a map of land use and land cover. Then, five prediction/projection models are developed based on modification of the boundary conditions of the calibrated ‘reference’ model to quantify climate change impacts under various scenarios of sea-level rise and precipitation change projected to 2050. Model results indicate that west Merritt Island will encounter lowland inundation and saltwater intrusion due to its low elevation and flat topography, while climate change impacts on Cape Canaveral Island and east Merritt Island are not significant. The SEAWAT models developed for this study are useful and effective tools for water resources management, land use planning, and climate-change adaptation decision-making in these and other low-lying coastal alluvial plains and barrier island systems.     

Coastal megacities and climate change

Rapid urbanization is projected to produce 20 coastal megacities (population exceeding 8 million) by 2010. This is mainly a developing world phenomenon: in 1990, there were seven coastal megacities in Asia (excluding those in Japan) and two in South America, rising by 2010 to 12 in Asia (including Istanbul), three in South America and one in Africa.All coastal locations, including megacities, are at risk to the impacts of accelerated global sea-level rise and other coastal implications of climate change, such as changing storm frequency. Further, many of the coastal megacities are built on geologically young sedimentary strata that are prone to subsidence given excessive groundwater withdrawal. At least eight of the projected 20 coastal megacities have experienced a local orrelative rise in sea level which often greatly exceeds any likely global sea-level rise scenario for the next century.The implications of climate change for each coastal megacity vary significantly, so each city requires independent assessment. In contrast to historical precedent, a proactive perspective towards coastal hazards and changing levels of risk with time is recommended. Low-cost measures to maintain or increase future flexibility of response to climate change need to be identified and implemented as part of an integrated approach to coastal management.     

Salt water intrusion in the coastal aquifer of the southern Po Plain, Italy

Saltwater has invaded the coastal aquifer along the southern Adriatic coast of the Po Plain in Italy. The topography, morphology and land use of the region is complex: rivers, canals, wetlands, lagoons, urban, industrial and agricultural areas and tourist establishments all coexist in a small area. Water table and iso-salinity maps show that in four study areas (Ancona-Bellocchio, Marina Romea, San Vitale Forest, Cervia) out of five, the water tables are below sea level and saltwater has replaced freshwater in the aquifer. The fifth area (Classe Forest) has a relatively pristine freshwater aquifer thanks to an average water-table height of 2 m above sea level, a lower hydraulic conductivity (< 7.7 m/day) and a continuous dune system along the coast. Only in this area is the topography high enough to maintain freshwater heads that can counteract saltwater intrusion according to the Ghyben-Herzberg principle. Furthermore, the climate, with an average yearly precipitation of 606 mm and an average temperature of 14.4°C, allows for little recharge of the aquifer. Ongoing subsidence, encroachment of sea water along rivers and canals, as well as drainage from agricultural land also enhance the salinization process.     

Saltwater intrusion in coastal regions of North America

Saltwater has intruded into many of the coastal aquifers of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, but the extent of saltwater intrusion varies widely among localities and hydrogeologic settings. In many instances, the area contaminated by saltwater is limited to small parts of an aquifer and to specific wells and has had little or no effect on overall groundwater supplies; in other instances, saltwater contamination is of regional extent and has resulted in the closure of many groundwater supply wells. The variability of hydrogeologic settings, three-dimensional distribution of saline water, and history of groundwater withdrawals and freshwater drainage has resulted in a variety of modes of saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers. These include lateral intrusion from the ocean; upward intrusion from deeper, more saline zones of a groundwater system; and downward intrusion from coastal waters. Saltwater contamination also has occurred along open boreholes and within abandoned, improperly constructed, or corroded wells that provide pathways for vertical migration across interconnected aquifers. Communities within the coastal regions of North America are taking actions to manage and prevent saltwater intrusion to ensure a sustainable source of groundwater for the future. These actions can be grouped broadly into scientific monitoring and assessment, engineering techniques, and regulatory approaches.     

Geophysical characterization of the complex dynamics of groundwater and seawater exchange in a highly stressed aquifer system linked to a coastal lagoon (SE Spain)

Anthropogenic pressure influences the two-way interactions between shallow aquifers and coastal lagoons. Aquifer overexploitation may lead to seawater intrusion, and aquifer recharge from rainfall plus irrigation may, in turn, increase the groundwater discharge into the lagoon. We analyse the evolution, since the 1950s up to the present, of the interactions between the Campo de Cartagena Quaternary aquifer and the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (SE Spain). This is a very heterogeneous and anisotropic detrital aquifer, where aquifer–lagoon interface has a very irregular geometry. Using electrical resistivity tomography, we clearly identified the freshwater–saltwater transition zone and detected areas affected by seawater intrusion. Severity of the intrusion was spatially variable and significantly related to the density of irrigation wells in 1950s–1960s, suggesting the role of groundwater overexploitation. We distinguish two different mechanisms by which water from the sea invades the land: (a) horizontal advance of the interface due to a wide exploitation area and (b) vertical rise (upconing) caused by local intensive pumping. In general, shallow parts of the geophysical profiles show higher electrical resistivity associated with freshwater mainly coming from irrigation return flows, with water resources mostly from deep confined aquifers and imported from Tagus river, 400 km north. This indicates a likely reversal of the former seawater intrusion process.     

Three-dimensional hydrostratigraphical modelling to support evaluation of recharge and saltwater intrusion in a coastal groundwater system in Vietnam

Saltwater intrusion is generally related to seawater-level rise or induced intrusion due to excessive groundwater extraction in coastal aquifers. However, the hydrogeological heterogeneity of the subsurface plays an important role in (non-)intrusion as well. Local hydrogeological conditions for recharge and saltwater intrusion are studied in a coastal groundwater system in Vietnam where geological formations exhibit highly heterogeneous lithologies. A three-dimensional (3D) hydrostratigraphical solid model of the study area is constructed by way of a recursive classification procedure. The procedure includes a cluster analysis which uses as parameters geological formation, lithological composition, distribution depth and thickness of each lithologically distinctive drilling interval of 47 boreholes, to distinguish and map well-log intervals of similar lithological properties in different geological formations. A 3D hydrostratigraphical fence diagram is then generated from the constructed solid model and is used as a tool to evaluate recharge paths and saltwater intrusion to the groundwater system. Groundwater level and chemistry, and geophysical direct current (DC) resistivity measurements, are used to support the hydrostratigraphical model. Results of this research contribute to the explanation of why the aquifer system of the study area is almost uninfluenced by saltwater intrusion, which is otherwise relatively common in coastal aquifers of Vietnam.     

海水入侵模拟方法VFT3D及应用

海水入侵是困扰沿海地区经济社会发展的重大资源、环境问题,严重影响沿海地区地下水资源。定量模拟、预测和可视化管理是对海水入侵进行有效监测和机理分析的重要手段。基于前期海水入侵模拟的理论研究及方法,提出了海水入侵模拟及预测模型VFT3D,该模型综合考虑地表水-地下水对海水入侵的协同控制作用,能够模拟变密度地下水流及复杂反应性迁移,实现模拟海水入侵的完整水文循环过程。文章介绍了VFT3D模型,利用VFT3D模型模拟了一个海水入侵案例,并与SEAWAT模型模拟结果进行了对比分析。结果表明VFT3D 模型模拟水头与SEAWAT模型模拟结果相差不大,但SEAWAT模型无法模拟海水入侵中复杂的化学反应过程。VFT3D 模型模拟发现,水文地球化学过程（阳离子吸附交换作用）对阳离子（Na+、K+、Mg2+和Ca2+）运移产生明显影响,同时引起过渡带中离子组分浓度发生变化,对海水入侵过程产生较大影响。因此,考虑变密度和复杂反应过程,才能更加准确地描述海水入侵,从而有利于地下咸水治理工程的科学实施。     

Groundwater level fluctuation in the Waimea Plains, New Zealand: changes in a coastal aquifer within the last 30 years

Data for the Waimea Plains, New Zealand indicate that the lower confined groundwater aquifer is hydraulically homogeneous and that shallow groundwater levels inland are affected mostly by anthropogenic processes, while those near the coast are affected more by sea level variation. Analysis of long-term data for New Zealand indicates that sea level has increased continuously, but trends are not spatially uniform. Results from non-parametric trend analysis show that rising trends for groundwater levels are predominant in the shallow aquifer both inland on the Waimea Plains and, for recent years, near the coast, while decreasing trends are evident in the underlying confined aquifer near the coast. Groundwater level change in the shallow aquifer appears to be more affected by climate change than the lower confined aquifer. Correlation analysis indicated that groundwater levels are more affected by rainfall during the rainy season than the dry season and more influenced by rainfall inland than near the coast. Groundwater level declines in the lower confined aquifer near the coast, which has its major recharge area inland in the catchment, may be substantially affected by groundwater abstraction in inland areas as well as sea level variation, but there are little evidences of seawater intrusion. Meanwhile, groundwater recharge over the catchment area has great influence on rising groundwater levels in the shallow aquifer and its recharge is estimated to be 417.8 mm/year using chloride concentrations of precipitation and groundwater.     

Climate change and the future of freshwater resources of the island: a case study on the Rishiri Island,Japan

A comparison of the d-excess values of precipitation and of spring water, streams, groundwater wells and submarine groundwater discharge indicated that the precipitation that occurred during winter season was an important source of groundwater recharge. Due to the steep slope of the island, most of the short duration and high intensity precipitation is lost through direct surface runoff. The comparison indicated that snowmelt is an important resource of groundwater recharge on Rishiri Island. Future climate change will continue to diminish the snowpack, and therefore, reduce groundwater recharge. It may cause the decline of the groundwater level in the coastal area and possibly shift the saline–freshwater boundary on the island. Chloride data indicated that saltwater intrusion is beginning to occur on the western flank of the island. A Piper diagram shows that the water samples are characterized by the dominance of the Ca–HCO₃ and Na–Cl type. Their chemistry probably results from sea salt spray and the dissolution of minerals. These results support the need for the effective management of groundwater resources.