Evaluation of the use of reach transmissivity to quantify exchange between groundwater and surface water (original) (raw)
Related papers
2000
A coupled ground-and surface-water model (MODBRANCH) was developed to estimate groundwater flow beneath Levee 31N in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and to simulate hydrologic conditions in the surrounding area. The study included compilation of data from monitoring stations, measurement of vertical seepage rates in wetlands, and analysis of the hydrogeologic properties of the groundwater aquifer within the study area. In addition, the MODBRANCH code was modified to calculate the exchange between surface-water channels and ground water using a relation based on the concept of reach transmissivity.
Measuring methods for groundwater - surface water interactions: a review
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 2006
Interactions between groundwater and surface water play a critical role in the functioning of riparian ecosystems. In the context of sustainable river basin management it is crucial to understand and quantify exchange processes between groundwater and surface water. Numerous well-known methods exist for parameter estimation and process 5 identification in aquifers and surface waters. The transition zone, however, has only in recent years become a subject of major research interest, and the need has evolved for appropriate methods applicable in this zone. This article provides an overview of the methods that are typically used in aquifers and surface waters when studying interactions and shows the possibilities of application in the transition zone. In addition, 10 methods particularly for use in the transition zone are presented. Considerations for choosing appropriate methods are given including spatial and temporal scales, uncertainties, and limitations in application. It is concluded that a multi-scale approach combining multiple measuring methods may considerably constrain estimates of fluxes between groundwater and surface water. 15 25 ever, due to infiltration of stream water into the pore space, the zone may contain 1810 Abstract Introduction Conclusions References Tables Figures Back Close Full Screen / Esc Printer-friendly Version Interactive Discussion
Measuring methods for groundwater – surface water interactions: a review
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 2006
Interactions between groundwater and surface water play a critical role in the functioning of riparian ecosystems. In the context of sustainable river basin management it is crucial to understand and quantify exchange processes between groundwater and surface water. Numerous well-known methods exist for parameter estimation and process 5 identification in aquifers and surface waters. The transition zone, however, has only in recent years become a subject of major research interest, and the need has evolved for appropriate methods applicable in this zone. This article provides an overview of the methods that are typically used in aquifers and surface waters when studying interactions and shows the possibilities of application in the transition zone. In addition, 10 methods particularly for use in the transition zone are presented. Considerations for choosing appropriate methods are given including spatial and temporal scales, uncertainties, and limitations in application. It is concluded that a multi-scale approach combining multiple measuring methods may considerably constrain estimates of fluxes between groundwater and surface water. 15 25 ever, due to infiltration of stream water into the pore space, the zone may contain 1810 Abstract Introduction Conclusions References Tables Figures Back Close Full Screen / Esc Printer-friendly Version Interactive Discussion
Sensitivity of groundwater flow with respect to the drain–aquifer leakage coefficient
Journal of Hydroinformatics, 2017
Mitigation measures may be used to prevent soil and water pollution from waste disposal, landfill sites, septic or chemical storage tanks. Among them, drains and impervious barriers may be set up. The efficiency of this technique can be evaluated by means of groundwater modeling tools. The groundwater flow and the leakage drain-aquifer interactions are implemented in a conforming finite element method (FEM) and a mixed hybrid FEM (MHFEM) in a horizontal two-dimensional domain modeling regional aquifer below chemical storage tanks. Considering the influence of uncertainties in the drain-aquifer exchange rate parameter and using an automatic differentiation (AD) tool, the aim of this paper is to carry out a sensitivity analysis with respect to the leakage coefficient for the piezometric head, velocity field, and streamlines to provide a new insight into groundwater waterbody exchanges. Computations are performed with both an ideal homogeneous hydraulic conductivity and a realistic heterogeneous one. The tangent linear codes are validated using Taylor tests performed on the head and the velocity field. The streamlines computed using AD are well approximated in comparison with the nondifferentiated codes. Piezometric head computed by the MHFEM is the more sensitive, particularly near to the drain, than the FEM one.
Calculating Ground Water Transit Time of Horizontal Flow through Leaky Aquifers
Ground Water, 2007
The calculation of ground water transit times is one important factor in ground water protection. In this paper, we present an analytical solution for the transit time for a Dupuit-type flow system applicable to saturated flow through a horizontal leaky aquifer discharging to a downgradient fixed-head boundary under steady-state conditions. We investigate the influence of leakage when comparing the resulting travel times of our model based on head-dependent leakage with the commonly used model with no leakage and a simplified model with constant leakage. The results show significant differences in the position of the water divide and transit time, suggesting that leakage cannot be ignored.
Measuring methods for groundwater, surface water and their interactions: a review
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2006
Interactions between groundwater and surface water play a critical role in the functioning of riparian ecosystems. In the context of sustainable river basin management it is crucial to understand and quantify exchange processes between groundwater and surface water. Numerous well-known methods exist for parameter estimation and process 5 identification in aquifers and surface waters. The transition zone, however, has only in recent years become a subject of major research interest, and the need has evolved for appropriate methods applicable in this zone. This article provides an overview of the methods that are typically used in aquifers and surface waters when studying interactions and shows the possibilities of application in the transition zone. In addition, 10 methods particularly for use in the transition zone are presented. Considerations for choosing appropriate methods are given including spatial and temporal scales, uncertainties, and limitations in application. It is concluded that a multi-scale approach combining multiple measuring methods may considerably constrain estimates of fluxes between groundwater and surface water. 15 25 ever, due to infiltration of stream water into the pore space, the zone may contain 1810 Abstract Introduction Conclusions References Tables Figures Back Close Full Screen / Esc Printer-friendly Version Interactive Discussion
Water Resources Research, 1994
A numerical model is used to examine groundwater flow in vertical section near surface water bodies, such as lakes, wetlands, ponds, rivers, canals, and drainage and irrigation channels. Solutions are generated partly by superposition to achieve computational efficiency. A large number of flow regimes are identified, with their characteristics controlled by regional water table gradients, recharge to the aquifer, water body length, aquifer anisotropy, and the hydraulic resistance of the bottom sediments. Different flow regimes are distinguished by the presence and nature of groundwater mounds or depressions near the edges of a surface water body and by corresponding stagnation points. Ranges of values for dimensionless flow parameters over which particular regimes occur are determined for six representative geometries and presented in the form of transition diagrams. Increasing anisotropy or sediment resistance and decreasing the length of a water body relative to aquifer thickness are shown to have similar effects on flow geometry, the main effect being an increasing tendency for stagnation points to form in the interior of the aquifer. Flow-through behavior becomes more prevalent with decreasing anisotropy and sediment resistance and increasing water body length. land surface also plays a role, as does negative recharge, i.e., net evapotranspirative discharge from the land surface. This paper provides a general framework for surface 1Now at Nield Consulting, Nedlands, Western Australia.
Journal of Hydrology, 2012
It is critical that stakeholders are aware of the lag time necessary for conservation practices to demonstrate a positive impact on surface water quality. For solutes like nitrate that are transported primarily by the groundwater pathway, the lag time is a function of the groundwater travel time distribution (TTD). We used three models of varying levels of complexity to estimate the steady-state TTD of a shallow, unconfined aquifer in a small Iowa watershed: (a) analytic model, (b) GIS approach, and (c) MOD-FLOW model. The analytic model was the least input-intensive, whereas the GIS and MODFLOW approach required detailed data for model development. The resulting TTDs displayed an exponential distribution with good agreement among all the three methods (mean travel times ranging from 16.2 years in the analytic model, 19.6 years in GIS model and 20.5 years in MODFLOW model). The greater deviation in the analytic model was attributed to the difficulty in estimation of a representative saturated thickness in an unconfined aquifer. The correspondence between the spatial travel time distributions generated by GIS and MODFLOW was a function of the landscape position, with greater correspondence in uplands compared to floodplains. In the floodplains the land surface slope is a poor approximation of the water table gradient that is captured by the MODFLOW model but not the GIS that uses the land surface as a surrogate for the water table. Study results indicate that except for cases where there are marked differences between water table surface and land surface, simpler approaches (analytic and GIS) can be used to estimate TTDs required for the design and optimal placement of conservation practices and communicating lag times issues to the public.
Open-File Report, 1989
ground water. The program limits the amount of groundwater recharge to the available streamflow. It permits two or more streams to merge into one with flow in the merged stream equal to the sum of the tributary flows. The program also permits diversions from streams. Streams are divided into segments and reaches. Each reach corresponds to individual cells in the finite-difference grid used to simulate groundwater flow. A segment consists of a group of reaches connected in downstream order. Leakage is calculated for each reach on the basis of the head difference between the stream and aquifer and a conductance term. It is subtracted or added to the amount of streamflow into the reach. The stage in each reach can be computed using the Manning formula under the assumption of a rectangular stream channel. The amount of leakage in each reach (either into or out of the aquifer) is incorporated into the groundwater flow model by adding terms to the finite-difference equations. Recharge to the aquifer in a reach ceases when all the streamflow in upstream reaches has leaked into the aquifer and the stream is dry. A stream is permitted to flow again in downstream reaches if the head in the aquifer is above the elevation of the streambed. Results from the program have been compared to results from two analytical solutions. One assumes time varying areal recharge to the aquifer and discharge only to a stream and the other assumes recharge to the aquifer from a change in stream stage. Results from the program reasonably duplicated the analytical solutions. Manuscript approved for publication December 13, 1988 The groundwater flow model with the Streamflow-Routing Package has an advantage over the analytical solution in simulating the interaction between aquifer and stream because it can be used to simulate complex systems that cannot be readily solved analytically. The Streamflow-Routing Package does not include a time function for streamflow but rather streamflow entering the modeled area is assumed to be instantly available to downstream reaches during each time period. This assumption is generally reasonable because of the relatively slow rate of groundwater flow. Another assumption is that leakage between streams and aquifers is instantaneous. This assumption may not be reasonable if the streams and aquifers are separated by a thick unsaturated zone. Documentation of the Streamflow-Routing Package includes data input instructions; flow charts, narratives, and listings of the computer program for each of four modules ; and input data sets and printed results for two test problems, and one example problem.
Application of a water balance model to investigate groundwater-surface interactions
The article presents the application of a water balance model as a preliminary tool for investigating groundwater-surface water (GW-SW) interactions along an alluvial channel aquifer located in a semi-arid climate in the central province of South Africa. The model is developed based on the conservation of mass; solute and stable isotopic mixing of the model components. Discharge measurements were made for the river segment inflow and outflow components using stream velocity-area technique. The Darcy equation was used to calculate the groundwater discharge from the alluvial channel aquifer into the river segment. Electrical conductivity (EC) and δ2H isotope were measured for the inflow and outflow components of the model as indicators of solute and stable isotopic ratios. Measurements were conducted during a low river flow once off period of October 2011 thus offering a great opportunity to assess GW-SW exchanges when other potential contributors can be regarded as negligible. The mo...