Hydrodynamics of floodplain wetlands in a chalk catchment: The River Lambourn, UK

Variations in floodplain channel water levels and valley floor groundwater levels (measured in piezometers and boreholes) are examined at selected points along the course of the River Lambourn, a chalk river in southern England. A local alluvial gravel aquifer in the valley bottom is associated with numerous small wetlands that extend over much of the river's perennial profile. Variations in hydraulic gradient between local borehole levels and/or floodplain channel water levels are described for three sites in the seasonal section of the channel at Bockhampton, East Garston and West Shefford. The results indicate that observed groundwater levels are closely associated with flows from discrete springs at the margins of the channel and floodplain. However, as the floodplain widens and the alluvial gravel aquifer increases in size, the gravel aquifer accounts for a substantial down-valley component of groundwater flow with a diffuse vertical water flux. In the lower catchment, the exchange of flows between the gravel aquifer and the river enables some attenuation of floodplain water-table variability, providing a stable hydrological regime for valley-bottom wetlands. Catchment controls upon the local, valley-bottom, wetland regime are demonstrated with the application of a simple groundwater model developed using MODFLOW. The model is used to simulate groundwater discharge to the river in the upper and lower catchment, in addition to the water level regime at selected points in the valley bottom in the lower catchment. The results demonstrate the importance of taking catchment-scale water flow into account when managing isolated wetlands in a permeable catchment.     

Quantifying River‐Groundwater Interactions of New Zealand's Gravel‐Bed Rivers: The Wairau Plain

New Zealand's gravel‐bed rivers have deposited coarse, highly conductive gravel aquifers that are predominantly fed by river water. Managing their groundwater resources is challenging because the recharge mechanisms in these rivers are poorly understood and recharge rates are difficult to predict, particularly under a more variable future climate. To understand the river‐groundwater exchange processes in gravel‐bed rivers, we investigate the Wairau Plain Aquifer using a three‐dimensional groundwater flow model which was calibrated using targeted field observations, “soft” information from experts of the local water authority, parameter regularization techniques, and the model‐independent parameter estimation software PEST. The uncertainty of simulated river‐aquifer exchange flows, groundwater heads, spring flows, and mean transit times were evaluated using Null‐space Monte‐Carlo methods. Our analysis suggests that the river is hydraulically perched (losing) above the regional water table in its upper reaches and is gaining downstream where marine sediments overlay unconfined gravels. River recharge rates are on average 7.3 m³/s, but are highly dynamic in time and variable in space. Although the river discharge regularly hits 1000 m³/s, the net exchange flow rarely exceeds 12 m³/s and seems to be limited by the physical constraints of unit‐gradient flux under disconnected rivers. An important finding for the management of the aquifer is that changes in aquifer storage are mainly affected by the frequency and duration of low‐flow periods in the river. We hypothesize that the new insights into the river‐groundwater exchange mechanisms of the presented case study are transferable to other rivers with similar characteristics.     

Estimation of groundwater vulnerability to pollution based on DRASTIC in the Niipele sub-basin of the Cuvelai Etosha Basin,Namibia

Surface water is a scarce resource in Namibia with about sixty percent of Namibia's population dependent on groundwater for drinking purposes. With increasing population, the country faces water challenges and thus groundwater resources need to be managed properly. One important aspect of Integrated Water Resources Management is the protection of water resources, including protection of groundwater from contamination and over-exploitation. This study explores vulnerability mapping as a basic tool for protecting groundwater resources from pollution. It estimates groundwater vulnerability to pollution in the upper Niipele sub-basin of the Cuvelai-Etosha in Northern Namibia using the DRASTIC index. The DRASTIC index uses GIS to estimate groundwater vulnerability by overlaying different spatially referenced hydrogeological parameters that affect groundwater contamination. The study assesses the discontinuous perched aquifer (KDP) and the Ohangwena multi-layered aquifer 1 (KOH-1). For perched aquifers, point data was regionalized by a hydrotope approach whereas for KOH-1 aquifer, inverse distance weighting was used. The hydrotope approach categorized different parts of the hydrogeological system with similar properties into five hydrotopes. The result suggests that the discontinuous perched aquifers are more vulnerable than Ohangwena multi-layered aquifer 1. This implies that vulnerability increases with decreasing depth to water table because contaminants have short travel time to reach the aquifer when they are introduced on land surface. The nitrate concentration ranges between 2 and 288 mg/l in perched aquifers while in Ohangwena multi-layered aquifer 1, it ranges between 1 and 133 mg/l. It was observed that perched aquifers have high nitrate concentrations than Ohangwena 1 aquifer, which correlates well with the vulnerability results.     

Using principal component analysis in the investigation of groundwater hydrochemistry of Upper Jezireh Basin,Syria

Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to hydrochemical and isotopic data of 34 groundwater samples. This allowed the reduction of 20 variables to four significant PCs that explain 81.9% of the total variance; F1 (47.1%) explains the groundwater mineralization, whereas F2 (17%) shows isotopic enrichment and nitrate pollution. Based on an iso-factor scores map of F1, three water zones were delineated: Zone A (F1 < ?1), with fresh groundwater from the unconfined aquifer; Zone B (1 > F1 > ?1), with moderate mineralization from the confined–unconfined aquifer boundary; and Zone C (F1 > 1), with the most mineralized hot water from the confined aquifer. The iso-factor scores map of F2 delineates positive values representing samples from the unconfined aquifer, with freshwater and nitrate contamination associated with stable isotope enrichment, whereas negative values represent samples from the confined aquifer. The results clearly demonstrate the usefulness of PCA in groundwater hydrochemistry investigations.     

Transient heterogeneity in an aquifer undergoing bioremediation of hydrocarbons

Localized, transient heterogeneity was studied in a sand aquifer undergoing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene bioremediation using a novel array of multilevel, in situ point velocity probes (PVPs). The experiment was conducted within a sheet-pile alleyway to maintain a constant average flow direction through time. The PVPs measured changes in groundwater velocity direction and magnitude at the centimeter scale, making them ideal to monitor small-scale changes in hydraulic conductivity (K). Velocities were shown to vary nonuniformly by up to a factor of 3 when a source of oxygen was established down-gradient of the petroleum spill. In spite of these local variations, the average groundwater velocity within the 7 m × 20 m sheet-piled test area only varied within ± 25%. The nonuniform nature of the velocity variations across the gate indicated that the changes were not due solely to seasonal hydraulic gradient fluctuations. At the conclusion of the experiment, microbial biomass levels in the aquifer sediments was approximately 1 order of magnitude higher in the oxygen-amended portion of the aquifer than at the edge of the plume or in locations up-gradient of the source. These data suggest that the transient velocities resulted, at least in part, from enhanced biological activity that caused transient heterogeneities in the porous medium.     

Application of Groundwater Vulnerability Overlay and Index Methods to the Jijel Plain Area (Algeria)

Today, scientists are deeply concerned by the vulnerability of groundwater reservoirs to pollution. Relatively simple overlay and index methods can be used to produce groundwater vulnerability maps in geographic information system. In addition, this study deals with contamination from nonpoint sources. In this study, two such models, DRASTIC and GOD, were applied in the Jijel Plain area of northeast Algeria and compared with measured groundwater nitrate concentrations. This showed that results from DRASTIC were better than GOD, 69% correlation with nitrate compared to 56%. DRASTIC was better able to identify vulnerable zones along the river valleys. The DRASTIC model was then modified using the nitrate concentrations to optimize the rating score given within each parameter range and sensitivity analysis to change the weighting given for each parameter. These combined changes gave a final Pearson's correlation of 83% with nitrate. This showed that recharge, aquifer type, and topography were the key factors in controlling vulnerability to nitrate pollution.     

Nitrate as a tracer of groundwater flow in a fractured multilayered aquifer

Abstract

Knowledge of the processes that control nitrate migration and its geochemical evolution in the subsurface are fundamental for the regional management of polluted aquifers. In this paper, the spatial distribution and transient variations of nitrate concentrations, associated with manure fertilization, are used to depict hydrogeological dynamics within the sedimentary aquifer system of la Plana de Vic in the Osona region of Spain. Flow systems are identified from geological, hydraulic head, hydrochemical and isotopic data, and by considering nitrate itself as a tracer that indicates how flow paths are modified by human pressures. In this area, nitrates move through fractured aquitards in flows induced by groundwater pumping. Moreover, the lack of casing in the boreholes permits a mixing of groundwater from distinct layers inside the wells, which negates any benefits from the low-nitrate groundwater found in the deepest aquifer layers. Therefore, impacts on groundwater quality are related to intensive manure fertilization as well as to inadequate well construction and exploitation strategies.

Citation Menció, A., Mas-Pla, J., Otero, N. & Soler, A. (2011) Nitrate as a tracer of groundwater flow in a fractured multilayered aquifer. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(1), 108–122.     

Rapid nutrient load reduction during infiltration of managed aquifer recharge in an agricultural groundwater basin: Pajaro Valley,California

Artificial recharge of groundwater is an increasingly important method for augmenting groundwater supply and can have a positive or negative influence on the quality of water resources. We instrumented a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) pond in central coastal California to assess how patterns of infiltration and recharge affect the load of nitrate delivered to the underlying aquifer. The concentration of nitrate in infiltrating water consistently decreased during passage through the first metre of subsurface soils. Enrichment of ¹⁸O and ¹⁵ N in the residual nitrate in infiltrating water proceeded in a ratio of 1:2, indicating that denitrification plays a significant role in the quantitative reduction of nutrients exported during infiltration through shallow soils. The extent and rate of nitrate removal was spatially and temporally variable across the bottom of the recharge pond, with 30% to 60% of the nitrate load being removed over the first 6 weeks of managed aquifer recharge operation. During the period of highest N loading to the system, when the average infiltration rate was > 1 m/day, the recharge pond achieved a load reduction efficiency of 7 kg NO₃^?‐N/day/ha, which compares favourably to nitrate load reductions achieved by treatment wetlands. Groundwater mounding and water composition below the recharge pond suggest that recharge and subsequent lateral transport occur heterogeneously in the underlying aquifer. Nitrate concentrations in the aquifer following infiltration were lowered primarily by dilution, with little evidence for additional denitrification occurring in the aquifer in comparison to high rates documented during shallow infiltration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Tracer Test for Detecting Cross Contamination Along a Monitoring Well Column

A tracer test was used to evaluate whether cross contamination exists along a monitoring well completed through a shallow ground water system in fractured clay and screened in a sand and gravel aquifer. The fractured clay is separated from the sand and gravel deposit by a layer of highly plastic unfractured clay. A natural vertical downward hydraulic gradient of approximately 0.5 exists between the shallow system and the sand and gravel aquifer. Ground water contamination was detected in an adjacent monitoring well screened in the fractured clay and in the monitoring well screened in the sand and gravel deposit. No ground water contamination was apparent in an intermediate well screened in the unfractured clay layer. A tracer of sodium bromide was injected into a shallow boring near the monitoring wells. The tracer was detected in the monitoring well in the sand and gravel aquifer after three to seven days. The bromide concentration continued to increase in this well with time while the concentration in the shallow boring declined. This trend of tracer concentration indicates the tracer has in fact migrated downward and possibly traveled along the well column.     

Comparison of groundwater age models for assessing nitrate loading,transport pathways,and management options in a complex aquifer system

In an aquifer system with complex hydrogeology, mixing of groundwater with different ages could occur associated with various flow pathways. In this study, we applied different groundwater age‐estimation techniques (lumped parameter model and numerical model) to characterize groundwater age distributions and the major pathways of nitrate contamination in the Gosan agricultural field, Jeju Island. According to the lumped parameter model, groundwater age in the study area could be explained by the binary mixing of the young groundwater (4–33 years) and the old water component (>60 years). The complex hydrogeologic regimes and local heterogeneity observed in the study area (multilayered aquifer, well leakage hydraulics) were particularly well reflected in the numerical model. The numerical model predicted that the regional aquifer of Gosan responded to the fertilizer applications more rapidly (mean age: 9.7–22.3 years) than as estimated by other models. Our study results demonstrated that application and comparison of multiple age‐estimation methods can be useful to understand better the flow regimes and the mixing characteristics of groundwater with different ages (pathways), and accordingly, to reduce the risk of improper groundwater management plans arising from the aquifer heterogeneity.     

Wellbore‐Wall Compression Effects on Monitored Groundwater Levels and Qualities

The effects of wellbore‐wall compression from rough excavation on monitored groundwater levels and qualities under natural hydraulic gradient conditions were investigated in a shallow clayey Andisol aquifer. Nine wellbores reaching the underlying aquitard at about 2.6‐m depth were constructed by dynamic cone penetrometry to mimic rough wellbore construction. Five of these were constructed under wet aquifer soil conditions and the remaining four under dry conditions. A 15‐month period monitoring showed that the groundwater levels in the wellbores constructed under wet conditions responded significantly in retard of, and in narrower ranges than, those constructed under dry conditions. The wellbore‐wall hydraulic conductivities at the former wellbores were calculated to be more than one to two orders of magnitude lower than those at the latter ones. Furthermore, remarkable nitrate removal attributable to the occurrence of a heterotrophic denitrification was observed in one of the former wellbores. In contrast, the groundwater levels and qualities in the latter wellbores appeared to be generally similar to those monitored in the conventional soil coring and augering‐derived wellbores. Our results suggest that the wellbore‐wall compression induced by rough excavation under wet and soft aquifer soil conditions leads to a substantial decrease in the wellbore‐wall hydraulic conductivity, which in turn can lead to unreliable groundwater levels and qualities. This problem can occur in clayey Andisols whenever the aquifer soil is wet; however, the problem can be largely avoided by constructing the wellbore under dry and hard aquifer soil conditions.     

Applying a Regional Transport Modeling Framework to Manage Nitrate Contamination of Groundwater

Regional nitrate contamination in groundwater is a management challenge involving multisector benefits. There is always conflict between restricting anthropogenic activities to protect groundwater quality and prioritizing economic development, especially in productive agriculture dominated areas. To mitigate the nitrate contamination in groundwater, it is necessary to develop management alternatives that simultaneously support environmental protection and sustainable economic development. A regional transport modeling framework is applied to evaluate nitrate fate and transport in the Dagu Aquifer, a shallow sandy aquifer that supplies drinking water and irrigation water for a thriving agricultural economy in Shandong Province in east coastal China. The aquifer supports intensive high-value vegetable farms and nitrate contamination is extensive. Detailed land-use information and fertilizer use data were compiled and statistical approaches were employed to analyze nitrogen source loadings and the spatiotemporal distribution of nitrate in groundwater to support model construction and calibration. The evaluations reveal that the spatial distribution and temporal trends of nitrate contamination in the Dagu Aquifer are driven by intensive fertilization and vertical water exchange, the dominant flow pattern derived from intensive agricultural pumping and irrigation. The modeling framework is employed to assess the effectiveness of potentially applicable management alternatives. The predictive results provide quantitative comparisons for the trend and extent of groundwater quality mitigation under each scenario. Recommendations are made for measures that can both improve groundwater quality and sustain productive agricultural development.     

Groundwater recharge from an oxbow lake-wetland system in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer ranks among the most overdrafted aquifers in the United States due to intensive irrigation. Concern over declining water levels has increased focus on understanding the sources of recharge. Numerous oxbow lakes overlie the aquifer that are often considered hydraulically disconnected from the groundwater system due to fine-grained bottom sediments. In the current study, groundwater levels in and around a 445-ha oxbow lake-wetland in Mississippi were monitored for a 2-year period that included an unusually long low-water condition in the lake (>17 months), followed by a high-water event lasting over 4 months before returning to earlier low-water levels. The high-water pulse (>4 m rise) provided a unique opportunity to track the impact in the underlying alluvial aquifer. During low-water conditions, groundwater flowed westward beneath the lake. Following the lake rise, groundwater beneath and near the perimeter responded as quickly as the same day, with more delayed responses moving away from the lake. Within 2 months, a groundwater mound formed near the centre of the oxbow (>3 m increase), with a reversal in the local hydraulic gradient towards the east. Flow returned to a westward gradient when the lake level dropped back below 0.3 m. Analysis of precipitation and nearby river stage could not account for the observed behavior. Recharge to the aquifer is attributed to rising water levels spreading over point bar deposits and into the surrounding forested wetlands where preferential flow pathways are likely to exist due to buried and decomposing tree remains. An earlier study in the wetland demonstrated an increasing redox potential in isolated zones, consistent with the existence of preferential flow pathways through the bottom sediments (Lahiri & Davidson, 2020). Retaining high-water levels in oxbow lakes could be a relatively low-cost water management practice for enhancing aquifer recharge.     

An approach to catchment‐scale groundwater nitrate risk assessment from diffuse agricultural sources: a case study in the Upper Bann,Northern Ireland

DRASTIC has drawbacks in groundwater risk assessment that are important in guiding activities to prevention agricultural diffuse groundwater pollution. This paper presents an improved and GIS‐based D‐DRASTIC approach for groundwater nitrate risk assessment from diffuse agricultural sources based on DRASTIC. D‐DRASTIC considers the risk concept, nitrate loading, pollutant transport with runoff, depth to water, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of the vadose zone media, and the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer. D‐DRASTIC was developed within an ArcGIS environment and applied to the Upper Bann Catchment, Northern Ireland as a case study. D‐DRASTIC shows that ‘very high’ and ‘high’ zones of groundwater nitrate risk occupy 5% and 11% of the case study area, respectively. When considering groundwater pollution sources and pathways, the results using D‐DRASTIC are helpful in guiding the activities of groundwater pollution prevention at the catchment scale in the context of better implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of Flow Dynamics and Vulnerability in a Coastal Aquifer System

Traditional aquifer vulnerability techniques primarily rely on spatial property data for a region and are limited by their ability to directly or indirectly assess flow and transport processes occurring from the surface to depth within an aquifer system. The main objective of this study was to investigate groundwater vulnerability in terms of aquifer interconnectivity and flow dynamics. A combination of stable isotopes, groundwater age‐dating (radiocarbon), and geomorphic/geogenic spatial analyses was applied to a regional, highly developed coastal aquifer to explain the presence of nitrate at depth. The average δ¹³C value (?17.3 ± 2‰ VPDB, n = 27) is characteristic of groundwater originating from locally infiltrated precipitation through extensively cultivated soils. The average δ¹⁸O and δD values (?4.0 ± 0.1‰ VSMOW, n = 27; δD: ?19.3 ± 1‰ VSMOW, n = 27, respectively) are similar to precipitation water derived from maritime sources feeding the region's surface water and groundwater. Stable and radioactive isotopes reveal significant mixing between shallow and deep aquifers due to high velocities, hydraulic connection, and input of local recharge water to depths. Groundwater overdevelopment enhances deeper and faster modern water downward flux, amplifying aquifer vulnerability. Therefore, aquifer vulnerability is a variable, dependent on the type and degree of stress conditions experienced by a groundwater system as well as the geospatial properties at the near surface.     

In‐Situ Sonication for Enhanced Recovery of Aquifer Microbial Communities

Sampling methods for characterization of microbial communities in aquifers should target both suspended and attached microorganisms (biofilms). We investigated the effectiveness and reproducibility of low‐frequency (200 Hz) sonication pulses on improving extraction efficiency and quality of microorganisms from a petroleum‐contaminated aquifer in Studen (Switzerland). Sonication pulses at different power levels (0.65, 0.9, and 1.1 kW) were applied to three different groundwater monitoring wells. Groundwater samples extracted after each pulse were compared with background groundwater samples for cell and adenosine tri‐phosphate concentration. Turbidity values were obtained to assess the release of sediment fines and associated microorganisms. The bacterial community in extracted groundwater samples was analyzed by terminal‐restriction‐fragment‐length polymorphism and compared with communities obtained from background groundwater samples and from sediment cores. Sonication enhanced the extraction efficiency up to 13‐fold, with most of the biomass being associated with the sediment fines extracted with groundwater. Consecutive pulses at constant power were decreasingly effective, while pulses with higher power yielded the best results both in terms of extraction efficiency and quality. Our results indicate that low‐frequency sonication may be a viable and cost‐effective tool to improve the extraction of microorganisms from aquifers, taking advantage of existing groundwater monitoring wells.     

Geologic controls on the chemical behaviour of nitrate in riverside alluvial aquifers,Korea

To investigate the origin and behaviour of nitrate in alluvial aquifers adjacent to Nakdong River, Korea, we chose two representative sites (Wolha and Yongdang) having similar land‐use characteristics but different geology. A total of 96 shallow groundwater samples were collected from irrigation and domestic wells tapping alluvial aquifers. About 63% of the samples analysed had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean drinking water limit (44·3 mg l^?1 NO₃^?), and about 35% of the samples had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean groundwater quality standard for agricultural use (88·6 mg l^?1 NO₃^?). Based on nitrogen isotope analysis, two major nitrate sources were identified: synthetic fertilizer (about 4‰ δ¹⁵N) applied to farmland, and animal manure and sewage (15–20‰ δ¹⁵N) originating from upstream residential areas. Shallow groundwater in the farmland generally had higher nitrate concentrations than those in residential areas, due to the influence of synthetic fertilizer. Nitrate concentrations at both study sites were highest near the water table and then progressively decreased with depth. Nitrate concentrations are also closely related to the geologic characteristics of the aquifer. In Yongdang, denitrification is important in regulating nitrate chemistry because of the availability of organic carbon from a silt layer (about 20 m thick) below a thin, sandy surface aquifer. In Wolha, however, conservative mixing between farmland‐recharged water and water coming from a village is suggested as the dominant process. Mixing ratios estimated based on the nitrate concentrations and the δ¹⁵N values indicate that water originating from the village affects the nitrate chemistry of the shallow groundwater underneath the farmland to a large extent. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial prediction of nitrate pollution in groundwaters using neural networks and GIS: an application to South Rhodope aquifer (Thrace,Greece)

Neural network techniques combined with Geographical Information Systems (GIS), are used in the spatial prediction of nitrate pollution in groundwaters. Initially, the most important parameters controlling groundwater pollution by nitrates are determined. These include hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer, depth to the aquifer, land uses, soil permeability, and fine to coarse grain ratio in the unsaturated zone. All these parameters were quantified in a GIS environment, and were standardized in a common scale. Subsequently, a neural network classification was applied, using a multi‐layer perceptron classifier with the back propagation (BP) algorithm, in order to categorize the examined area into categories of groundwater nitrate pollution potential. The methodology was applied to South Rhodope aquifer (Thrace, Greece). The calculation was based on information from 214 training sites, which correspond to monitored nitrate concentrations in groundwaters in the area. The predictive accuracy of the model developed reached 86% in the training samples, 74% in the overall sample and 71% in the test samples. This indicates that this methodology is promising to describe the spatial pattern of nitrate pollution. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geophysical Assessment of Groundwater Potential: A Case Study from Mian Channu Area,Pakistan

An integrated study using geophysical method in combination with pumping tests and geochemical method was carried out to delineate groundwater potential zones in Mian Channu area of Pakistan. Vertical electrical soundings (VES) using Schlumberger configuration with maximum current electrode spacing (AB/2 = 200 m) were conducted at 50 stations and 10 pumping tests at borehole sites were performed in close proximity to 10 of the VES stations. The aim of this study is to establish a correlation between the hydraulic parameters obtained from geophysical method and pumping tests so that the aquifer potential can be estimated from the geoelectrical surface measurements where no pumping tests exist. The aquifer parameters, namely, transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity were estimated from Dar Zarrouyk parameters by interpreting the layer parameters such as true resistivities and thicknesses. Geoelectrical succession of five‐layer strata (i.e., topsoil, clay, clay sand, sand, and sand gravel) with sand as a dominant lithology was found in the study area. Physicochemical parameters interpreted by World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization were well correlated with the aquifer parameters obtained by geoelectrical method and pumping tests. The aquifer potential zones identified by modeled resistivity, Dar Zarrouk parameters, pumped aquifer parameters, and physicochemical parameters reveal that sand and gravel sand with high values of transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity are highly promising water bearing layers in northwest of the study area. Strong correlation between estimated and pumped aquifer parameters suggest that, in case of sparse well data, geophysical technique is useful to estimate the hydraulic potential of the aquifer with varying lithology.