Ecosystem specific yield for estimating evapotranspiration and groundwater exchange from diel surface water variation

The White method, routinely used to estimate phreatophyte transpiration from diel groundwater variation, also provides measures of total evapotranspiration (ET) and groundwater fluxes in surface waters. Such applications remain rare, however, and critically require accurate representation of stage‐dependent variation in specific yield (S_y). High‐resolution stage data from three Florida swamps were used to evaluate different relationships between S_y and stage (ecosystem specific yield, ESY). A discretized form, ESY_D, assumes constant S_y near unity for inundated conditions, applying soil S_y for belowground stage and open water S_y (S_y,OW ≈ 1.0) for aboveground stage. A mixture approach, ESY_M, applies a stage‐dependent interpolation between S_y,Soil and S_y,OW using stage‐area relationships and assumes rapid lateral equilibration between inundated and non‐inundated wetland areas. Finally, an empirical formulation, ESY_RR, uses measured ratios of rain to rise to estimate stage‐specific S_y. All formulations yielded reasonable ET rates (ET ≈ PET) at high stage; ESY_D markedly overestimated ET (ET/PET > 3) at intermediate stage, whereas ESY_M and ESY_RR maintained ET/PET near 1.0. Estimated groundwater fluxes using ESY_M and ESY_RR correlated well with Darcy‐estimated flows, but were larger, likely due to uncertainties in Darcy parameters. Well transects across wetlands documented equal water elevation and diel variation across inundated and non‐inundated areas, verifying rapid equilibration that reduces S_y and explaining overestimation by ESY_D. However, equilibration area varied within and among wetlands, explaining observed differences between ESY_M and ESY_RR, and suggesting ESY_RR may be preferred. Stage histograms followed the shape of ESY_RR, highlighting reciprocal influences of ESY on stage stability. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A hydrographic method to identify the groundwater net recharge,barometric effect and evapotranspiration from a complicated semidiurnal water table fluctuation

A hydrographic method was proposed to separate out the hourly scaled groundwater level changes caused by net recharge, barometric effects and evapotranspiration from a semidiurnal water table fluctuation. A characteristic midnight time, with a turning point of the barometric pressure change and high relative air humidity, which meant that neither the barometric effect nor groundwater evapotranspiration occurred, was proposed for determining the net recharge rate r_net. Then, the barometric efficiency f_bar was estimated using the other time period without evapotranspiration, and the evapotranspiration rate r_ETG was finally obtained using the remainder of the water level changes. A case example illustrated that estimation of f_bar using the proposed method was more accurate than that using the traditional error analysis method, which may result in a significant underestimation under the condition of the present water level changes. Additionally, the abnormal semidiurnal fluctuations, more specifically, two step-down fluctuations, which may be a common pattern when the groundwater level is controlled by net recharge, barometric effects and evapotranspiration, can be well understood using the three components separated out. The results also showed that nighttime groundwater evapotranspiration, accounting for an average of 23% of that during the daytime, cannot be ignored.     

Application of the water table fluctuation method to characterize groundwater recharge in the Pampa plain,Argentina

Abstract

The water table fluctuation (WTF) method is based on accepting that rises of a water table are due to recharge water reaching the groundwater. To apply the method, an estimate of the specific yield of the zone of fluctuation of the groundwater level is required. In this paper, a method for estimation of the specific yield (S_y) is proposed; it consists of a graphical procedure which relates rises in groundwater level to the precipitation from which they originated. The method presents more reliable S_y values as the number of events measured increases. Eighteen years of daily measurements were analysed to obtain a S_y value of 0.09, which was used to apply the WTF method. The obtained recharge values show consistency with values calculated by other authors for the same region.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis

Citation Varni, M., Comas, R., Weinzettel, P., and Dietrich, S., 2013. Application of water table fluctuation method to characterize the groundwater recharge in the Pampa plain, Argentina. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1445–1455.     

Evaluation of the Glugla method for estimating evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge

Abstract

Estimates of groundwater recharge are often needed for a variety of groundwater resource evaluation purposes. A method for estimating long-term groundwater recharge and actual evapotranspiration not known in the English literature is presented. The method uses long-term average annual precipitation, runoff, potential evaporation, and crop-yield information, and uses empirical parameter curves that depend on soil and crop types to determine long-term average annual groundwater recharge (GWR). The method is tested using historic lysimeter records from 10 lysimeters at Coshocton, Ohio, USA. Considering the coarse information required, the method provides good estimates of groundwater recharge and actual evapotranspiration, and is sensitive to a range of cropping and land-use conditions. Problems with practical application of the technique are mentioned, including the need for further testing using given parameter curves, and for incorporating parameters that describe current farming practices and other land uses. The method can be used for urban conditions, and can be incorporated into a GIS framework for rapid, large-area, spatially-distributed estimations of GWR. An example application of the method is given.     

Quantitative analysis of riverbank groundwater flow for the Qinhuai River,China, and its influence factors

Interactions of surface water and groundwater (SW–GW) play an important role in the physical, chemical, and ecological processes of riparian zones. The main objective of this study was to describe the two‐dimensional characteristics of riverbank SW–GW interactions and to quantify their influence factors. The SW–GW exchange fluxes for six sections (S1 to S6) of the Qinhuai River, China, were estimated using a heat tracing method, and field hydrogeological and thermodynamic parameters were obtained via inverse modelling. Global sensitivity analysis was performed to compare the effects of layered heterogeneity of hydraulic conductivity and river stage variation on SW–GW exchange. Under the condition of varied river stage, only the lateral exchange fluxes at S1 apparently decreased during the monitoring period, probably resulting from its relatively higher hydraulic conductivity. Meanwhile, the SW–GW exchanges for the other five sections were quite stable over time. The lateral exchange fluxes were higher than the vertical ones. The riverbank groundwater flow showed different spatial variation characteristics for the six sections, but most of the higher exchange fluxes occurred in the lower area of a section. The section with larger hydraulic conductivity has an apparent dynamic response to surface water and groundwater level differences, whereas lower permeabilities severely reduced the response of groundwater flow. The influence of boundary conditions on SW–GW interactions was restricted to a limited extent, and the impact extent will expand with the increase of peak water level and hydraulic conductivity. The SW–GW head difference was the main influence factors in SW–GW interactions, and the influence of both SW–GW head difference and hydraulic conductivity decreased with an increase of the distance from the surface water boundary. For each layer of riverbank sediment, its hydraulic conductivity had greater influence on its groundwater flow than the other layers, whereas it had negligible effects on its overlying/underlying layers. Consequently, the variations in river stage and hydraulic conductivity were the main factors influencing the spatial and temporal characteristics of riverbank groundwater flow, respectively.     

也谈地壳内第二深度空间石油、天然气的形成及勘探前景

在当前国内油气供需紧张的严峻形势下,开展“第二深度空间”的油气勘探“势在必行”,也是“当务之急”.“第二深度空间”的油气勘探需解决3个问题.一是油气无机成因的地球化学证据.原油、沥青、干酪根的Pb,Sr,Nd 同位素示踪、原油中异常高含量的金属微量元素、原油中有机硅化合物的发现等均表明原油可以由无机反应而生成.二是油气无机成因论是可以指导油气勘探的.油气的分布与中地壳的低速、高导层的耦合表明有成因关系,中地壳的低速、高导层是油气的发生器,也是初始储层,据此可以对油气田进行预测.柴达木盆地昆北花岗岩油田的发现是一典型案例.三是“第二深度空间”的油气勘探需要地球物理方法和技术的支撑.目前第4代采集处理新理论、新方法业已提出.地球物理学家已经把深部勘探的新方法、新技术提到议事日程.总之,“第二深度空间”的油气勘探是有理论依据的,是可能的,是可操作的.发现大型、超大型油气田指日可待.     

岩石圈内部第二深度空间金属矿产资源形成与集聚的深层动力学响应

中国的快速工业化发展和经济腾飞必须有大量金属矿产资源的支撑,在共享世界资源的同时,其根本出路在于立足本土．因此提出第二深度空间（500～2000 m）金属矿产资源的找矿勘探新理念．通过对国内外金属矿产资源地球物理勘探发展的概况分析和研究提出：①金属矿产资源的集聚和分布受控于地壳内部物质与能量的交换和其深层动力过程;②在地壳内部第二深度空间存在着丰富的矿产资源,包括大型和超大型矿床;③必须充分发挥高精度地球物理探测方法的效能,并进行综合技术集成．     

第二深度空间(5000~10000 m)油、气形成与聚集的深层物理与动力学响应

在当今全球各国对油、气能源的需求和我国在工业化进程中油气能源十分紧缺的前提下,共享世界油、气能源的同时,必须立足于本土,迅速建立起安全、稳定,且可保证持续供给的油、气能源战略后备基地.油、气田勘探和开采中,尚存在着大于或远大于通常所规范的油、气生成稳定温度和深度限定,而向深部勘察油、气的理念又受到传统油、气成因理论的严峻挑战.为此,近些年来,通过对沉积建造、结晶基底,深部油气生成的物理（主指温度、压力）条件、物源和聚集储存空间的研究,提出：①沉积盆地中存在双相（陆相+海相）沉积建造,而基底则分为中、新生代沉积基底和古老的变质岩结晶基底,即双层基底;②地壳深部介质的物理－化学属性和变质岩及存储空间为油、气的生成和聚集提供了物质基础;③厘定了在有机成因主导下,油、气混合成因（有机+无机）的新理念;④第二深度空间（5000~10000 m）的油、气探查和开发将必是未来深部发现大型和超大型油、气田和深化研究的必然轨迹.