Hydrodynamic characterization of a Sahelian coastal aquifer using the ocean tide effect (Dridrate Aquifer,Morocco)

Abstract

In wells tapping coastal aquifers, piezometric fluctuations can be observed in response to the ocean tide. Simultaneous recordings of the ocean tide and of the piezometric variations may provide a basis for characterizing the hydrodynamics of the aquifer. This approach was attempted to characterize the Dridrate aquifer, located on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. This aquifer accounts for most of the regional drinking water resources. However, its hydrodynamic characteristics are very poorly known. The study compares observed and simulated piezometric fluctuations, under various assumptions (confined, semi-confined aquifer). The model, which best explains the hydrodynamic behaviour of this aquifer is a semi-confined and strongly heterogeneous aquifer model (calculated hydraulic diffusivity values vary over several orders of magnitude). This result is new and rather surprising, since to date this aquifer was considered confined in view of its geological setting. Consequently, new questions are raised regarding the protection and management of the groundwater resources of this aquifer.     

THE ANALYSIS OF INFLOW INTO SOME EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURAL DRAINS

ABSTRACT

Irrigation equipment was used to create strong flows in agricultural drains of clayware and plastic pipes, the latter in both smooth and corrugated conformations. The piezometric heads at 10 m intervals along the drains were analysed to show that the inflow per unit length varied greatly. Both inflows and outflows were found; some drains had substantial inflows at the origin. For given conditions the flow rates were as much as 17 per cent less than flow rates determined for similar conditions in the laboratory.     

Evaluating piezometric trends using the Mann-Kendall test on the alluvial aquifers of the Elqui River basin,Chile

Abstract

Today, more than ever, there is a need to implement robust statistical methods to ensure the proper evaluation of water resources data to support decision makers in water resources planning and management. Graphing or mapping data for visualization is the easiest way to communicate trends, especially to a non-technical audience. This paper describes the use of an approach that combines the Mann-Kendall test, Sen slope test and principal component analysis to detect and map the monthly trends of piezometric time series and their magnitude in the period 1979–2008. The data were obtained in 23 shallow wells in the alluvial aquifers of the Elqui River basin in central Chile, an area characterized by scarce water resources and intense agricultural and mining activities. The results show significant downward trends at the majority of the wells. Because groundwater in these shallow wells is highly dependent on the water in the river and its tributaries, the reasons for these downward trends are mainly related to a decrease of streamflow observed in the Elqui River. The streamflow is derived from mountain snowmelt rather than from rainfall, which showed no flow trend during the same period.     

THE LATERAL INFLOW INTO SUBMERGED DRAINS

ABSTRACT

An attempt is made to explain the field measurements of piezometric height and discharge rate in a submerged drain system. The lateral inflow into the drain pipe is not necessarily uniformly distributed as is usually assumed. Hence, in analysing the hydrological performance of the drain pipe in the field, this fact must be considered. A general formula (equation (11)) is presented for calculating the actual distribution of the lateral inflow and a practical application is discussed.     

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE DESIGN OF RECORDING RAIN GAGE NETWORK

Abstract

For needs of planning and design, data on rainfall duration-intensity-frequency relations are necessary. For this purpose, a network of recording raingages has to be designed. Czechoslovakia has a relatively very dense network with considerably lengthy records. Analysis of this network and particularly of parameters of a new formula for rain intensity-duration-frequency relation, abstracted from this network observations, show that in conditions of a mountainous terrain, no geographical pattern related to topographical characteristics can be evaluated to limit the density of the network.

On the other hand, the use of adequate statistical procedure can reduce the necessary lenght of records for the evaluation of reliable data of low frequency, which permits a rational and economical design of permanent and non-permanent networks.     

Hydrogeological Investigation of Hydrocarbon Contamination of Ground Water in Albolote (Granada, Spain)

In July 1988, hydrocarbons were detected in wells in the urban area of Albolote, near Granada, Spain, near the border of the "Vega de Granada" alluvial aquifer. According to available hydrogeological data, the contamination was attributed to leaks in the underground pipelines of a nearby (300m) industrial factory, where the loss of 40,000 to 50,000 liters of gasoline had been detected some weeks before. A complete hydrogeological investigation was then undertaken, involving, among other techniques: (a) an inventory of the existing wells in the area; (b) the preparation of piezometric maps; (c) the application of electrical geophysical methods; (d) the drilling of piezometers and new pumping wells between the urbanized area and the leak point; (e) the improvement of the pluviometric and piezometric control by the installation of a pluviograph and several limnigraphs; (f) the sampling, initially daily and finally weekly, in a 20-well observation network, also used for piezometric control; and (g) the geostatistical study of the analytical data. The contamination plume, extended in the direction of the flow lines, has a length of 500m and a width of less than 50m, and appears to have occurred mainly in a paleochannel. Hydrocarbons (1600 liters) were recovered by pumping and by using absorbent blankets, as well as by a gas and liquid suction method. Hydrocarbon concentrations have continuously decreased. However, sporadic increases, associated with rainfall, have been observed suggesting the presence of retained hydrocarbons in the unsaturated zone. The rate of decrease in hydrocarbon concentrations has currently slowed, particularly in the less affected zone. As a means of activating the cleaning up of the unsaturated zone, an artificial recharging method has been designed.     

Study of hydro-sedimentary variability of the Radicatel karst system influenced by climate signal fluctuations (Normandy,France)

ABSTRACT

This study relies on the use and analysis of hydro-meteorological variables, long turbidity time series (from 1988 to 2009, 21 years) and a sedimentary record to provide better understanding of the hydro-sedimentary variability of the karst system near the town of Radicatel, France. Wavelet analysis of rainfall, piezometric level and turbidity, as well as the sediment archive, show common modes of variability. A common spectral composition emphasizes the influence of climate controls. Comparison of the wavelet spectra with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) spectrum clearly highlights the control of the latter on hydro-meteorological variables at the regional level. Climatic fluctuations are recorded in the turbidity signal and in sedimentary fill, as revealed by the 5- to 8-year frequency band, which is characteristic of the NAO index. A climatic signal is recorded in both rainfall events and piezometric levels, and also in sediment transport and deposition at the scale of the local karst system. The overall climate control is also present beyond the local variations and heterogeneities.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis ASSOCIATE EDITOR D. Yang     

SOME ASPECTS OF THE HYDRIC BALANCE OF LAKES IN THE EASTERN ROMANIAN PLAIN IN THE YEARS 1956–1970

ABSTRACT

Because of the late withdrawal of the Levantine lake waters and because of low relief the Eastern Romanian Plain was fragmented only by big alochthonous rivers (Ialomi?a, C?lm??ui and Buz?u).

The tabular-like, 40–50-km-wide interfluve areas covered by loessoid deposits and eolian sands on the periphery are deprived of surface drainage which accounts for their present evolution.

The major relief forms in these interfluves are depressions called in Romanian ‘crov’ (sink-holes) in the central areas and short valleys formed initially by erosion processes and now modelled by mechanical and chemical weathering at their periphery: in these depressions (sink-holes) and in the secondary valleys, peripheral to the interfluve areas, lakes had started to be formed.

Because of the semiarid climate sink-hole lakes have an intermittent hydrological regime, whereas those located in the small fluviatile liman-type valleys, enjoy a permanent regime. By the absence of surface drainage, by the loss of significant amounts of water through evaporation and the degree of mineralization, these lakes fall within the group of salt lakes.

In the past few years (since 1966 and especially since 1969) the level of these lakes has continually risen and the depressions formerly lacking water started being flooded by the rising of the piezometric level.

An analysis was made of the water balance of the Amara-Ialomi?a lake to investigate this phenomenon.

Level and evaporation recordings were made in the period 1956–1970. The findings revealed that the supply of underground water to the lake amounts to 47·3 per cent exceeding the water supply produced by the rains that fell on the surface of the lake (46·7 per cent). A close relationship was established (with a lapse of 8–12 months) between the surface supply of the basin (through rainfalls) and the flow of underground water to the lake.

Extending the precipitation-induced level changes over a longer period (1896–1915 and 1921–1970) it was found that level increases are cyclic, as a direct consequence of the corresponding precipitation regime.     

Municipal water demand forecasting under peculiar fluctuations in population: a case study of Mashhad,a tourist city

ABSTRACT

Forecasting future water demands has always been of great complexity, especially in the case of tourist cities which are subject to population fluctuations. In addition to the usual uncertainties related to climate and weather variables, daily water consumption in Mashhad, a tourist city is affected by a significant different fluctuation. Mashhad is the second most populous city in Iran. The number of tourists visiting the city is subject to national and religious events, which are respectively based on the Iranian formal calendar (secular calendar) and the Arabic Hijri calendar (Islamic religious calendar). Since religious events move relative to the secular calendar, the coincidence of the two calendars results in peculiar wild fluctuations in population. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are chosen to predict water demand under such conditions. Three types of ANNs, feedforward back-propagation, cascade-forward and radial basis functions, are developed. In order to track how population fluctuation propagates in the model and affects the outputs, two sets of inputs are considered. For the first set, based on evaluating several repetitions, a typical combination of variables is selected as inputs, whereas for the second set, new calendar-based variables are included to decrease the effect of population fluctuations; the results are then compared using some performance criteria. A large number of runs are also conducted to assess the impact of random initialization of the weights and biases of networks and also the effect of calendar-based inputs on improvement of network performance. It is shown that, from the points of view of performance measures and unchanging outputs through numerous runs, the radial basis network that is trained by patterns including calendar-based inputs can provide the best domestic water demand forecasting under population fluctuations.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis Associate editor E. Rozos     

Reply

Abstract

This paper develops a new analytical solution for the aquifer system, which comprises an unconfined aquifer on the top, a semi-confined aquifer at the bottom and an aquitard between them. This new solution is derived from the Boussinesq equation for the unconfined aquifer and one-dimensional leaky confined flow equation for the lower aquifer using the perturbation method, considering the water table over-height at the remote boundary. The head fluctuation predicted from this solution is generally greater than the one solved from the linearized Boussinesq equation when the ratio of the tidal amplitude to the thickness of unconfined aquifer is large. It is found that both submarine groundwater discharges from upper and lower aquifers increase with tidal amplitude–aquifer thickness ratio and may be underestimated if the discharge is calculated based on the average head fluctuation. The effects of the aquifer parameters and linearization of the Boussinesq equation on the normalized head fluctuation are also investigated.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor J. Simunek

Citation Chuang, M.-H., Mahdi, A.-A. and Yeh, H.-D., 2012. A perturbation solution for head fluctuations in a coastal leaky aquifer system considering water table over-height. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (1), 162–172.     

Over-exploitation of an alluvial aquifer in Gujarat,India

Abstract

Over-exploitation of an alluvial aquifer in India has occurred since tubewells were drilled into deeper aquifers. Field information concerning-the fall in both the water table and the piezometric heads in the deeper aquifers has been examined and a numerical model has been developed to represent a heavily exploited area. Predictions using the model suggest that the annual declines in the water table and the piezometric heads are accelerating as the water table moves into a zone having a lower specific yield. Careful monitoring of the movement of the water table is proposed.     

Impacts anthropiques sur les termes du bilan hydrologique d’un aquifère alluvial dans le Nordeste semi-aride,Brésil / Human impacts on components of hydrological balance in an alluvial aquifer in the semiarid Northeast,Brazil

Abstract

Abstract The exploitation of an alluvial aquifer (2 × 10⁶ m³) has been developed since 1998 in the Valley of Forquilha (Quixeramobim, State of Ceará). For this purpose, 165 wells were drilled along the 23 km of the valley that supplies 500 families and their farms. Monthly monitoring of piezometric and electrical conductivity (2000–2003) show seasonal variations in the water volume (35%) and in the mean value of the conductivity (800–1200 µS cm^-1). A conceptual hydrogeological model was developed. Analysis of the data and simulations highlight that the recharge of the aquifer is mainly due to infiltration from the river in the rainy season, which is of the order of 1% of the rain over the catchment area (195 km²). The abstractions increase the recharge between 30 and 60%. The model makes it possible to propose scenarios of sustainable exploitation of the water resource in the catchment. For the period between 1970 and 1988, other simulations show that it would have been possible to maintain irrigated cultures on 75 ha for 80% of the time. During the remaining 20%, the water level is too low, and farmers would have to reduce the irrigated area.     

Simulation and consequences of successive anthropogenic activity in the Agua Amarga coastal aquifer (southeast Spain)

Abstract

The Agua Amarga coastal aquifer has been the object of a succession of anthropogenic interventions over the last 90 years: (a) the operation of saltworks from 1925 to 1975; (b) the withdrawal, since 2003, of groundwater from the aquifer along the coast line; and (c) the programme of pouring seawater over the salt marsh, carried out since 2009, to recover the piezometric levels and the soil moisture conditions. For a better understanding of how these past and present human activities have affected the natural groundwater regime, and to validate certain hypotheses concerning the interpretation of experimental data on temperature depth profiles and piezometric and salinity changes, a numerical fluid flow and solute transport model was designed and applied to the period 1925–2010, using SEAWAT. This model reproduces, in a qualitative and quantitative way, the flow and transport processes that operated during this time, as well as the behaviour of the seawater wedge.

Citation Alhama Manteca, I., 2013. Simulation and consequences of successive anthropogenic activity in the Agua Amarga coastal aquifer (southeast Spain). Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (5), 1072–1087.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis     

Sinkholes Due to Groundwater Withdrawal in Tazerbo Wellfield,SE Libya

The desert of eastern Libya forms one of the most arid regions of the Sahara. The Great Man‐Made River Project (GMRP) was established. It transports millions of cubic meters of water a day from desert wellfields to the coastal cities, where over 80% of the population lives. The Tazerbo Wellfield is one of the wellfields designed within the GMRP, delivering water to the eastern coast of Libya through an underground pipe network. Tazerbo Wellfield consists of 108 production wells; each well was designed to pump 100 L/s. The planned total groundwater withdrawal from all wells is 1 million m³/d. The deep sandstone aquifer (Nubian sandstone) is covered by a thick mudstone‐siltstone aquitard and is being heavily pumped. The aquifer and fine‐grained sediments of the aquitard may be compacted resulting in land subsidence as a result of high exploitation. Local sinkholes have developed in the area of Tazerbo since the start of the pumping from the wellfield in 2004. These sinkholes have been caused mainly by lowering of the piezometric heads due to the withdrawal of groundwater. In this study, a hydrogeological investigation is presented about the effect of large groundwater pumping from the Nubian sandstone aquifer in Tazerbo Wellfield, SE Libya, based on physical parameters for 108 production wells and 23 observation wells.     

E.—ORGANISATIONS NON GOUVERNEMENTALES / E.—NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

The departure of ground water from equilibrium with calcite is being studied in central Florida. Measurements of pH, temperature, and concentration of bicarbonate made in the field are used with standard laboratory analyses of water samples to calculate an ion activity product (K _iap ) for calcium carbonate. The calculated Kiap is compared with the equilibrium constant (Keq) for calcite to determine the departure from equilibrium. The calcium concentration is lowest in the area of the highest piezometric surface. Some of the highest concentrations of bicarbonate are in the area of low calcium. In about half of the area of study, the water is undersaturated with respect to calcite. This indicates that solution of limestone can occur several hundred feet below the water table.     

PUMPING TESTS ON OPEN WELLS IN PALAR ALLUVIUM,NEAR MADRAS CITY,INDIA AN APPLICATION OF THE PAPADOPULOS-COOPER METHOD

Abstract

The non-equilibrium formula of Theis has hitherto been found to be inadequate to analyse drawdown data from open wells, due to the influence of effects of well-storage on early drawdown data. Recently, a reliable type-curve method was proposed by Papadopulos and Cooper to analyse drawdowns in wells of large diameter. In order to study its practical validity, the Papadopulos-Cooper method was applied to drawdown data from six open wells, tapping the alluvial sands of the river Palar, near Madras city, India. The study has indicated that the method has considerable practical utility in analysing drawdown data from large diameter open wells. Besides, the method also offers an easy way of computing the duration over which the effects of well-storage are likely to influence drawdown data, in terms of aquifer transmissibility and well-radius. If a rough idea of aquifer trans-missibility is available from existing data, then, such a computation, to determine the duration over which wellstorage affects drawdown, could be initially made to advantage, so that proper judgement could be exercised in using other conventional methods of analysis, such as that of Jacob or that of Theis. (Key Words: Pumping tests; Open wells; Papadopulos-Cooper method.)     

USE OF TRITIUM IN HYDROLOGY

SUMMARY

The Coastal Plain aquifer of Israel, of Plio-Pleistocene Age, stretches from Binyamina in the North to the Gaza Strip in the South-a distance of about 112 km and has an average width of about 15 Km. The allowed withdrawal is estimated at about 200 MCM/year.

As a result of an average yearly withdrawal of 426 MCM/year during the last 10 years the water levels dropped to a dangerously low position (-2)-(-4) m below sea level at distances of 3–5 Km from the coast, causing sea water intrusion which, in Tel Aviv and Emek Hefer, endangered water supply wells.

As a counter-measure, artificial groundwater recharge through wells was practiced in Emek Hefer since 1959. Recharge was practiced in 7 wells at a rate of 6 MCM/year, the water coming from adjacent Cretaceous limestone aquifers.

In Tel Aviv a fresh water barrier was established in 1964 by injecting Lake Kinereth water into 17 wells during winter at a rate of 6 MCM/winter. In the rest of the Coastal Plain water was injected to the aquifer through about 40–45 wells at a total yearly rate of about 10–12 MCM.

Recharge by spreading is practiced in Yavneh at a rate of about 10–13 MCM per winter, also recharge by spreading is practiced with flood water of Nahal Shikma at a rate of up to 8 MCM/winter.     

A TEST OF THE TOPOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF RIVER NETS

Abstract

Two basically different models have been proposed in order to give a rational explanation of Horton's law of stream numbers: the “cyclic” model and the “random graph” model. In the cyclic model, a “Horton net” must be Hortonian in all its parts, and therefore channels of different (Strahler) order must be hierarchically arranged to form successive “generations” of rivers; in the random graph model, channels join in a completely random fashion, and a “Horton net” is simply a net in which Horton's law of stream numbers is numerically satisfied.

In the present paper, these two models have been tested on a large stream population: the Wabash river system, in the continental U.S.A. This network is Hortonian, since the law of stream numbers is numerically satisfied with little scatter; but it shows no structural regularity at all. This seems to be a fairly general case. Therefore, the concept of structural regularity does not have its counterpart in nature; accordingly, the cyclic model does not correspond to reality. The random graph model, on the contrary, explains very well the observed facts: its basic statistical assumption, moreover, is found to be in agreement with observation.     

STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN LAND USE ON THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE IN EAST AFRICA BY MEANS OF EXPERIMENTAL CATCHMENT AREAS

Summary

The urgent need for planning information on the effect of changes in land use on water resources in East Africa has necessitated the use of intensive methods of experimental catchment area research in order to produce data on the water balance of different vegetation covers in a matter of years rather than decades.

Quantitative water balance studies require an intensive network of raingauges to estimate the volumetric water input with an accuracy comparable with the measurement of outflow. Observations of the soil moisture status and energy balance, in addition to those of rainfall and streamflow are necessary to provide independent checks for “leaks” from the catchments. The successful application of these methods is illustrated from the results of three catchment area experiments in Kenya and Tanzania. The water use of each vegetational complex is characterized by the ratio of the transpiration, E _t, to the evaporative demand from an open water surface, E _o. This ratio is shown to vary little from year to year despite considerable variation in E _t and E _o.

An intensive method of analysis of stormflow response, based on the construction of a prediction equation relating stormflow to rainfall quantity and intensity and to antecedent surface soil moistrue condition, is described. Results from the application of the method in one of the catchments are presented in detail.     

REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCES RELATIONS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE PERIOD 1971–1975

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a field-scale model that simulates the nitrogen (N) cycle in grazed grassland within a catchment-scale management model which can predict the loading and concentration of nitrate in rivers. The development is comprised of the addition of two sub-models of nitrate transport: one relating the amount of soil nitrate to its concentration in drainage water for different types of soil, and the second accounting for the proportion of permeable rock underlying the catchment. The sub-model that calculates the supply and transport of soil nitrate has been made sensitive to annual patterns of weather according to a classification based on the maximum soil water deficit. The model predictions were tested against best estimates of annual load and peak concentration of nitrate in rivers draining 11 small, predominantly grassland, catchments in the UK during the period 1974–1987.