An analysis of the infer-aquifer recharge for a deep-seated aquifer system tapped by a wellfield

Operation of a wellfield tapping a deep-seated aquifer system depends upon the recharge from outside the aquifer system under the condition of exploitation. This kind of replenishment, however, is not learned until the wellfield is in operation and a quarry-pumping test is often needed in the investigation of the wellfield. A deep-seated confined aquifer consisting of Ordovician carbonates occurs in the Chezhoushan Syncline crossing the border of Tianjin and Hebei in northern China. The Ordovician aquifer is believed to receive recharge through leakage from the overlying Quaternary aquifer only in the northeastern part of the syncline. The Ninghebei wellfield is planned to produce 100,000 m³/day of groundwater from the Ordovician aquifer for water supply. A three-dimensional transient numerical model was established based on a hydrogeologic survey, especially a quarry-pumping test conducted in 2003. The model was calibrated with the water-level data of the quarry-pumping test and used to predict the future water-level changes that might result from the three proposed exploitation scenarios. A 20 year predictive simulation results indicate that hydraulic heads decline rapidly in the early months, decline slowly in the following years and reach a steady state in the late period with a maximum drawdown of 52.09 m under the maximum total withdrawal rate of 120,000 m³/day from the Ordovician aquifer, and that the infer-aquifer recharge through leakage from the Quaternary aquifer can balance the withdrawal rate.