Developing a playground as catchment area in effort to maintaining groundwater in Jaten village of Karanganyar district of Central Java, Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legowo, Budi; Darsono; Wahyuningsih, Daru

2016-01-01

Changes in land use for housing indirectly disturb the hydrology balance of the area. Groundwater conservation efforts can be done by keeping the function the catchment area. One of the housing developer's obligations is providing open spaces (the playground) to play or activity of the residents. Playground in Bumi Graha Indah Housing, Jaten village, Karanganyar district, Central Java, Indonesia has a fundamental issue, that is, in the rainy season the water is difficult to seep due landfill process are not well planned. It causes the playground become in muddy conditions with tall grass, so that reduces the function as a playground and or activity the residents. In the dry season, the soil dry of landfill caused dust scattering and disrupt the activities of people around the playground. Lack of water resources lead watering process for solving the problem of dust during the dry season was considered ineffective. Structuring drainage combined with modified recharge wells can be used to catch water runoff housing. This modification of water catchment areas can make playground dry quickly after rain so the activities of people are not bothered when utilizing the open space provided. Surface runoff water absorbed in open aquifer so that the hydrological balance always be maintained. Adequacy groundwater in the area playground can be used to sprinkler dust and backup needs clean water residents by creating wells and reservoir stocks. (paper)

Spatial and temporal variation of residence time and storage volume of subsurface water evaluated by multi-tracers approach in mountainous headwater catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujimura, Maki; Yano, Shinjiro; Abe, Yutaka; Matsumoto, Takehiro; Yoshizawa, Ayumi; Watanabe, Ysuhito; Ikeda, Koichi

2015-04-01

Headwater catchments in mountainous region are the most important recharge area for surface and subsurface waters, additionally time and stock information of the water is principal to understand hydrological processes in the catchments. However, there have been few researches to evaluate variation of residence time and storage volume of subsurface water in time and space at the mountainous headwaters especially with steep slope. We performed an investigation on age dating and estimation of storage volume using simple water budget model in subsurface water with tracing of hydrological flow processes in mountainous catchments underlain by granite, Paleozoic and Tertiary, Yamanashi and Tsukuba, central Japan. We conducted hydrometric measurements and sampling of spring, stream and ground waters in high-flow and low-flow seasons from 2008 through 2012 in the catchments, and CFCs, stable isotopic ratios of oxygen-18 and deuterium, inorganic solute constituent concentrations were determined on all water samples. Residence time of subsurface water ranged from 11 to 60 years in the granite catchments, from 17 to 32 years in the Paleozoic catchments, from 13 to 26 years in the Tertiary catchments, and showed a younger age during the high-flow season, whereas it showed an older age in the low-flow season. Storage volume of subsurface water was estimated to be ranging from 10 ^ 4 to 10 ^ 6 m3 in the granite catchments, from 10 ^ 5 to 10 ^ 7 m3 in the Paleozoic catchments, from 10 ^ 4 to 10 ^ 6 m3 in the Tertiary catchments. In addition, seasonal change of storage volume in the granite catchments was the highest as compared with those of the Paleozoic and the Tertiary catchments. The results suggest that dynamic change of hydrological process seems to cause a larger variation of the residence time and storage volume of subsurface water in time and space in the granite catchments, whereas higher groundwater recharge rate due to frequent fissures or cracks seems to cause larger

The nitrate response of a lowland catchment and groundwater travel times

Science.gov (United States)

van der Velde, Ype; Rozemeijer, Joachim; de Rooij, Gerrit; van Geer, Frans

2010-05-01

Intensive agriculture in lowland catchments causes eutrophication of downstream waters. To determine effective measures to reduce the nutrient loads from upstream lowland catchments, we need to understand the origin of long-term and daily variations in surface water nutrient concentrations. Surface water concentrations are often linked to travel time distributions of water passing through the saturated and unsaturated soil of the contributing catchment. This distribution represents the contact time over which sorption, desorption and degradation takes place. However, travel time distributions are strongly influenced by processes like tube drain flow, overland flow and the dynamics of draining ditches and streams and therefore exhibit strong daily and seasonal variations. The study we will present is situated in the 6.6 km2 Hupsel brook catchment in The Netherlands. In this catchment nitrate and chloride concentrations have been intensively monitored for the past 26 years under steadily decreasing agricultural inputs. We described the complicated dynamics of subsurface water fluxes as streams, ditches and tube drains locally switch between active or passive depending on the ambient groundwater level by a groundwater model with high spatial and temporal resolutions. A transient particle tracking approach is used to derive a unique catchment-scale travel time distribution for each day during the 26 year model period. These transient travel time distributions are not smooth distributions, but distributions that are strongly spiked reflecting the contribution of past rainfall events to the current discharge. We will show that a catchment-scale mass response function approach that only describes catchment-scale mixing and degradation suffices to accurately reproduce observed chloride and nitrate surface water concentrations as long as the mass response functions include the dynamics of travel time distributions caused by the highly variable connectivity of the surface

Groundwater and surface-water interactions and impacts of human activities in the Hailiutu catchment, northwest China

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhi; Zhou, Yangxiao; Wenninger, Jochen; Uhlenbrook, Stefan; Wang, Xusheng; Wan, Li

2017-08-01

The interactions between groundwater and surface water have been significantly affected by human activities in the semi-arid Hailiutu catchment, northwest China. Several methods were used to investigate the spatial and temporal interactions between groundwater and surface water. Isotopic and chemical analyses of water samples determined that groundwater discharges to the Hailiutu River, and mass balance equations were employed to estimate groundwater seepage rates along the river using chemical profiles. The hydrograph separation method was used to estimate temporal variations of groundwater discharges to the river. A numerical groundwater model was constructed to simulate groundwater discharges along the river and to analyze effects of water use in the catchment. The simulated seepage rates along the river compare reasonably well with the seepage estimates derived from a chemical profile in 2012. The impacts of human activities (river-water diversion and groundwater abstraction) on the river discharge were analyzed by calculating the differences between the simulated natural groundwater discharge and the measured river discharge. Water use associated with the Hailiutu River increased from 1986 to 1991, reached its highest level from 1992 to 2000, and decreased from 2001 onwards. The reduction of river discharge might have negative impacts on the riparian ecosystem and the water availability for downstream users. The interactions between groundwater and surface water as well as the consequences of human activities should be taken into account when implementing sustainable water resources management in the Hailiutu catchment.

Chalk Catchment Transit Time: Unresolved Issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darling, W. G.; Gooddy, D. C. [British Geological Survey, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom); Barker, J. A. [School of Civil Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton (United Kingdom); Robinson, M. [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom)

2013-07-15

The mean transit time (MTT) of a catchment is the average residence time of water from rainfall to river outflow at the foot of the catchment. As such, MTT has important water quality as well as resource implications. Many catchments worldwide have been measured for MTT using environmental isotopes, yet the Chalk, an important aquifer in NW Europe, has received little attention in this regard. The catchment of the River Lambourn in southern England has been intermittently studied since the 1960s using isotopic methods. A tritium peak measured in the river during the 1970s indicates an apparent MTT of {approx}15 years, but the thick unsaturated zone (average {approx}50 m) of the catchment suggests that the MTT should be much greater because of the average downward movement through the Chalk of {approx}1 m/a consistently indicated by tritium and other tracers. Recent work in the catchment using SF{sub 6} as a residence time indicator has given groundwater ages in the narrow range 11-18 yrs, apparently supporting the river tritium data but in conflict with the unsaturated zone data even allowing for a moderate proportion of rapid bypass flow. The MTT of the catchment remains unresolved for the time being. (author)

Recovery of soil water, groundwater, and streamwater from acidification at the Swedish integrated monitoring catchments.

Science.gov (United States)

Löfgren, Stefan; Aastrup, Mats; Bringmark, Lage; Hultberg, Hans; Lewin-Pihlblad, Lotta; Lundin, Lars; Karlsson, Gunilla Pihl; Thunholm, Bo

2011-12-01

Recovery from anthropogenic acidification in streams and lakes is well documented across the northern hemisphere. In this study, we use 1996-2009 data from the four Swedish Integrated Monitoring catchments to evaluate how the declining sulfur deposition has affected sulfate, pH, acid neutralizing capacity, ionic strength, aluminum, and dissolved organic carbon in soil water, groundwater and runoff. Differences in recovery rates between catchments, between recharge and discharge areas and between soil water and groundwater are assessed. At the IM sites, atmospheric deposition is the main human impact. The chemical trends were weakly correlated to the sulfur deposition decline. Other factors, such as marine influence and catchment features, seem to be as important. Except for pH and DOC, soil water and groundwater showed similar trends. Discharge areas acted as buffers, dampening the trends in streamwater. Further monitoring and modeling of these hydraulically active sites should be encouraged.

An assessment of groundwater potential and vulnerability in the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment of Zimbabwe

Science.gov (United States)

Misi, Alfred; Gumindoga, Webster; Hoko, Zvikomborero

2018-06-01

Severe depletion and pollution of groundwater resources are of rising concern in the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment (UMSC); Zimbabwe's most urbanised sub-catchment. Despite groundwater playing a pivotal role in the provision of potable water in the sub-catchment, it is under serious threat from anthropogenic stressors which include sewage effluents and leachates from landfills, among others. Inadequate scientific knowledge pertaining to the spatio-temporal variability of groundwater storage and vulnerability in the UMSC is further compromising its sustainability. Therefore, comprehensive assessments of UMSC's Groundwater Potential (GP) and vulnerability are crucial for its effective management. This study assessed GP and vulnerability in the UMSC using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing techniques. Groundwater conditioning factors: geology, slope, land-use, drainage density, topographic index, altitude, recharge and rainfall were used to develop GP zones. Validation of the GP map was done by correlating estimated GP with historical borehole yields. An assessment of groundwater vulnerability was done at micro-catchment level (Marimba) using the GOD model; a three parameter Index Overlay Model. Marimba is the most urbanised and has the second highest borehole density. It also exhibits similar landuse characteristics as the UMSC. Furthermore, groundwater quality in Marimba was assessed from 15 sampling sites. Fifteen drinking water parameters were analysed based on the standard methods for Water and Wastewater Examination. The potability of groundwater was then assessed by comparing the measured water quality parameters with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) drinking water standards and/or WHO guidelines for drinking water. Repeated Measures ANOVA and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to assess the spatio-temporal variations in groundwater quality and to identify key parameters, respectively. About 72% (2725.9 km2) of the UMSC was

Detecting groundwater discharge dynamics from point-to-catchment scale in a lowland stream

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, J. R.; Sebök, Éva; Duque, C.

2015-01-01

was quantified using differential gauging with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). At the catchment scale (26–114 km2), runoff sources during main rain events were investigated by hydrograph separations based on electrical conductivity (EC) and stable isotopes 2H/1H. Clear differences in runoff sources...... response to precipitation events. This shows a large variability in groundwater discharge to the stream, despite the similar lowland characteristics of sub-catchments indicating the usefulness of environmental tracers for obtaining information about integrated catchment functioning during precipitation...

A Regional-Scale Groundwater Model Supporting Management of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and its Catchment, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Neuman, B. R.; Merediz Alonso, G.; Rebolledo Vieyra, M.; Marin, L.; Supper, R.; Bauer-Gottwein, P.

2007-05-01

The Caribbean Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula is a rapidly developing area featuring a booming tourism industry. The number of hotel rooms in the Riviera Maya has increased from 2600 in 1996 to 26,000 in 2005, while the total population in the Mexican federal state of Quintana Roo has grown from 500,000 in 1990 to 1,115,000 in 2005. This explosive growth threatens the region's water resources, which primarily consist of a less than 50m thick freshwater lens residing in the regional karst aquifer underlying the entire Yucatan Peninsula. The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, a 6400 km2 combined marine/terrestrial nature protection area is situated south of Tulum (approx. 87.3° - 88° W, 19° - 20° N). The site is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site and is protected under the Ramsar Convention. It includes extensive freshwater wetlands, saline/brackish mangrove swamps, tropical rainforests and parts of the world's second largest coral reef. The freshwater supply to the system occurs primarily via subsurface inflow. Large freshwater springs emerge through vertical sinkholes (cenotes) in the lagoons of Sian Ka'an. Management of this unique ecosystem in view of the rapid development and urbanization of the surrounding areas requires detailed knowledge on the groundwater flow paths in and around the reserve. Moreover, mapping and delineation of its groundwater catchment zone and groundwater traveling time zones is essential. To this end, a regional-scale steady-state groundwater flow model of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere reserve and its catchment was developed. The model is implemented in MIKE SHE with a finite-difference cell size of 1 km2 and is driven with temporally averaged climate forcings. The karst aquifer is treated as an equivalent porous medium. Darcy's law is assumed to be valid over regional scales and the main structural elements of the karst aquifer are included in the model as zones of varying hydraulic conductivity. High conductivity zones in the Sian Ka

Surface-groundwater interactions in hard rocks in Sardon Catchment of western Spain: an integrated modeling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, S.M. Tanvir; Lubczynski, Maciek W.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Zhongbo, Su

2014-01-01

The structural and hydrological complexity of hard rock systems (HRSs) affects dynamics of surface–groundwater interactions. These complexities are not well described or understood by hydrogeologists because simplified analyses typically are used to study HRSs. A transient, integrated hydrologic model (IHM) GSFLOW (Groundwater and Surface water FLOW) was calibrated and post-audited using 18 years of daily groundwater head and stream discharge data to evaluate the surface–groundwater interactions in semi-arid, ∼80 km2 granitic Sardon hilly catchment in Spain characterized by shallow water table conditions, relatively low storage, dense drainage networks and frequent, high intensity rainfall. The following hydrological observations for the Sardon Catchment, and more generally for HRSs were made: (i) significant bi-directional vertical flows occur between surface water and groundwater throughout the HRSs; (ii) relatively large groundwater recharge represents 16% of precipitation (P, 562 mm.y−1) and large groundwater exfiltration (∼11% of P) results in short groundwater flow paths due to a dense network of streams, low permeability and hilly topographic relief; deep, long groundwater flow paths constitute a smaller component of the water budget (∼1% of P); quite high groundwater evapotranspiration (∼5% of P and ∼7% of total evapotranspiration); low permeability and shallow soils are the main reasons for relatively large components of Hortonian flow and interflow (15% and 11% of P, respectively); (iii) the majority of drainage from the catchment leaves as surface water; (iv) declining 18 years trend (4.44 mm.y−1) of groundwater storage; and (v) large spatio-temporal variability of water fluxes. This IHM study of HRSs provides greater understanding of these relatively unknown hydrologic systems that are widespread throughout the world and are important for water resources in many regions.

The role of bedrock groundwater in rainfall-runoff response at hillslope and catchment scales

Science.gov (United States)

C. Gabrielli; J.J. McDonnell; W.T. Jarvis

2012-01-01

Bedrock groundwater dynamics in headwater catchments are poorly understood and poorly characterized. Direct hydrometric measurements have been limited due to the logistical challenges associated with drilling through hard rock in steep, remote and often roadless terrain. We used a new portable bedrock drilling system to explore bedrock groundwater dynamics aimed at...

The impact of urbanization on subsurface flow paths - A paired-catchment isotopic study

Science.gov (United States)

Bonneau, Jeremie; Burns, Matthew J.; Fletcher, Tim D.; Witt, Roman; Drysdale, Russell N.; Costelloe, Justin F.

2018-06-01

Urbanization disturbs groundwater flow through the sealing of native soils with impervious surfaces and through modifications to the subsoil by constructed drainage and other infrastructure (trenches and excavations, e.g. water supply). The impact of these disturbances on groundwater contributions to urban streams (i.e. baseflow) is poorly understood. While high flows caused by impervious runoff to streams are a common focus of urban studies, the route taken by groundwater to become streamflow in urban landscapes is not generally considered. To assess the impact of urbanization on groundwater sources to streams, both rainfall and baseflow were sampled weekly for stable isotopes of water in two nearby streams-one draining a peri-urban catchment and the other draining a forested, natural catchment. In addition, to study the rate of groundwater discharge to the stream, monthly baseflow recession behavior was investigated. We found that baseflow in the forested catchment was constant in stable isotope values (δ18O = -5.73‰ ± 0.14‰) throughout the year. Monthly baseflow recession constants were close to 1 and had little variation (ranging 0.951-0.992), indicating a well-mixed groundwater store and long residence times. In contrast, the urban baseflow isotopic composition featured distinct seasonal variations (δ18O = -3.35‰ ± 1.20‰ from October to March and δ18O = -4.54‰ ± 0.43‰ from April to September) and high week-to-week variability in summer, reflecting a contribution of recent rainfall to baseflow. Recession constants were lower (ranging 0.727-0.955) with pronounced seasonal variations, suggesting shorter residence times and the likely presence of a variety of stores and pathways. These results provide evidence that the urban catchment has diversified groundwater pathways, and its groundwater storage is drained faster than that of the forested catchment. It highlights some of the subsurface hydrological consequences of urbanization. Restoring low

Mapping and quantifying groundwater inflows to Deep Creek (Maribyrnong catchment, SE Australia) using 222Rn, implications for protecting groundwater-dependant ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cartwright, Ian; Gilfedder, Benjamin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Groundwater inflows in a chain-of-ponds river quantified. • Groundwater inflow vs. discharge relationship determined using Rn. • First long-term continuous Rn monitoring in a river indicates temporal changes to groundwater inflows. • Application to protection of groundwater-dependant ecosystems. - Abstract: Understanding groundwater inflows to rivers is important in managing connected groundwater and surface water systems and for protecting groundwater-dependant ecosystems. This study defines the distribution of gaining reaches and estimates groundwater inflows to a 62 km long section of Deep Creek (Maribyrnong catchment, Australia) using 222 Rn. During summer months, Deep Creek ceases to flow and comprises a chain of ponds that δ 18 O and δ 2 H values, major ion concentrations, and 222 Rn activities imply are groundwater fed. During the period where the river flows, the relative contribution of groundwater inflows to total river discharge ranges from ∼14% at high flow conditions to ∼100% at low flows. That the predicted groundwater inflows account for all of the increase in discharge at low flow conditions lends confidence to the mass balance calculations. Near-continuous 27 week 222 Rn monitoring at one location in the middle of the catchment confirms the inverse correlation between river discharge and relative groundwater inflows, and also implies that there are limited bank return flows. Variations in groundwater inflows are related to geology and topography. High groundwater inflows occur where the river is at the edge of its floodplain, adjacent to hills composed of basement rocks, or flowing through steep incised valleys. Understanding the distribution of groundwater inflows and quantifying the contribution of groundwater to Deep Creek is important for managing and protecting the surface water resources, which support the endangered Yarra pygmy perch

Solute transport dynamics in small, shallow groundwater-dominated agricultural catchments: insights from a high-frequency, multisolute 10 yr-long monitoring study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. H. Aubert

2013-04-01

Full Text Available High-frequency, long-term and multisolute measurements are required to assess the impact of human pressures on water quality due to (i the high temporal and spatial variability of climate and human activity and (ii the fact that chemical solutes combine short- and long-term dynamics. Such data series are scarce. This study, based on an original and unpublished time series from the Kervidy-Naizin headwater catchment (Brittany, France, aims to determine solute transfer processes and dynamics that characterise this strongly human-impacted catchment. The Kervidy-Naizin catchment is a temperate, intensive agricultural catchment, hydrologically controlled by shallow groundwater. Over 10 yr, five solutes (nitrate, sulphate, chloride, and dissolved organic and inorganic carbon were monitored daily at the catchment outlet and roughly every four months in the shallow groundwater. The concentrations of all five solutes showed seasonal variations but the patterns of the variations differed from one solute to another. Nitrate and chloride exhibit rather smooth variations. In contrast, sulphate as well as organic and inorganic carbon is dominated by flood flushes. The observed nitrate and chloride patterns are typical of an intensive agricultural catchment hydrologically controlled by shallow groundwater. Nitrate and chloride originating mainly from organic fertilisers accumulated over several years in the shallow groundwater. They are seasonally exported when upland groundwater connects with the stream during the wet season. Conversely, sulphate as well as organic and inorganic carbon patterns are not specific to agricultural catchments. These solutes do not come from fertilisers and do not accumulate in soil or shallow groundwater; instead, they are biogeochemically produced in the catchment. The results allowed development of a generic classification system based on the specific temporal patterns and source locations of each solute. It also considers the

Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 14. Interpretation of ground-water geochemistry in catchments other than the Straight Creek catchment, Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, 2002-2003

Science.gov (United States)

Nordstrom, D. Kirk; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Hunt, Andrew G.; Naus, Cheryl A.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Mexico Environment Department, is investigating the pre-mining ground-water chemistry at the Molycorp molybdenum mine in the Red River Valley, New Mexico. The primary approach is to determine the processes controlling ground-water chemistry at an unmined, off-site but proximal analog. The Straight Creek catchment, chosen for this purpose, consists of the same Tertiary-age quartz-sericite-pyrite altered andesite and rhyolitic volcanics as the mine site. Straight Creek is about 5 kilometers east of the eastern boundary of the mine site. Both Straight Creek and the mine site are at approximately the same altitude, face south, and have the same climatic conditions. Thirteen wells in the proximal analog drainage catchment were sampled for ground-water chemistry. Eleven wells were installed for this study and two existing wells at the Advanced Waste-Water Treatment (AWWT) facility were included in this study. Eight wells were sampled outside the Straight Creek catchment: one each in the Hansen, Hottentot, and La Bobita debris fans, four in a well cluster in upper Capulin Canyon (three in alluvial deposits and one in bedrock), and an existing well at the U.S. Forest Service Questa Ranger Station in Red River alluvial deposits. Two surface waters from the Hansen Creek catchment and two from the Hottentot drainage catchment also were sampled for comparison to ground-water compositions. In this report, these samples are evaluated to determine if the geochemical interpretations from the Straight Creek ground-water geochemistry could be extended to other ground waters in the Red River Valley , including the mine site. Total-recoverable major cations and trace metals and dissolved major cations, selected trace metals, anions, alkalinity; and iron-redox species were determined for all surface- and ground-water samples. Rare-earth elements and low-level As, Bi, Mo, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Th, U, Tl, V, W, Y, and Zr were

Nested Tracer Studies In Catchment Hydrology: Towards A Multiscale Understanding of Runoff Generation and Catchment Funtioning

Science.gov (United States)

Soulsby, C.; Rodgers, P.; Malcolm, I. A.; Dunn, S.

Geochemical and isotopic tracers have been shown to have widespread utility in catch- ment hydrology in terms of identifying hydrological source areas and characterising residence time distributions. In many cases application of tracer techniques has pro- vided insights into catchment functioning that could not be obtained from hydromet- ric and/or modelling studies alone. This paper will show how the use of tracers has contributed to an evolving perceptual model of hydrological pathways and runoff gen- eration processes in catchments in the Scottish highlands. In particular the paper will focus on the different insights that are gained at three different scales of analysis; (a) nested sub-catchments within a mesoscale (ca. 200 square kilometers) experimen- tal catchment; (b) hillslope-riparian interactions and (c) stream bed fluxes. Nested hydrometric and hydrochemical monitoring within the mesoscale Feugh catchment identified three main hydrological response units: (i) plateau peatlands which gener- ated saturation overland flow in the catchment headwaters, (ii) steep valley hillslopes which drain from the plateaux into (iii) alluvial and drift aquifers in the valley bottoms. End Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA) in 8 nested sub-catchments indicated that that stream water tracer concentrations can be modelled in terms of 2 dominant runoff pro- cesses; overland flow from the peat and groundwater from the drift aquifers. Ground- water contributions generally increased with catchment size, though this was moder- ated by the characteristics of individual sub-basins, with drift cover being particularly important. Hillslope riparian interactions were also examined using tracers, hydromet- ric data and a semi-distributed hydrological model. This revealed that in the glaciated, drift covered terrain of the Scottish highlands, extensive valley bottom aquifers effec- tively de-couple hillslope waters from the river channel. Thus, riparian groundwater appears to significantly

Transport and potential attenuation of nitrogen in shallow groundwaters in the lower Rangitikei catchment, New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, S; Singh, R; Rivas, A; Palmer, A; Horne, D; Manderson, A; Roygard, J; Matthews, A

2017-11-01

Intensive agricultural activities are generally associated with nitrogen leaching from agricultural soils, and this nitrogen has the potential to percolate and contaminate groundwater and surface waters. We assessed surface water and groundwater interactions, and nitrogen leaching and its potential attenuation in shallow groundwater in the lower Rangitikei River catchment (832km 2 ), New Zealand. We combined regional- and local-scale field surveys and experiments, nutrient budget modelling, and hydraulic and geochemical methods, to gain an insight into leaching, transformation and transport of nitrogen via groundwaters to the river in the study area. Concurrent river flow gaugings (in January 2015) and a piezometric map, developed from measured depths to groundwater in 110 bores (in October 2014), suggest groundwater discharges to the Rangitikei River in the upper parts of the study area, while there is groundwater recharge near the coast. The groundwater redox characterisation, based on sampling and analysis of 15 mostly shallow bores (shallow groundwater piezometers (3-6mbgl) using single-well push-pull tests. We found generally low levels (shallow groundwater piezometers (>5mbgl), despite being installed under intensive land uses, such as dairying and cropping. Our in-field push-pull tests showed NO 3 -N reduction at four shallow groundwater piezometers, with the rates of reduction varying from 0.04mgNL -1 h - 1 to 1.57mgNL -1 h - 1 . This highlights the importance of a sound understanding of not only the sources, but also transport and transformation, or fate, of nutrients leached from farms, to mitigate the likely impacts of land use on water quality and ecosystem health in agricultural catchments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transport and potential attenuation of nitrogen in shallow groundwaters in the lower Rangitikei catchment, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, S.; Singh, R.; Rivas, A.; Palmer, A.; Horne, D.; Manderson, A.; Roygard, J.; Matthews, A.

2017-11-01

Intensive agricultural activities are generally associated with nitrogen leaching from agricultural soils, and this nitrogen has the potential to percolate and contaminate groundwater and surface waters. We assessed surface water and groundwater interactions, and nitrogen leaching and its potential attenuation in shallow groundwater in the lower Rangitikei River catchment (832 km2), New Zealand. We combined regional- and local-scale field surveys and experiments, nutrient budget modelling, and hydraulic and geochemical methods, to gain an insight into leaching, transformation and transport of nitrogen via groundwaters to the river in the study area. Concurrent river flow gaugings (in January 2015) and a piezometric map, developed from measured depths to groundwater in 110 bores (in October 2014), suggest groundwater discharges to the Rangitikei River in the upper parts of the study area, while there is groundwater recharge near the coast. The groundwater redox characterisation, based on sampling and analysis of 15 mostly shallow bores ( 5 m bgl), despite being installed under intensive land uses, such as dairying and cropping. Our in-field push-pull tests showed NO3-N reduction at four shallow groundwater piezometers, with the rates of reduction varying from 0.04 mg N L- 1 h-1 to 1.57 mg N L- 1 h-1. This highlights the importance of a sound understanding of not only the sources, but also transport and transformation, or fate, of nutrients leached from farms, to mitigate the likely impacts of land use on water quality and ecosystem health in agricultural catchments.

Characteristics of chemistry and stable isotopes in groundwater of the Chaobai River catchment, Beijing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, J. [Key Laboratory of Engineering Geomechanics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, J.; Wang, X. [Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology Team of Beijing, Beijing 100037 (China); Pang, Z. [Key Laboratory of Engineering Geomechanics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China)

2013-07-01

Environmental isotopes and chemical compositions are useful tools for the study of groundwater flow systems. Groundwater of the Chaobai River catchment, Beijing was sampled for chemical and stable isotopes analyses in 2005. Geochemical signatures evolve progressively from CaMg-HCO{sub 3} to NaK-HCO{sub 3}, and then to Na-HCO{sub 3} compositions as groundwater flows from the mountain to discharge areas. Groundwater can be divided into two groups on the basis of stable isotope compositions: ancient groundwater and modern groundwater. Modern groundwater (-9.90/00 to -6.60/00 for δ{sup 18}O) plots along a line with a slope of 4.0 on a δ{sup 2}H versus δ{sup 18}O diagram, reflecting evaporation during the process of recharge, whereas ancient groundwater samples (30 to 12 Ka.) are different in isotopic composition (-11.00/00 and -68.20/00 for δ{sup 18}O and δ{sup 2}H, respectively), reflecting the cold and arid climate in the last glacial period. The results have important implications for groundwater management in Beijing City. (authors)

Factors influencing the residence time of catchment waters : A virtual experiment approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dunn, S.M.; McDonnell, J.J.; Vaché, K.B.

Estimates of mean residence time (MRT) are increasingly used as simple summary descriptors of the hydrological processes involving storage and mixing of water within catchment systems. Current understanding of the physical controls on MRT remains limited, and various hypotheses have been proposed to

Accounting for Ecohydrologic Separation Alters Interpreted Catchment Hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, M. R.; Ward, A. S.; Hrachowitz, M.

2017-12-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that in in some catchments, compartmentalized pools of water supply either plant transpiration (poorly mobile water) or streamflow and groundwater (highly mobile water), a phenomenon referred to as ecohydrologic separation. Although the literature has acknowledged that omission of ecohydrologic separation in hydrological models may influence estimates of residence times of water and solutes, no study has investigated how and when this compartmentalization might alter interpretations of fluxes and storages within a catchment. In this study, we develop two hydrochemical lumped rainfall-runoff models, one which incorporates ecohydrologic separation and one which does not for a watershed at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (Oregon, USA), the study site where ecohydrologic separation was first observed. The models are calibrated against stream discharge, as well as stream chloride concentration. The objectives of this study are (1) to compare calibrated parameters and identifiability across models, (2) to determine how and when compartmentalization of water in the vadose zone might alter interpretations of fluxes and stores within the catchment, and (3) to identify how and when these changes alter residence times. Preliminary results suggest that compartmentalization of the vadose zone alters interpretations of fluxes and storages in the catchment and improves our ability to simulate solute transport.

An inexpensive and portable drill rig for bedrock groundwater studies in headwater catchments

Science.gov (United States)

C. Gabrielli; J.J. McDonnell

2011-01-01

Bedrock groundwater dynamics in headwater catchments are poorly understood and poorly characterized. Here, we present an inexpensive and portable bedrock drilling system designed for use in remote locations. Our system is capable of drilling bedrock wells up to 11 m deep and 38 mm in diameter in a wide range of bedrock types. The drill consists of a lawn mower engine...

Response of surface and groundwater on meteorological drought in Topla River catchment, Slovakia

Science.gov (United States)

Fendekova, Miriam; Fendek, Marian; Vrablikova, Dana; Blaskovicova, Lotta; Slivova, Valeria; Horvat, Oliver

2016-04-01

Continuously increasing number of drought studies published in scientific journals reflects the attention of the scientific community paid to drought. The fundamental works among many others were published by Yevjevich (1967), Zelenhasic and Salvai (1987), later by Tallaksen and van Lanen Eds. (2004). The aim of the paper was to analyze the response of surface and groundwater to meteorological drought occurrence in the upper and middle part of the Topla River Basin, Slovakia. This catchment belongs to catchments with unfavourable hydrogeological conditions, being built of rocks with quite low permeability. The basin is located in the north-eastern part of Slovakia covering the area of 1050.05 km2. The response was analyzed using precipitation data from the Bardejov station (long-term annual average of 662 mm in 1981 - 2012) and discharge data from two gauging stations - Bardejov and Hanusovce nad Toplou. Data on groundwater head from eight observation wells, located in the catchment, were also used, covering the same observation period. Meteorological drought was estimated using characterisation of the year humidity and SPI index. Hydrological drought was evaluated using the threshold level method and method of sequent peak algorithm, both with the fixed and also variable thresholds. The centroid method of the cluster analysis with the squared Euclidean distance was used for clustering data according to occurrence of drought periods, lasting for 100 days and more. Results of the SPI index showed very good applicability for drought periods identification in the basin. The most pronounced dry periods occurred in 1982 - 1983, 1984, 1998 and 2012 being classified as moderately dry, and also in 1993 - 1994, 2003 - 2004 and 2007 evolving from moderately to severely dry years. Short-term drought prevailed in discharges, only three periods of drought longer than 100 days occurred during the evaluated period in 1986 - 1987, 1997 and 2003 - 2004. Discharge drought in the

Instrumenting an upland research catchment in Canterbury, New Zealand to study controls on variability of soil moisture, shallow groundwater and streamflow

Science.gov (United States)

McMillan, Hilary; Srinivasan, Ms

2015-04-01

Hydrologists recognise the importance of vertical drainage and deep flow paths in runoff generation, even in headwater catchments. Both soil and groundwater stores are highly variable over multiple scales, and the distribution of water has a strong control on flow rates and timing. In this study, we instrumented an upland headwater catchment in New Zealand to measure the temporal and spatial variation in unsaturated and saturated-zone responses. In NZ, upland catchments are the source of much of the water used in lowland agriculture, but the hydrology of such catchments and their role in water partitioning, storage and transport is poorly understood. The study area is the Langs Gully catchment in the North Branch of the Waipara River, Canterbury: this catchment was chosen to be representative of the foothills environment, with lightly managed dryland pasture and native Matagouri shrub vegetation cover. Over a period of 16 months we measured continuous soil moisture at 32 locations and near-surface water table (versus hillslope locations, and convergent versus divergent hillslopes. We found that temporal variability is strongly controlled by the climatic seasonal cycle, for both soil moisture and water table, and for both the mean and extremes of their distributions. Groundwater is a larger water storage component than soil moisture, and the difference increases with catchment wetness. The spatial standard deviation of both soil moisture and groundwater is larger in winter than in summer. It peaks during rainfall events due to partial saturation of the catchment, and also rises in spring as different locations dry out at different rates. The most important controls on spatial variability are aspect and distance from stream. South-facing and near-stream locations have higher water tables and more, larger soil moisture wetting events. Typical hydrological models do not explicitly account for aspect, but our results suggest that it is an important factor in hillslope

Interaction between different groundwaters in brittany catchments (france): characterizing multiple sources through Sr- and S isotope tracing

Science.gov (United States)

Negrel, Ph; Pauwels, H.

2003-04-01

Water resources in hard-rocks commonly involve different hydrogeological compartments such as overlying sediments, weathered rock, the weathered-fissured zone, and fractured bedrock. Streams, lakes and wetlands that drain such environments can drain groundwater, recharge groundwater, or do both. Groundwater resources in many countries are increasingly threatened by growing demand, wasteful use, and contamination. Surface water and shallow groundwater are particularly vulnerable to pollution, while deeper resources are more protected from contamination. Sr- and S-isotope data as well as major ions, from shallow and deep groundwater in three granite and Brioverian "schist" areas of the Armorican Massif (NW France) with intensive agriculture covering large parts are presented. The stable-isotope signatures of the waters plot close to the general meteoric-water line, reflecting a meteoric origin and the lack of significant evaporation or water-rock interaction. The water chemistry from the different catchments shows large variation in the major-element contents. Plotting Na, Mg, NO_3, K, SO_4 and Sr vs. Cl contents concentrations reflect agricultural input from hog and livestock farming and fertilizer applications, with local sewage-effluent influence, although some water samples are clearly unpolluted. The δ34S(SO_4) is controlled by several potential sources (atmospheric sulphate, pyrite-derived sulphates, fertilizer sulphates). Some δ18O and δ34S values are expected to increase through sulphate reduction, with higher effect on δ34S for the dissimilatory processes and on δ18O for assimilatory processes. The range in Sr contents in groundwater from different catchments agrees with previous work on groundwater sampled from granites in France. The Sr content is well correlated with Mg and both are related to agricultural practises. As in granite-gneiss watersheds in France, 87Sr/86Sr ratios range from 0.71265 to 0.72009. The relationship between 87Sr/86Sr and Mg

Tracing freshwater nitrate sources in pre-alpine groundwater catchments using environmental tracers

Science.gov (United States)

Stoewer, M. M.; Knöller, K.; Stumpp, C.

2015-05-01

Groundwater is one of the main resources for drinking water. Its quality is still threatened by the widespread contaminant nitrate (NO3-). In order to manage groundwater resources in a sustainable manner, we need to find options of lowering nitrate input. Particularly, a comprehensive knowledge of nitrate sources is required in areas which are important current and future drinking water reservoirs such as pre-alpine aquifers covered with permanent grassland. The objective of the present study was to identify major sources of nitrate in groundwater with low mean nitrate concentrations (8 ± 2 mg/L). To achieve the objective, we used environmental tracer approaches in four pre-alpine groundwater catchments. The stable isotope composition and tritium content of water were used to study the hydrogeology and transit times. Furthermore, nitrate stable isotope methods were applied to trace nitrogen from its sources to groundwater. The results of the nitrate isotope analysis showed that groundwater nitrate was derived from nitrification of a variety of ammonium sources such as atmospheric deposition, mineral and organic fertilizers and soil organic matter. A direct influence of mineral fertilizer, atmospheric deposition and sewage was excluded. Since temporal variation in stable isotopes of nitrate were detected only in surface water and locally at one groundwater monitoring well, aquifers appeared to be well mixed and influenced by a continuous nitrate input mainly from soil derived nitrogen. Hydrogeological analysis supported that the investigated aquifers were less vulnerable to rapid impacts due to long average transit times, ranging from 5 to 21 years. Our study revealed the importance of combining environmental tracer approaches and a comprehensive sampling campaign (local sources of nitrate, soil water, river water, and groundwater) to identify the nitrate sources in groundwater and its vulnerability. In future, the achieved results will help develop targeted

Sodium and chloride levels in rainfall, mist, streamwater and groundwater at the Plynlimon catchments, mid-Wales: inferences on hydrological and chemical controls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Neal

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Variations in sodium and chloride in atmospheric inputs (rainfall and mist, stream runoff and groundwater stores are documented for the upper Severn River (Afon Hafren and Afon Hore catchments, Plynlimon, mid-Wales. The results show five salient features. Sodium and chloride concentrations are highly variable and highly correlated in rainfall and mist. The sodium-chloride relationship in rainfall has a slope close to the sodium/chloride ratio in sea-water, and an intercept that is not significantly different from zero. This indicates that sea-salt is the dominant source of both sodium and chloride in rainfall, which would be expected given the maritime nature of the metrology. For mist, there is also a straight line with near-zero intercept, but with a slightly higher gradient than the sea-salt ratio, presumably due to small additional sodium inputs from other sources. There is an approximate input-output balance for both sodium and chloride, with the exception of one groundwater well, in which high chemical weathering results in an anomalous high Na/Cl ratio. Thus, atmospheric deposition is the dominant source of both sodium and chloride in groundwater and streamflow. The fluctuations in sodium and chloride concentrations in the streams and groundwaters are strongly damped compared to those in the rain and the mist, reflecting the storage and mixing of waters in the subsurface. On all timescales, from weeks to years, sodium fluctuations are more strongly damped than chloride fluctuations in streamflow. The additional damping of sodium is consistent with ion exchange buffering of sodium in the catchment soils.  Sodium and chloride concentrations are linearly correlated in the streams and groundwaters, but the slope is almost universally less than the sea-salt ratio and there is a non-zero intercept. The Na/Cl ratio in streamflow and groundwater is higher than the sea-salt ratio when salinity is low and lower than the sea-salt ratio when

Direct measurements of the tile drain and groundwater flow route contributions to surface water contamination: From field-scale concentration patterns in groundwater to catchment-scale surface water quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rozemeijer, J.C.; Velde, Y. van der; Geer, F.C. van; Bierkens, M.F.P.; Broers, H.P.

2010-01-01

Enhanced knowledge of water and solute pathways in catchments would improve the understanding of dynamics in water quality and would support the selection of appropriate water pollution mitigation options. For this study, we physically separated tile drain effluent and groundwater discharge from an agricultural field before it entered a 43.5-m ditch transect. Through continuous discharge measurements and weekly water quality sampling, we directly quantified the flow route contributions to surface water discharge and solute loading. Our multi-scale experimental approach allowed us to relate these measurements to field-scale NO 3 concentration patterns in shallow groundwater and to continuous NO 3 records at the catchment outlet. Our results show that the tile drains contributed 90-92% of the annual NO 3 and heavy metal loads. Considering their crucial role in water and solute transport, enhanced monitoring and modeling of tile drainage are important for adequate water quality management. - Direct measurements of flow route contributions to surface water contaminant loading reveal the crucial role of tile drainage for catchment-scale water and solute transport.

Importance of including small-scale tile drain discharge in the calibration of a coupled groundwater-surface water catchment model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anne Lausten; Refsgaard, Jens Christian; Christensen, Britt Stenhøj Baun

2013-01-01

the catchment. In this study, a coupled groundwater-surface water model based on the MIKE SHE code was developed for the 4.7 km2 Lillebæk catchment in Denmark, where tile drain flow is a major contributor to the stream discharge. The catchment model was calibrated in several steps by incrementally including...... the observation data into the calibration to see the effect on model performance of including diverse data types, especially tile drain discharge. For the Lillebæk catchment, measurements of hydraulic head, daily stream discharge, and daily tile drain discharge from five small (1–4 ha) drainage areas exist....... The results showed that including tile drain data in the calibration of the catchment model improved its general performance for hydraulic heads and stream discharges. However, the model failed to correctly describe the local-scale dynamics of the tile drain discharges, and, furthermore, including the drain...

Modelling pesticide transport in a shallow groundwater catchment using tritium and helium-3 data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Åkesson, Maria; Bendz, David; Carlsson, Christel; Sparrenbom, Charlotte J.; Kreuger, Jenny

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A catchment-scale groundwater model is calibrated against 3 H and 3 He data. • Transport of pesticides is modelled using site-specific sorption and degradation data. • Breakthrough of pesticides with low K d -values is successfully simulated. • Model constraints are an effect of a simplified system conceptualisation. - Abstract: Using tritium and helium-3 data for calibration, a 2-D transport model was set up to explain the occurrence of bentazone, dichlorprop, glyphosate, isoproturon, MCPA and metamitron in a small groundwater catchment in southern Sweden. The model was parameterised with site-specific degradation and sorption data to enable transport simulations. Local climatological data and a 21-year record of agricultural pesticide use within the study area were used as boundary conditions. Model output was evaluated against a 7-year long pesticide monitoring data-series from two monitoring wells within the study area. The model successfully predicts observed breakthrough of bentazone, dichlorprop, isoproturon and MCPA. However, it fails to simulate observed occurrences of glyphosate and metamitron. Glyphosate and metamitron exhibit relatively high sorption potential, and their occurrence is suggested to be the result of non-equilibrium preferential flow paths which the model cannot reproduce due the conceptualisation of the system as homogenous and isotropic. The results indicate a promising methodological approach applicable to groundwater contamination risk assessment, and demonstrate the potential for transport model calibration by means of tritium and helium-3 data. Main constraints of the study relate to the relatively simple system conceptualisation, indicating a need for further consideration of physical and chemical heterogeneity

Sodium and chloride levels in rainfall, mist. streamwater and groundwater at the Plynlimon catchments, mid-Wales: inferences on hydrological and chemical controls

Science.gov (United States)

Neal, C.; Kirchner, J. W.

Variations in sodium and chloride in atmospheric inputs (rainfall and mist), stream runoff and groundwater stores are documented for the upper Severn River (Afon Hafren and Afon Hore catchments), Plynlimon, mid-Wales. The results show five salient features. Sodium and chloride concentrations are highly variable and highly correlated in rainfall and mist. The sodium-chloride relationship in rainfall has a slope close to the sodium/chloride ratio in sea-water, and an intercept that is not significantly different from zero. This indicates that sea-salt is the dominant source of both sodium and chloride in rainfall, which would be expected given the maritime nature of the metrology. For mist, there is also a straight line with near-zero intercept, but with a slightly higher gradient than the sea-salt ratio, presumably due to small additional sodium inputs from other sources. There is an approximate input-output balance for both sodium and chloride, with the exception of one groundwater well, in which high chemical weathering results in an anomalous high Na/Cl ratio. Thus, atmospheric deposition is the dominant source of both sodium and chloride in groundwater and streamflow. The fluctuations in sodium and chloride concentrations in the streams and groundwaters are strongly damped compared to those in the rain and the mist, reflecting the storage and mixing of waters in the subsurface. On all timescales, from weeks to years, sodium fluctuations are more strongly damped than chloride fluctuations in streamflow. The additional damping of sodium is consistent with ion exchange buffering of sodium in the catchment soils. Sodium and chloride concentrations are linearly correlated in the streams and groundwaters, but the slope is almost universally less than the sea-salt ratio and there is a non-zero intercept. The Na/Cl ratio in streamflow and groundwater is higher than the sea-salt ratio when salinity is low and lower than the sea-salt ratio when salinity is high. This

Stochastic analysis to assess the spatial distribution of groundwater nitrate concentrations in the Po catchment (Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cinnirella, Sergio; Buttafuoco, Gabriele; Pirrone, Nicola

2005-01-01

A large database including temporal trends of physical, ecological and socio-economic data was developed within the EUROCAT project. The aim was to estimate the nutrient fluxes for different socio-economic scenarios at catchment and coastal zone level of the Po catchment (Northern Italy) with reference to the Water Quality Objectives reported in the Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/CE) and also in Italian legislation. Emission data derived from different sources at national, regional and local levels are referred to point and non-point sources. While non-point (diffuse) sources are simply integrated into the nutrient flux model, point sources are irregularly distributed. Intensive farming activity in the Po valley is one of the main Pressure factors Driving groundwater pollution in the catchment, therefore understanding the spatial variability of groundwater nitrate concentrations is a critical issue to be considered in developing a Water Quality Management Plan. In order to use the scattered point source data as input in our biogeochemical and transport models, it was necessary to predict their values and associated uncertainty at unsampled locations. This study reports the spatial distribution and uncertainty of groundwater nitrate concentration at a test site of the Po watershed using a probabilistic approach. Our approach was based on geostatistical sequential Gaussian simulation used to yield a series of stochastic images characterized by equally probable spatial distributions of the nitrate concentration across the area. Post-processing of many simulations allowed the mapping of contaminated and uncontaminated areas and provided a model for the uncertainty in the spatial distribution of nitrate concentrations. - The stochastic simulation should be preferred to kriging in environmental studies, whenever it is critical to preserve the variation of a variable

Hydrochemistry, origin and residence time of deep groundwater in the Yuseong area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koh, Yong Kwon; Kim, Geon Young; Bae, Dae Seok; Park, Kyung Woo

2005-01-01

As a part of the radioactive waste disposal research program in Korea, the geological, hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical investigations have been carried out in the Yuseong area (KAERI). The temperature or groundwater is measured up to 24 .deg. C and thermal gradient is obtained, to 0.26 .deg. C/100m. pH of groundwater at upper section shows about 7 and the pH of groundwater of 200m below surface reaches almost constant value as 9.9∼10.3. The redox potential of groundwater varied with depth and more negative values were recognized in deep groundwater. The redox potential of deep groundwater, main factor of U solubility, was measured up to -150 mV. These high pH and reduced conditions indicates that the maximum U concentration in groundwater would be limited by the equilibrium solubility of U minerals. The chemistry of shallow groundwater shows Ca-HCO 3 or Ca-Na-HCO 3 type, whereas the deep groundwater belongs to typical Na-HCO 3 type. The chemistry of groundwater below 250m from the surface is constant with depth, indicating that the extent of water-rock reaction is almost unique, which is controlled by the residence time of groundwater. The carbon isotope data (δ 13 C) of groundwater show the contribution of carbon from either that microbial oxidation of organic matter or carbon dioxide from plant respiration. The measurement and interpretation of C-14 indicate that the residence time of borehole deep groundwater ranges from about 2,000 to 6,000 yr BP. The high δ 34 S so4 value of groundwater indicate that the sulfate reduction might be occurred in the deep environment

Nitrogen attenuation along delivery pathways in agricultural catchments

Science.gov (United States)

McAleer, Eoin; Mellander, Per-Erik; Coxon, Catherine; Richards, Karl G.

2014-05-01

Hillslope hydrologic systems and in particular near-stream saturated zones are active sites of nitrogen (N) biogeochemical dynamics. The efficiency of N removal and the ratio of reaction products (nitrous oxide and dinitrogen) in groundwater is highly variable and depends upon aquifer hydrology, mineralogy, dissolved oxygen, energy sources and redox chemistry. There are large uncertainties in the closing of N budgets in agricultural catchments. Spatial and temporal variability in groundwater physico-chemistry, catchment hydrology and land-use gives rise to hotspots and hot moments of N attenuation. In addition the production, consumption and movement of denitrification products remains poorly understood. The focus of this study is to develop a holistic understanding of N dynamics in groundwater as it moves from the top of the hillslope to the stream. This includes saturated groundwater flow, exchange at the groundwater-surface water interface and hyporheic zone flow. This project is being undertaken in two ca. 10km2 Irish catchments, characterised by permeable soils. One catchment is dominated by arable land overlying slate bedrock and the other by grassland overlying sandstone. Multi-level monitoring wells have been installed at the upslope, midslope and bottom of each hillslope. The piezometers are screened to intercept the subsoil, weathered bedrock and competent bedrock zones. Groundwater samples for nitrate (NO3-N) nitrite (NO2-N), ammonium (NH4-N) and total nitrogen are collected on a monthly basis while dissolved gas concentrations are collected seasonally. Groundwater NO3-N profiles from monitoring data to date in both catchments differ markedly. Although the two catchments had similar 3 year mean concentrations of 6.89 mg/L (arable) and 6.24 mg/L (grassland), the grassland catchment had higher spatial and temporal variation. The arable catchment showed relatively homogenous NO3-N concentrations in all layers and zones (range: 1.2 - 12.13 mg/L, SD = 1.60 mg

Drivers of plant species composition in siliceous spring ecosystems: groundwater chemistry, catchment traits or spatial factors?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carl BEIERKUHNLEIN

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Spring water reflects the hydrochemistry of the aquifer in the associated catchments. On dense siliceous bedrock, the nearsurface groundwater flow is expected to be closely related to the biogeochemical processes of forest ecosystems, where the impact of land use is also low. We hypothesize that the plant species composition of springs mainly reflects hydrochemical conditions. Therefore, springs may serve as indicator systems for biogeochemical processes in complex forest ecosystems. To test this hypothesis, we investigate the influence of spring water chemical properties, catchment traits, and spatial position on plant species composition for 73 springs in forested catchments in central Germany, using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS, Mantel tests, and path analyses. Partial Mantel tests and path analyses reveal that vegetation is more greatly influenced by spring water chemistry than by catchment traits. Consequently, the catchment's influence on vegetation is effective in an indirect way, via spring water. When considering spatial aspects (in particular altitude in addition, the explanatory power of catchment traits for spring water properties is reduced almost to zero. As vegetation shows the highest correlation with the acidity gradient, we assume that altitude acts as a sum parameter that incorporates various acidifying processes in the catchment. These processes are particularly related to altitude – through bedrock, climatic parameters and forest vegetation. The species composition of undisturbed springs is very sensitive in reflecting such conditions and may serve as an integrative tool for detecting complex ecological processes.

Single event time series analysis in a binary karst catchment evaluated using a groundwater model (Lurbach system, Austria).

Science.gov (United States)

Mayaud, C; Wagner, T; Benischke, R; Birk, S

2014-04-16

The Lurbach karst system (Styria, Austria) is drained by two major springs and replenished by both autogenic recharge from the karst massif itself and a sinking stream that originates in low permeable schists (allogenic recharge). Detailed data from two events recorded during a tracer experiment in 2008 demonstrate that an overflow from one of the sub-catchments to the other is activated if the discharge of the main spring exceeds a certain threshold. Time series analysis (autocorrelation and cross-correlation) was applied to examine to what extent the various available methods support the identification of the transient inter-catchment flow observed in this binary karst system. As inter-catchment flow is found to be intermittent, the evaluation was focused on single events. In order to support the interpretation of the results from the time series analysis a simplified groundwater flow model was built using MODFLOW. The groundwater model is based on the current conceptual understanding of the karst system and represents a synthetic karst aquifer for which the same methods were applied. Using the wetting capability package of MODFLOW, the model simulated an overflow similar to what has been observed during the tracer experiment. Various intensities of allogenic recharge were employed to generate synthetic discharge data for the time series analysis. In addition, geometric and hydraulic properties of the karst system were varied in several model scenarios. This approach helps to identify effects of allogenic recharge and aquifer properties in the results from the time series analysis. Comparing the results from the time series analysis of the observed data with those of the synthetic data a good agreement was found. For instance, the cross-correlograms show similar patterns with respect to time lags and maximum cross-correlation coefficients if appropriate hydraulic parameters are assigned to the groundwater model. The comparable behaviors of the real and the

Assessing arsenic intake from groundwater and rice by residents in Prey Veng province, Cambodia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phan, Kongkea; Phan, Samrach; Heng, Savoeun; Huoy, Laingshun; Kim, Kyoung-Woong

2014-01-01

We investigated total daily intake of As by residents in Prey Veng province in the Mekong River basin of Cambodia. Groundwater (n = 11), rice (n = 11) and fingernail (n = 23) samples were randomly collected from the households and analyzed for total As by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Calculation indicated that daily dose of inorganic As was greater than the lower limits on the benchmark dose for a 0.5% increased incidence of lung cancer (BMDL 0.5 equals to 3.0 μg d −1 kg −1 body wt. ). Moreover, positive correlation between As in fingernail and daily dose of As from groundwater and rice and total daily dose of As were found. These results suggest that the Prey Veng residents are exposed to As in groundwater. As in rice is an additional source which is attributable to high As accumulation in human bodies in the Mekong River basin of Cambodia. -- Highlights: • We investigated total daily intake of As in Prey Veng province of Cambodia. • Residents in Prey Veng study area are at risk of As in groundwater. • As in rice is an additional source for high As accumulation in human bodies. -- Calculation of total daily intake indicated that Prey Veng residents are at risk of As in groundwater while As in rice is an additional source for high As accumulation in human bodies

The Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Resources and Groundwater Quality in the Patcham Catchment, England.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, R. J.; Smith, M.; Pope, D. J.; Gumm, L.

2012-04-01

The CLIMAWAT project is an EU-Regional Development Fund Interreg IV funded research programme to study the impacts of climate change on groundwater resources and groundwater quality from the Chalk aquifer of SE England. The use of partially treated wastewater for artificial recharge will also be extensively studied in both the field and laboratory. The Chalk is a major aquifer and regionally supplies 70% of potable water supplies. The long term sustainable use of this resource is of paramount importance and the outcomes of this project will better inform and enhance long term management strategies for this. Project partners include water companies, regulatory bodies and industry consultancies. The four main objectives of the CLIMAWAT project are: i) better improve the prediction of the impact of climate change on this groundwater resource; ii) better understand and quantify how recharge mechanisms will vary due to the uncertainty associated with climate change; iii) better understand the storage mechanisms and fate of contaminants (e.g. nitrates and pesticides) in this aquifer and iv) investigate the impact of using partially treated wastewater for artificial recharge. An extensive field monitoring and data collection programme is underway in the Patcham Catchment (SE of England). Simultaneous monitoring of climatic, unsaturated zone potentiometric, groundwater level and chemistry data will allow for a better understanding of how changes in recharge patterns will effect groundwater quality and quantity. Isoptopic analysis of sampled groundwaters has allowed for interpretations and a better understanding of the storage and movement of water through this aquifer. The laboratory experimental programme is also underway and the results from this will compliment the field based studies to further enhance the understanding of contaminant behaviour in the both unsaturated and saturated zones. Core experiments are being used to investigate how nutrient and other

Steady And Unsteady Lumped-Parameter Models For Determination of Groundwater Residence Time Distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oezyurt, N.N.

2002-01-01

Groundwater's residence time distribution is an important information to identify the transport mechanism in aquifer systems. In the absence or scarcity of geometric, hydraulic and geohydrologic data needed to describe a flow system, lumped parameter models, that handle the flow system as a whole, exist as an alternative to determine the residence time distribution. Lumped parametre models comprise of idealized models of piston and well-mixed flow and their combinations. Aquifer properties such as, dead volume and by-pass flow can also be included in these models. With the aid of these models, conceptual aquifer models can be tested and residence time distribution of groundwater can be determined

Direct measurements of the tile drain and groundwater flow route contributions to surface water contamination: from field-scale concentration patterns in groundwater to catchment-scale surface water quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rozemeijer, J.C.; Velde, van der Y.; Geer, van F.C.; Broers, H.P.; Bierkens, M.F.P.

2010-01-01

Enhanced knowledge of water and solute pathways in catchments would improve the understanding of dynamics in water quality and would support the selection of appropriate water pollution mitigation options. For this study, we physically separated tile drain effluent and groundwater discharge from an

Direct measurements of the tile drain and groundwater flow route contributions to surface water contamination: From field-scale concentration patterns in groundwater to catchment-scale surface water quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rozemeijer, J.C.; Velde, Y. van der; Geer, F.C. van; Bierkens, M.F.P.; Broers, H.P.

2010-01-01

Enhanced knowledge of water and solute pathways in catchments would improve the understanding of dynamics in water quality and would support the selection of appropriate water pollution mitigation options. For this study, we physically separated tile drain effluent and groundwater discharge from an

Comparison of groundwater residence time using isotope techniques and numerical groundwater flow model in Gneissic Terrain, Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, D.S.; Kim, C.S.; Koh, Y.K.; Kim, K.S.; Song, M.Y.

1997-01-01

The prediction of groundwater flow affecting the migration of radionuclides is an important component of the performance assessment of radioactive waste disposal. Groundwater flow in fractured rock mass is controlled by fracture networks, transmissivity and hydraulic gradient. Furthermore the scale-dependent and anisotropic properties of hydraulic parameters are resulted mainly from irregular patterns of fracture system, which are very complex to evaluate properly with the current techniques available. For the purpose of characterizing a groundwater flow in fractured rock mass, the discrete fracture network (DFN) concept is available on the basis of assumptions of groundwater flowing only along fractures and flowpaths in rock mass formed by interconnected fractures. To increase the reliability of assessment in groundwater flow phenomena, numerical groundwater flow model and isotopic techniques were applied. Fracture mapping, borehole acoustic scanning were performed to identify conductive fractures in gneissic terrane. Tracer techniques, using deuterium, oxygen-18 and tritium were applied to evaluate the recharge area and groundwater residence time

Aquifers Characterization and Productivity in Ellala Catchment ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Aquifers Characterization and Productivity in Ellala Catchment, Tigray, ... using geological and hydrogeological methods in Ellala catchment (296.5km. 2. ) ... Current estimates put the available groundwater ... Aquifer characterization takes into.

Integrating petrography, mineralogy and hydrochemistry to constrain the influence and distribution of groundwater contributions to baseflow in poorly productive aquifers: insights from Gortinlieve catchment, Co. Donegal, NW Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

Caulfield, John; Chelliah, Merlyn; Comte, Jean-Christophe; Cassidy, Rachel; Flynn, Raymond

2014-12-01

Identifying groundwater contributions to baseflow forms an essential part of surface water body characterisation. The Gortinlieve catchment (5 km(2)) comprises a headwater stream network of the Carrigans River, itself a tributary of the River Foyle, NW Ireland. The bedrock comprises poorly productive metasediments that are characterised by fracture porosity. We present the findings of a multi-disciplinary study that integrates new hydrochemical and mineralogical investigations with existing hydraulic, geophysical and structural data to identify the scales of groundwater flow and the nature of groundwater/bedrock interaction (chemical denudation). At the catchment scale, the development of deep weathering profiles is controlled by NE-SW regional scale fracture zones associated with mountain building during the Grampian orogeny. In-situ chemical denudation of mineral phases is controlled by micro- to meso-scale fractures related to Alpine compression during Palaeocene to Oligocene times. The alteration of primary muscovite, chlorite (clinochlore) and albite along the surfaces of these small-scale fractures has resulted in the precipitation of illite, montmorillonite and illite-montmorillonite clay admixtures. The interconnected but discontinuous nature of these small-scale structures highlights the role of larger scale faults and fissures in the supply and transportation of weathering solutions to/from the sites of mineral weathering. The dissolution of primarily mineral phases releases the major ions Mg, Ca and HCO3 that are shown to subsequently form the chemical makeup of groundwaters. Borehole groundwater and stream baseflow hydrochemical data are used to constrain the depths of groundwater flow pathways influencing the chemistry of surface waters throughout the stream profile. The results show that it is predominantly the lower part of the catchment, which receives inputs from catchment/regional scale groundwater flow, that is found to contribute to the

Organizing groundwater regimes and response thresholds by soils: A framework for understanding runoff generation in a headwater catchment

Science.gov (United States)

John P. Gannon; Scott W. Bailey; Kevin J. McGuire

2014-01-01

A network of shallow groundwater wells in a headwater catchment at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, U.S. was used to investigate the hydrologic behavior of five distinct soil morphological units. The soil morphological units were hypothesized to be indicative of distinct water table regimes. Water table fluctuations in the wells were...

Groundwater impacts on surface water quality and nutrient loads in lowland polder catchments: monitoring the greater Amsterdam area

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Liang; Rozemeijer, Joachim; van Breukelen, Boris M.; Ouboter, Maarten; van der Vlugt, Corné; Broers, Hans Peter

2018-01-01

The Amsterdam area, a highly manipulated delta area formed by polders and reclaimed lakes, struggles with high nutrient levels in its surface water system. The polders receive spatially and temporally variable amounts of water and nutrients via surface runoff, groundwater seepage, sewer leakage, and via water inlets from upstream polders. Diffuse anthropogenic sources, such as manure and fertiliser use and atmospheric deposition, add to the water quality problems in the polders. The major nutrient sources and pathways have not yet been clarified due to the complex hydrological system in lowland catchments with both urban and agricultural areas. In this study, the spatial variability of the groundwater seepage impact was identified by exploiting the dense groundwater and surface water monitoring networks in Amsterdam and its surrounding polders. A total of 25 variables (concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), NH4, NO3, HCO3, SO4, Ca, and Cl in surface water and groundwater, N and P agricultural inputs, seepage rate, elevation, land-use, and soil type) for 144 polders were analysed statistically and interpreted in relation to sources, transport mechanisms, and pathways. The results imply that groundwater is a large source of nutrients in the greater Amsterdam mixed urban-agricultural catchments. The groundwater nutrient concentrations exceeded the surface water environmental quality standards (EQSs) in 93 % of the polders for TP and in 91 % for TN. Groundwater outflow into the polders thus adds to nutrient levels in the surface water. High correlations (R2 up to 0.88) between solutes in groundwater and surface water, together with the close similarities in their spatial patterns, confirmed the large impact of groundwater on surface water chemistry, especially in the polders that have high seepage rates. Our analysis indicates that the elevated nutrient and bicarbonate concentrations in the groundwater seepage originate from the decomposition of

Shallow groundwater resources and future climate change impacts: a comparison of the Ovens and Namoi catchments, Eastern Australia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, T.J., E-mail: tjsmith@skm.com.au [Sinclair Knight Merz, Malvern, Victoria (Australia); Mudd, G.M., E-mail: gavin.mudd@monash.edu [Monash University, Clayton, Victoria (Australia). Dept. of Civil Engineering

2010-07-01

The Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) river system is a critical province and water resource for Eastern Australia. Over the past decade the MDB has been subject to a protracted and severe drought, as well undergoing major institutional, social and economic reforms. A lesser understood area of MDB water resource issues is the status of groundwater, especially with respect to trends in groundwater resources, groundwater-surface water issues and the longer term susceptibility of groundwater to climate variability and climate change. Following the cap on MDB surface water allocations in 1994, a major expansion of groundwater use was observed across many parts of the MDB, which has probably been further exacerbated by the current drought leading to lower groundwater recharge. This paper presents an overview of the current status of Murray-Darling Basin groundwater resource use and management, contrasts two case study sites in the Ovens and Namoi catchments of Victoria and New South Wales respectively, assesses the potential risks that climate variability and climate change present, and finally considers some long term solutions to ensure that the MDB continues on its transition to a more sustainable future.

Groundwater impacts on surface water quality and nutrient loads in lowland polder catchments: monitoring the greater Amsterdam area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Yu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The Amsterdam area, a highly manipulated delta area formed by polders and reclaimed lakes, struggles with high nutrient levels in its surface water system. The polders receive spatially and temporally variable amounts of water and nutrients via surface runoff, groundwater seepage, sewer leakage, and via water inlets from upstream polders. Diffuse anthropogenic sources, such as manure and fertiliser use and atmospheric deposition, add to the water quality problems in the polders. The major nutrient sources and pathways have not yet been clarified due to the complex hydrological system in lowland catchments with both urban and agricultural areas. In this study, the spatial variability of the groundwater seepage impact was identified by exploiting the dense groundwater and surface water monitoring networks in Amsterdam and its surrounding polders. A total of 25 variables (concentrations of total nitrogen (TN, total phosphorus (TP, NH4, NO3, HCO3, SO4, Ca, and Cl in surface water and groundwater, N and P agricultural inputs, seepage rate, elevation, land-use, and soil type for 144 polders were analysed statistically and interpreted in relation to sources, transport mechanisms, and pathways. The results imply that groundwater is a large source of nutrients in the greater Amsterdam mixed urban–agricultural catchments. The groundwater nutrient concentrations exceeded the surface water environmental quality standards (EQSs in 93 % of the polders for TP and in 91 % for TN. Groundwater outflow into the polders thus adds to nutrient levels in the surface water. High correlations (R2 up to 0.88 between solutes in groundwater and surface water, together with the close similarities in their spatial patterns, confirmed the large impact of groundwater on surface water chemistry, especially in the polders that have high seepage rates. Our analysis indicates that the elevated nutrient and bicarbonate concentrations in the groundwater seepage originate

Groundwater Contributions to Intermittent Streamflow in a Headwater Catchment: How do Geoclimatic Controls Influence Downstream Water Quality?

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Smull, E. M.; Gooseff, M. N.; Singha, K.

2014-12-01

Hydrologic connectivity of headwater catchments affects surface water yield and quality of downstream drinking water supplies. Lower Gordon Gulch, a 2.75 km2 catchment, is part of the Boulder Creek watershed - the primary drinking water supply for the city of Boulder, Colorado. We hypothesize that the geologic and climatic environment within the catchment controls the magnitude, timing, and duration of hydrologic connection between the landscape and the stream, and thus the distribution of major ions to the surface water. Specifically, bedrock patterns, vegetation type and density, and snowpack dynamics influence how precipitation inputs move from the hillslopes to the catchment outlet. Preliminary results suggest that north-facing hillslopes with steeper slopes, deeper weathering of bedrock, denser vegetation stands, and a seasonal snowpack, provide consistently greater groundwater inputs to the stream compared to the south-facing hillslopes. We believe that this is in part due to subsurface bedrock patterns forcing a dominate cross-valley gradient. Through an extensive observation network of hillslope wells, periodic stream water balance measurements, and synoptic chemistry samples, we plan to continue our assessment of the spatio-temporal connectivity dynamics throughout the seasonal dry down (late summer through winter), during which streamflow can be intermittent. Results will help to guide landuse practices of upland catchments with respect to their role in Boulder's drinking water supply.

Recharge processes and vertical transfer investigated through long-term monitoring of dissolved gases in shallow groundwater

Science.gov (United States)

de Montety, V.; Aquilina, L.; Labasque, T.; Chatton, E.; Fovet, O.; Ruiz, L.; Fourré, E.; de Dreuzy, J. R.

2018-05-01

We investigated temporal variations and vertical evolution of dissolved gaseous tracers (CFC-11, CFC-12, SF6, and noble gases), as well as 3H/3He ratio to determine groundwater recharge processes of a shallow unconfined, hard-rock aquifer in an agricultural catchment. We sampled dissolved gas concentration at 4 locations along the hillslope of a small experimental watershed, over 6 hydrological years, between 2 and 6 times per years, for a total of 20 field campaigns. We collected groundwater samples in the fluctuation zone and the permanently saturated zone using piezometers from 5 to 20 m deep. The purpose of this work is i) to assess the benefits of using gaseous tracers like CFCs and SF6 to study very young groundwater with flows suspected to be heterogeneous and variable in time, ii) to characterize the processes that control dissolved gas concentrations in groundwater during the recharge of the aquifer, and iii) to understand the evolution of recharge flow processes by repeated measurement campaigns, taking advantage of a long monitoring in a site devoted to recharge processes investigation. Gas tracer profiles are compared at different location of the catchment and for different hydrologic conditions. In addition, we compare results from CFCs and 3H/3He analysis to define the flow model that best explains tracer concentrations. Then we discuss the influence of recharge events on tracer concentrations and residence time and propose a temporal evolution of residence times for the unsaturated zone and the permanently saturated zone. These results are used to gain a better understanding of the conceptual model of the catchment and flow processes especially during recharge events.

Quantifying shallow and deep groundwater inputs to rivers with groundwater dating in hydrological observatories.

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Aquilina, Luc; Marçais, Jean; Gauvain, Alexandre; Kolbe, Tamara; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald; Labasque, Thierry; Abbott, Benjamin W.; Vergnaud, Virginie; Chatton, Eliot; Thomas, Zahra; Ruiz, Laurent; Bour, Olivier; Pinay, Gilles

2017-04-01

River water derives in part from groundwater—water that has spent some time in the subsurface (e.g. soil, unsaturated zone, saturated zone). However, because groundwater residence times vary from months to millennia, determining the proportion of shallow and deep groundwater contribution can be challenging. Groundwater dating with anthropogenic gases and natural geochemical tracers can decipher the origin of groundwater contribution to rivers, particularly when repeat samplings are carried out in different hydrological conditions. Here, we present two different applications of this approach from three hydrological observatories (H+ hydrogeological network; Aghrys and Armorique observatories) in western France, all these observatories belonging to the OZCAR national network. We carried out a regional investigation of mean groundwater ages in hard rock aquifers in Brittany, using long-term chronicles from hydrological observatories and regional monitoring sites. We determined the mean residence-time (RT) and annual renewal rate (RR) of four compartments of these aquifers: the direct contribution of a very young water component (i.e. RT less than 1-2 yr), the upper variably saturated zone (RR 27-33%), the weathered layer (RR 1.8-2.1%) and the fractured zone (RR 0.1%). From these values and a nitrate chronicle, we were able to determine the respective contributions of each compartment to the largest river in Brittany, the Vilaine, which drains 30% of the region. We found that the deep fractured compartment with very slow renewal times contributed to 25-45% of river water in winter and 30-60% in summer. The very young water which includes direct precipitation and soil fluxes constituted 40-65% of the winter river water (Aquilina et al., 2012). To complement these estimates, we investigated the relationship between dissolved silica and groundwater age in the Armorique hydrological observatory in northern Brittany. We computed the silica concentration expected along the

Fingerprinting groundwater pollution in catchments with contrasting contaminant sources using microorganic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuart, Marianne E; Lapworth, Dan J; Thomas, Jenny; Edwards, Laura

2014-01-15

Evaluating the occurrence of microorganics helps to understand sources and processes which may be controlling the transport and fate of emerging contaminants (ECs). A study was carried out at the contrasting instrumented environmental observatory sites at Oxford, on the peri-urban floodplain gravel aquifer of the River Thames and Boxford, in the rural valley of the River Lambourn on the chalk aquifer, in Southern England to explore the use of ECs to fingerprint contaminant sources and flow pathways in groundwater. At Oxford compounds were typical of a local waste tip plume (not only plasticisers and solvents but also barbiturates and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET)) and of the urban area (plasticisers and mood-enhancing drugs such as carbamazepine). At Boxford the results were different with widespread occurrence of agricultural pesticides, their metabolites and the solvent trichloroethene, as well as plasticisers, caffeine, butylated food additives, DEET, parabens and trace polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Groups of compounds used in pharmaceuticals and personal care products of different provenance in the environment could be distinguished, i) historical household and medical waste, ii) long-term household usage persistent in groundwater and iii) current usage and contamination from surface water. Co-contaminant and degradation products can also indicate the likely source of contaminants. A cocktail of contaminants can be used as tracers to provide information on catchment pathways and groundwater/surface water interactions. A prominent feature in this study is the attenuation of many EC compounds in the hyporheic zone. © 2013.

Strontium isotope geochemistry of alluvial groundwater: a tracer for groundwater resources characterisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Négrel

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This study presents strontium isotope and major ion data of shallow groundwater and river water from the Ile du Chambon catchment, located on the Allier river in the Massif Central (France. There are large variations in the major-element contents in the surface- and groundwater. Plotting of Na vs. Cl contents and Ca, Mg, NO3, K, SO4, HCO3, Sr concentrations reflect water–rock interaction (carbonate dissolution for Ca, Mg, HCO3 and Sr because the bedrock contains marly limestones, agricultural input (farming and fertilising and sewage effluents (for NO3, K, SO4, although some water samples are unpolluted. Sr contents and isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr vary from 0.70892 to 0.71180 along the hydrological cycle in the groundwater agree with previous work on groundwater in alluvial aquifers in the Loire catchment. The data plot along three directions in a 87Sr/86Sr v. 1/Sr diagram as a result of mixing, involving at least three geochemical signatures–Allier river water, and two distinct signatures that might be related to different water-rock interactions in the catchment. Mixing proportions are calculated and discussed. The alluvial aquifer of the Ile du Chambon catchment is considered, within the Sr isotope systematic, in a larger scheme that includes several alluvial aquifers of the Loire Allier catchment. Keywords: : Loire river, major and trace elements, Sr isotopic ratio, alluvial aquifer, hydrology

Groundwater Estimation Using Remote Sensing Data on a Catchment Scale in New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Westerhoff, R.; Mu, Q.

2014-12-01

Long-term time series of satellite evapotranspiration (ET) were trialled for their additional value in aquifer characterisation on the catchment scale in New Zealand. In a simple chain-of-events approach yearly natural groundwater recharge was calculated with a 1x1km resolution. The chain consisted of (1) rainfall; (2) runoff due to slope; (3) actual ET; (4) soil permeability and water holding capacity; and (5) hydraulic conductivity of the deeper geology. As ET is a large part of the water balance (in New Zealand on average appr. 50% of rainfall), high resolution and high quality ET data is important for estimating groundwater recharge. Most global satellite data already embed a pseudo-model with coarse, global, input data. An example is ET data from the MODIS MOD16 product: although the spatial footprint of the satellite data is 1x1 km, input data to calculate ET contains global meteorology data. These data do not capture the extreme diversity in the New Zealand climate, where yearly rainfall and ET can change considerably over small distances. However, enough national ground-observed data are available to improve the MOD16 data. We improved monthly MOD16 ET by using the satellite data pattern as an interpolator between approximately 80 ground stations. Simple least squares fitting gave the best result. The added value of satellite data is obvious: the corrected MOD16 ET data have much higher spatial resolution and vegetation cover and growth is taken into account better.We then used national data to estimate 1x1km natural groundwater recharge: the corrected MOD16 PET and AET, in-situ based precipitation models; soil maps; geology maps; and (satellite-based) elevation. Validation with lysimeters and existing sub-catchment model output data looks promising, and further improvement with satellite soil moisture to estimate monthly recharge is underway. This work was done in the SMART Aquifer Characterisation (SAC) programme, a six-year research project funded by the

Catchment-scale groundwater recharge and vegetation water use efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Troch, P. A. A.; Dwivedi, R.; Liu, T.; Meira, A.; Roy, T.; Valdés-Pineda, R.; Durcik, M.; Arciniega, S.; Brena-Naranjo, J. A.

2017-12-01

Precipitation undergoes a two-step partitioning when it falls on the land surface. At the land surface and in the shallow subsurface, rainfall or snowmelt can either runoff as infiltration/saturation excess or quick subsurface flow. The rest will be stored temporarily in the root zone. From the root zone, water can leave the catchment as evapotranspiration or percolate further and recharge deep storage (e.g. fractured bedrock aquifer). Quantifying the average amount of water that recharges deep storage and sustains low flows is extremely challenging, as we lack reliable methods to quantify this flux at the catchment scale. It was recently shown, however, that for semi-arid catchments in Mexico, an index of vegetation water use efficiency, i.e. the Horton index (HI), could predict deep storage dynamics. Here we test this finding using 247 MOPEX catchments across the conterminous US, including energy-limited catchments. Our results show that the observed HI is indeed a reliable predictor of deep storage dynamics in space and time. We further investigate whether the HI can also predict average recharge rates across the conterminous US. We find that the HI can reliably predict the average recharge rate, estimated from the 50th percentile flow of the flow duration curve. Our results compare favorably with estimates of average recharge rates from the US Geological Survey. Previous research has shown that HI can be reliably estimated based on aridity index, mean slope and mean elevation of a catchment (Voepel et al., 2011). We recalibrated Voepel's model and used it to predict the HI for our 247 catchments. We then used these predicted values of the HI to estimate average recharge rates for our catchments, and compared them with those estimated from observed HI. We find that the accuracies of our predictions based on observed and predicted HI are similar. This provides an estimation method of catchment-scale average recharge rates based on easily derived catchment

Using lumped modelling for providing simple metrics and associated uncertainties of catchment response to agricultural-derived nitrates pollutions

Science.gov (United States)

RUIZ, L.; Fovet, O.; Faucheux, M.; Molenat, J.; Sekhar, M.; Aquilina, L.; Gascuel-odoux, C.

2013-12-01

The development of simple and easily accessible metrics is required for characterizing and comparing catchment response to external forcings (climate or anthropogenic) and for managing water resources. The hydrological and geochemical signatures in the stream represent the integration of the various processes controlling this response. The complexity of these signatures over several time scales from sub-daily to several decades [Kirchner et al., 2001] makes their deconvolution very difficult. A large range of modeling approaches intent to represent this complexity by accounting for the spatial and/or temporal variability of the processes involved. However, simple metrics are not easily retrieved from these approaches, mostly because of over-parametrization issues. We hypothesize that to obtain relevant metrics, we need to use models that are able to simulate the observed variability of river signatures at different time scales, while being as parsimonious as possible. The lumped model ETNA (modified from[Ruiz et al., 2002]) is able to simulate adequately the seasonal and inter-annual patterns of stream NO3 concentration. Shallow groundwater is represented by two linear stores with double porosity and riparian processes are represented by a constant nitrogen removal function. Our objective was to identify simple metrics of catchment response by calibrating this lumped model on two paired agricultural catchments where both N inputs and outputs were monitored for a period of 20 years. These catchments, belonging to ORE AgrHys, although underlain by the same granitic bedrock are displaying contrasted chemical signatures. The model was able to simulate the two contrasted observed patterns in stream and groundwater, both on hydrology and chemistry, and at the seasonal and pluri-annual scales. It was also compatible with the expected trends of nitrate concentration since 1960. The output variables of the model were used to compute the nitrate residence time in both the

Improving catchment discharge predictions by inferring flow route contributions from a nested-scale monitoring and model setup

Science.gov (United States)

van der Velde, Y.; Rozemeijer, J. C.; de Rooij, G. H.; van Geer, F. C.; Torfs, P. J. J. F.; de Louw, P. G. B.

2011-03-01

Identifying effective measures to reduce nutrient loads of headwaters in lowland catchments requires a thorough understanding of flow routes of water and nutrients. In this paper we assess the value of nested-scale discharge and groundwater level measurements for the estimation of flow route volumes and for predictions of catchment discharge. In order to relate field-site measurements to the catchment-scale an upscaling approach is introduced that assumes that scale differences in flow route fluxes originate from differences in the relationship between groundwater storage and the spatial structure of the groundwater table. This relationship is characterized by the Groundwater Depth Distribution (GDD) curve that relates spatial variation in groundwater depths to the average groundwater depth. The GDD-curve was measured for a single field site (0.009 km2) and simple process descriptions were applied to relate groundwater levels to flow route discharges. This parsimonious model could accurately describe observed storage, tube drain discharge, overland flow and groundwater flow simultaneously with Nash-Sutcliff coefficients exceeding 0.8. A probabilistic Monte Carlo approach was applied to upscale field-site measurements to catchment scales by inferring scale-specific GDD-curves from the hydrographs of two nested catchments (0.4 and 6.5 km2). The estimated contribution of tube drain effluent (a dominant source for nitrates) decreased with increasing scale from 76-79% at the field-site to 34-61% and 25-50% for both catchment scales. These results were validated by demonstrating that a model conditioned on nested-scale measurements improves simulations of nitrate loads and predictions of extreme discharges during validation periods compared to a model that was conditioned on catchment discharge only.

What Can Catchment Transit Time Distributions Tell Us About Runoff Mechanisms? Exploring "Age Equifinality" with an Integrated Surface-Groundwater Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilusz, D. C.; Harman, C. J.; Ball, W. P.; Maxwell, R. M.; Buda, A. R.

2017-12-01

The backward transit-time distribution (bTTD) is the time-varying, probabilistic distribution of water travel times or, equivalently, water ages in catchment outflow. The bTTD is increasingly seen as a master variable of catchment hydrology that links flow and transport processes, in part because it is believed to embed information about runoff generation mechanisms (RGMs) that are difficult to directly observe. The ability to use water age to make inferences about RGMs depends on the degree of "age equifinality" in a watershed, defined here as the phenomenon where significant volumes of similarly-aged water are delivered to the outlet by different RGMs at the same time. When age equifinality is low (e.g., all discharge is old groundwater), the mapping of water age to the RGM may be simple; when age equifinality is high (e.g., discharge is a mix of old groundwater and old interflow), this mapping may be impossible. In this study we conduct experiments in a virtual watershed to (1) understand the hydrologic conditions that lead to age equifinality, (2) identify relationships between water age and RGMs that are particularly obscured/unobscured by age equifinality, and (3) test the generalizability of these relationships in other watersheds. Our experiments used the fully-distributed surface-groundwater model ParFlow, which simulates a suite of RGMs, plus SLIM-FAST particle tracking. To improve realism, the watershed model was parameterized and forced using extensive field data from the USDA's Mahantango Creek experimental catchment in PA, USA. The model output is being interrogated to understand the time-varying relationships between the composition of RGMs and the bTTD at the outlet. We are also testing the robustness of these relationships by re-running our model with controlled differences in climate, topography, and scale. Initial results suggest high age equifinality at peak flows due to overlapping young water contributions from infiltration- and saturation

STakeholder-Objective Risk Model (STORM): Determiningthe aggregated risk of multiple contaminant hazards in groundwater well catchments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enzenhoefer, R.; Binning, Philip John; Nowak, W.

2015-01-01

Risk is often defined as the product of probability, vulnerability and value. Drinking water supply from groundwater abstraction is often at risk due to multiple hazardous land use activities in the well catchment. Each hazard might or might not introduce contaminants into the subsurface at any......-pathway-receptor concept, mass-discharge-based aggregation of stochastically occuring spill events, accounts for uncertainties in the involved flow and transport models through Monte Carlo simulation, and can address different stakeholder objectives. We illustrate the application of STORM in a numerical test case inspired...

Deliverable 4.2-2: Stressor propagation through surface-groundwater linkages and its effect on aquatic systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaandorp, Vince; de Louw, Perry; Bloomfield, John

2017-01-01

The good ecological status of Europe’s freshwaters is still lacking. This paper reviews the role of groundwater in these systems and demonstrates that it is an important factor to include in surface water management. Groundwater influences streamflow, water chemistry and water temperature...... and connects rivers and streams with their catchment and thus functions as a pathway for stressors to reach the surface water. A new ‘Groundwater DPS’ framework is proposed which shows how groundwater fits in the system of a stressed aquatic ecosystem. The functioning of this framework is demonstrated using...... examples from four different European lowland catchments: the Thames, Odense, Regge and Dinkel catchments. The importance of groundwater varies between scales, between catchments and within catchments. The Groundwater DPS will aid water managers in understanding the importance of groundwater...

Residence times and mixing of water in river banks: implications for recharge and groundwater - surface water exchange

Science.gov (United States)

Unland, N. P.; Cartwright, I.; Cendón, D. I.; Chisari, R.

2014-02-01

The residence time of groundwater within 50 m of the Tambo River, South East Australia, has been estimated through the combined use of 3H and 14C. Groundwater residence times increase towards the Tambo River which implies a gaining river system and not increasing bank storage with proximity to the Tambo River. Major ion concentrations and δ2H and δ18O values of bank water also indicate that bank infiltration does not significantly impact groundwater chemistry under baseflow and post-flood conditions, suggesting that the gaining nature of the river may be driving the return of bank storage water back into the Tambo River within days of peak flood conditions. The covariance between 3H and 14C indicates the leakage and mixing between old (~17 200 yr) groundwater from a semi-confined aquifer and younger groundwater (bank storage, as rapid pressure propagation into the semi-confined aquifer during flooding will minimise bank infiltration. This study illustrates the complex nature of river groundwater interactions and the potential downfall in assuming simple or idealised conditions when conducting hydrogeological studies.

Improving catchment discharge predictions by inferring flow route contributions from a nested-scale monitoring and model setup

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. van der Velde

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Identifying effective measures to reduce nutrient loads of headwaters in lowland catchments requires a thorough understanding of flow routes of water and nutrients. In this paper we assess the value of nested-scale discharge and groundwater level measurements for the estimation of flow route volumes and for predictions of catchment discharge. In order to relate field-site measurements to the catchment-scale an upscaling approach is introduced that assumes that scale differences in flow route fluxes originate from differences in the relationship between groundwater storage and the spatial structure of the groundwater table. This relationship is characterized by the Groundwater Depth Distribution (GDD curve that relates spatial variation in groundwater depths to the average groundwater depth. The GDD-curve was measured for a single field site (0.009 km² and simple process descriptions were applied to relate groundwater levels to flow route discharges. This parsimonious model could accurately describe observed storage, tube drain discharge, overland flow and groundwater flow simultaneously with Nash-Sutcliff coefficients exceeding 0.8. A probabilistic Monte Carlo approach was applied to upscale field-site measurements to catchment scales by inferring scale-specific GDD-curves from the hydrographs of two nested catchments (0.4 and 6.5 km². The estimated contribution of tube drain effluent (a dominant source for nitrates decreased with increasing scale from 76–79% at the field-site to 34–61% and 25–50% for both catchment scales. These results were validated by demonstrating that a model conditioned on nested-scale measurements improves simulations of nitrate loads and predictions of extreme discharges during validation periods compared to a model that was conditioned on catchment discharge only.

Isotopic and geochemical tracers in the evaluation of groundwater residence time and salinization problems at Santiago Island, Cape Verde

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carreira, Paula M.; Nunes, Dina; Marques, Jose M.; Monteiro Santos, Fernando A.; Goncalves, Rui; Pina, Antonio; Mota Gomes, Antonio

2013-01-01

Stable isotopes (δ 18 O, δ 2 H) and tritium ( 3 H), together with geochemistry and geophysical data, were used for evaluating groundwater recharge sources, flow paths, and residence times in a watershed on Santiago Island, Cape Verde, West Africa. Stable isotopes indicate the predominance of high-elevation precipitation that undergoes little evaporation prior to groundwater recharge. Low tritium concentrations at seven sampling sites indicate groundwater residence times greater than 50 years. Higher tritium values at other locations suggest more recent recharge. Young ages indicate local recharge and potential groundwater vulnerability to surface contamination and/or salt-water intrusion. Geochemical results indicate that water-rock interaction mechanisms are the major processes responsible for the groundwater quality (mainly calcium-bicarbonate type), reflecting the lithological composition of subsurface soil. (authors)

Isotopic and geochemical tracers in the evaluation of groundwater residence time and salinization problems at Santiago Island, Cape Verde

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carreira, Paula M.; Nunes, Dina [Quimica Analitica e Ambiental, IST/ITN, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional no. 10, 2686-953 Sacavem (Portugal); Marques, Jose M. [Centro de Petrologia e Geoquimica. Instituto Superior Tecnico, UTL, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Monteiro Santos, Fernando A. [Universidade de Lisboa-IDL, 1749-016 Lisboa (Portugal); Goncalves, Rui [Inst. Politecnico de Tomar, Quinta do Contador, Estrada da Serra, 2300 Tomar (Portugal); Pina, Antonio; Mota Gomes, Antonio [Instituto Superior de Educacao, Praia, Santiago (Cape Verde)

2013-07-01

Stable isotopes (δ{sup 18}O, δ{sup 2}H) and tritium ({sup 3}H), together with geochemistry and geophysical data, were used for evaluating groundwater recharge sources, flow paths, and residence times in a watershed on Santiago Island, Cape Verde, West Africa. Stable isotopes indicate the predominance of high-elevation precipitation that undergoes little evaporation prior to groundwater recharge. Low tritium concentrations at seven sampling sites indicate groundwater residence times greater than 50 years. Higher tritium values at other locations suggest more recent recharge. Young ages indicate local recharge and potential groundwater vulnerability to surface contamination and/or salt-water intrusion. Geochemical results indicate that water-rock interaction mechanisms are the major processes responsible for the groundwater quality (mainly calcium-bicarbonate type), reflecting the lithological composition of subsurface soil. (authors)

Simulating groundwater-induced sewer flooding

Science.gov (United States)

Mijic, A.; Mansour, M.; Stanic, M.; Jackson, C. R.

2016-12-01

During the last decade, Chalk catchments of southern England experienced severe groundwater flooding. High groundwater levels resulted in the groundwater ingress into the sewer network that led to restricted toilet use and the overflow of diluted, but untreated sewage to road surfaces, rivers and water courses. In response to these events the water and sewerage company Thames Water Utilities Ltd (TWUL) had to allocate significant funds to mitigate the impacts. It was estimated that approximately £19m was spent responding to the extreme wet weather of 2013-14, along with the use of a fleet of over 100 tankers. However, the magnitude of the event was so large that these efforts could not stop the discharge of sewage to the environment. This work presents the analysis of the risk of groundwater-induced sewer flooding within the Chalk catchment of the River Lambourn, Berkshire. A spatially distributed groundwater model was used to assess historic groundwater flood risk and the potential impacts of changes in future climate. We then linked this model to an urban groundwater model to enable us to simulate groundwater-sewer interaction in detail. The modelling setup was used to identify relationships between infiltration into sewers and groundwater levels at specific points on TWUL's sewer network, and to estimate historic and future groundwater flood risk, and how this varies across the catchment. The study showed the significance of understanding the impact of groundwater on the urban water systems, and producing information that can inform a water company's response to groundwater flood risk, their decision making process and their asset management planning. However, the knowledge gained through integrated modelling of groundwater-sewer interactions has highlighted limitations of existing approaches for the simulation of these coupled systems. We conclude this work with number of recommendations about how to improve such hydrological/sewer analysis.

Groundwater residence time in basement aquifers of the Ochi-Narkwa Basin in the Central Region of Ghana

Science.gov (United States)

Ganyaglo, Samuel Y.; Osae, Shiloh; Akiti, Tetteh; Armah, Thomas; Gourcy, Laurence; Vitvar, Tomas; Ito, Mari; Otoo, Isaac

2017-10-01

Groundwaters from basement aquifers in the Ochi-Narkwa basin of the Central Region together with rain and surface waters have been analysed for stable isotopes (δ18O, δ2H and δ13C) and radioisotopes (3H and 14C) to determine sources of recharge, groundwater residence time and flow path. The mechanism of recharge to the groundwaters is by direct infiltration of past local rainfall of mean isotopic composition δ18O = -3.8‰ V-SMOW and δ2H = -18‰ V-SMOW. Tritium in the groundwaters ranged from 0.05 ± 0.07 to 4.75 ± 0.16 TU. Tritium data revealed that 85% of the groundwater samples were of modern recharge or young waters. The 14C content of the groundwaters ranged between 9.50 pMC in borehole CR2-50 at Ekumfi Asokwa to 113.56 pMC in borehole CR3-26 at Onyaadze. Evaluation of 3H and 14C data distinguished three groups of water namely (1) waters characterised by high 3H and high 14C depicting modern recharge, (2) waters showing a mixture of young and old water due to fractures and (3) waters showing low 3H and low 14C contents referred to as very old waters and include borehole CR2-50 at Ekumfi Asokwa. The estimated age or residence time of this older water is 19,459 years BP based on uncorrected age. The major flow direction is northwest-southeast. The dominant months contributing to recharge in the study area were February, March, April, May, June, August, September and October. Groundwater residence times in the basement aquifers of the Ochi-Narkwa basin showed that groundwater abstraction is sustainable and requires that the recharge areas are protected from contamination.

Process-based modelling to evaluate simulated groundwater levels and frequencies in a Chalk catchment in south-western England

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Simon; Coxon, Gemma; Howden, Nicholas J. K.; Freer, Jim; Hartmann, Andreas

2018-02-01

Chalk aquifers are an important source of drinking water in the UK. Due to their properties, they are particularly vulnerable to groundwater-related hazards like floods and droughts. Understanding and predicting groundwater levels is therefore important for effective and safe water management. Chalk is known for its high porosity and, due to its dissolvability, exposed to karstification and strong subsurface heterogeneity. To cope with the karstic heterogeneity and limited data availability, specialised modelling approaches are required that balance model complexity and data availability. In this study, we present a novel approach to evaluate simulated groundwater level frequencies derived from a semi-distributed karst model that represents subsurface heterogeneity by distribution functions. Simulated groundwater storages are transferred into groundwater levels using evidence from different observations wells. Using a percentile approach we can assess the number of days exceeding or falling below selected groundwater level percentiles. Firstly, we evaluate the performance of the model when simulating groundwater level time series using a spilt sample test and parameter identifiability analysis. Secondly, we apply a split sample test to the simulated groundwater level percentiles to explore the performance in predicting groundwater level exceedances. We show that the model provides robust simulations of discharge and groundwater levels at three observation wells at a test site in a chalk-dominated catchment in south-western England. The second split sample test also indicates that the percentile approach is able to reliably predict groundwater level exceedances across all considered timescales up to their 75th percentile. However, when looking at the 90th percentile, it only provides acceptable predictions for long time periods and it fails when the 95th percentile of groundwater exceedance levels is considered. By modifying the historic forcings of our model

Study Of Land Cover And Condition Catchment Area Groundwater Aquifer In Tanah Merah North Samarinda District Using Resistivity Geoelectric Sounding

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Djayus

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Land cover is a biophysical cover that maintains land conditions in water balance. The purpose of this research is to know the condition of land cover water catchment groundwater aquifer and correlation. This research begins by collecting data on land cover soil type rainfall slopes and groundwaterinformation. Field activities include observation and data collection of land cover geological conditions community wells and geoelectric sounding. Land cover data is classified according to circumstances and conditions. Geoelectric sounding data was analyzed with IP2WIN software interpretation of lithologic variation of rocks and depth based on resistivity value. Plot the position of each lithology sounding with Surfer software obtained kontour rock field boundary and 3D model of the aquifer position.The results showed that the land cover consisted of vegetated areas forests 27221 Ha 4032 and agricultural land 18336 Ha 2716 non-vegetation area 9880 Ha 1464 constructed land Open land 116.33 Ha 17.23 and water body 4.35 Ha 0.64 The condition of land cover in this water catchment area has decreased 6838 Ha 1014 from the previous condition 34059 Ha 5046 to 27221 Ha 4032. Referring to Permenhut RI No. 32 in 2009 total score catchment area 33 including the somewhat critical condition. Groundwater aquifers based on 3D sounding geolistrik modeling consist of a free aquifer for shallow groundwater depth of water level between 2-30 m with thickness 2-65 m and a distorted aquifer for groundwaterin depth of water between 75-150 m With thickness 75-125 m depth of community well 10-45 m. The transfer of land into open pit mines resulted in the destruction of the balance and water system the decreasing decreasing the discharge of the well water of the community drill the failure and the lack of new water discharge of the new wells the loss of groundwaterin several dug wells landslides and mud floods on the farmland

Groundwater residence time : tell me who you are and I will tell which information you may provide

Science.gov (United States)

Aquilina, Luc; Labasque, Thierry; Kolbe, Tamara; Marçais, Jean; Leray, Sarah; Abbott, Ben; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald

2016-04-01

Groundwater residence-time or ages have been widely used in hydrogeology during the last decades. Following tritium measurements, anthropogenic gases (CFC, SF6, 35Kr) have been developed. They provide information at the aquifer scale on long residence times. They complement the more localized data obtained from sparse boreholes with hydraulic and geophysical methods. Anthropogenic tracer concentrations are most generally considered as "Groundwater ages" using a piston flow model providing an order of magnitude for the residence time. More advanced information can however be derived from the combined analysis of the tracer concentrations. For example, the residence time distribution over the last 50 years can be well approached by the concentration of two sufficient different anthropogenic tracers in the group (CFC, SF6, 35Kr), i.e. tracers whose anthropogenic chronicles are sufficiently different. And, with additional constrains on geological and hydraulic properties, groundwater ages contribute to characterize the aquifer structures and the groundwater resources. Complex geological environments also include old groundwater bodies in extremely confined aquifer sections. In such cases, various tracers are related to highly different processes. CFCs can be taken as a marker of modern contamination to track exchanges between shallower and deeper aquifers, leakage processes, and modification of circulations linked to recent anthropogenic changes. 14C or 36Cl can be used to evidence much older processes but have to be related to the history of the chemical element itself. Numerous field studies in fact demonstrate the broad-range extent of the residence time distribution spanning in some cases several orders of magnitude. Flow and transport models in heterogeneous structures confirm such wide residence times and help to characterize their distribution. Residence times also serve as a privileged interface to the fate of some contaminants in aquifers or to trace

Preferential flow and mixing process in the chemical recharge in subsurface catchments: observations and modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Gascuel-Odoux, C.; Rouxel, M.; Molenat, J.; Ruiz, L.; Aquilina, L.; Faucheux, M.; Labasque, T.; Sebilo, M.

2012-04-01

the dominance of the mixing processes in the fluctuating zone, iv) deeper parts of the aquifer exhibited seasonal variations with structured hysteretic patterns, suggesting that mixing process also occurred at greater depths and v) these hysteretic patterns were dampered from upslope to downslope, indicating an increased influence of lateral flow downslope. A first modeling approach has been tested adding to a convection-dispersion model a mobile-immobile model, representing a mixing process between the pre-recharge water and the recharge water, and therefore taken into account the mixing processes varying from the surface to depth.As of now, we can deduce from these results that the residence times calculated from end member approaches considering the groundwater as homogeneous lumped reservoir are likely to be highly underestimated. We can also dedude that the water sampled in the shallow groundwater during the first part of the recharge period is chemically different from the water sampled after. Instrumented observatories including spatial and temporal monitoring of the hillslope groundwater are required to understand the anthropogenic and environmental processes and their interactions, to model and predict the effect and the response time of such systems under different constraints. This work is funded by AN-08-STRA-01 (National research Agency). Legout, C.; Molenat, J.; Aquilina, L.; Gascuel-Odoux, C.; Faucheux, M.; Fauvel, Y.; Bariac, T. 2007. Solute transfer in the unsaturated zone-groundwater continuum of a headwater catchment. Journal of Hydrology. 332 (2-4), 427-441. Rouxel, M., Molenat, J., Ruiz, L., Legout C., Faucheux, M., Gascuel-Odoux C., 2011. Seasonal and spatial variation in groundwater quality at the hillslope scale: study in an agricultural headwater catchment in Brittany (France). Hydrological Processes, 25, 831-841.

Groundwater-surface water interactions across scales in a boreal landscape investigated using a numerical modelling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Jutebring Sterte, Elin; Johansson, Emma; Sjöberg, Ylva; Huseby Karlsen, Reinert; Laudon, Hjalmar

2018-05-01

Groundwater and surface-water interactions are regulated by catchment characteristics and complex inter- and intra-annual variations in climatic conditions that are not yet fully understood. Our objective was to investigate the influence of catchment characteristics and freeze-thaw processes on surface and groundwater interactions in a boreal landscape, the Krycklan catchment in Sweden. We used a numerical modelling approach and sub-catchment evaluation method to identify and evaluate fundamental catchment characteristics and processes. The model reproduced observed stream discharge patterns of the 14 sub-catchments and the dynamics of the 15 groundwater wells with an average accumulated discharge error of 1% (15% standard deviation) and an average groundwater-level mean error of 0.1 m (0.23 m standard deviation). We show how peatland characteristics dampen the effect of intense rain, and how soil freeze-thaw processes regulate surface and groundwater partitioning during snowmelt. With these results, we demonstrate the importance of defining, understanding and quantifying the role of landscape heterogeneity and sub-catchment characteristics for accurately representing catchment hydrological functioning.

Rice agriculture impacts catchment hydrographic patterns and nitrogen export characteristics in subtropical central China: a paired-catchment study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi; Liu, Xinliang; Wang, Hua; Li, Yong; Li, Yuyuan; Liu, Feng; Xiao, Runlin; Shen, Jianlin; Wu, Jinshui

2017-06-01

Increased nitrogen (N) concentrations in water bodies have highlighted issues regarding nutrient pollution in agricultural catchments. In this study, the ammonium-N (NH 4 + -N), nitrate-N (NO 3 - -N), and total N (TN) concentrations were observed in the stream water and groundwater of two contrasting catchments (named Tuojia and Jianshan) in subtropical central China from 2010 to 2014, to determine the rice agriculture impacts on the hydrographic patterns, and N export characteristics of the catchments. The results suggested that greater amounts of stream flow (523.0 vs. 434.7 mm year -1 ) and base flow (237.6 vs. 142.8 mm year -1 ) were produced in Tuojia than in Jianshan, and a greater base flow contribution to stream flow and higher frequencies of high-base flow days were observed during the fallow season than during the rice-growing season, indicating that intensive rice agriculture strongly influences the catchment hydrographic pattern. Rice agriculture resulted in moderate N pollution in the stream water and groundwater, particularly in Tuojia. Primarily, rice agriculture increased the NH 4 + -N concentration in the stream water; however, it increased the NO 3 - -N concentrations in the groundwater, suggesting that the different N species in the paddy fields migrated out of the catchments through distinct hydrological pathways. The average TN loading via stream flow and base flow was greater in Tuojia than in Jianshan (1.72 and 0.58 vs. 0.72 and 0.15 kg N ha -1  month -1 , respectively). Greater TN loading via stream flow was observed during the fallow season in Tuojia and during the rice-growing season in Jianshan, and these different results were most likely a result of the higher base flow contribution to TN loading (33.5 vs. 21.3%) and greater base flow enrichment ratio (1.062 vs. 0.876) in Tuojia than in Jianshan. Therefore, the impact of rice agriculture on catchment eco-hydrological processes should be considered when performing water quality

Physically-Based Assessment of Intrinsic Groundwater Resource Vulnerability in AN Urban Catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, T.; Therrien, R.; Lemieux, J.; Molson, J. W.

2013-12-01

integrated Van-Genuchten function. The model setup and optimisation turn out to be the most challenging part because of the non-trivial nature (due to the highly non-linear PDEs) of the coupling procedure between the surface and subsurface domain, while keeping realistic parameter ranges and obtaining realistic simulation results in both domains. The model calibration is based on water level monitoring as well as daily mean river discharge measurement at different gauge stations within the catchment. It is intended to create multiple model outcomes for the numerical modelling of the groundwater vulnerability to take into account uncertainty due to the model input data. The next step of the overall vulnerability assessment consists in modelling future vulnerability scenario(s), applying realistic changes to the model by using PEST with SENSAN for subsequent sensitivity analysis. The PEST model could also potentially be used for a model recalibration as a function of the model parameters sensitivity (simple perturbation method). Preliminary results showing a good fit between the observed and simulated water levels and hydrographs. However the simulated water depth at the overland flow domain as well as the simulated saturation distribution in the porous media domain are still showing room for improvement of the numerical model.

Assessing mixed trace elements in groundwater and their health risk of residents living in the Mekong River basin of Cambodia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phan, Kongkea; Phan, Samrach; Huoy, Laingshun; Suy, Bunseang; Wong, Ming Hung; Hashim, Jamal Hisham; Mohamed Yasin, Mohamed Salleh; Aljunid, Syed Mohamed; Sthiannopkao, Suthipong; Kim, Kyoung-Woong

2013-01-01

We investigated the potential contamination of trace elements in shallow Cambodian groundwater. Groundwater and hair samples were collected from three provinces in the Mekong River basin of Cambodia and analyzed by ICP-MS. Groundwater from Kandal (n = 46) and Kraite (n = 12) were enriched in As, Mn, Ba and Fe whereas none of tube wells in Kampong Cham (n = 18) had trace elements higher than Cambodian permissible limits. Risk computations indicated that 98.7% and 12.4% of residents in the study areas of Kandal (n = 297) and Kratie (n = 89) were at risk of non-carcinogenic effects from exposure to multiple elements, yet none were at risk in Kampong Cham (n = 184). Arsenic contributed 99.5%, 60.3% and 84.2% of the aggregate risk in Kandal, Kratie and Kampong Cham, respectively. Sustainable and appropriate treatment technologies must therefore be implemented in order for Cambodian groundwater to be used as potable water. -- Highlights: •We investigated the potential contamination of trace elements in Cambodian groundwater. •Residents of Kandal (98.7%) and Kratie (12.4%) were at risk of non-carcinogenic effects. •Significant positive correlation between As, Mn and Ba in groundwater and hair were found. -- Risk assessment indicated that 98.7% of residents in Kandal and 12.4% of Kratie study areas were at risk of non-carcinogenic effects of multiple elements in groundwater

Using Isotope Methods to Assess Groundwater Recharge in Some Hydraulic Catchments in a Semiarid Region in Central Tunisia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zouari, K.; Trabelsi, R.; Kacem, A. [Laboratory of Radio-Analysis and Environment, ENIS, Sfax (Tunisia)

2013-07-15

Water resource issues constitute a major concern in arid and semiarid areas in Tunisia. To meet rising demand for different human activities considerable importance is being given to improving the natural groundwater recharge by the installation of hydraulic catchments. In central Tunisia, numerous retention sites and dams have been built since 1990, for example, the el Ogla dam in the Nadhour-Saouaf basin. In order to determine the implication of these hill reservoirs on the hydrodynamic functioning and water quality of the aquifer system, hydrochemical (major elements) and isotopic methods have been employed. The interpretation of these results showed that the shallow aquifer is recharged mainly by surface water and water dam infiltration from the el Ogla and Sahel catchments. A tentative isotopic mass balance based on stable isotope contents leads to the quantification of the artificial recharge rate, which ranges between 42% and 86% of precipitation in the humid period. (author)

Dissolved radon and uranium in groundwater in a potential coal seam gas development region (Richmond River Catchment, Australia).

Science.gov (United States)

Atkins, Marnie L; Santos, Isaac R; Perkins, Anita; Maher, Damien T

2016-04-01

The extraction of unconventional gas resources such as shale and coal seam gas (CSG) is rapidly expanding globally and often prevents the opportunity for comprehensive baseline groundwater investigations prior to drilling. Unconventional gas extraction often targets geological layers with high naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and extraction practices may possibly mobilise radionuclides into regional and local drinking water resources. Here, we establish baseline groundwater radon and uranium levels in shallow aquifers overlying a potential CSG target formation in the Richmond River Catchment, Australia. A total of 91 groundwater samples from six different geological units showed highly variable radon activities (0.14-20.33 Bq/L) and uranium levels (0.001-2.77 μg/L) which were well below the Australian Drinking Water Guideline values (radon; 100 Bq/L and uranium; 17 μg/L). Therefore, from a radon and uranium perspective, the regional groundwater does not pose health risks to consumers. Uranium could not explain the distribution of radon in groundwater. Relatively high radon activities (7.88 ± 0.83 Bq/L) in the fractured Lismore Basalt aquifer coincided with very low uranium concentrations (0.04 ± 0.02 μg/L). In the Quaternary Sediments aquifers, a positive correlation between U and HCO3(-) (r(2) = 0.49, p uranium was present as uranyl-carbonate complexes. Since NORM are often enriched in target geological formations containing unconventional gas, establishing radon and uranium concentrations in overlying aquifers comprises an important component of baseline groundwater investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intensive rice agriculture deteriorates the quality of shallow groundwater in a typical agricultural catchment in subtropical central China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi; Li, Yuyuan; Li, Yong; Liu, Feng; Liu, Xinliang; Gong, Dianlin; Ma, Qiumei; Li, Wei; Wu, Jinshui

2015-09-01

High nitrogen (N) concentrations in rural domestic water supplies have been attributed to excessive agricultural N leaching into shallow groundwater systems; therefore, it is important to determine the impact of agriculture (e.g., rice production) on groundwater quality. To understand the impact of agricultural land use on the N concentrations in the shallow groundwater in subtropical central China, a large observation program was established to observe ammonium-N (NH4-N), nitrate-N (NO3-N), and total N (TN) concentrations in 161 groundwater observation wells from April 2010 to November 2012. The results indicated that the median values of NH4-N, NO3-N, and TN concentrations in the groundwater were 0.15, 0.39, and 1.38 mg N L(-1), respectively. A total of 36.3 % of the water samples were categorized as NH4-N pollution, and only a small portion of the samples were categorized as NO3-N pollution, based on the Chinese Environmental Quality Standards for Groundwater of GB/T 14848-93 (General Administration of Quality Supervision of China, 1993). These results indicated of moderate groundwater NH4-N pollution, which was mainly attributed to intensive rice agriculture with great N fertilizer application rates in the catchment. In addition, tea and vegetable fields showed higher groundwater NO3-N and TN concentrations than other agricultural land use types. The factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) suggested that the flooded agricultural land use types (e.g., single-rice and double-rice) had potential to impose NH4-N pollution, particularly in the soil exhausting season during from July to October. And, the great N fertilizer application rates could lead to a worse NO3-N and TN pollution in shallow groundwater. Hence, to protect groundwater quality and minimize NH4-N pollution, managing optimal fertilizer application and applying appropriate agricultural land use types should be implemented in the region.

The influence of bedrock hydrogeology on catchment-scale nitrate fate and transport in fractured aquifers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orr, Alison [Arup, 50 Ringsend Road, Dublin 4 (Ireland); School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom); Nitsche, Janka [RPS, West Pier Business Campus, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin (Ireland); School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom); Archbold, Marie [School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom); Environmental Protection Agency, Richview, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14 (Ireland); Deakin, Jenny [Environmental Protection Agency, Richview, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14 (Ireland); Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin (Ireland); Ofterdinger, Ulrich; Flynn, Raymond [School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom)

2016-11-01

Characterising catchment scale biogeochemical processes controlling nitrate fate in groundwater constitutes a fundamental consideration when applying programmes of measures to reduce risks posed by diffuse agricultural pollutants to water quality. Combining hydrochemical analyses with nitrate isotopic data and physical hydrogeological measurements permitted characterisation of biogeochemical processes influencing nitrogen fate and transport in the groundwater in two fractured bedrock aquifers with contrasting hydrogeology but comparable nutrient loads. Hydrochemical and isotopic analyses of groundwater samples collected from moderately fractured, diffusely karstified limestone indicated nitrification controlled dissolved nitrogen fate and delivery to aquatic receptors. By contrast nitrate concentrations in groundwater were considerably lower in a low transmissivity highly lithified sandstone and pyrite-bearing shale unit with patchy subsoil cover. Geophysical and hydrochemical investigations showed shallower intervals contained hydraulically active fractures where denitrification was reflected through lower nitrogen levels and an isotopic enrichment ratio of 1.7 between δ{sup 15}N and δ{sup 18}O. Study findings highlight the influence of bedrock hydrogeological conditions on aqueous nitrogen mobility. Investigation results demonstrate that bedrock conditions need to be considered when implementing catchment management plans to reduce the impact of agricultural practices on the quality of groundwater and baseflow in receiving rivers. Nitrate isotopic signatures in the groundwater of a freely draining catchment underlain by a karstified aquifer and a poorly draining aquifer with a low transmissivity aquifer. - Graphical abstract: Contrasting nitrate isotope signatures of groundwater in a free draining catchment underlain by a karstified aquifer and a poorly drained catchment underlain by a low transmissivity aquifer. - Highlights: • Comparison of N fate and

Hydrodynamic and geochemical constraints on pesticide concentrations in the groundwater of an agricultural catchment (Brevilles, France)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baran, N. [BRGM, 3 avenue Claude Guillemin, BP 6009, 45060 Orleans Cedex 2 (France)]. E-mail: n.baran@brgm.fr; Mouvet, C. [BRGM, 3 avenue Claude Guillemin, BP 6009, 45060 Orleans Cedex 2 (France); Negrel, Ph. [BRGM, 3 avenue Claude Guillemin, BP 6009, 45060 Orleans Cedex 2 (France)

2007-08-15

The monitoring of a spring and seven piezometers in the 3 km{sup 2} Brevilles agricultural catchment (France) over five and a half years revealed considerable spatial and temporal variability in the concentrations of atrazine and its metabolite deethylatrazine (both systematically quantified at the outlet spring): maximum 0.97 and 2.72 {mu}g L{sup -1}, mean 0.19 and 0.59 {mu}g L{sup -1}, respectively. Isoproturon, the pesticide applied in the greatest amount, was detected in only 10 of the 133 samples. These observations can only partly be explained by land use and intrinsic pesticide properties. Geochemical measurements and tritium dating showed the importance of the stratification of the sandy saturated zone and the buffer function of the unsaturated limestone. Principal component analysis on 39 monthly data series of atrazine, deethylatrazine, nitrate, chloride and piezometric levels revealed a temporal structuring of the data possibly reflecting the existence within the aquifer of two different reservoirs with time-variable contributions. - We present an integrated approach combining geochemistry and hydrogeology that leads to a better understanding of the spatial and temporal fluctuations of the pesticide concentrations in groundwater of a pilot agricultural catchment.

Modelling monthly runoff generation processes following land use changes: groundwater-surface runoff interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Bari, M.; Smettem, K. R. J.

A conceptual water balance model is presented to represent changes in monthly water balance following land use changes. Monthly rainfall-runoff, groundwater and soil moisture data from four experimental catchments in Western Australia have been analysed. Two of these catchments, "Ernies" (control, fully forested) and "Lemon" (54% cleared) are in a zone of mean annual rainfall of 725 mm, while "Salmon" (control, fully forested) and "Wights" (100% cleared) are in a zone with mean annual rainfall of 1125 mm. At the Salmon forested control catchment, streamflow comprises surface runoff, base flow and interflow components. In the Wights catchment, cleared of native forest for pasture development, all three components increased, groundwater levels rose significantly and stream zone saturated area increased from 1% to 15% of the catchment area. It took seven years after clearing for the rainfall-runoff generation process to stabilise in 1984. At the Ernies forested control catchment, the permanent groundwater system is 20 m below the stream bed and so does not contribute to streamflow. Following partial clearing of forest in the Lemon catchment, groundwater rose steadily and reached the stream bed by 1987. The streamflow increased in two phases: (i) immediately after clearing due to reduced evapotranspiration, and (ii) through an increase in the groundwater-induced stream zone saturated area after 1987. After analysing all the data available, a conceptual monthly model was created, comprising four inter-connecting stores: (i) an upper zone unsaturated store, (ii) a transient stream zone store, (ii) a lower zone unsaturated store and (iv) a saturated groundwater store. Data such as rooting depth, Leaf Area Index, soil porosity, profile thickness, depth to groundwater, stream length and surface slope were incorporated into the model as a priori defined attributes. The catchment average values for different stores were determined through matching observed and predicted

Temporal change of SF6 age in spring during rainstorms in a forested headwater catchment, Fukushima, Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Sakakibara, Koichi; Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Iwagami, Sho; Sato, Yutaro; Nagano, Kosuke

2017-04-01

Time variant water age in catchments can fundamentally describe catchment function, controlling rainfall-runoff generation, groundwater flow pathway, and water storage. We observed sulfur hexafluoride concentration in the stream and groundwater with 1 - 2 hours interval during rainstorm events in order to reveal temporal variations of rainfall-runoff water age. Target's spring is perennial in a forested headwater catchment with an area of 0.045 square km, Fukushima, Japan. The observed hydrological data and tracer data of water in the catchment (stable isotopic compositions, inorganic solute concentrations) were used for clarifying rainfall-runoff processes related to water age variances. The storm hydrograph and groundwater table clearly responded to rainfall especially with more than 30 mm per day throughout the monitoring period (May 2015 - October 2016). Large variations of SF6 age in spring ranging from zero to 14 years were found in the short period during rainstorms. In particular, the SF6 age in spring was evidently old when the runoff was over 2 mm per day. At the high runoff condition, the SF6 age in spring positively correlated with discharge rate: the spring age became older as the discharge rate increased. With regard to spatial distributions of SF6 age in groundwater, the old groundwater age (9 - 13 years) in the shallow subsurface area along the valley was confirmed after heavy rainfall. This groundwater age was similar age to the deep groundwater at no-rainfall conditions. In addition, inorganic solute concentrations such as chloride ion, sodium ion, and silica in spring water showed dominant levels in the deep and ridge groundwater. All facts suggest that the old groundwater, stored in the ridge or deeper subsurface area, replaced the shallow groundwater in the vicinity of the spring due to heavy rainfall, then it contributed to the spring discharge. Therefore, rainstorm events play important roles as triggers for discharging older water stored in

Comparison of different base flow separation methods in a lowland catchment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Uhlenbrook

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Assessment of water resources available in different storages and moving along different pathways in a catchment is important for its optimal use and protection, and also for the prediction of floods and low flows. Moreover, understanding of the runoff generation processes is essential for assessing the impacts of climate and land use changes on the hydrological response of a catchment. Many methods for base flow separation exist, but hardly one focuses on the specific behaviour of temperate lowland areas. This paper presents the results of a base flow separation study carried out in a lowland area in the Netherlands. In this study, field observations of precipitation, groundwater and surface water levels and discharges, together with tracer analysis are used to understand the runoff generation processes in the catchment. Several tracer and non-tracer based base flow separation methods were applied to the discharge time series, and their results are compared.

The results show that groundwater levels react fast to precipitation events in this lowland area with shallow groundwater tables. Moreover, a good correlation was found between groundwater levels and discharges suggesting that most of the measured discharge also during floods comes from groundwater storage. It was estimated using tracer hydrological approaches that approximately 90% of the total discharge is groundwater displaced by event water mainly infiltrating in the northern part of the catchment, and only the remaining 10% is surface runoff. The impact of remote recharge causing displacement of near channel groundwater during floods could also be motivated with hydraulic approximations. The results show further that when base flow separation is meant to identify groundwater contributions to stream flow, process based methods (e.g. the rating curve method; Kliner and Knezek, 1974 are more reliable than other simple non-tracer based methods. Also, the recursive filtering method

Occurrence of Antibiotics in Surface and Groundwater of a Drinking Water Catchment Area in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Victoria; Richter, Doreen; Greskowiak, Janek; Mehrtens, Anne; Schulz, Lena; Massmann, Gudrun

2016-07-01

The contamination of the aquatic environment with organic micropollutants, such as veterinary pharmaceuticals, has become an increasingly serious problem and has aroused attention in the course of the last decades. This study presents a screening for a series of veterinary antibiotics, potentially introduced by the application of liquid manure, in ground- and surface water of a drinking water catchment in Lower Saxony, Germany. Of the 26 compounds analyzed, eight, including sulfadiazine, sulfapyridine, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, dehydrato-erythromycin, sulfadimidine, tylosin, and tetracycline were detected in surface water samples. Trimethoprim was detected in 11 out of 15 shallow groundwater samples, indicating its high environmental relevance. Column sorption experiments conducted on trimethoprim show a comparatively moderate sorption affinity to sandy aquifer material with a retardation coefficient of 5.7.

Residence times of groundwater and nitrate transport in coastal aquifer systems: Daweijia area, northeastern China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Dongmei; Cao, Guoliang; McCallum, James; Song, Xianfang

2015-01-01

Groundwater within the coastal aquifer systems of the Daweijia area in northeastern China is characterized by a large of variations (33–521 mg/L) in NO_3"− concentrations. Elevated nitrate concentrations, in addition to seawater intrusion in the Daweijia well field, both attributable to anthropogenic activities, may impact future water-management practices. Chemical and stable isotopic (δ"1"8O, δ"2H) analysis, "3H and CFCs methods were applied to provide a better understanding of the relationship between the distribution of groundwater mean residence time (MRT) and nitrate transport, and to identify sources of nitrate concentrations in the complex coastal aquifer systems. There is a relatively narrow range of isotopic composition (ranging from − 8.5 to − 7.0‰) in most groundwater. Generally higher tritium contents observed in the wet season relative to the dry season may result from rapid groundwater circulation in response to the rainfall through the preferential flow paths. In the well field, the relatively increased nitrate concentrations of groundwater, accompanied by the higher tritium contents in the wet season, indicate the nitrate pollution can be attributed to domestic wastes. The binary exponential and piston-flow mixing model (BEP) yielded feasible age distributions based on the conceptual model. The good inverse relationship between groundwater MRTs (92–467 years) and the NO_3"− concentrations in the shallow Quaternary aquifers indicates that elevated nitrate concentrations are attributable to more recent recharge for shallow groundwater. However, there is no significant relationship between the MRTs (8–411 years) and the NO_3"− concentrations existing in the carbonate aquifer system, due to the complex hydrogeological conditions, groundwater age distributions and the range of contaminant source areas. Nitrate in the groundwater system without denitrification effects could accumulate and be transported for tens of years, through the

Residence times of groundwater and nitrate transport in coastal aquifer systems: Daweijia area, northeastern China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Dongmei [Key Laboratory of Water Cycle & Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001 (Australia); Cao, Guoliang [National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001 (Australia); Center for Water Research, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); McCallum, James [National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001 (Australia); School of the Environment, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001 (Australia); Song, Xianfang [Key Laboratory of Water Cycle & Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China)

2015-12-15

Groundwater within the coastal aquifer systems of the Daweijia area in northeastern China is characterized by a large of variations (33–521 mg/L) in NO{sub 3}{sup −} concentrations. Elevated nitrate concentrations, in addition to seawater intrusion in the Daweijia well field, both attributable to anthropogenic activities, may impact future water-management practices. Chemical and stable isotopic (δ{sup 18}O, δ{sup 2}H) analysis, {sup 3}H and CFCs methods were applied to provide a better understanding of the relationship between the distribution of groundwater mean residence time (MRT) and nitrate transport, and to identify sources of nitrate concentrations in the complex coastal aquifer systems. There is a relatively narrow range of isotopic composition (ranging from − 8.5 to − 7.0‰) in most groundwater. Generally higher tritium contents observed in the wet season relative to the dry season may result from rapid groundwater circulation in response to the rainfall through the preferential flow paths. In the well field, the relatively increased nitrate concentrations of groundwater, accompanied by the higher tritium contents in the wet season, indicate the nitrate pollution can be attributed to domestic wastes. The binary exponential and piston-flow mixing model (BEP) yielded feasible age distributions based on the conceptual model. The good inverse relationship between groundwater MRTs (92–467 years) and the NO{sub 3}{sup −} concentrations in the shallow Quaternary aquifers indicates that elevated nitrate concentrations are attributable to more recent recharge for shallow groundwater. However, there is no significant relationship between the MRTs (8–411 years) and the NO{sub 3}{sup −} concentrations existing in the carbonate aquifer system, due to the complex hydrogeological conditions, groundwater age distributions and the range of contaminant source areas. Nitrate in the groundwater system without denitrification effects could accumulate and be

Permafrost conditions in peatlands regulate magnitude, timing, and chemical composition of catchment dissolved organic carbon export.

Science.gov (United States)

Olefeldt, David; Roulet, Nigel T

2014-10-01

Permafrost thaw in peatlands has the potential to alter catchment export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and thus influence downstream aquatic C cycling. Subarctic peatlands are often mosaics of different peatland types, where permafrost conditions regulate the hydrological setting of each type. We show that hydrological setting is key to observed differences in magnitude, timing, and chemical composition of DOC export between permafrost and nonpermafrost peatland types, and that these differences influence the export of DOC of larger catchments even when peatlands are minor catchment components. In many aspects, DOC export from a studied peatland permafrost plateau was similar to that of a forested upland catchment. Similarities included low annual export (2-3 g C m(-2) ) dominated by the snow melt period (~70%), and how substantial DOC export following storms required wet antecedent conditions. Conversely, nonpermafrost fens had higher DOC export (7 g C m(-2) ), resulting from sustained hydrological connectivity during summer. Chemical composition of catchment DOC export arose from the mixing of highly aromatic DOC from organic soils from permafrost plateau soil water and upland forest surface horizons with nonaromatic DOC from mineral soil groundwater, but was further modulated by fens. Increasing aromaticity from fen inflow to outlet was substantial and depended on both water residence time and water temperature. The role of fens as catchment biogeochemical hotspots was further emphasized by their capacity for sulfate retention. As a result of fen characteristics, a 4% fen cover in a mixed catchment was responsible for 34% higher DOC export, 50% higher DOC concentrations and ~10% higher DOC aromaticity at the catchment outlet during summer compared to a nonpeatland upland catchment. Expansion of fens due to thaw thus has potential to influence landscape C cycling by increasing fen capacity to act as biogeochemical hotspots, amplifying aquatic C cycling, and

How old is upland catchment water?

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Harald; Cartwright, Ian; Morgenstern, Uwe; Gilfedder, Benjamin

2014-05-01

Understanding the dynamics of water supply catchments is an essential part of water management. Upland catchments provide a continuous, reliable source of high quality water not only for some of the world's biggest cities, but also for agriculture and industry. Headwater streams control river flow in lowland agricultural basins as the majority of river discharge emerges from upland catchments. Many rivers are perennial and flow throughout the year, even during droughts. However, it is still unclear how reliable and continuous upland catchment water resources really are. Despite many efforts in upland catchment research, there is still little known about where the water is stored and how long it takes to travel through upper catchments. Resolving these questions is crucial to ensure that this resource is protected from changing land use and to estimate potential impacts from a changing climate. Previous research in this important area has been limited by existing measurement techniques. Knowledge to date has relied heavily on the use of variation in stable isotope signals to estimate the age and origin of water from upland catchments. The problem with relying on these measures is that as the water residence time increases, the variation in the stable isotope signal decreases. After a maximum period of four years, no variation can be detected This means that to date, the residence time in upland catchments is likely to have been vastly underestimated. Consequently, the proportion of water flow out of upland river catchments to the total river flow is also underestimated. Tritium (3H) combines directly with water molecules and enters the flow paths with the infiltrating water. Its half-life (12.32 years) makes it ideal to describe residence times in upper catchment reservoirs as it can theoretically measure water up to about 150 years old. The bomb pulse peak in the southern hemisphere was several orders of magnitude lower than in the northern hemisphere. Hence the

A conceptual model for the analysis of multi-stressors in linked groundwater-surface water systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaandorp, Vince P; Molina-Navarro, Eugenio; Andersen, Hans E; Bloomfield, John P; Kuijper, Martina J M; de Louw, Perry G B

2018-06-15

Groundwater and surface water are often closely coupled and are both under the influence of multiple stressors. Stressed groundwater systems may lead to a poor ecological status of surface waters but to date no conceptual framework to analyse linked multi-stressed groundwater - surface water systems has been developed. In this paper, a framework is proposed showing the effect of groundwater on surface waters in multiple stressed systems. This framework will be illustrated by applying it to four European catchments, the Odense, Denmark, the Regge and Dinkel, Netherlands, and the Thames, UK, and by assessing its utility in analysing the propagation or buffering of multi-stressors through groundwater to surface waters in these catchments. It is shown that groundwater affects surface water flow, nutrients and temperature, and can both propagate stressors towards surface waters and buffer the effect of stressors in space and time. The effect of groundwater on drivers and states depends on catchment characteristics, stressor combinations, scale and management practises. The proposed framework shows how groundwater in lowland catchments acts as a bridge between stressors and their effects within surface waters. It shows water managers how their management areas might be influenced by groundwater, and helps them to include this important, but often overlooked part of the water cycle in their basin management plans. The analysis of the study catchments also revealed a lack of data on the temperature of both groundwater and surface water, while it is an important parameter considering future climate warming. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Nested-scale discharge and groundwater level monitoring to improve predictions of flow route discharges and nitrate loads

Science.gov (United States)

van der Velde, Y.; Rozemeijer, J. C.; de Rooij, G. H.; van Geer, F. C.; Torfs, P. J. J. F.; de Louw, P. G. B.

2010-10-01

Identifying effective measures to reduce nutrient loads of headwaters in lowland catchments requires a thorough understanding of flow routes of water and nutrients. In this paper we assess the value of nested-scale discharge and groundwater level measurements for predictions of catchment-scale discharge and nitrate loads. In order to relate field-site measurements to the catchment-scale an upscaling approach is introduced that assumes that scale differences in flow route fluxes originate from differences in the relationship between groundwater storage and the spatial structure of the groundwater table. This relationship is characterized by the Groundwater Depth Distribution (GDD) curve that relates spatial variation in groundwater depths to the average groundwater depth. The GDD-curve was measured for a single field site (0.009 km2) and simple process descriptions were applied to relate the groundwater levels to flow route discharges. This parsimonious model could accurately describe observed storage, tube drain discharge, overland flow and groundwater flow simultaneously with Nash-Sutcliff coefficients exceeding 0.8. A probabilistic Monte Carlo approach was applied to upscale field-site measurements to catchment scales by inferring scale-specific GDD-curves from hydrographs of two nested catchments (0.4 and 6.5 km2). The estimated contribution of tube drain effluent (a dominant source for nitrates) decreased with increasing scale from 76-79% at the field-site to 34-61% and 25-50% for both catchment scales. These results were validated by demonstrating that a model conditioned on nested-scale measurements simulates better nitrate loads and better predictions of extreme discharges during validation periods compared to a model that was conditioned on catchment discharge only.

Nitrate movement and removal along a shallow groundwater flow path in a riparian wetland within a sheep-grazed pastoral catchment : result of a tracer study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, D.A.; Nguyen, L.

2002-01-01

The movement and removal of nitrate (NO 3 ) along a groundwater flow path within a riparian wetland was investigated during a 24-day period in late autumn-early winter, using a lithium bromide (LiBr)-potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) tracer solution containing 19 200 mg/litre as Br - and 193.8 mg/litre as NO 3 -N. The tracer solution was added as an instantaneous dose of tracer solution at a depth of 10-20 cm to four injection wells in two 1 m 2 plots within a sheep-grazed pastoral catchment at the Whatawhata Agricultural Research Centre near Hamilton, New Zealand. Bromide and NO 3- N concentrations were measured periodically in: (1) wetland groundwater samples from piezometers installed at 15 and 30 cm depths and located at 30, 60, and 100 cm down gradient from the injection wells; and (2) surface flow samples. Peak concentrations of 50-250 mg/litre of Br - and 0.2-1.1 mg/litre of NO 3 -N were reached within 1-2 days after application at most piezometers. Nitrate concentrations decreased thereafter more sharply than did those of Br - , resulting in decreased NO 3 -N/Br - ratios from Days 2 through 7. More than 99% of groundwater samples collected after the tracer application had NO 3 -N/Br - less than the value in the tracer solution indicating removal of NO 3 -N during transport. Mass flux estimates indicated removal of >90% of added NO 3 -N along the 100 cm flow path from the injection, with essentially all of the NO 3 - removed within the first 30 cm of transport. On Days 10 and 24, just after rain events, surface flow from the experimental plots had greatly elevated NO 3 -N concentrations that were not accompanied by correspondingly elevated Br - concentrations, indicating that NO 3 -N originating from the surrounding catchment was transported over the wetland surface with little penetration or mixing with wetland groundwater. Despite a significant capacity for NO 3 -N removal from shallow groundwater equivalent to an annualised value of 50 kg/ha in these wetland

Chronic groundwater decline: A multi-decadal analysis of groundwater trends under extreme climate cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Le Brocque, Andrew F.; Kath, Jarrod; Reardon-Smith, Kathryn

2018-06-01

Chronic groundwater decline is a concern in many of the world's major agricultural areas. However, a general lack of accurate long-term in situ measurement of groundwater depth and analysis of trends prevents understanding of the dynamics of these systems at landscape scales. This is particularly worrying in the context of future climate uncertainties. This study examines long-term groundwater responses to climate variability in a major agricultural production landscape in southern Queensland, Australia. Based on records for 381 groundwater bores, we used a modified Mann-Kendall non-parametric test and Sen's slope estimator to determine groundwater trends across a 26-year period (1989-2015) and in distinct wet and dry climatic phases. Comparison of trends between climatic phases showed groundwater level recovery during wet phases was insufficient to offset the decline in groundwater level from the previous dry phase. Across the entire 26-year sampling period, groundwater bore levels (all bores) showed an overall significant declining trend (p 0.05). Spatially, both declining and rising bores were highly clustered. We conclude that over 1989-2015 there is a significant net decline in groundwater levels driven by a smaller subset of highly responsive bores in high irrigation areas within the catchment. Despite a number of targeted policy interventions, chronic groundwater decline remains evident in the catchment. We argue that this is likely to continue and to occur more widely under potential climate change and that policy makers, groundwater users and managers need to engage in planning to ensure the sustainability of this vital resource.

Groundwater vulnerability assessment for the Banyas Catchment of the Syrian coastal area using GIS and the RISKE method.

Science.gov (United States)

Kattaa, Bassam; Al-Fares, Walid; Al Charideh, Abdul Rahman

2010-05-01

Vulnerability assessment to delineate areas that are more susceptible to contamination from anthropogenic sources has become an important element for sensible resource management and landuse planning. This contribution aims at estimating aquifer vulnerability by applying the RISKE model in Banyas Catchment Area (BCA), Tartous Prefecture, west Syria. An additional objective is to demonstrate the combined use of the RISKE model and a geographical information system (GIS) as an effective method for groundwater pollution risk assessment. The RISKE model uses five environmental parameters (Rock of aquifer media, Infiltration, Soil media, Karst, and Epikarst) to characterize the hydro-geological setting and evaluate aquifer vulnerability. The elevated eastern and low western part of the study area was dominated by high vulnerability classes, while the middle part was characterized by moderate vulnerability classes. Based on the vulnerability analysis, it was found that 2% and 39% of BCA is under low and high vulnerability to groundwater contamination, respectively, while more than 52% and 5% of the area of BCA can be designated as an area of moderate and very high vulnerability to groundwater contamination, respectively. The GIS technique has provided an efficient environment for analyses and high capabilities of handling a large amount of spatial data. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catchment tracers reveal discharge, recharge and sources of groundwater-borne pollutants in a novel lake modelling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Kristensen, Emil; Madsen-Østerbye, Mikkel; Massicotte, Philippe; Pedersen, Ole; Markager, Stiig; Kragh, Theis

2018-02-01

groundwater discharge sites located mainly in the eastern part of the lake with a single site in the southern part. Observations from the eastern part of the lake revealed an impermeable clay layer that promotes discharge during heavy precipitation events, which would otherwise be difficult to identify using traditional hydrological methods. In comparison to the lake concentrations, high tracer concentrations in the southern part showed that only a smaller fraction of water could originate from this area, thereby confirming the model results. A Euclidean cluster analysis of δ18O isotopes identified recharge sites corresponding to areas adjacent to drainage channels, and a cluster analysis of the microbially influenced FDOM component C4 further identified five sites that showed a tendency towards high groundwater recharge rate. In conclusion, it was found that this methodology can be applied to smaller lakes within a short time frame, providing useful information regarding the WRT of the lake and more importantly the groundwater recharge and discharge sites around the lake. Thus, it is a tool for specific management of the catchment.

Coupling 3D groundwater modeling with CFC-based age dating to classify local groundwater circulation in an unconfined crystalline aquifer

Science.gov (United States)

Kolbe, Tamara; Marçais, Jean; Thomas, Zahra; Abbott, Benjamin W.; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald; Rousseau-Gueutin, Pauline; Aquilina, Luc; Labasque, Thierry; Pinay, Gilles

2016-12-01

Nitrogen pollution of freshwater and estuarine environments is one of the most urgent environmental crises. Shallow aquifers with predominantly local flow circulation are particularly vulnerable to agricultural contaminants. Water transit time and flow path are key controls on catchment nitrogen retention and removal capacity, but the relative importance of hydrogeological and topographical factors in determining these parameters is still uncertain. We used groundwater dating and numerical modeling techniques to assess transit time and flow path in an unconfined aquifer in Brittany, France. The 35.5 km2 study catchment has a crystalline basement underneath a ∼60 m thick weathered and fractured layer, and is separated into a distinct upland and lowland area by an 80 m-high butte. We used groundwater discharge and groundwater ages derived from chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentration to calibrate a free-surface flow model simulating groundwater flow circulation. We found that groundwater flow was highly local (mean travel distance = 350 m), substantially smaller than the typical distance between neighboring streams (∼1 km), while CFC-based ages were quite old (mean = 40 years). Sensitivity analysis revealed that groundwater travel distances were not sensitive to geological parameters (i.e. arrangement of geological layers and permeability profile) within the constraints of the CFC age data. However, circulation was sensitive to topography in the lowland area where the water table was near the land surface, and to recharge rate in the upland area where water input modulated the free surface of the aquifer. We quantified these differences with a local groundwater ratio (rGW-LOCAL), defined as the mean groundwater travel distance divided by the mean of the reference surface distances (the distance water would have to travel across the surface of the digital elevation model). Lowland, rGW-LOCAL was near 1, indicating primarily topographical controls. Upland, r

Shallow and Deep Groundwater Contributions to Ephemeral Streamflow Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmer, M. A.; McGlynn, B. L.

2016-12-01

Our understanding of streamflow generation processes in low relief, humid landscapes is limited. To address this, we utilized an ephemeral-to-intermittent drainage network in the Piedmont region of the United States to gain new understanding about the drivers of ephemeral streamflow generation, stream-groundwater interactions, and longitudinal expansion and contraction of the stream network. We used hydrometric and chemical data collected within zero through second order catchments to characterize streamflow and overland, shallow soil, and deep subsurface flow across landscape positions. Results showed bi-directionality in stream-groundwater gradients that were dependent on catchment storage state. This led to annual groundwater recharge magnitudes that were similar to annual streamflow. Perched shallow and deep water table contributions shifted dominance with changes in catchment storage state, producing distinct stream hydrograph recession constants. Active channel length versus runoff followed a consistent relationship independent of storage state, but exhibited varying discharge-solute hysteresis directions. Together, our results suggest that temporary streams can act as both important groundwater recharge and discharge locations across the landscape, especially in this region where ephemeral drainage densities are among the highest recorded. Our results also highlight that the internal catchment dynamics that generate temporary streams play an important role in dictating biogeochemical fluxes at the landscape scale.

Identifying evidence of climate change impact on extreme events in permeable chalk catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, A. P.; Nubert, S.

2009-12-01

The permeable chalk catchments of southern England are vital for the economy and well being of the UK. Not only important as a water resource, their freely draining soils support intensive agricultural production, and the rolling downs and chalk streams provide important habitants for many protected plant and animal species. Consequently, there are concerns about the potential impact of climate change on such catchments, particularly in relation to groundwater recharge. Of major concern are possible changes in extreme events, such as groundwater floods and droughts, as any increase in the frequency and/or severity of these has important consequences for water resources, ecological systems and local infrastructure. Studies of climate change impact on extreme events for such catchments have indicated that, under medium and high emissions scenarios, droughts are likely to become more severe whilst floods less so. However, given the uncertainties in such predictions and the inherent variability in historic data, producing definitive evidence of changes in flood/drought frequency/severity poses a significant challenge. Thus, there is a need for specific extreme event statistics that can be used as indicators of actual climate change in streamflow and groundwater level observations. Identifying such indicators that are sufficiently robust requires catchments with long historic time series data. One such catchment is the River Lavant, an intermittent chalk stream in West Sussex, UK. Located within this catchment is Chilgrove House, the site of the UK’s longest groundwater monitoring well (with a continuous record of water level observations of varying frequency dating back to 1836). Using a variety of meteorological datasets, the behaviour of the catchment has been modelled, from 1855 to present, using a 'leaky aquifer' conceptual model. Model calibration was based on observed daily streamflow, at a gauging station just outside the town of Chichester, from 1970. Long

A nested observation and model approach to non linear groundwater surface water interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Velde, Y.; Rozemeijer, J. C.; de Rooij, G. H.

2009-04-01

Surface water quality measurements in The Netherlands are scattered in time and space. Therefore, water quality status and its variations and trends are difficult to determine. In order to reach the water quality goals according to the European Water Framework Directive, we need to improve our understanding of the dynamics of surface water quality and the processes that affect it. In heavily drained lowland catchment groundwater influences the discharge towards the surface water network in many complex ways. Especially a strong seasonal contracting and expanding system of discharging ditches and streams affects discharge and solute transport. At a tube drained field site the tube drain flux and the combined flux of all other flow routes toward a stretch of 45 m of surface water have been measured for a year. Also the groundwater levels at various locations in the field and the discharge at two nested catchment scales have been monitored. The unique reaction of individual flow routes on rainfall events at the field site allowed us to separate the discharge at a 4 ha catchment and at a 6 km2 into flow route contributions. The results of this nested experimental setup combined with the results of a distributed hydrological model has lead to the formulation of a process model approach that focuses on the spatial variability of discharge generation driven by temporal and spatial variations in groundwater levels. The main idea of this approach is that discharge is not generated by catchment average storages or groundwater heads, but is mainly generated by points scale extremes i.e. extreme low permeability, extreme high groundwater heads or extreme low surface elevations, all leading to catchment discharge. We focused on describing the spatial extremes in point scale storages and this led to a simple and measurable expression that governs the non-linear groundwater surface water interaction. We will present the analysis of the field site data to demonstrate the potential

Spatial distribution of triazine residues in a shallow alluvial aquifer linked to groundwater residence time.

Science.gov (United States)

Sassine, Lara; Le Gal La Salle, Corinne; Khaska, Mahmoud; Verdoux, Patrick; Meffre, Patrick; Benfodda, Zohra; Roig, Benoît

2017-03-01

At present, some triazine herbicides occurrence in European groundwater, 13 years after their use ban in the European Union, remains of great concern and raises the question of their persistence in groundwater systems due to several factors such as storage and remobilization from soil and unsaturated zone, limited or absence of degradation, sorption in saturated zones, or to continuing illegal applications. In order to address this problem and to determine triazine distribution in the saturated zone, their occurrence is investigated in the light of the aquifer hydrodynamic on the basis of a geochemical approach using groundwater dating tracers ( 3 H/ 3 He). In this study, atrazine, simazine, terbuthylazine, deethylatrazine, deisopropylatrazine, and deethylterbuthylazine are measured in 66 samples collected between 2011 and 2013 from 21 sampling points, on the Vistrenque shallow alluvial aquifer (southern France), covered by a major agricultural land use. The frequencies of quantification range from 100 to 56 % for simazine and atrazine, respectively (LQ = 1 ng L -1 ). Total triazine concentrations vary between 15 and 350 ng L -1 and show three different patterns with depth below the water table: (1) low concentrations independent of depth but related to water origin, (2) an increase in concentrations with depth in the aquifer related to groundwater residence time and triazine use prior to their ban, and (3) relatively high concentrations at low depths in the saturated zone more likely related to a slow desorption of these compounds from the soil and unsaturated zone. The triazine attenuation rate varies between 0.3 for waters influenced by surface water infiltration and 4.8 for water showing longer residence times in the aquifer, suggesting an increase in these rates with water residence time in the saturated zone. Increasing triazine concentrations with depth is consistent with a significant decrease in the use of these pesticides for the last 10 years on

Comparison of groundwater quality from forested (Waimarino River), urban (Turangi), and natural wetland (South Taupo Wetlands) subcatchments at the southern end of Lake Taupo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosen, M.R.; Reeves, R.R.; Eser, P.; Chague-Goff, C.; Coshell, L.

1998-01-01

Comparison of groundwater quality of three different land uses, (1) exotic pine plantation ready for harvest (Waimarino River Catchment), (2) an urban area characterised by a land treatment facility for sewage effluent from Turangi (Turangi oxidation ponds), and (3) a natural wetland (South Taupo Wetlands) demonstrates that groundwater quality in the southern region of the Lake Taupo catchment is controlled by both natural and human influences in the area. Comparative water quality issues can be summarised as follows. (1) Naturally high concentrations of reduced iron and manganese are present in all three study areas, with the highest concentrations found in the natural wetland area and around the Turangi land treatment facility. (2) Concentrations of sodium, chloride, potassium, and ammonium in the groundwater down-gradient of the Turangi oxidation ponds are elevated relative to the other two study areas. Stable isotopic signatures also show that the groundwater has been influenced by surface water from the oxidation ponds, mostly due to additional evaporation caused by the relatively long residence time of the water (125 days) in the oxidation ponds. Elevated concentrations of ammonium also occur in deep groundwater under the forest areas of the Waimarino River catchment. (3) The water at all three sites is generally unsuitable for drinking supplies due to naturally elevated concentrations of reduced iron and manganese in the groundwater and elevated concentrations of ammonium at many monitoring sites, particularly around the Turangi land treatment site and the Waimarino deep aquifer monitoring sites. Aeration followed by settling or filtration of the groundwater could significantly reduce the concentrations of iron and manganese. (4) Elevated concentrations of reduced iron and manganese are unlikely to affect the water quality of Lake Taupo as all reduced iron and manganese will be oxidised once the water reaches the lake and precipitate as oxyhydroxide minerals

Estimation of groundwater residence time and evaluation of geomorphological processes using cosmogenic and terrigenic radionuclides and isotopes of noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahara, Yasunori; Ohta, Tomoko; Igarashi, Toshifumi

2013-01-01

In this paper, the estimation of groundwater residence time and geomorphological changing processes are discussed by focusing on isotopes of noble gases and radionuclides with a long half-life as an environmental tracer. Noble gases and radionuclides are produced in the atmospheric air and terrestrial rocks by spallation and various muon reactions during cosmic rays irradiation. Groundwater dating and geomorphological changing are estimated from changes in the number of atoms of cosmogenic and terrigenic nuclides in groundwater and terrestrial rock. The main tools of groundwater dating are combination of the dissolved helium and tritium (half-life T 1/2 =12.3 y) for younger groundwater less than 60 years of residence time, and of the dissolved helium and 36 Cl (T 1/2 =3.01 x 10 5 y) for older groundwater over million years. On the other hand, the main tools on the geomorphological changes are the estimation of exposure time using cosmogenic radionuclides ( 10 Be(half-life T 1/2 =1.6 x 10 6 y), 14 C (T 1/2 =5730 y), 26 Al (T 1/2 =7.16 x 10 5 y) and 36 Cl) and cosmogenic stable noble gases ( 3 He and 21 Ne) produced in rock. (author)

Isotope and chemical tracers in groundwater hydrology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kendall, C.; Stewart, M.K.; Morgenstern, U.; Trompetter, V.

1999-01-01

The course sessions cover: session 1, Fundamentals of stable and radioactive isotopes; session 2, Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in hydrology: background, examples, sampling strategy; session 3, Catchment studies using oxygen and hydrogen isotopes: background - the hydrologic water balance, evapotranspiration - the lion's share, runoff generation - new water/old water fractions, groundwater recharge - the crumbs; session 4, Isotopes in catchment hydrology: survey of applications, future developments; session 5, Applications of tritium in hydrology: background and measurement, interpretation, examples; session 6, Case studies using mixing models: Hutt Valley groundwater system, an extended mixing model for simulating tracer transport in the unsaturated zone; session 7, Groundwater dating using CFC concentrations: background, sampling and measurement, use and applications; session 8, Groundwater dating with carbon-14: background, sampling and measurement, use and applications; session 9, NZ case studies: Tauranga warm springs, North Canterbury Plains groundwater; session 10, Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes: background and examples, biological applications of C-N-S isotopes; session 11, New developments in isotope hydrology: gas isotopes, compound specific applications, age dating of sediments etc; session 12, NZ case studies: North Canterbury Plains groundwater (continued), Waimea Plains groundwater. (author). refs., figs

Empirical quantification of lacustrine groundwater discharge - different methods and their limitations

Science.gov (United States)

Meinikmann, K.; Nützmann, G.; Lewandowski, J.

2015-03-01

Groundwater discharge into lakes (lacustrine groundwater discharge, LGD) can be an important driver of lake eutrophication. Its quantification is difficult for several reasons, and thus often neglected in water and nutrient budgets of lakes. In the present case several methods were applied to determine the expansion of the subsurface catchment, to reveal areas of main LGD and to identify the variability of LGD intensity. Size and shape of the subsurface catchment served as a prerequisite in order to calculate long-term groundwater recharge and thus the overall amount of LGD. Isotopic composition of near-shore groundwater was investigated to validate the quality of catchment delineation in near-shore areas. Heat as a natural tracer for groundwater-surface water interactions was used to find spatial variations of LGD intensity. Via an analytical solution of the heat transport equation, LGD rates were calculated from temperature profiles of the lake bed. The method has some uncertainties, as can be found from the results of two measurement campaigns in different years. The present study reveals that a combination of several different methods is required for a reliable identification and quantification of LGD and groundwater-borne nutrient loads.

Lithogenic and cosmogenic tracers in catchment hydrology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nimz, G.J.

1995-01-01

A variety of physical processes affect solute concentrations within catchment waters. The isotopic compositions of the solutes can indicate which processes have determined the observed concentrations. These processes together constitute the physical history of the water, which is one of the primary concerns in hydrology. Many groundwater solutes are derived as a result of interaction between the water and the rock and/or soil within the system. These are termed open-quotes lithogenicclose quotes solutes. The isotopic compositions of these solutes provide information regarding rock-water interactions. Many other solutes have their isotopic compositions determined both internally and externally to the catchment system. Important members of this group include solutes that have isotopic compositions produced by atomic particle interactions with other nuclides. The source of the atomic particles can be cosmic radiation (producing open-quotes cosmogenicclose quotes nuclides in the atmosphere and land surface), anthropogenic nuclear reactions (producing open-quotes thermonuclearclose quotes nuclides), or radioactive and fission decay of naturally-occurring elements, such as U and Th (producing open-quotes in-situclose quotes lithogenic nuclides in the deep subsurface). Current language usage often combines all of the atomic particle-produced nuclides under the heading open-quotes cosmogenic nuclidesclose quotes, and for simplicity we will often follow that usage, although always clearly indicating which variety is being discussed. This paper addresses the processes that affect the lithogenic and cosmogenic solute compositions in groundwater, and how these compositions can therefore be used in integrative ways to understand the physical history of groundwater within a catchment system

Lithogenic and cosmogenic tracers in catchment hydrology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nimz, G.J.

1995-01-01

A variety of physical processes affect solute concentrations within catchment waters. The isotopic compositions of the solutes can indicate which processes have determined the observed concentrations. These processes together constitute the physical history of the water, which is one of the primary concerns in hydrology. Many groundwater solutes are derived as a result of interaction between the water and the rock and/or soil within the system. These are termed {open_quotes}lithogenic{close_quotes} solutes. The isotopic compositions of these solutes provide information regarding rock-water interactions. Many other solutes have their isotopic compositions determined both internally and externally to the catchment system. Important members of this group include solutes that have isotopic compositions produced by atomic particle interactions with other nuclides. The source of the atomic particles can be cosmic radiation (producing {open_quotes}cosmogenic{close_quotes} nuclides in the atmosphere and land surface), anthropogenic nuclear reactions (producing {open_quotes}thermonuclear{close_quotes} nuclides), or radioactive and fission decay of naturally-occurring elements, such as U and Th (producing {open_quotes}in-situ{close_quotes} lithogenic nuclides in the deep subsurface). Current language usage often combines all of the atomic particle-produced nuclides under the heading {open_quotes}cosmogenic nuclides{close_quotes}, and for simplicity we will often follow that usage, although always clearly indicating which variety is being discussed. This paper addresses the processes that affect the lithogenic and cosmogenic solute compositions in groundwater, and how these compositions can therefore be used in integrative ways to understand the physical history of groundwater within a catchment system.

Combination of geochemical and hydrobiological tracers for the analysis of runoff generating processes in a lowland catchment

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Faber, Claas; Wu, Naicheng; Ulrich, Uta; Fohrer, Nicola

2015-04-01

Since lowlands are characterised by flat topography and low hydraulic gradients, groundwater inflow has a large influence to streamflow generation in such catchments. In catchments with intense agricultural land use, artificial drainages are often another major contributor to streamflow. They shorten the soil passage and thus change the matter retention potential as well as runoff dynamics of a catchment. Contribution of surface runoff to streamflow is usually less important in volume. However, due to high concentrations of agrochemicals, surface runoff can constitute an important entry pathway into water bodies, especially if strong precipitation events coincide with fertilizer or pesticide application. The DFG funded project "Separating surface runoff from tile drainage flow in agricultural lowland catchments based on diatoms to improve modelled runoff components and phosphorous transport" investigates prevalent processes in this context in a 50 km² lowland catchment (Kielstau, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) with the goal of improving existing models. End Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA) is used in the project to determine the relative importance of groundwater, tile drainage and surface runoff to streamflow at daily time steps. It became apparent that geochemical tracers are suitable for distinguishing surface runoff, but are weak for the separation of tile drainage and groundwater influence. We attribute this to the strong and complex interaction between soil water and shallow groundwater tables in the catchment. Recent studies (e.g. Pfister et al. 2011, Tauro et al. 2013) show the potential of diatoms as indicators for hydrological processes. Since we found diatoms to be suitable for the separation of tile drainage and stream samples (Wu et al., unpublished data) in our catchment, we are able to include diatom derived indices (e.g. density, species moisture indices, diversity indices) as traces in EMMA. Our results show that the inclusion of diatom data in the

The influence of bedrock hydrogeology on catchment-scale nitrate fate and transport in fractured aquifers.

Science.gov (United States)

Orr, Alison; Nitsche, Janka; Archbold, Marie; Deakin, Jenny; Ofterdinger, Ulrich; Flynn, Raymond

2016-11-01

Characterising catchment scale biogeochemical processes controlling nitrate fate in groundwater constitutes a fundamental consideration when applying programmes of measures to reduce risks posed by diffuse agricultural pollutants to water quality. Combining hydrochemical analyses with nitrate isotopic data and physical hydrogeological measurements permitted characterisation of biogeochemical processes influencing nitrogen fate and transport in the groundwater in two fractured bedrock aquifers with contrasting hydrogeology but comparable nutrient loads. Hydrochemical and isotopic analyses of groundwater samples collected from moderately fractured, diffusely karstified limestone indicated nitrification controlled dissolved nitrogen fate and delivery to aquatic receptors. By contrast nitrate concentrations in groundwater were considerably lower in a low transmissivity highly lithified sandstone and pyrite-bearing shale unit with patchy subsoil cover. Geophysical and hydrochemical investigations showed shallower intervals contained hydraulically active fractures where denitrification was reflected through lower nitrogen levels and an isotopic enrichment ratio of 1.7 between δ(15)N and δ(18)O. Study findings highlight the influence of bedrock hydrogeological conditions on aqueous nitrogen mobility. Investigation results demonstrate that bedrock conditions need to be considered when implementing catchment management plans to reduce the impact of agricultural practices on the quality of groundwater and baseflow in receiving rivers. Nitrate isotopic signatures in the groundwater of a freely draining catchment underlain by a karstified aquifer and a poorly draining aquifer with a low transmissivity aquifer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pesticide fate on catchment scale: conceptual modelling of stream CSIA data

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Lutz, Stefanie R.; van der Velde, Ype; Elsayed, Omniea F.; Imfeld, Gwenaël; Lefrancq, Marie; Payraudeau, Sylvain; van Breukelen, Boris M.

2017-10-01

Compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) has proven beneficial in the characterization of contaminant degradation in groundwater, but it has never been used to assess pesticide transformation on catchment scale. This study presents concentration and carbon CSIA data of the herbicides S-metolachlor and acetochlor from three locations (plot, drain, and catchment outlets) in a 47 ha agricultural catchment (Bas-Rhin, France). Herbicide concentrations at the catchment outlet were highest (62 µg L-1) in response to an intense rainfall event following herbicide application. Increasing δ13C values of S-metolachlor and acetochlor by more than 2 ‰ during the study period indicated herbicide degradation. To assist the interpretation of these data, discharge, concentrations, and δ13C values of S-metolachlor were modelled with a conceptual mathematical model using the transport formulation by travel-time distributions. Testing of different model setups supported the assumption that degradation half-lives (DT50) increase with increasing soil depth, which can be straightforwardly implemented in conceptual models using travel-time distributions. Moreover, model calibration yielded an estimate of a field-integrated isotopic enrichment factor as opposed to laboratory-based assessments of enrichment factors in closed systems. Thirdly, the Rayleigh equation commonly applied in groundwater studies was tested by our model for its potential to quantify degradation on catchment scale. It provided conservative estimates on the extent of degradation as occurred in stream samples. However, largely exceeding the simulated degradation within the entire catchment, these estimates were not representative of overall degradation on catchment scale. The conceptual modelling approach thus enabled us to upscale sample-based CSIA information on degradation to the catchment scale. Overall, this study demonstrates the benefit of combining monitoring and conceptual modelling of concentration

Models for the runoff from a glaciated catchment area using measurements of environmental isotope contents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behrens, H.; Moser, H.; Oerter, H.; Rauert, W.; Stichler, W.; Ambach, W.; Kirchlechner, P.

1979-01-01

For several years, in the glaciated catchment area of the Rofenache (Oetztal Alps, Austria), measurements have been made of the environmental isotopes 2 H, 18 O and 3 H in precipitation, snow and ice samples and in the runoff. Furthermore, the electrolytic conductivity of runoff samples was measured and tracing experiments were made with fluorescent dyes. From core samples drilled in the accumulation area of the Vernagtferner, the gross beta activity was investigated and compared with the data from 2 H, 3 H and 18 O analyses and the data from mass balance studies. It is shown that the annual net balance from previous years can be recovered on temperate glaciers using environmental isotope techniques. From the diurnal variations of the 2 H and 3 H contents and the electrolytic conductivity, the following proportions in the runoff of the Vernagtferner catchment area were obtained during a 24-hour interval at a time of strong ablation (August 1976): about 50% ice meltwater, 25% direct runoff of firn and snow meltwater, and 7% of mineralized groundwater. The rest of the runoff consists of non-mineralized meltwater seeping from the glacier body. The annual variations of the 2 H and 3 H contents in the runoff of the glaciated catchment area permit conclusions on the time sequence of the individual ablation periods, and on the residence time, on the basis of model concepts. The residence times of approximately 100 days or four years, respectively, are obtained from the decrease in the 2 H content at the end of the ablation period and from the variation of the 3 H content in the winter discharge. (author)

Recharge estimation in semi-arid karst catchments: Central West Bank, Palestine

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Jebreen, Hassan; Wohnlich, Stefan; Wisotzky, Frank; Banning, Andre; Niedermayr, Andrea; Ghanem, Marwan

2018-03-01

Knowledge of groundwater recharge constitutes a valuable tool for sustainable management in karst systems. In this respect, a quantitative evaluation of groundwater recharge can be considered a pre-requisite for the optimal operation of groundwater resources systems, particular for semi-arid areas. This paper demonstrates the processes affecting recharge in Palestine aquifers. The Central Western Catchment is one of the main water supply sources in the West Bank. Quantification of potential recharge rates are estimated using chloride mass balance (CMB) and empirical recharge equations over the catchment. The results showing the spatialized recharge rate, which ranges from 111-216 mm/year, representing 19-37% of the long-term mean annual rainfall. Using Water Balance models and climatological data (e. g. solar radiation, monthly temperature, average monthly relative humidity and precipitation), actual evapotranspiration (AET) is estimated. The mean annual actual evapotranspiration was about 66-70% of precipitation.

U Isotope Systematics on Groundwaters from Southwestern France : Mixing Processes and Residence Times

Science.gov (United States)

Innocent, C.; Malcuit, E.; Négrel, P.

2011-12-01

The Eocene Sands Aquifer of the Aquitanian Basin (Southwestern France) has been extensively studied for its hydrology, hydrogeochemistry and also for stable isotopes (André, 2002; André et al., 2005). 14C dates were also obtained in the southern part of the aquifer (André, 2002). Recently, in the framework of the CARISMEAU research project (Négrel et al., 2007), groundwaters have been analyzed for their U activity ratio in order to put some constraints on their residence time in the aquifer. A excellent correlation has been found between 234U/238U ratios (which can be as high as 13.5) and 14C dates, which allowed to propose residence times for the analyzed groundwaters at the scale of the whole aquifer (including the city of Bordeaux and its suburb) (Innocent and Négrel, 2008; submitted). The second step of the CARISMEAU research project (CARISMEAU 2) now focusses on the restricted "Entre-Deux-Mers" area. New groundwaters have been recovered and analyzed for their U isotopic composition. As for previous data, U activity ratios are typically very high, ranging from 2.9 to 8.6. Owing to additional 14C ages from the northern part of the aquifer, it is shown that most of the measured uranium activity ratios correlate with these 14C dates and fall on or close to the straight line defined previously (see above). As a consequence, residence times derived from U isotopic compositions fairly agree with 14C data, with only one exception from a groundwater which plots apart from the correlation line. Pumping tests have been done at a selected site (EMZM 7), involving pumping times of 1 hour, 8 hours and 16 hours. For each pumping time, waters have been recovered at different, increasing pumping rates of 80 m3 per hour, 120 m3 per hour, 160 m3 per hour, and 120 m3 per hour. The chemical composition of these twelve waters has not been found to vary significantly. Uranium activities are constant for ten of the twelve groundwaters (around 6.5, with a U concentration around

Identifying the Dynamic Catchment Storage That Does Not Drive Runoff

Science.gov (United States)

Dralle, D.; Hahm, W. J.; Rempe, D.; Karst, N.; Thompson, S. E.; Dietrich, W. E.

2017-12-01

The central importance of subsurface water storage in hydrology has resulted in numerous attempts to develop hydrograph and mass balance based techniques to quantify catchment storage state or capacity. In spite of these efforts, relatively few studies have linked catchment scale storage metrics to Critical Zone (CZ) structure and the status of water in hillslopes. Elucidating these relationships would increase the interpretability of catchment storage metrics, and aid the development of hydrologic models. Here, we propose that catchment storage consists of a dynamic component that varies on seasonal timescales, and a static component with negligible time variation. Discharge is assumed to be explicitly sensitive to changes in some fraction of the dynamic storage, while the remaining dynamic storage varies without directly influencing flow. We use a coupled mass balance and storage-discharge function approach to partition dynamic storage between these driving and non-driving storage pools, and compare inferences with direct observations of saturated and unsaturated dynamic water storages at two field sites in Northern California. We find that most dynamic catchment water storage does not drive streamflow in both sites, even during the wettest times of year. Moreover, the physical character of non-driving dynamic storage depends strongly on catchment CZ structure. At a site with a deep profile of weathered rock, the dynamic storage that drives streamflow occurs as a seasonally perched groundwater table atop fresh bedrock, and that which does not drive streamflow resides as seasonally dynamic unsaturated water in shallow soils and deep, weathered rock. At a second site with a relatively thin weathered zone, water tables rapidly rise to intersect the ground surface with the first rains of the wet season, yet only a small fraction of this dynamic saturated zone storage drives streamflow. Our findings emphasize how CZ structure governs the overlap in time and space of

Catchment tracers reveal discharge, recharge and sources of groundwater-borne pollutants in a novel lake modelling approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Kristensen

2018-02-01

, the CATS model isolated groundwater discharge sites located mainly in the eastern part of the lake with a single site in the southern part. Observations from the eastern part of the lake revealed an impermeable clay layer that promotes discharge during heavy precipitation events, which would otherwise be difficult to identify using traditional hydrological methods. In comparison to the lake concentrations, high tracer concentrations in the southern part showed that only a smaller fraction of water could originate from this area, thereby confirming the model results. A Euclidean cluster analysis of δ18O isotopes identified recharge sites corresponding to areas adjacent to drainage channels, and a cluster analysis of the microbially influenced FDOM component C4 further identified five sites that showed a tendency towards high groundwater recharge rate. In conclusion, it was found that this methodology can be applied to smaller lakes within a short time frame, providing useful information regarding the WRT of the lake and more importantly the groundwater recharge and discharge sites around the lake. Thus, it is a tool for specific management of the catchment.

Simulating Lake-Groundwater Interactions During Decadal Climate Cycles: Accounting For Variable Lake Area In The Watershed

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Virdi, M. L.; Lee, T. M.

2009-12-01

The volume and extent of a lake within the topo-bathymetry of a watershed can change substantially during wetter and drier climate cycles, altering the interaction of the lake with the groundwater flow system. Lake Starr and other seepage lakes in the permeable sandhills of central Florida are vulnerable to climate changes as they rely exclusively on rainfall and groundwater for inflows in a setting where annual rainfall and recharge vary widely. The groundwater inflow typically arrives from a small catchment area bordering the lake. The sinkhole origin of these lakes combined with groundwater pumping from underlying aquifers further complicate groundwater interactions. Understanding the lake-groundwater interactions and their effects on lake stage over multi-decadal climate cycles is needed to manage groundwater pumping and public expectation about future lake levels. The interdependence between climate, recharge, changing lake area and the groundwater catchment pose unique challenges to simulating lake-groundwater interactions. During the 10-year study period, Lake Starr stage fluctuated more than 13 feet and the lake surface area receded and expanded from 96 acres to 148 acres over drier and wetter years that included hurricanes, two El Nino events and a La Nina event. The recently developed Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF1) and Lake (LAK7) packages for MODFLOW-2005 were used to simulate the changing lake sizes and the extent of the groundwater catchment contributing flow to the lake. The lake area was discretized to occupy the largest surface area at the highest observed stage and then allowed to change size. Lake cells convert to land cells and receive infiltration as receding lake area exposes the underlying unsaturated zone to rainfall and recharge. The unique model conceptualization also made it possible to capture the dynamic size of the groundwater catchment contributing to lake inflows, as the surface area and volume of the lake changed during the study

Residence time as a key for comprehensive assessment of the relationship between changing land use and nitrates in regional groundwater systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Yingjie; Tang, Changyuan; Song, Xianfang; Liu, Changming; Zhang, Yinghua

2013-04-01

In this study, an approach is put forward to study the relationship between changing land use and groundwater nitrate contamination in the Sanjiang Plain. This approach emphasizes the importance of groundwater residence time when relating the nitrates to the changing land use. The principles underlying the approach involve the assessment of groundwater residence time by CFCs and the Vogel age model and the reconstruction of the land use at the groundwater recharge time by interpolation. Nitrate trend analysis shows that nitrates have begun to leach into the aquifers since agricultural activities boomed after the 1950s. Hydrochemical analysis implies that the possible process relating to the nitrate reduction in the groundwater is the oxidation of Fe(ii)-silicates. However, the chemical kinetics of the oxidation of Fe(ii)-silicates is slow, so this denitrification process contributes little to the nitrate variations. Stepwise regression shows that the nitrate concentrations of samples had no direct relationship with the land use at the groundwater sampling time, but had a relatively strong relationship with the land use at the groundwater recharge time. Dry land is recognized as the dominant factor contributing to the elevated concentration of nitrates. The nitrogen isotope for nitrate (δ(15)N-NO3) gives a more direct result of the identification of nitrate sources: the use of manure in agricultural activities. Principle component (PC) regression shows that the process of the dry land exploitation is the major process that controls the nitrate contamination in the Sanjiang Plain.

Hydrologic functioning of the deep Critical Zone and contributions to streamflow in a high elevation catchment: testing of multiple conceptual models

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, R.; Meixner, T.; McIntosh, J. C.; Ferre, T. P. A.; Eastoe, C. J.; Minor, R. L.; Barron-Gafford, G.; Chorover, J.

2017-12-01

The composition of natural mountainous waters maintains important control over the water quality available to downstream users. Furthermore, the geochemical constituents of stream water in the mountainous catchments represent the result of the spatial and temporal evolution of critical zone structure and processes. A key problem is that high elevation catchments involve rugged terrain and are subject to extreme climate and landscape gradients; therefore, high density or high spatial resolution hydro-geochemical observations are rare. Despite such difficulties, the Santa Catalina Mountains Critical Zone Observatory (SCM-CZO), Tucson, AZ, generates long-term hydrogeochemical data for understanding not only hydrological processes and their seasonal characters, but also the geochemical impacts of such processes on streamflow chemical composition. Using existing instrumentation and hydrogeochemical observations from the last 9+ years (2009 through 2016 and an initial part of 2017), we employed a multi-tracer approach along with principal component analysis to identify water sources and their seasonal character. We used our results to inform hydrological process understanding (flow paths, residence times, and water sources) for our study site. Our results indicate that soil water is the largest contributor to streamflow, which is ephemeral in nature. Although a 3-dimensional mixing space involving precipitation, soil water, interflow, and deep groundwater end-members could explain most of the streamflow chemistry, geochemical complexity was observed to grow with catchment storage. In terms of processes and their seasonal character, we found soil water and interflow were the primary end-member contributors to streamflow in all seasons. Deep groundwater only contributes to streamflow at high catchment storage conditions, but it provides major ions such as Na, Mg, and Ca that are lacking in other water types. In this way, our results indicate that any future efforts aimed

Examining the spatial and temporal variation of groundwater inflows to a valley-to-floodplain river using 222Rn, geochemistry and river discharge: the Ovens River, southeast Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, M. C. L.; Cartwright, I.; Braden, J. L.; de Bree, S. T.

2013-12-01

Radon (222Rn) and major ion geochemistry were used to define and quantify the catchment-scale groundwater-surface water interactions along the Ovens River in the southeast Murray-Darling Basin, Victoria, Australia, between September 2009 and October 2011. The Ovens River is characterized by the transition from a single channel within a mountain valley in the upper catchment to a multi-channel meandering river on flat alluvial plains in the lower catchment. Overall, the Ovens River is dominated by gaining reaches, receiving groundwater from both alluvial and basement aquifers. The distribution of gaining and losing reaches is governed by catchment morphology and lithology. In the upper catchment, rapid groundwater recharge through the permeable aquifers increases the water table. The rising water table, referred to as hydraulic loading, increases the hydraulic head gradient toward the river and hence causes high baseflow to the river during wet (high flow) periods. In the lower catchment, lower rainfall and finer-gained sediments reduce the magnitude and variability of hydraulic gradient between the aquifer and the river, producing lower but more constant groundwater inflows. The water table in the lower reaches has a shallow gradient, and small changes in river height or groundwater level can result in fluctuating gaining and losing behaviour. The middle catchment represents a transition in river-aquifer interactions from the upper to the lower catchment. High baseflow in some parts of the middle and lower catchments is caused by groundwater flowing over basement highs. Mass balance calculations based on 222Rn activities indicate that groundwater inflows are 2 to 17% of total flow with higher inflows occurring during high flow periods. In comparison to 222Rn activities, estimates of groundwater inflows from Cl concentrations are higher by up to 2000% in the upper and middle catchment but lower by 50 to 100% in the lower catchment. The high baseflow estimates using

Comparison of a Conceptual Groundwater Model and Physically Based Groundwater Mode

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, J.; Zammit, C.; Griffiths, J.; Moore, C.; Woods, R. A.

2017-12-01

Groundwater is a vital resource for human activities including agricultural practice and urban water demand. Hydrologic modelling is an important way to study groundwater recharge, movement and discharge, and its response to both human activity and climate change. To understand the groundwater hydrologic processes nationally in New Zealand, we have developed a conceptually based groundwater flow model, which is fully integrated into a national surface-water model (TopNet), and able to simulate groundwater recharge, movement, and interaction with surface water. To demonstrate the capability of this groundwater model (TopNet-GW), we applied the model to an irrigated area with water shortage and pollution problems in the upper Ruamahanga catchment in Great Wellington Region, New Zealand, and compared its performance with a physically-based groundwater model (MODFLOW). The comparison includes river flow at flow gauging sites, and interaction between groundwater and river. Results showed that the TopNet-GW produced similar flow and groundwater interaction patterns as the MODFLOW model, but took less computation time. This shows the conceptually-based groundwater model has the potential to simulate national groundwater process, and could be used as a surrogate for the more physically based model.

Soil and geologic controls on recharge and groundwater flow response to climate perturbation: A case study of the Yakima River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, T. T.; Pham, H. V.; Bachmann, M.; Tague, C.; Adam, J. C.

2017-12-01

The Yakima River Basin (YRB) is one of the most important agricultural basins in Washington State with annual revenues in excess of $3.2 billion. This intensively irrigated basin is, however, one of the state's most climatically sensitive water resources system as it heavily relies on winter snowpack and limited reservoir storage. Water shortages and drought are expected to be more frequent with climate change, population growth and increasing agricultural demand. This could result in significant impacts on the groundwater system and subsequently the Yakima River. The goal of this study is to assess how soil and geologic characteristics affect catchment recharge and groundwater flow across three catchments within the YRB using a coupled framework including a physically based hydro-ecological model, the Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System (RHESSys) and a groundwater model, MODFLOW. Soil and geologic-related parameters were randomly sampled to use within the Distributed Evaluation of Local Sensitivity Analysis (DELSA) framework to explore their roles in governing catchment recharge and groundwater flow to climate perturbation. Preliminarily results show that catchment recharge is most sensitive to variation in soil transmissivity in two catchments. However, in the other catchment, recharge is more influenced by soil field capacity and bypass recharge. Recharge is also more sensitive to geologic related parameters in catchments where a portion of its flow comes from deep groundwater. When including the effect of climate perturbations, the sensitivity of recharge responses to soil and geologic characteristics varies with temperature and precipitation change. On the other hand, horizontal hydraulic conductivity is the dominant factor that controls groundwater flow responses in catchments with low permeability soil; alternatively, specific storage (and, to some extent, vertical anisotropy) are important in catchments with more conductive soil. The modeling

A new perspective on catchment storage gained from a nested catchment experiment in Luxembourg (Europe)

Science.gov (United States)

Pfister, Laurent; Klaus, Julian; Hissler, Christophe; François Iffly, Jean; Gourdol, Laurent; Martinez-Carreras, Nuria; McDonnell, Jeffrey J.

2014-05-01

Recent hydrological process research focussed on how much water a catchment can store and how these catchments store and release water. Storage can be a valuable metric for catchment description, inter-comparison, and classification. Further storage controls catchment mixing, non-linearities in rainfall-runoff transformation and eco-hydrological processes. Various methods exist to determine catchment storage (e.g. natural tracer, soil moisture and groundwater data, hydrological models). Today it remains unclear what parts of the catchment storage are measured with the different models. Here we present a new hydrometric approach to answer the question how much water a catchment can store. We tested our approach in a dense hydro-climatological monitoring network that encompasses 16 recording streamgauges and 21 pluviographs in the Alzette River basin in Luxembourg (Europe). Catchment scales are ranging from 0.47 to 285 km2 and they have clean- and mixed combinations of distinct geologies ranging from schists to marls, sandstone, dolomite and limestone. Previous investigations in the area of interest have shown that geology largely controls winter runoff coefficients. Here, we focus at how catchment geology is ultimately affecting catchment storage. We used the approach of Sayama et al. (2011) to compute catchment dynamic storage changes for each winter season over the period 2002-2012 (based on precipitation as input; discharge and evapotranspiration as output). We determined dynamic storage changes for each winter semester (October to March) in all 16 catchments over the period 2002-2012. At the beginning of each hydrological winter season, all catchments showed similar trends in storage change. A few weeks into the winter season, catchments with lowest permeability (e.g. marls) started to plateau. The highest storage values were reached several months later in the season in catchments dominated by permeable substrate (e.g. sandstone). For most catchments, we found

Flow pattern and residence time of groundwater within the south-eastern Taoudeni sedimentary basin (Burkina Faso, Mali)

Science.gov (United States)

Huneau, F.; Dakoure, D.; Celle-Jeanton, H.; Vitvar, T.; Ito, M.; Traore, S.; Compaore, N. F.; Jirakova, H.; Le Coustumer, P.

2011-10-01

SummaryThe knowledge about groundwater flow conditions within the Southeastern Taoudeni Basin Aquifer shared by Burkina Faso and Mali is relatively limited with very little information on potentiometric heads, recharge processes, residence time and water quality. A better evaluation of groundwater resources in this area is a strategic point for water resources management in the entire Soudano-Sahelian region which endures since the beginning of the twentieth century a continuous decrease in precipitation amount. This paper provides a transboundary synthesis using water ( 18O, 2H and 3H) and carbon isotopes ( 13C and 14C) in conjunction with hydrogeological and hydrochemical data. The objectives are to improve the conceptual model of groundwater recharge and flow within this sandstone reservoir, and to assess the changes in the aquifer due to water abstraction and recent climate changes including an insight into Sahelian aquifers palaeorecharge processes. The local meteoric water line for the Bobo-Dioulasso station is proposed: δ 2H = 8.0 (±0.5)δ 18O + 10.2 (±2.1). Two main tendencies can be derived from groundwater chemistry. First, a slight evolution from the Ca-Mg-HCO 3 type towards a Na-K-HCO 3 type that indicates developed interactions between groundwater and clay minerals related to the residence time of groundwater. A second tendency towards Cl-NO 3-SO 4-HCO 3 water types indicates the anthropogenic influence on groundwater related to the poor sanitary conditions observed around wells. The carbon-14 activity measured on the TDIC varies between 0.3 and 122 pmC, so our record contains samples covering a wide period from Actual to Pleistocene suggesting a continuous recharge of the system through time even if the Sahel region has endured many different climate phases which have influenced the infiltration and recharge processes. All groundwater samples have stable isotope compositions in the range of the present day regional and global meteoric water line

Models for the runoff from a glacierized catchment area using measurements of environmental isotope contents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behrens, H.; Moser, H.; Oerter, H.; Rauert, W.; Stichler, W.; Ambach, W.; Kirchlechner, P.

1978-01-01

In the glacierized catchment area of the Rofenache (Oetztal Alps, Austria) during several years measurements have been made of the environmental isotopes 2 H, 18 O and 3 H in the precipitation, in snow and ice samples and in the runoff. Furthermore the electrolytic conductivity of runoff samples was measured and tracing experiments were made with fluorescent dyes. From core samples drilled in the accumulation area of the Vernagtferner, the gross beta activity was investigated and compared with both, the data from 2 H, 3 H und 18 O analyses and the data from mass balance studies. It is shown that the annual net balance from previous years can be recovered on temperate glaciers using environmental isotope techniques. From the diurnal variations of the 2 H and 3 H contents and the electrolytic conductivity the following proportions in the runoff of the Vernagtferner catchment area were obtained during a 24-hour interval at a time of strong ablation (August 1976): about 50% of ice melt water, 25% of direct runoff fo firn- and snow melt water, and 7% of mineralized groundwater. The rest of the runoff consists of not mineralized melt water seeping from the glacier body. The annual variations of the 2 H and 3 H contents in the runoff of the glacierized catchment area permit conclusions on the time sequence of the individual ablation periods and on the residence time on the basis of model concepts. The residence times of approximately 100 days or 4 years, respectively, are obtained from the decrease in the 2 H content at the end of the ablation period and from the variation of the 3 H content in the winter discharge. (orig.) [de

Groundwater flowpaths and residence times inferred by 14C, 36Cl and 4He isotopes in the Continental Intercalaire aquifer (North-Western Africa)

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, J. O.; Deschamps, P.; Hamelin, B.; Fourré, E.; Gonçalvès, J.; Zouari, K.; Guendouz, A.; Michelot, J.-L.; Massault, M.; Dapoigny, A.; ASTER Team

2018-05-01

In a semi-arid to arid climate context, dependency on groundwater resources may lead to overexploitation and deterioration of water quality. The Continental Intercalaire (CI) aquifer is one such continental-scale aquifer (more than a million of km2), which is mainly confined, poorly recharged but intensely abstracted. To date, the management of this resource relies on hydrogeological modelling and key parameters such as recharge/discharge rate and groundwater dynamics. We use a combination of residence time indicators (14C, 36Cl, 4He) and stable isotopes of water (2H and 18O) to give greater constraint on the groundwater residence time in the CI. In previous studies, 14C measurements and steady state modelling indicate a residence time of less than 100 ka whereas in others, 36Cl measurements and transient scenarios modelling suggest a longer residence time (>500 ka). In this study, most of the 14C measurements are below the limit of detection, establishing residence times greater than 40 ka and confirming the necessity of strict sampling protocols to exclude all air and AMS measurements when low 14C concentrations are expected. In the Tunisian recharge area, detectable 14C indicate sporadic recharge episodes (3-7 ka and 29-43 ka), whereas 4He and 36Cl concentrations in central areas suggest very old (water quality in the whole system.

An interactive modelling tool for understanding hydrological processes in lowland catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Brauer, Claudia; Torfs, Paul; Uijlenhoet, Remko

2016-04-01

Recently, we developed the Wageningen Lowland Runoff Simulator (WALRUS), a rainfall-runoff model for catchments with shallow groundwater (Brauer et al., 2014ab). WALRUS explicitly simulates processes which are important in lowland catchments, such as feedbacks between saturated and unsaturated zone and between groundwater and surface water. WALRUS has a simple model structure and few parameters with physical connotations. Some default functions (which can be changed easily for research purposes) are implemented to facilitate application by practitioners and students. The effect of water management on hydrological variables can be simulated explicitly. The model description and applications are published in open access journals (Brauer et al, 2014). The open source code (provided as R package) and manual can be downloaded freely (www.github.com/ClaudiaBrauer/WALRUS). We organised a short course for Dutch water managers and consultants to become acquainted with WALRUS. We are now adapting this course as a stand-alone tutorial suitable for a varied, international audience. In addition, simple models can aid teachers to explain hydrological principles effectively. We used WALRUS to generate examples for simple interactive tools, which we will present at the EGU General Assembly. C.C. Brauer, A.J. Teuling, P.J.J.F. Torfs, R. Uijlenhoet (2014a): The Wageningen Lowland Runoff Simulator (WALRUS): a lumped rainfall-runoff model for catchments with shallow groundwater, Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 2313-2332. C.C. Brauer, P.J.J.F. Torfs, A.J. Teuling, R. Uijlenhoet (2014b): The Wageningen Lowland Runoff Simulator (WALRUS): application to the Hupsel Brook catchment and Cabauw polder, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4007-4028.

Diffuse pollution (pesticides and nitrate) at catchment scale on two constrasted sites: mass balances and characterization of the temporal variability of groundwater quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Baran, N.; Gutierrez, A.

2009-04-01

Enhanced monitoring of groundwater quality over several years has revealed a nitrate and /or pesticide contamination of aquifers in North America and Europe (Gilliom et al., 2006; Ifen, 2004). In many countries (France, United Kingdom, Denmark, Switzerland), drinking water is partly or dominantly supplied by groundwater. Assessing the extent of nitrate or pesticide contamination in aquifer and understanding the transport of the solutes to groundwater is, therefore, of major importance for the management of groundwater resources. Besides, the objective set by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD - 2000/60/EC, OJEC 2000) is for "all groundwater bodies to achieve the good quantitative and chemical status … at the latest by 2015". The Directive demands that European Union Member States not only characterize their levels of groundwater contamination, but also that they study the evolutionary trends of their pollutant concentrations. Monitoring groundwater quality for nitrate and pesticide is thus particularly relevant as well as the characterization of the transfer of solutes to and in groundwater is essential for effective water resource management. Several countries have approached the stage of characterization of their groundwater bodies either by using data derived from various measurement networks, as in France or by establishing specific sampling and analysis protocols (NAQUA network in Switzerland; NAWQA network in the United States). Pesticide monitoring networks, where they exist, are often less than 10 years old with a fairly low measurement frequency (1 to 4 analyses per year). Chemical status and trend interpretations are thus difficult and limited. Characterizing an entire groundwater body from observations limited in time and space remains a challenge. Little published data exists concerning intensive monitoring over several years, whether at the catchment outlet or at observation points spread over a basin, that would allow these

Groundwater recharge in desert playas: current rates and future effects of climate change

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Owen P.; Sala, Osvaldo E.

2018-01-01

Our results from playas, which are topographic low areas situated in closed-catchments in drylands, indicated that projected climate change in Southwestern USA would have a net positive impact over runon and groundwater recharge beneath playas. Expected increased precipitation variability can cause up to a 300% increase in annual groundwater recharge beneath playas. This increase will overshadow the effect of decreased precipitation amount that could cause up to a 50% decrease in recharge beneath playas. These changes could have a significant impact on groundwater and carbon storage. These results are important given that groundwater resources in Southwestern USA continue to decline due to human consumption outpacing natural recharge of aquifers. Here, we report on groundwater recharge rates ranging from less than 1 mm to greater than 25 mm per year beneath desert playas. Playas located in larger and steeper catchments with finer-textured soils had the highest rates of recharge. Vegetation cover had no effect on recharge beneath playas. We modeled catchment runoff generation and found that the amount of runon a playa receives annually strongly correlated to the rate of groundwater recharge beneath that playa. Runon occurred during precipitation events larger than 20 mm and increased linearly with events above that threshold.

The relative influence of climate and catchment properties on hydrological drought

Science.gov (United States)

Van Loon, Anne; Laaha, Gregor; Koffler, Daniel

2014-05-01

Studying hydrological drought (a below-normal water availability in groundwater, lakes and streams) is important to society and the ecosystem, but can also reveal interesting information about catchment functioning. This information can later be used for predicting drought in ungauged basins and to inform water management decisions. In this study, we used an extensive Austrian dataset of discharge measurements in clusters of catchments and combine this dataset with thematic information on climate and catchment properties. Our aim was to study the relative effects of climate and catchment characteristics on drought duration and deficit and on hydrological drought typology. Because the climate of the region is roughly uniform, our hypothesis was that the effect of differences of catchment properties would stand out. From time series of precipitation and discharge we identified droughts with the widely-used threshold level approach, defining a drought when a variable falls below a pre-defined threshold representing the regime. Drought characteristics that were analysed are drought duration and deficit. We also applied the typology of Van Loon & Van Lanen (2012). To explain differences in drought characteristics between catchments we did a correlation analysis with climate and catchment characteristics, based on Pearson correlation. We found very interesting patterns in the correlations of drought characteristics with climate and catchment properties: 1) Droughts with long duration (mean and maximum) and composite droughts are related to catchments with a high BFI (high baseflow) and a high percentage of shallow groundwater tables. 2) The deficit (mean and maximum) of both meteorological droughts and hydrological droughts is strongly related to catchment humidity, in this case quantified by average annual precipitation. 3) The hydrological drought types that are related to snow, i.e. cold snow season drought and snow melt drought, occur in catchments that are have a

Assessing the drivers of dissolved organic matter export from two contrasting lowland catchments, U.K.

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, Christopher A; Johnes, Penny J; Spencer, Robert G M

2016-11-01

Two lowland catchments in the U.K. were sampled throughout 2010-11 to investigate the dominant controls on dissolved organic matter quantity and composition. The catchments had marked differences in terms of nutrient status, land cover and contrasting lithologies resulting in differences in the dominant flow pathways (groundwater vs. surface water dominated). The Upper Wylye is a chalk stream with a baseflow index of 0.98, draining a catchment dominated by intensive agricultural production. Millersford Brook is a lowland peat catchment with a baseflow index of 0.43, draining a semi-natural catchment with heather moorland and coniferous forest. Samples were collected weekly between October 2010 and September 2011 from eleven sampling locations. Samples were analysed to determine dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus fractions with DOM composition evaluated via the DOC:DON ratio, DOC:DOP ratio, specific UV absorption at 254nm, absorbance ratio (a250:a365) and the spectral slope parameter between 350 and 400nm (S350-400). Significant differences were observed in all determinands between the catchments, over time, and spatially along nutrient enrichment and geoclimatic gradients. Seasonal variation in preferential flow pathways mobilising groundwater-derived DOM were identified as likely controls on the delivery of DOM in the permeable chalk dominated catchment. Steeper S350-400 values and elevated a250:a365 ratios in this catchment suggest material of a lower bulk aromatic C content and molecular weight delivered during the winter months when compared to the summer. DOC:DON ratios were markedly lower in the chalk catchment than the peatland catchment, reflecting the paucity of organic matter within the mineral soils of the chalk landscape, and higher fertiliser application rates. This manuscript highlights that DOM composition varies according to catchment landscape character and hydrological function. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B

Residence times and mixing of water in river banks: implications for recharge and groundwater-surface water exchange

Science.gov (United States)

Unland, N. P.; Cartwright, I.; Cendón, D. I.; Chisari, R.

2014-12-01

Bank exchange processes within 50 m of the Tambo River, southeast Australia, have been investigated through the combined use of 3H and 14C. Groundwater residence times increase towards the Tambo River, which suggests the absence of significant bank storage. Major ion concentrations and δ2H and δ18O values of bank water also indicate that bank infiltration does not significantly impact groundwater chemistry under baseflow and post-flood conditions, suggesting that the gaining nature of the river may be driving the return of bank storage water back into the Tambo River within days of peak flood conditions. The covariance between 3H and 14C indicates the leakage and mixing between old (~17 200 years) groundwater from a semi-confined aquifer and younger groundwater (bank infiltration. Furthermore, the more saline deeper groundwater likely controls the geochemistry of water in the river bank, minimising the chemical impact that bank infiltration has in this setting. These processes, coupled with the strongly gaining nature of the Tambo River are likely to be the factors reducing the chemical impact of bank storage in this setting. This study illustrates the complex nature of river groundwater interactions and the potential downfall in assuming simple or idealised conditions when conducting hydrogeological studies.

Simulation of nitrate reduction in groundwater - An upscaling approach from small catchments to the Baltic Sea basin

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, A. L.; Donnelly, C.; Refsgaard, J. C.; Karlsson, I. B.

2018-01-01

This paper describes a modeling approach proposed to simulate the impact of local-scale, spatially targeted N-mitigation measures for the Baltic Sea Basin. Spatially targeted N-regulations aim at exploiting the considerable spatial differences in the natural N-reduction taking place in groundwater and surface water. While such measures can be simulated using local-scale physically-based catchment models, use of such detailed models for the 1.8 million km2 Baltic Sea basin is not feasible due to constraints on input data and computing power. Large-scale models that are able to simulate the Baltic Sea basin, on the other hand, do not have adequate spatial resolution to simulate some of the field-scale measures. Our methodology combines knowledge and results from two local-scale physically-based MIKE SHE catchment models, the large-scale and more conceptual E-HYPE model, and auxiliary data in order to enable E-HYPE to simulate how spatially targeted regulation of agricultural practices may affect N-loads to the Baltic Sea. We conclude that the use of E-HYPE with this upscaling methodology enables the simulation of the impact on N-loads of applying a spatially targeted regulation at the Baltic Sea basin scale to the correct order-of-magnitude. The E-HYPE model together with the upscaling methodology therefore provides a sound basis for large-scale policy analysis; however, we do not expect it to be sufficiently accurate to be useful for the detailed design of local-scale measures.

Regional groundwater flow in hard rocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pacheco, Fernando A.L., E-mail: fpacheco@utad.pt

2015-02-15

The territory of continental Portugal has a geologic history marked by the Hercynian orogeny, and to the north of this country the Hercynian large-scale tectonic structures are typically represented by long and deep NW–SE trending ductile shear zones and NNE–SSW trending fragile faults. These structures are elements of mineral and thermal water circuits that discharge as springs in more than one hundred locations. The purpose of this study is to investigate if these structures are also used by shallower non-mineral groundwater, integrated in a large-scale regional flow system. Using an original combination of water balance and recession flow models, it was possible to calculate catchment turnover times based solely on groundwater discharge rates and recession flow parameters. These times were then used to classify a group of 46 watersheds as closed or open basins, and among the later class to identify source and sink basins, based on innovative interpretations of relationships between turnover time and catchment area. By definition, source basins transfer groundwater to sink basins and altogether form a regional flow system. Using a Geographic Information System, it could be demonstrated the spatial association of open basins to the Hercynian ductile and fragile tectonic structures and hence to classify the basins as discharge cells of a regional flow system. Most of the studied watersheds are sub-basins of the Douro River basin, one of the largest regional catchments in the Iberian Peninsula, being located in its mouth area. Because the largest part of open basins is sink, which by definition tends to dominate in the mouth area of regional catchments, it is proposed as an extension of the studied area conceptual boundaries towards the Douro River basin headwaters, where the corresponding sources could be searched for. - Highlights: • Introduce a method to distinguish open from closed groundwater basins • Identify structural elements of a regional flow

Regional groundwater flow in hard rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacheco, Fernando A.L.

2015-01-01

The territory of continental Portugal has a geologic history marked by the Hercynian orogeny, and to the north of this country the Hercynian large-scale tectonic structures are typically represented by long and deep NW–SE trending ductile shear zones and NNE–SSW trending fragile faults. These structures are elements of mineral and thermal water circuits that discharge as springs in more than one hundred locations. The purpose of this study is to investigate if these structures are also used by shallower non-mineral groundwater, integrated in a large-scale regional flow system. Using an original combination of water balance and recession flow models, it was possible to calculate catchment turnover times based solely on groundwater discharge rates and recession flow parameters. These times were then used to classify a group of 46 watersheds as closed or open basins, and among the later class to identify source and sink basins, based on innovative interpretations of relationships between turnover time and catchment area. By definition, source basins transfer groundwater to sink basins and altogether form a regional flow system. Using a Geographic Information System, it could be demonstrated the spatial association of open basins to the Hercynian ductile and fragile tectonic structures and hence to classify the basins as discharge cells of a regional flow system. Most of the studied watersheds are sub-basins of the Douro River basin, one of the largest regional catchments in the Iberian Peninsula, being located in its mouth area. Because the largest part of open basins is sink, which by definition tends to dominate in the mouth area of regional catchments, it is proposed as an extension of the studied area conceptual boundaries towards the Douro River basin headwaters, where the corresponding sources could be searched for. - Highlights: • Introduce a method to distinguish open from closed groundwater basins • Identify structural elements of a regional flow

Spatially explicit groundwater vulnerability assessment to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive – a practical approach with stakeholders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Berkhoff

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of the study presented in this paper was to develop an evaluation scheme which is suitable for spatially explicit groundwater vulnerability assessment according to the Water Framework Directive (WFD. Study area was the Hase river catchment, an area of about 3 000 km2 in north-west Germany which is dominated by livestock farming, in particular pig and poultry production. For the Hase river catchment, the first inventory of the WFD led to the conclusion that 98% of the catchment area is "unclear/unlikely" to reach a good groundwater status due to diffuse nitrogen emissions from agriculture. The groundwater vulnerability assessment was embedded in the PartizipA project ("Participative modelling, Actor and Ecosystem Analysis in Regions with Intensive Agriculture", www.partizipa.net, within which a so-called actors' platform was established in the study area. The objective of the participatory process was to investigate the effects of the WFD on agriculture as well as to discuss groundwater protection measures which are suitable for an integration in the programme of measures. The study was conducted according to the vulnerability assessment concept of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, considering sensitivity, exposure and adaptive capacity. Sensitivity was computed using the DRASTIC index of natural groundwater pollution potential. Exposure (for a reference scenario was computed using the STOFFBILANZ nutrient model. Several regional studies were analysed to evaluate the adaptive capacity. From these studies it was concluded that the adaptive capacity in the Hase river catchment is very low due to the economic importance of the agricultural sector which will be significantly affected by groundwater protection measures. As a consequence, the adaptive capacity was not considered any more in the vulnerability assessment. A groundwater vulnerability evaluation scheme is presented which enjoys the advantage that both

Effect to groundwater recharge caused by land use change, comparative filed observation in forest and grassland watersheds, Southwestern Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Kudo, K.; Shimada, J.; Tanaka, N.

2011-12-01

City of Kumamoto and their surrounding area are totally supported by the local groundwater as their tap water source, which is quite unique as comparing to the other large cities in Japan because Japanese large cities are mostly supplied by the surface water which is relatively easy to access for their tap water. Because of this, prefecture government of the Kumamoto City has much concern about the sustainable use of groundwater resources for their future generations. In Japan, for the sustainable use of groundwater resources, the forestation in the groundwater recharge area believed to increase the groundwater recharge to the local groundwater aquifer. It is true that the forestation surely works to reduce the direct runoff rate during the flooding period and also works to maintain a bit higher base flow rate during the low flow period than without forestation. However, the effect to the groundwater recharge rate by the forestation is not well understood because of the increase of evapo-transpiration by the tree itself. In order to understand the change of the groundwater recharge rate by the forestation, a paired catchments field observation has been conducted in two adjacent forest (0.088km2) and grassland (0.14km2) watersheds at the western foot of Mt. Aso known as recharge area of major local aquifer of Kumamoto region. The study sites are located at 32°53'N, 130°57'E with elevation ranging from 500 to 800m. The forest watershed consists mainly of around 30 year aged Japanese cypress plantations surrounded by Japanese cedar and mixture forest. The grassland watershed consists mainly of pasture and Japanese silver grass. Both catchments develop on the mountain foot slope consists of the Aso-2 pyroclastic sediments. As for the hydrometric observation system for each catchments, parshall flume runoff weir for the river discharge, meteoric tower for the evapo-transpiration monitoring purpose, and precipitation gage are installed to calculate groundwater recharge

Adaptation of the HBV model for the study of drought propagation in European catchments

Science.gov (United States)

van Loon, A. F.; van Lanen, H. A. J.; Seibert, J.; Torfs, P. J. J. F.

2009-04-01

Drought propagation is the conversion of a meteorological drought signal into a hydrological drought (e.g. groundwater and streamflow) as it moves through the subsurface part of the hydrological cycle. The lag, attenuation and possibly pooling of parts of the signal are dependent on climate and catchment characteristics. The understanding of processes underlying drought propagation is still very limited. Our aim is to study these processes in small catchments across Europe with different climate conditions and physical structures (e.g. hard rock, porous rock, flat areas, steep slopes, snow, lakes). As measurements of soil moisture and groundwater storage are normally scarce, simulation of these variables using a lumped hydrological model is needed. However, although a simple model is preferable, many conceptual rainfall-runoff models are not suitable for this purpose because of their focus on fast reactions and therefore unrealistic black box approach of the soil moisture and groundwater system. We studied the applicability of the well-known semi-distributed rainfall-runoff model HBV for drought propagation research. The results show that HBV reproduces observed discharges fairly well. However, in simulating groundwater storage in dry periods, HBV has some conceptual weaknesses: 1) surface runoff is approximated by a quick flow component through the upper groundwater box; 2) the storage in the upper groundwater box has no upper limit; 3) lakes are simulated as part of the lower groundwater box; 4) the percolation from the upper to the lower groundwater box is not continuous, but either zero or constant. So, adaptation of the HBV model structure was needed to be able to simulate realistic groundwater storage in dry periods. The HBV Light model (Seibert et al., 2000) was used as basis for this work. As the snow and soil routines of this model have proven their value in previous (drought) studies, these routines are left unchanged. The lower part of HBV Light, the

Recharge sources and residence times of groundwater as determined by geochemical tracers in the Mayfield Area, southwestern Idaho, 2011–12

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, Candice B.

2013-01-01

Parties proposing residential development in the area of Mayfield, Idaho are seeking a sustainable groundwater supply. During 2011–12, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources, used geochemical tracers in the Mayfield area to evaluate sources of aquifer recharge and differences in groundwater residence time. Fourteen groundwater wells and one surface-water site were sampled for major ion chemistry, metals, stable isotopes, and age tracers; data collected from this study were used to evaluate the sources of groundwater recharge and groundwater residence times in the area. Major ion chemistry varied along a flow path between deeper wells, suggesting an upgradient source of dilute water, and a downgradient source of more concentrated water with the geochemical signature of the Idaho Batholith. Samples from shallow wells had elevated nutrient concentrations, a more positive oxygen-18 signature, and younger carbon-14 dates than deep wells, suggesting that recharge comes from young precipitation and surface-water infiltration. Samples from deep wells generally had higher concentrations of metals typical of geothermal waters, a more negative oxygen-18 signature, and older carbon-14 values than samples from shallow wells, suggesting that recharge comes from both infiltration of meteoric water and another source. The chemistry of groundwater sampled from deep wells is somewhat similar to the chemistry in geothermal waters, suggesting that geothermal water may be a source of recharge to this aquifer. Results of NETPATH mixing models suggest that geothermal water composes 1–23 percent of water in deep wells. Chlorofluorocarbons were detected in every sample, which indicates that all groundwater samples contain at least a component of young recharge, and that groundwater is derived from multiple recharge sources. Conclusions from this study can be used to further refine conceptual hydrological models of the area.

Geochemical modelling of groundwater evolution and residence time at the Olkiluoto site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitkaenen, P.; Luukkonen, A.; Ruotsalainen, P.; Leino-Forsman, H.; Vuorinen, U.

1999-05-01

external conditions such as glaciation, palaeo Baltic stages, land uplift and ancient hydrothermal events, have had a significant effect on local palaeohydrogeological conditions. They have caused great variability, which is observable in the chemical data notably in salinity (up to 70 g/l), water type and contents of conservative parameters, such as Cl, Br and stable isotopes of water. However, their influence is also significant on the water-rock interaction that principally controls the pH and redox conditions - varying 7.5 to 8 and -200 to -300 mV, respectively - in the groundwater, although the calculated mass transfer in the reactions is minor compared with conservative mixing at the site. Calcite in fractures is interpreted to principally control pH level in groundwater. Sulphidic redox conditions dominate in the upper 500 m in brackish and slightly saline groundwater. Deeper sulphur species are absent and methanic processes are obtained. The water types can be connected to certain palaeo stages. This enables to estimate mean residence time of groundwaters. Current meteoric recharge stage (< 2500 a) mainly dominates in the upper 150 m. Groundwater from Litorina stage (7500-2500 a ago) forms the bulk at 100 - 250 m. Glacial melt water (about 10 000 a old) is an important component of groundwater between 100 - 500 m. However, any remarks of oxygen intrusion cannot be interpreted neither from mineralogy nor from groundwater. Deeper, subglacial and older saline groundwater predominates. Despite the current locations of different groundwater bodies it seems according to hydrogeochemical interpretation that dynamic flow conditions has been limited to upper 150 - 200 m. (orig.)

Geochemical modelling of groundwater evolution and residence time at the Olkiluoto site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pitkaenen, P.; Luukkonen, A. [VTT Communities and Infrastructure, Espoo (Finland); Ruotsalainen, P. [Fintact Oy (Finland); Leino-Forsman, H.; Vuorinen, U. [VTT Chemical Technology, Espoo (Finland)

1999-05-01

external conditions such as glaciation, palaeo Baltic stages, land uplift and ancient hydrothermal events, have had a significant effect on local palaeohydrogeological conditions. They have caused great variability, which is observable in the chemical data notably in salinity (up to 70 g/l), water type and contents of conservative parameters, such as Cl, Br and stable isotopes of water. However, their influence is also significant on the water-rock interaction that principally controls the pH and redox conditions - varying 7.5 to 8 and -200 to -300 mV, respectively - in the groundwater, although the calculated mass transfer in the reactions is minor compared with conservative mixing at the site. Calcite in fractures is interpreted to principally control pH level in groundwater. Sulphidic redox conditions dominate in the upper 500 m in brackish and slightly saline groundwater. Deeper sulphur species are absent and methanic processes are obtained. The water types can be connected to certain palaeo stages. This enables to estimate mean residence time of groundwaters. Current meteoric recharge stage (< 2500 a) mainly dominates in the upper 150 m. Groundwater from Litorina stage (7500-2500 a ago) forms the bulk at 100 - 250 m. Glacial melt water (about 10 000 a old) is an important component of groundwater between 100 - 500 m. However, any remarks of oxygen intrusion cannot be interpreted neither from mineralogy nor from groundwater. Deeper, subglacial and older saline groundwater predominates. Despite the current locations of different groundwater bodies it seems according to hydrogeochemical interpretation that dynamic flow conditions has been limited to upper 150 - 200 m. (orig.) 82 refs.

Residence times of groundwater and nitrate transport in coastal aquifer systems: Daweijia area, northeastern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Dongmei; Cao, Guoliang; McCallum, James; Song, Xianfang

2015-12-15

Groundwater within the coastal aquifer systems of the Daweijia area in northeastern China is characterized by a large of variations (33-521mg/L) in NO3(-) concentrations. Elevated nitrate concentrations, in addition to seawater intrusion in the Daweijia well field, both attributable to anthropogenic activities, may impact future water-management practices. Chemical and stable isotopic (δ(18)O, δ(2)H) analysis, (3)H and CFCs methods were applied to provide a better understanding of the relationship between the distribution of groundwater mean residence time (MRT) and nitrate transport, and to identify sources of nitrate concentrations in the complex coastal aquifer systems. There is a relatively narrow range of isotopic composition (ranging from -8.5 to -7.0‰) in most groundwater. Generally higher tritium contents observed in the wet season relative to the dry season may result from rapid groundwater circulation in response to the rainfall through the preferential flow paths. In the well field, the relatively increased nitrate concentrations of groundwater, accompanied by the higher tritium contents in the wet season, indicate the nitrate pollution can be attributed to domestic wastes. The binary exponential and piston-flow mixing model (BEP) yielded feasible age distributions based on the conceptual model. The good inverse relationship between groundwater MRTs (92-467years) and the NO3(-) concentrations in the shallow Quaternary aquifers indicates that elevated nitrate concentrations are attributable to more recent recharge for shallow groundwater. However, there is no significant relationship between the MRTs (8-411years) and the NO3(-) concentrations existing in the carbonate aquifer system, due to the complex hydrogeological conditions, groundwater age distributions and the range of contaminant source areas. Nitrate in the groundwater system without denitrification effects could accumulate and be transported for tens of years, through the complex carbonate

Residence time distributions of artificially infiltrated groundwater used for drinking water production

Science.gov (United States)

Popp, A. L.; Marçais, J.; Moeck, C.; Brennwald, M. S.; Kipfer, R.

2017-12-01

Public drinking water supply in urban areas is often challenging due to exposure to potential contamination and high water demands. At our study site, a drinking water supply field in Switzerland, managed aquifer recharge (MAR) was implemented to overcome an increasing water demand and decreasing water quality. Water from the river Rhine is put on a system of channels and ponds to artificially infiltrate and hence, increase the natural groundwater availability. The groundwater system consists of two overlying aquifers, with hydraulic connections related to fractures and faults. The deeper aquifer contains contaminants, which possibly originate from nearby landfills and industrial areas. The operating water works aims to pump recently infiltrated water only. However, we suspect that the pumped water contains a fraction of old water due to the fractured zones which serve as hydraulic connection between the two aquifers. With this study, we aim to better understand the mixing patterns between recently infiltrated water and old groundwater to evaluate the risk for contamination of the system. To reach our objective, we used a set of gas tracers (222Rn, 3H/3He, 4He) from fifteen wells distributed throughout the area to estimate the residence time distribution (RTD) of each well. We calibrated the RTD with a Binary Mixing Model, where the fraction of young groundwater is assumed to follow a Piston Flow Model. The older groundwater fraction is calibrated with a Dispersion Model. Our results reflect the heterogeneity of the system with some abstraction wells containing young water only and others showing an admixture of old water which can only be explained by a connection to the deeper aquifer. We also show that our results on calibrated RTDs are in accordance with other geochemical data such as electrical conductivity, major ions and pH. Our results will contribute to a sound conceptual flow and transport understanding and will help to optimize the water supply system.

Tracer tests to determine the impact of industrial activities on groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaspar, R.D.

1995-01-01

The drinking water supply from drains of Iasi town is vulnerable to pollution because of the human activities developed in the supply area. To assess the vulnerability, the transfer functions of pollutants were determined using activable tracer and fluorescent dyes. Tracer techniques have been applied in very permeable sediments and in surface waters for the determination of the dynamic parameters of groundwater movements such as flow vectors and dispersion. To determine the residence time distribution of the pollutants, the mathematical models for surface water pollution and an axial dispersion model for the porous medium between the pollution source and catchment were used. Tracer techniques also allowed the determination of water losses under the drain. (author) 7 figs., 1 tab., 12 refs

The influence of model parameters on catchment-response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, S.M.S.; Gabriel, H.F.; Khan, A.A.

2002-01-01

This paper deals with the study of influence of influence of conceptual rainfall-runoff model parameters on catchment response (runoff). A conceptual modified watershed yield model is employed to study the effects of model-parameters on catchment-response, i.e. runoff. The model is calibrated, using manual parameter-fitting approach, also known as trial and error parameter-fitting. In all, there are twenty one (21) parameters that control the functioning of the model. A lumped parametric approach is used. The detailed analysis was performed on Ling River near Kahuta, having catchment area of 56 sq. miles. The model includes physical parameters like GWSM, PETS, PGWRO, etc. fitting coefficients like CINF, CGWS, etc. and initial estimates of the surface-water and groundwater storages i.e. srosp and gwsp. Sensitivity analysis offers a good way, without repetititious computations, the proper weight and consideration that must be taken when each of the influencing factor is evaluated. Sensitivity-analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of model-parameters on runoff. The sensitivity and relative contributions of model parameters influencing catchment-response are studied. (author)

Incorporation of groundwater losses and well level data in rainfall-runoff models illustrated using the PDM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. J. Moore

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Intermittent streamflow is a common occurrence in permeable catchments, especially where there are pumped abstractions to water supply. Many rainfall-runoff models are not formulated so as to represent ephemeral streamflow behaviour or to allow for the possibility of negative recharge arising from groundwater pumping. A groundwater model component is formulated here for use in extending existing rainfall-runoff models to accommodate such ephemeral behaviour. Solutions to the Horton-Izzard equation resulting from the conceptual model of groundwater storage are adapted and the form of nonlinear storage extended to accommodate negative inputs, water storage below which outflow ceases, and losses to external springs and underflows below the gauged catchment outlet. The groundwater model component is demonstrated through using it as an extension of the PDM rainfall-runoff model. It is applied to the River Lavant, a catchment in Southern England on the English Chalk, where it successfully simulates the ephemeral streamflow behaviour and flood response together with well level variations. Keywords: groundwater, rainfall-runoff model, ephemeral stream, well level, spring, abstraction

Water and salt balance modelling to predict the effects of land-use changes in forested catchments. 1. Small catchment water balance model

Science.gov (United States)

Sivapalan, Murugesu; Ruprecht, John K.; Viney, Neil R.

1996-03-01

A long-term water balance model has been developed to predict the hydrological effects of land-use change (especially forest clearing) in small experimental catchments in the south-west of Western Australia. This small catchment model has been used as the building block for the development of a large catchment-scale model, and has also formed the basis for a coupled water and salt balance model, developed to predict the changes in stream salinity resulting from land-use and climate change. The application of the coupled salt and water balance model to predict stream salinities in two small experimental catchments, and the application of the large catchment-scale model to predict changes in water yield in a medium-sized catchment that is being mined for bauxite, are presented in Parts 2 and 3, respectively, of this series of papers.The small catchment model has been designed as a simple, robust, conceptually based model of the basic daily water balance fluxes in forested catchments. The responses of the catchment to rainfall and pan evaporation are conceptualized in terms of three interdependent subsurface stores A, B and F. Store A depicts a near-stream perched aquifer system; B represents a deeper, permanent groundwater system; and F is an intermediate, unsaturated infiltration store. The responses of these stores are characterized by a set of constitutive relations which involves a number of conceptual parameters. These parameters are estimated by calibration by comparing observed and predicted runoff. The model has performed very well in simulations carried out on Salmon and Wights, two small experimental catchments in the Collie River basin in south-west Western Australia. The results from the application of the model to these small catchments are presented in this paper.

Assessment of surface water resources availability using catchment modelling and the results of tracer studies in the mesoscale Migina Catchment, Rwanda

Science.gov (United States)

Munyaneza, O.; Mukubwa, A.; Maskey, S.; Uhlenbrook, S.; Wenninger, J.

2014-12-01

In the present study, we developed a catchment hydrological model which can be used to inform water resources planning and decision making for better management of the Migina Catchment (257.4 km2). The semi-distributed hydrological model HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Engineering Center - the Hydrologic Modelling System) (version 3.5) was used with its soil moisture accounting, unit hydrograph, liner reservoir (for baseflow) and Muskingum-Cunge (river routing) methods. We used rainfall data from 12 stations and streamflow data from 5 stations, which were collected as part of this study over a period of 2 years (May 2009 and June 2011). The catchment was divided into five sub-catchments. The model parameters were calibrated separately for each sub-catchment using the observed streamflow data. Calibration results obtained were found acceptable at four stations with a Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency index (NS) of 0.65 on daily runoff at the catchment outlet. Due to the lack of sufficient and reliable data for longer periods, a model validation was not undertaken. However, we used results from tracer-based hydrograph separation from a previous study to compare our model results in terms of the runoff components. The model performed reasonably well in simulating the total flow volume, peak flow and timing as well as the portion of direct runoff and baseflow. We observed considerable disparities in the parameters (e.g. groundwater storage) and runoff components across the five sub-catchments, which provided insights into the different hydrological processes on a sub-catchment scale. We conclude that such disparities justify the need to consider catchment subdivisions if such parameters and components of the water cycle are to form the base for decision making in water resources planning in the catchment.

Hydrologic connectivity between landscapes and streams: Transferring reach‐ and plot‐scale understanding to the catchment scale

Science.gov (United States)

Jencso, Kelsey G.; McGlynn, Brian L.; Gooseff, Michael N.; Wondzell, Steven M.; Bencala, Kenneth E.; Marshall, Lucy A.

2009-01-01

The relationship between catchment structure and runoff characteristics is poorly understood. In steep headwater catchments with shallow soils the accumulation of hillslope area (upslope accumulated area (UAA)) is a hypothesized first‐order control on the distribution of soil water and groundwater. Hillslope‐riparian water table connectivity represents the linkage between the dominant catchment landscape elements (hillslopes and riparian zones) and the channel network. Hydrologic connectivity between hillslope‐riparian‐stream (HRS) landscape elements is heterogeneous in space and often temporally transient. We sought to test the relationship between UAA and the existence and longevity of HRS shallow groundwater connectivity. We quantified water table connectivity based on 84 recording wells distributed across 24 HRS transects within the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest (U.S. Forest Service), northern Rocky Mountains, Montana. Correlations were observed between the longevity of HRS water table connectivity and the size of each transect's UAA (r2 = 0.91). We applied this relationship to the entire stream network to quantify landscape‐scale connectivity through time and ascertain its relationship to catchment‐scale runoff dynamics. We found that the shape of the estimated annual landscape connectivity duration curve was highly related to the catchment flow duration curve (r2 = 0.95). This research suggests internal catchment landscape structure (topography and topology) as a first‐order control on runoff source area and whole catchment response characteristics.

High resolution isotope data and ensemble modelling reveal ecohydrological controls on catchment storage-discharge relationships and flux travel time distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Soulsby, C.; Kuppel, S.; Smith, A.; Tetzlaff, D.

2017-12-01

The dynamics of water storage in a catchment provides a fundamental insight into the interlinkages between input and output fluxes, and how these are affected by environmental change. Such dynamics also mediate, and help us understand, the fundamental difference of the rapid celerity of the rainfall-runoff (minutes to hours) response of catchments and the much slower velocity of water particles (months to decades) as they are transported through catchment systems. In this contribution we report an intensive, long-term (>10year), multi-scale isotope study in the Scottish Highlands that has sought to better understand these issues. We have integrated empirical data collection with diverse modelling approaches to quantify the dynamics and residence times of storage in different compartments of the hydrological system (vegetation canopies, soils, ground waters etc.) and their relationship between the magnitude and travel time distributions of output fluxes (stream flow, transpiration and evaporation). Use of conceptual, physically-based and probabilistic modelling approaches give broadly consistent perspectives on the storage-discharge relationships and the preferential selection of younger waters in runoff, evaporation and transpiration; while older waters predominate in groundwater. The work also highlighted the importance role vegetation plays in regulating fluxes in evaporation and transpiration and how this contributes to the differential ageing of water in mobile and bulk waters in the soil compartment. A separate case study shows how land use change can affect storage distributions in a catchment and radically change travel time distributions in output fluxes.

Groundwater Inputs to Rivers: Hydrological, Biogeochemical and Ecological Effects Inferred by Environmental Isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stellato, L. [Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage (CIRCE), Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Caserta (Italy); Newman, B. D. [Isotope Hydrology Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

2013-05-15

In an effort to improve river management, numerous studies over the past two decades have supported the concept that river water and groundwater need to be considered together, as part of a hydrologic continuum. In particular, studies of the interface between surface water and groundwater (the hyporheic zone) have seen the tight collaboration of catchment hydrologists and stream ecologists in order to elucidate processes affecting stream functioning. Groundwater and surface waters interact at different spatial and temporal scales depending on system hydrology and geomorphology, which in turn influence nutrient cycling and in-stream ecology in relation to climatic, geologic, biotic and anthropogenic factors. In this paper, groundwater inputs to rivers are explored from two different and complementary perspectives: the hydrogeological, describing the generally acknowledged mechanisms of streamflow generation and the main factors controlling stream-aquifer interactions, and the ecologic, describing the processes occurring at the hyporheical and the riparian zones and their possible effects on stream functioning and on nutrient cycling, also taking into consideration the impact of human activities. Groundwater inflows to rivers can be important controls on hot moment/hot spot type biogeochemical behaviors. A description of the common methods used to assess these processes is provided emphasizing tracer methods (including physical, chemical and isotopic). In particular, naturally occurring isotopes are useful tools to identify stream discharge components, biogeochemical processes involved in nutrient cycling (such as N and P dynamics), nutrient sources and transport to rivers, and subsurface storage zones and residence times of hyporheic water. Several studies which have employed isotope techniques to clarify the processes occurring when groundwater enters the river,are reported in this chapter, with a view to highlighting both the advantages and limitations of these

Chemistry of groundwater discharge inferred from longitudinal river sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Batlle-Aguilar, J.; Harrington, G. A.; Leblanc, M.; Welch, C.; Cook, P. G.

2014-02-01

We present an approach for identifying groundwater discharge chemistry and quantifying spatially distributed groundwater discharge into rivers based on longitudinal synoptic sampling and flow gauging of a river. The method is demonstrated using a 450 km reach of a tropical river in Australia. Results obtained from sampling for environmental tracers, major ions, and selected trace element chemistry were used to calibrate a steady state one-dimensional advective transport model of tracer distribution along the river. The model closely reproduced river discharge and environmental tracer and chemistry composition along the study length. It provided a detailed longitudinal profile of groundwater inflow chemistry and discharge rates, revealing that regional fractured mudstones in the central part of the catchment contributed up to 40% of all groundwater discharge. Detailed analysis of model calibration errors and modeled/measured groundwater ion ratios elucidated that groundwater discharging in the top of the catchment is a mixture of local groundwater and bank storage return flow, making the method potentially useful to differentiate between local and regional sourced groundwater discharge. As the error in tracer concentration induced by a flow event applies equally to any conservative tracer, we show that major ion ratios can still be resolved with minimal error when river samples are collected during transient flow conditions. The ability of the method to infer groundwater inflow chemistry from longitudinal river sampling is particularly attractive in remote areas where access to groundwater is limited or not possible, and for identification of actual fluxes of salts and/or specific contaminant sources.

The role of topography on catchment‐scale water residence time

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, K.J.; McDonnell, Jeffery J.; Weiler, M.; Kendall, C.; McGlynn, B.L.; Welker, J.M.; Seibert, J.

2005-01-01

The age, or residence time, of water is a fundamental descriptor of catchment hydrology, revealing information about the storage, flow pathways, and source of water in a single integrated measure. While there has been tremendous recent interest in residence time estimation to characterize watersheds, there are relatively few studies that have quantified residence time at the watershed scale, and fewer still that have extended those results beyond single catchments to larger landscape scales. We examined topographic controls on residence time for seven catchments (0.085–62.4 km2) that represent diverse geologic and geomorphic conditions in the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Our primary objective was to determine the dominant physical controls on catchment‐scale water residence time and specifically test the hypothesis that residence time is related to the size of the basin. Residence times were estimated by simple convolution models that described the transfer of precipitation isotopic composition to the stream network. We found that base flow mean residence times for exponential distributions ranged from 0.8 to 3.3 years. Mean residence time showed no correlation to basin area (r2 organization (i.e., topography) rather than basin area controls catchment‐scale transport. Results from this study may provide a framework for describing scale‐invariant transport across climatic and geologic conditions, whereby the internal form and structure of the basin defines the first‐order control on base flow residence time.

Characterising alluvial aquifers in a remote ephemeral catchment (Flinders River, Queensland) using a direct push tracer approach

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Andrew R.; Smith, Stanley D.; Lamontagne, Sébastien; Suckow, Axel

2018-01-01

The availability of reliable water supplies is a key factor limiting development in northern Australia. However, characterising groundwater resources in this remote part of Australia is challenging due to a lack of existing infrastructure and data. Here, direct push technology (DPT) was used to characterise shallow alluvial aquifers at two locations in the semiarid Flinders River catchment. DPT was used to evaluate the saturated thickness of the aquifer and estimate recharge rates by sampling for environmental tracers in groundwater (major ions, 2H, 18O, 3H and 14C). The alluvium at Fifteen Mile Reserve and Glendalough Station consisted of a mixture of permeable coarse sandy and gravely sediments and less permeable clays and silts. The alluvium was relatively thin (i.e. < 20 m) and, at the time of the investigation, was only partially saturated. Tritium (3H) concentrations in groundwater was ∼1 Tritium Unit (TU), corresponding to a mean residence time for groundwater of about 12 years. The lack of an evaporation signal for the 2H and 18O of groundwater suggests rapid localised recharge from overbank flood events as the primary recharge mechanism. Using the chloride mass balance technique (CMB) and lumped parameter models to interpret patterns in 3H in the aquifer, the mean annual recharge rate varied between 21 and 240 mm/yr. Whilst this recharge rate is relatively high for a semiarid climate, the alluvium is thin and heterogeneous hosting numerous alluvial aquifers with varied connectivity and limited storage capacity. Combining DPT and environmental tracers is a cost-effective strategy to characterise shallow groundwater resources in unconsolidated sedimentary aquifers in remote data sparse areas.

[Hydrologic processes of the different landscape zones in Fenhe River headwater catchment].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yong-Gang; Li, Cai-Mei; Qin, Zuo-Dong; Zou, Song-Bing

2014-06-01

There are few studies on the hydrologic processes of the landscape zone scales at present. Since the water environment is worsening, there is sharp contradiction between supply and demand of water resources in Shanxi province. The principle of the hydrologic processes of the landscape zones in Fenhe River headwater catchment was revealed by means of isotope tracing, hydrology geological exploration and water chemical signal study. The results showed that the subalpine meadow zone and the medium high mountain forest zone were main runoff formation regions in Fenhe River headwater catchment, while the sparse forest shrub zone and the mountain grassland zone lagged the temporal and spatial collection of the precipitation. Fenhe River water was mainly recharged by precipitation, groundwater, melt water of snow and frozen soil. This study suggested that the whole catchment precipitation hardly directly generated surface runoff, but was mostly transformed into groundwater or interflow, and finally concentrated into river channel, completed the "recharge-runoff-discharge" hydrologic processes. This study can provide scientific basis and reference for the containment of water environment deterioration, and is expected to deliver the comprehensive restoration of clear-water reflowing and the ecological environment in Shanxi province.

Groundwater residence time and movement in the Maltese islands - A geochemical approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stuart, M.E., E-mail: mest@bgs.ac.uk [British Geological Survey, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB (United Kingdom); Maurice, L. [British Geological Survey, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB (United Kingdom); Heaton, T.H.E. [British Geological Survey, NERC Isotope Geoscience Laboratory, Keyworth, Nottinghamshire NG12 5GG (United Kingdom); Sapiano, M.; Micallef Sultana, M. [Malta Resources Authority, Marsa MRS 9065 (Malta); Gooddy, D.C.; Chilton, P.J. [British Geological Survey, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB (United Kingdom)

2010-05-15

The Maltese islands are composed of two limestone aquifers, the Upper and Lower Coralline Limestone separated by an aquitard, the 'Blue Clay'. The Lower Coralline Limestone is overlain in part by the poorly permeable Globigerina Limestone. The upper perched aquifers are discontinuous and have very limited saturated thickness and a short water level response time to rainfall. Frequent detections of coliforms suggest a rapid route to groundwater. However, the unsaturated zone has a considerable thickness in places and the primary porosity of the Upper Coralline Limestone is high, so there is likely to be older recharge by slow matrix flow as well as rapid recharge from fractures. Measurement of SF{sub 6} from a pumping station in a deep part of one of the perched aquifers indicated a mean saturated zone age of about 15 a. The Main Sea Level aquifers (MSL) on both Malta and Gozo have a large unsaturated thickness as water levels are close to sea level. On Malta, parts of the aquifer are capped by the perched aquifers and more extensively by the Globigerina Limestone. The limited detection of coliform bacteria suggests only some rapid recharge from the surface via fractures or karst features. Transmissivity is low and {sup 3}H and CFC/SF{sub 6} data indicate that saturated zone travel times are in the range 15-40 a. On Gozo the aquifer is similar but is more-extensively capped by impermeable Blue Clay. CFC data show the saturated zone travel time is from 25 a to possibly more than 60 a. Groundwater age is clearly related to the extent of low-permeability cover. The {delta}{sup 13}C signature of groundwater is related to the geochemical processes which occur along the flowpath and is consistent with residence time ages in the sequence; perched aquifers < Malta MSL < Gozo MSL. The {sup 18}O and {sup 2}H enriched isotopic signature of post 1983 desalinated water can be seen in more-modern groundwater, particularly the urbanized areas of the perched and Malta MSL

Numerical and machine learning simulation of parametric distributions of groundwater residence time in streams and wells

Science.gov (United States)

Starn, J. J.; Belitz, K.; Carlson, C.

2017-12-01

Groundwater residence-time distributions (RTDs) are critical for assessing susceptibility of water resources to contamination. This novel approach for estimating regional RTDs was to first simulate groundwater flow using existing regional digital data sets in 13 intermediate size watersheds (each an average of 7,000 square kilometers) that are representative of a wide range of glacial systems. RTDs were simulated with particle tracking. We refer to these models as "general models" because they are based on regional, as opposed to site-specific, digital data. Parametric RTDs were created from particle RTDs by fitting 1- and 2-component Weibull, gamma, and inverse Gaussian distributions, thus reducing a large number of particle travel times to 3 to 7 parameters (shape, location, and scale for each component plus a mixing fraction) for each modeled area. The scale parameter of these distributions is related to the mean exponential age; the shape parameter controls departure from the ideal exponential distribution and is partly a function of interaction with bedrock and with drainage density. Given the flexible shape and mathematical similarity of these distributions, any of them are potentially a good fit to particle RTDs. The 1-component gamma distribution provided a good fit to basin-wide particle RTDs. RTDs at monitoring wells and streams often have more complicated shapes than basin-wide RTDs, caused in part by heterogeneity in the model, and generally require 2-component distributions. A machine learning model was trained on the RTD parameters using features derived from regionally available watershed characteristics such as recharge rate, material thickness, and stream density. RTDs appeared to vary systematically across the landscape in relation to watershed features. This relation was used to produce maps of useful metrics with respect to risk-based thresholds, such as the time to first exceedance, time to maximum concentration, time above the threshold

Enriched groundwater seeps in two Vermont headwater catchments are hotspots of nitrate turnover

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Amninder J.; Ross, Donald S.; Shanley, James B.; Yatzor, Anna R.

2016-01-01

Groundwater seeps in upland catchments are often enriched relative to stream waters, higher in pH, Ca2+ and sometimes NO3¯. These seeps could be a NO3¯ sink because of increased denitrification potential but may also be ‘hotspots’ for nitrification because of the relative enrichment. We compared seep soils with nearby well-drained soils in two upland forested watersheds in Vermont that are sites of ongoing biogeochemical studies. Gross N transformation rates were measured over three years along with denitrification rates in the third year. Gross ammonification rates were not different between the seep and upland soils but gross nitrification rates were about 3 × higher in the seep soils. Net nitrification rates trended higher in the upland soils and NO3¯ consumption (gross—net) was 8 times higher in the seep soils. The average denitrification rate for seep soils was about equal to the difference in NO3¯ consumption between seep and upland soils, suggesting denitrification can make up the difference. Temporal variation in seep water NO3¯ concentration was correlated with watershed outlet NO3¯ concentration. However, it is not clear that in-seep processes greatly altered seep water NO3¯ contribution to the streams. Seep soils appear to be hotspots of both nitrification and denitrification.

Field-scale measurements for separation of catchment discharge into flow route contributions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Velde, Y. van der; Rozemeijer, J.C.; Rooij, G.H. de; Geer, F.C. van; Broers, H.P.

2010-01-01

Agricultural pollutants in catchments are transported toward the discharging stream through various flow routes such as tube drain flow, groundwater flow, interflow, and overland flow. Direct measurements of flow route contributions are difficult and often impossible. We developed a field-scale

Field-Scale Measurements for Separation of Catchment Discharge into Flow Route Contributions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Velde, van der Y.; Rozemeijer, J.; Rooij, de G.H.; Geer, van F.C.; Broers, H.P.

2010-01-01

Agricultural pollutants in catchments are transported toward the discharging stream through various flow routes such as tube drain flow, groundwater flow, interflow, and overland flow. Direct measurements of flow route contributions are difficult and often impossible. We developed a field-scale

Field-scale measurements for separation of catchment discharge into flow route contributions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Velde, Ype; Rozemeijer, Joachim C.; de Rooij, Gerrit H.; van Geer, Frans C.; Broers, Hans Peter

Agricultural pollutants in catchments are transported toward the discharging stream through various flow routes such as tube drain flow, groundwater flow, interflow, and overland flow. Direct measurements of flow route contributions are difficult and often impossible. We developed a field-scale

Groundwater–surface water interactions, vegetation dependencies and implications for water resources management in the semi-arid Hailiutu River catchment, China – a synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Zhou

2013-07-01

Full Text Available During the last decades, large-scale land use changes took place in the Hailiutu River catchment, a semi-arid area in northwest China. These changes had significant impacts on the water resources in the area. Insights into groundwater and surface water interactions and vegetation-water dependencies help to understand these impacts and formulate sustainable water resources management policies. In this study, groundwater and surface water interactions were identified using the baseflow index at the catchment scale, and hydraulic and water temperature methods as well as event hydrograph separation techniques at the sub-catchment scale. The results show that almost 90% of the river discharge consists of groundwater. Vegetation dependencies on groundwater were analysed from the relationship between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI and groundwater depth at the catchment scale and along an ecohydrogeological cross-section, and by measuring the sap flow of different plants, soil water contents and groundwater levels at different research sites. The results show that all vegetation types, i.e. trees (willow (Salix matsudana and poplar (Populus simonii, bushes (salix – Salix psammophila, and agricultural crops (maize – Zea mays, depend largely on groundwater as the source for transpiration. The comparative analysis indicates that maize crops use the largest amount of water, followed by poplar trees, salix bushes, and willow trees. For sustainable water use with the objective of satisfying the water demand for socio-economical development and to prevent desertification and ecological impacts on streams, more water-use-efficient crops such as sorghum, barley or millet should be promoted to reduce the consumptive water use. Willow trees should be used as wind-breaks in croplands and along roads, and drought-resistant and less water-use intensive plants (for instance native bushes should be used to vegetate sand dunes.

Implications of deep drainage through saline clay for groundwater recharge and sustainable cropping in a semi-arid catchment, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Timms, W. A.; Young, R. R.; Huth, N.

2012-04-01

The magnitude and timing of deep drainage and salt leaching through clay soils is a critical issue for dryland agriculture in semi-arid regions (2000 mm yr-1) such as parts of Australia's Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). In this rare study, hydrogeological measurements and estimations of the historic water balance of crops grown on overlying Grey Vertosols were combined to estimate the contribution of deep drainage below crop roots to recharge and salinization of shallow groundwater. Soil sampling at two sites on the alluvial flood plain of the Lower Namoi catchment revealed significant peaks in chloride concentrations at 0.8-1.2 m depth under perennial vegetation and at 2.0-2.5 m depth under continuous cropping indicating deep drainage and salt leaching since conversion to cropping. Total salt loads of 91-229 t ha-1 NaCl equivalent were measured for perennial vegetation and cropping, with salinity to ≥ 10 m depth that was not detected by shallow soil surveys. Groundwater salinity varied spatially from 910 to 2430 mS m-1 at 21 to 37 m depth (N = 5), whereas deeper groundwater was less saline (290 mS m-1) with use restricted to livestock and rural domestic supplies in this area. The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) software package predicted deep drainage of 3.3-9.5 mm yr-1 (0.7-2.1% rainfall) based on site records of grain yields, rainfall, salt leaching and soil properties. Predicted deep drainage was highly episodic, dependent on rainfall and antecedent soil water content, and over a 39 yr period was restricted mainly to the record wet winter of 1998. During the study period, groundwater levels were unresponsive to major rainfall events (70 and 190 mm total), and most piezometers at about 18 m depth remained dry. In this area, at this time, recharge appears to be negligible due to low rainfall and large potential evapotranspiration, transient hydrological conditions after changes in land use and a thick clay dominated vadose zone. This is in

The contribution of Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) in streams to assess spatial runoff processes in a moraine dominated agricultural catchment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boegh, Eva; Blemmer, Morten; Holmes, Esbern

Evaluating impacts of site-specific changes in land use and land cover on catchment processes is significantly complicated by spatial heterogeneity and the long and variable time lags between precipitation and the responses of streams and groundwater. In this study, a 1-D soil-plant-atmosphere mo......Evaluating impacts of site-specific changes in land use and land cover on catchment processes is significantly complicated by spatial heterogeneity and the long and variable time lags between precipitation and the responses of streams and groundwater. In this study, a 1-D soil...

Impacts of land-use and soil properties on groundwater quality in the hard rock aquifer of an irrigated catchment: the Berambadi (Southern India)

Science.gov (United States)

Buvaneshwari, Sriramulu; Riotte, Jean; Ruiz, Laurent; Sekhar, Muddu; Sharma, Amit Kumar; Duprey, Jean Louis; Audry, Stephane; Braun, Jean Jacques; Mohan Kumar, Mandalagiri S.

2017-04-01

Irrigated agriculture has large impacts on groundwater resources, both in terms of quantity and quality: when combined with intensive chemical fertilizer application, it can lead to progressive groundwater salinization. Mapping the spatial heterogeneity of groundwater quality is not only essential for assessing the impacts of different types of agricultural systems but also for identifying hotspots of water quality degradation that are posing a risk to human and ecosystem health. In peninsular India the development of minor irrigation led to high density of borewells which constitute an ideal situation for studying the heterogeneity of groundwater quality. The annual groundwater abstraction reaches 400 km3, which leads to depletion of the resource and degradation of water quality. In the agricultural Berambadi catchment (84km2, Southern India, part of the environmental observatory BVET/ Kabini CZO) the groundwater table level and chemistry are monitored in 200 tube wells. We recently demonstrated that in this watershed, irrigation history and groundwater depletion can lead to hot spots of NO3 concentration in groundwater, up to 360 ppm (Buvaneshwari et al., 2017). Here we focus on the respective roles of evapotranspiration, groundwater recycling and chemical fertilizer application on chlorine concentration [Cl] in groundwater. Groundwater [Cl] in Berambadi spans over two orders of magnitude with hotspots up to 380 ppm. Increase in groundwater [Cl] results from evapotranspiration and recycling, that concentrates the rain Cl inputs ("Natural [Cl]") and/or from KCl fertilization ("Anthropogenic [Cl]"). To quantify the origin of Cl in each tube well, we used a novel method based on (1) a reference element, sodium, originating only from atmosphere and Na-plagioclase weathering and (2) data from a nearby pristine site, the Mule Hole forested watershed (Riotte et al., 2014). In the forested watershed, the ranges of Cl concentration and Na/Cl molar ratio are 9-23 ppm and 2

Understanding similarity of groundwater systems with empirical copulas

Science.gov (United States)

Haaf, Ezra; Kumar, Rohini; Samaniego, Luis; Barthel, Roland

2016-04-01

Within the classification framework for groundwater systems that aims for identifying similarity of hydrogeological systems and transferring information from a well-observed to an ungauged system (Haaf and Barthel, 2015; Haaf and Barthel, 2016), we propose a copula-based method for describing groundwater-systems similarity. Copulas are an emerging method in hydrological sciences that make it possible to model the dependence structure of two groundwater level time series, independently of the effects of their marginal distributions. This study is based on Samaniego et al. (2010), which described an approach calculating dissimilarity measures from bivariate empirical copula densities of streamflow time series. Subsequently, streamflow is predicted in ungauged basins by transferring properties from similar catchments. The proposed approach is innovative because copula-based similarity has not yet been applied to groundwater systems. Here we estimate the pairwise dependence structure of 600 wells in Southern Germany using 10 years of weekly groundwater level observations. Based on these empirical copulas, dissimilarity measures are estimated, such as the copula's lower- and upper corner cumulated probability, copula-based Spearman's rank correlation - as proposed by Samaniego et al. (2010). For the characterization of groundwater systems, copula-based metrics are compared with dissimilarities obtained from precipitation signals corresponding to the presumed area of influence of each groundwater well. This promising approach provides a new tool for advancing similarity-based classification of groundwater system dynamics. Haaf, E., Barthel, R., 2015. Methods for assessing hydrogeological similarity and for classification of groundwater systems on the regional scale, EGU General Assembly 2015, Vienna, Austria. Haaf, E., Barthel, R., 2016. An approach for classification of hydrogeological systems at the regional scale based on groundwater hydrographs EGU General Assembly

Compendium of ordinances for groundwater protection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-08-01

Groundwater is an extremely important resource in the Tennessee Valley. Nearly two-thirds of the Tennessee Valley's residents rely, at least in part, on groundwater supplies for drinking water. In rural areas, approximately ninety-five percent of residents rely on groundwater for domestic supplies. Population growth and economic development increase the volume and kinds of wastes requiring disposal which can lead to groundwater contamination. In addition to disposal which can lead to groundwater contamination. In addition to disposal problems associated with increases in conventional wastewater and solid waste, technological advancements in recent decades have resulted in new chemicals and increased usage in agriculture, industry, and the home. Unfortunately, there has not been comparable progress in identifying the potential long-term effects of these chemicals, in managing them to prevent contamination of groundwater, or in developing treatment technologies for removing them from water once contamination has occurred. The challenge facing residence of the Tennessee Valley is to manage growth and economic and technological development in ways that will avoid polluting the groundwater resource. Once groundwater has been contaminated, cleanup is almost always very costly and is sometimes impractical or technically infeasible. Therefore, prevention of contamination -- not remedial treatment--is the key to continued availability of usable groundwater. This document discusses regulations to aid in this prevention.

CAOS: the nested catchment soil-vegetation-atmosphere observation platform

Science.gov (United States)

Weiler, Markus; Blume, Theresa

2016-04-01

Most catchment based observations linking hydrometeorology, ecohydrology, soil hydrology and hydrogeology are typically not integrated with each other and lack a consistent and appropriate spatial-temporal resolution. Within the research network CAOS (Catchments As Organized Systems), we have initiated and developed a novel and integrated observation platform in several catchments in Luxembourg. In 20 nested catchments covering three distinct geologies the subscale processes at the bedrock-soil-vegetation-atmosphere interface are being monitored at 46 sensor cluster locations. Each sensor cluster is designed to observe a variety of different fluxes and state variables above and below ground, in the saturated and unsaturated zone. The numbers of sensors are chosen to capture the spatial variability as well the average dynamics. At each of these sensor clusters three soil moisture profiles with sensors at different depths, four soil temperature profiles as well as matric potential, air temperature, relative humidity, global radiation, rainfall/throughfall, sapflow and shallow groundwater and stream water levels are measured continuously. In addition, most sensors also measure temperature (water, soil, atmosphere) and electrical conductivity. This setup allows us to determine the local water and energy balance at each of these sites. The discharge gauging sites in the nested catchments are also equipped with automatic water samplers to monitor water quality and water stable isotopes continuously. Furthermore, water temperature and electrical conductivity observations are extended to over 120 locations distributed across the entire stream network to capture the energy exchange between the groundwater, stream water and atmosphere. The measurements at the sensor clusters are complemented by hydrometeorological observations (rain radar, network of distrometers and dense network of precipitation gauges) and linked with high resolution meteorological models. In this

Geochemical modelling of groundwater evolution and residence time at the Kivetty site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pitkaenen, P.; Luukkonen, A. [VTT Communities and Infrastructure, Espoo (Finland); Ruotsalainen, P. [Fintact Oy, Helsinki (Finland); Leino-Forsman, H.; Vuorinen, U. [VTT Chemical Technology, Espoo (Finland)

1998-12-01

groundwater are due to carbonate reactions: oxidising of organic carbon, and dissolution and precipitation of calcite. The carbonate reactions and slight hydrolysis of silicates stabilise the pH value at 8-9. In addition to aerobic oxidation of organic matter, oxidative dissolution of biotite seems to be an important oxygen consumer at shallow depth during recharge. The most important process controlling the redox state deeper in the bedrock was interpreted to be the microbially mediated sulphate reduction with simultaneous anaerobic respiration of organic carbon. This process buffers the redox level of about -200 - -300 mV depending on the pH. Even though the salinities of the groundwater samples and mass-transfer along flow paths remain low, the geochemical evolution was fully developed and has reached quite a stable thermodynamic state. The residence times of the groundwater samples cover the time span back to glaciation. Young ages seem to be limited to the upper part of bedrock, and any really dynamic natural flowpath with deep observed recently recharged water cannot be demonstrated. Deglacial or subglacial ages (over 9,700 years old at Kivetty) are typical below the 150-300m level in the bedrock. Subglacial waters are interpreted to derive from mixing of preglacial water and meltwater, the input of which is estimated to be about 20% at the most. Indications of elevated oxygen intrusion cannot be observed in groundwater having glacial signals. (orig.) 122 refs.

Geochemical modelling of groundwater evolution and residence time at the Kivetty site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitkaenen, P.; Luukkonen, A.; Ruotsalainen, P.; Leino-Forsman, H.; Vuorinen, U.

1998-12-01

groundwater are due to carbonate reactions: oxidising of organic carbon, and dissolution and precipitation of calcite. The carbonate reactions and slight hydrolysis of silicates stabilise the pH value at 8-9. In addition to aerobic oxidation of organic matter, oxidative dissolution of biotite seems to be an important oxygen consumer at shallow depth during recharge. The most important process controlling the redox state deeper in the bedrock was interpreted to be the microbially mediated sulphate reduction with simultaneous anaerobic respiration of organic carbon. This process buffers the redox level of about -200 - -300 mV depending on the pH. Even though the salinities of the groundwater samples and mass-transfer along flow paths remain low, the geochemical evolution was fully developed and has reached quite a stable thermodynamic state. The residence times of the groundwater samples cover the time span back to glaciation. Young ages seem to be limited to the upper part of bedrock, and any really dynamic natural flowpath with deep observed recently recharged water cannot be demonstrated. Deglacial or subglacial ages (over 9,700 years old at Kivetty) are typical below the 150-300m level in the bedrock. Subglacial waters are interpreted to derive from mixing of preglacial water and meltwater, the input of which is estimated to be about 20% at the most. Indications of elevated oxygen intrusion cannot be observed in groundwater having glacial signals. (orig.)

The role of soil weathering and hydrology in regulating chemical fluxes from catchments (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, K.; Chamberlain, C. P.

2010-12-01

Catchment-scale chemical fluxes have been linked to a number of different parameters that describe the conditions at the Earth’s surface, including runoff, temperature, rock type, vegetation, and the rate of tectonic uplift. However, many of the relationships relating chemical denudation to surface processes and conditions, while based on established theoretical principles, are largely empirical and derived solely from modern observations. Thus, an enhanced mechanistic basis for linking global solute fluxes to both surface processes and climate may improve our confidence in extrapolating modern solute fluxes to past and future conditions. One approach is to link observations from detailed soil-based studies with catchment-scale properties. For example, a number of recent studies of chemical weathering at the soil-profile scale have reinforced the importance of hydrologic processes in controlling chemical weathering rates. An analysis of data from granitic soils shows that weathering rates decrease with increasing fluid residence times and decreasing flow rates—over moderate fluid residence times, from 5 days to 10 years, transport-controlled weathering explains the orders of magnitude variation in weathering rates to a better extent than soil age. However, the importance of transport-controlled weathering is difficult to discern at the catchment scale because of the range of flow rates and fluid residence times captured by a single discharge or solute flux measurement. To assess the importance of transport-controlled weathering on catchment scale chemical fluxes, we present a model that links the chemical flux to the extent of reaction between the soil waters and the solids, or the fluid residence time. Different approaches for describing the distribution of fluid residence times within a catchment are then compared with the observed Si fluxes for a limited number of catchments. This model predicts high solute fluxes in regions with high run-off, relief, and

Exposure Time Distributions reveal Denitrification Rates along Groundwater Flow Path of an Agricultural Unconfined Aquifer

Science.gov (United States)

Kolbe, T.; Abbott, B. W.; Thomas, Z.; Labasque, T.; Aquilina, L.; Laverman, A.; Babey, T.; Marçais, J.; Fleckenstein, J. H.; Peiffer, S.; De Dreuzy, J. R.; Pinay, G.

2016-12-01

Groundwater contamination by nitrate is nearly ubiquitous in agricultural regions. Nitrate is highly mobile in groundwater and though it can be denitrified in the aquifer (reduced to inert N2 gas), this process requires the simultaneous occurrence of anoxia, an electron donor (e.g. organic carbon, pyrite), nitrate, and microorganisms capable of denitrification. In addition to this the ratio of the time groundwater spent in a denitrifying environment (exposure time) to the characteristic denitrification reaction time plays an important role, because denitrification can only occur if the exposure time is longer than the characteristic reaction time. Despite a long history of field studies and numerical models, it remains exceedingly difficult to measure or model exposure times in the subsurface at the catchment scale. To approach this problem, we developed a unified modelling approach combining measured environmental proxies with an exposure time based reactive transport model. We measured groundwater age, nitrogen and sulfur isotopes, and water chemistry from agricultural wells in an unconfined aquifer in Brittany, France, to quantify changes in nitrate concentration due to dilution and denitrification. Field data showed large differences in nitrate concentrations among wells, associated with differences in the exposure time distributions. By constraining a catchment-scale characteristic reaction time for denitrification with water chemistry proxies and exposure times, we were able to assess rates of denitrification along groundwater flow paths. This unified modeling approach is transferable to other catchments and could be further used to investigate how catchment structure and flow dynamics interact with biogeochemical processes such as denitrification.

STakeholder-Objective Risk Model (STORM): Determining the aggregated risk of multiple contaminant hazards in groundwater well catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Enzenhoefer, R.; Binning, P. J.; Nowak, W.

2015-09-01

Risk is often defined as the product of probability, vulnerability and value. Drinking water supply from groundwater abstraction is often at risk due to multiple hazardous land use activities in the well catchment. Each hazard might or might not introduce contaminants into the subsurface at any point in time, which then affects the pumped quality upon transport through the aquifer. In such situations, estimating the overall risk is not trivial, and three key questions emerge: (1) How to aggregate the impacts from different contaminants and spill locations to an overall, cumulative impact on the value at risk? (2) How to properly account for the stochastic nature of spill events when converting the aggregated impact to a risk estimate? (3) How will the overall risk and subsequent decision making depend on stakeholder objectives, where stakeholder objectives refer to the values at risk, risk attitudes and risk metrics that can vary between stakeholders. In this study, we provide a STakeholder-Objective Risk Model (STORM) for assessing the total aggregated risk. Or concept is a quantitative, probabilistic and modular framework for simulation-based risk estimation. It rests on the source-pathway-receptor concept, mass-discharge-based aggregation of stochastically occuring spill events, accounts for uncertainties in the involved flow and transport models through Monte Carlo simulation, and can address different stakeholder objectives. We illustrate the application of STORM in a numerical test case inspired by a German drinking water catchment. As one may expect, the results depend strongly on the chosen stakeholder objectives, but they are equally sensitive to different approaches for risk aggregation across different hazards, contaminant types, and over time.

Earthworms and tree roots: A model study of the effect of preferential flow paths on runoff generation and groundwater recharge in steep, saprolitic, tropical lowland catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yanyan; Ogden, Fred L.; Zhu, Jianting

2017-07-01

Preferential flow paths (PFPs) affect the hydrological response of humid tropical catchments but have not received sufficient attention. We consider PFPs created by tree roots and earthworms in a near-surface soil layer in steep, humid, tropical lowland catchments and hypothesize that observed hydrological behaviors can be better captured by reasonably considering PFPs in this layer. We test this hypothesis by evaluating the performance of four different physically based distributed model structures without and with PFPs in different configurations. Model structures are tested both quantitatively and qualitatively using hydrological, geophysical, and geochemical data both from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Agua Salud Project experimental catchment(s) in Central Panama and other sources in the literature. The performance of different model structures is evaluated using runoff Volume Error and three Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency measures against observed total runoff, stormflows, and base flows along with visual comparison of simulated and observed hydrographs. Two of the four proposed model structures which include both lateral and vertical PFPs are plausible, but the one with explicit simulation of PFPs performs the best. A small number of vertical PFPs that fully extend below the root zone allow the model to reasonably simulate deep groundwater recharge, which plays a crucial role in base flow generation. Results also show that the shallow lateral PFPs are the main contributor to the observed high flow characteristics. Their number and size distribution are found to be more important than the depth distribution. Our model results are corroborated by geochemical and geophysical observations.

Measurement of dissolved Cs-137 in stream water, soil water and groundwater at Headwater Forested Catchment in Fukushima after Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Science.gov (United States)

Iwagami, Sho; Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Sakakibara, Koichi; Konuma, Ryohei; Sato, Yutaro

2016-04-01

Radiocesium migration from headwater forested catchment is important perception as output from the forest which is also input to the subsequent various land use and downstream rivers after Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. In this study, dissolved Cs-137 concentration of stream water, soil water and groundwater were measured. Observations were conducted at headwater catchment in Yamakiya district, located 35 km northwest of FDNPP from April 2014 to November 2015. Stream water discharge was monitored and stream water samples were taken at main channel and sub channel. Stream water discharge was monitored by combination of parshallflume and v-notch weir. Stream water was sampled manually at steady state condition in 3-4 month interval and also intense few hours interval sampling were conducted during rainfall events using automated water sampler. Around the sub channel, it is found that there is a regularly saturated area at the bottom of the slope, temporary saturated area which saturate during the rainy season in summer and regularly dry area. 6 interval cameras were installed to monitor the changing situation of saturated area. Suction lysimeters were installed at three areas (regularly saturated area, temporary saturated area and dry area) for sampling soil water in depth of 0.1 m and 0.3 m. Boreholes were installed at three points along the sub channel. Three boreholes with depth of 3 m, 5 m and 10 m were installed at temporary saturated area, 20 m upstream of sub channel weir. Another three boreholes with depth of 3 m, 5 m and 10 m were installed at dry area, 40 m upstream of sub channel weir. And a borehole with depth of 20 m was installed at ridge of sub catchment, 52 m upstream of sub channel weir. Groundwater was sampled by electrically powered pump and groundwater level was monitored. Also suction-free lysimeter was installed at temporary saturated area for sampling the near surface subsurface water. Soil water samples were collected

The StreamCat Dataset: Accumulated Attributes for NHDPlusV2 Catchments (Version 2.1) for the Conterminous United States: Base Flow Index

Science.gov (United States)

This dataset represents the base flow index values within individual, local NHDPlusV2 catchments and upstream, contributing watersheds. Attributes of the landscape layer were calculated for every local NHDPlusV2 catchment and accumulated to provide watershed-level metrics. (See Supplementary Info for Glossary of Terms) The base-flow index (BFI) grid for the conterminous United States was developed to estimate (1) BFI values for ungaged streams, and (2) ground-water recharge throughout the conterminous United States (see Source_Information). Estimates of BFI values at ungaged streams and BFI-based ground-water recharge estimates are useful for interpreting relations between land use and water quality in surface and ground water. The bfi (%) was summarized by local catchment and by watershed to produce local catchment-level and watershed-level metrics as a continuous data type (see Data Structure and Attribute Information for a description).

Multiscale investigation of catchment functioning using environmental tracers: Insights from the mesoscale Attert basin in Luxembourg

Science.gov (United States)

Wrede, S.; Pfister, L.; Krein, A.; Bogaard, T. A.; Savenije, H. H. G.; Uhlenbrook, S.

2009-04-01

constant year-round groundwater component with fast rainfall runoff components in parts where saturated surface flow occurs on marly substratum. It also becomes apparent that with increasing scale these highly variable hydrological responses of the small scale converge towards a more integrated response. The scale at which this integration of the response takes place needs to be further investigated. The analysis of tracer data from the initial year of the study provided insights into the catchment functioning at different spatial scales and confirmed the important role of bedrock geology in this basin. Future research efforts with longer tracer data records will be focusing on the investigation of residence times and will help to constrain process-based hydrological models.

Challenges and opportunities from a combined research study and community groundwater testing program for residents living near hydraulic fracturing sites in Appalachian Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

Townsend-Small, A.

2017-12-01

People living in rural areas of the United States often depend on groundwater as the only domestic and agricultural water resource. Hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") has led to widespread fears of groundwater contamination, and many people lack resources for monitoring their water. To help in this effort, I led a three-year free groundwater monitoring program for residents of parts of the Utica Shale drilling region of Ohio from early 2012 to early 2015. Our team took samples and made laboratory measurements of species meant to act as indicators of the presence of natural gas or fracking fluid in groundwater. All data were made available to participants, and all participation was voluntary. The project team also made several presentations about our findings at community meetings. In this presentation, I will discuss challenges associated with obtaining funding and communicating results with the media, the oil and gas industry, Congress, and my university. However, opportunities have arisen from this work as well, beyond the obvious opportunity for public service, including recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students to the project team; generation of scientific data in an emerging area of research; and a better understanding of policy needs for rural residents in Appalachia.

An empirical method for approximating stream baseflow time series using groundwater table fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Meshgi, Ali; Schmitter, Petra; Babovic, Vladan; Chui, Ting Fong May

2014-11-01

Developing reliable methods to estimate stream baseflow has been a subject of interest due to its importance in catchment response and sustainable watershed management. However, to date, in the absence of complex numerical models, baseflow is most commonly estimated using statistically derived empirical approaches that do not directly incorporate physically-meaningful information. On the other hand, Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as Genetic Programming (GP) offer unique capabilities to reduce the complexities of hydrological systems without losing relevant physical information. This study presents a simple-to-use empirical equation to estimate baseflow time series using GP so that minimal data is required and physical information is preserved. A groundwater numerical model was first adopted to simulate baseflow for a small semi-urban catchment (0.043 km2) located in Singapore. GP was then used to derive an empirical equation relating baseflow time series to time series of groundwater table fluctuations, which are relatively easily measured and are physically related to baseflow generation. The equation was then generalized for approximating baseflow in other catchments and validated for a larger vegetation-dominated basin located in the US (24 km2). Overall, this study used GP to propose a simple-to-use equation to predict baseflow time series based on only three parameters: minimum daily baseflow of the entire period, area of the catchment and groundwater table fluctuations. It serves as an alternative approach for baseflow estimation in un-gauged systems when only groundwater table and soil information is available, and is thus complementary to other methods that require discharge measurements.

Determination of groundwater flow velocity by radon measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hohn, E.; von Gunten, H.R.

1990-01-01

The groundwater resources of glacio-fluvial perialpine valleys are recharged significantly by the infiltration from rivers. The groundwater residence times between rivers and wells should be known in groundwater management problems. Short residence times can be estimated using radon. Radon concentrations in rivers are usually very low. Upon filtration and movement of the water in the ground, radon is picked up and its concentration increases by 2-3 orders of magnitude according to radioactive growth laws. Residence times and flow velocities can be estimated from the increasing radon concentrations measured in groundwater sampling tubes at different distances from the river. Results obtained with this method agree with the results from experiments with artificial tracers

Prediction uncertainty and data worth assessment for groundwater transport times in an agricultural catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Zell, Wesley O.; Culver, Teresa B.; Sanford, Ward E.

2018-06-01

Uncertainties about the age of base-flow discharge can have serious implications for the management of degraded environmental systems where subsurface pathways, and the ongoing release of pollutants that accumulated in the subsurface during past decades, dominate the water quality signal. Numerical groundwater models may be used to estimate groundwater return times and base-flow ages and thus predict the time required for stakeholders to see the results of improved agricultural management practices. However, the uncertainty inherent in the relationship between (i) the observations of atmospherically-derived tracers that are required to calibrate such models and (ii) the predictions of system age that the observations inform have not been investigated. For example, few if any studies have assessed the uncertainty of numerically-simulated system ages or evaluated the uncertainty reductions that may result from the expense of collecting additional subsurface tracer data. In this study we combine numerical flow and transport modeling of atmospherically-derived tracers with prediction uncertainty methods to accomplish four objectives. First, we show the relative importance of head, discharge, and tracer information for characterizing response times in a uniquely data rich catchment that includes 266 age-tracer measurements (SF6, CFCs, and 3H) in addition to long term monitoring of water levels and stream discharge. Second, we calculate uncertainty intervals for model-simulated base-flow ages using both linear and non-linear methods, and find that the prediction sensitivity vector used by linear first-order second-moment methods results in much larger uncertainties than non-linear Monte Carlo methods operating on the same parameter uncertainty. Third, by combining prediction uncertainty analysis with multiple models of the system, we show that data-worth calculations and monitoring network design are sensitive to variations in the amount of water leaving the system via

Modelling long-term hydrochemical responce at ENCORE catchments in the UK and Norway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jenkins, A; Wright, R F; Cosby, B J

1994-11-01

ENCORE is an interdisciplinary project focusing on biological and chemical response to environmental change and the links between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This report applies the MAGIC model, which is a catchment-scale model of soil and water acidification, to ten ENCORE catchments in the UK and Norway and uses it to examine the dynamic response to several scenarios of future land-use. MAGIC is an acronym for Model for Acidification of Groundwater In Catchments. The model is evaluated against catchment manipulation studies involving acid addition, acid exclusion, terrestrial liming and upland afforestation. Critical loads for sulphur are calculated. At all sites MAGIC successfully simulates present-day observed stream and soil chemistry. The predicted response of soils and surface waters to the two standard future deposition scenarios is similar at all catchments. All catchments continue to acidify under the worst-case scenario and all catchments recover under the best-case scenario. Exceptions are related to situations with concurrent land-use change, or in the case of nitrogen saturation. The success of MAGIC illustrates its robustness and indicates that the major processes included in the model are correctly identified as the major mechanisms controlling catchment chemical response to acid input. 39 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.

Microbial Community-Level Physiological Profiles (CLPP) and herbicide mineralization potential in groundwater affected by agricultural land use

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Janniche, Gry Sander; Spliid, Henrik; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen

2012-01-01

Diffuse groundwater pollution from agricultural land use may impact the microbial groundwater community, which was investigated as Community-Level Physiological Profiles (CLPP) using EcoPlate™. Water was sampled from seven piezometers and a spring in a small agricultural catchment with diffuse......-galacturonic acid, tween 40, and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid as substrates, whereas none preferred 2-hydroxy benzoic acid, α-d-lactose, d,l-α-glycerol phosphate, α-ketobutyric acid, l-threonine and glycyl-l-glutamic acid. Principal Component Analysis of the CLPP's clustered the most agriculturally affected groundwater...... samples, indicating that the agricultural land use affects the groundwater microbial communities. Furthermore, the ability to mineralize atrazine and isoproturon, which have been used in the catchment, was also associated with this cluster....

Keeping the secret: Insights from repeated catchment-scale tracer experiments under transient conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Bogner, Christina; Hauhs, Michael; Lange, Holger

2016-04-01

Catchment-level tracer experiments are generally performed to identify site-specific hydrological response functions of the catchment. The existence and uniqueness of these response functions are hardly ever questioned. Here, we report on a series of replicated tracer experiments in two small first-order catchments, G1 (0.6 ha, roofed) and F4 (2.3 ha, without roof) at Gårdsjön in SW Sweden. The soils in both catchments are shallow (500 m2) the experiments were done without a roof mostly at transient conditions. The catchment F4 was equipped with a sprinkler system with a watering capacity of around 38-45 m3 day-1. Natural rainfall comes in addition. A bromide tracer solution was injected to groundwater at a single location about 40 m upstream the weir over a period of less than an hour, and was monitored using a set of groundwater tubes and the weir at the outlet over the following 4 days. In addition, discharge was measured. The experiments were repeated each summer from 2007 to 2015. While steady state conditions were guaranteed in G1, steady runoff has been achieved only four times in F4. We investigated tracer recovery rates against cumulated runoff since tracer application. Substantially different transit times and qualitatively different behaviour of the breakthrough curves were observed, even under steady state conditions. In G1, no single system response function could be identified in 5 replicates. Similarly, the catchment response functions in F4 under steady state differed between experiments. However, they remained in a similar range as in G1. Based on these results, we question the identifiability of flow paths and system properties, such as saturated water content or hydrologic transmissivity, at the catchment scale using tracer experiments. Rather, the series demonstrate the utter importance of the initial and boundary conditions which largely determine the response of the system to inert tracer pulses.

Groundwater drought in different geological conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machlica, A; Stojkovova, M

2008-01-01

The identification of hydrological extremes (drought) is very actual at present. The knowledge of the mechanism of hydrological extremes evolution could be useful at many levels of human society, such as scientific, agricultural, local governmental, political and others. The research was performed in the Upper part of the Nitra River catchment (central part of Slovakia) and in the Topla and Ondava River catchments (eastern part of Slovakia). Lumped hydrological model BILAN was used to identify relationships among compounds of the water balance. Presented results are focused on drought in groundwater storage, soil moisture, base flow and discharges. BFI model for baseflow estimation was used and results were compared with those gained by BILAN model. Another item of the research was to compare results of hydrological balance model application on catchments with different geological conditions.

Assessment of surface water resources availability using catchment modeling and the results of tracer studies in the meso-scale Migina Catchment, Rwanda

Science.gov (United States)

Munyaneza, O.; Mukubwa, A.; Maskey, S.; Wenninger, J.; Uhlenbrook, S.

2013-12-01

In the last couple of years, different hydrological research projects were undertaken in the Migina catchment (243.2 km2), a tributary of the Kagera river in Southern Rwanda. These projects were aimed to understand hydrological processes of the catchment using analytical and experimental approaches and to build a pilot case whose experience can be extended to other catchments in Rwanda. In the present study, we developed a hydrological model of the catchment, which can be used to inform water resources planning and decision making. The semi-distributed hydrological model HEC-HMS (version 3.5) was used with its soil moisture accounting, unit hydrograph, liner reservoir (for base flow) and Muskingum-Cunge (river routing) methods. We used rainfall data from 12 stations and streamflow data from 5 stations, which were collected as part of this study over a period of two years (May 2009 and June 2011). The catchment was divided into five sub-catchments each represented by one of the five observed streamflow gauges. The model parameters were calibrated separately for each sub-catchment using the observed streamflow data. Calibration results obtained were found acceptable at four stations with a Nash-Sutcliffe Model Efficiency of 0.65 on daily runoff at the catchment outlet. Due to the lack of sufficient and reliable data for longer periods, a model validation (split sample test) was not undertaken. However, we used results from tracer based hydrograph separation from a previous study to compare our model results in terms of the runoff components. It was shown that the model performed well in simulating the total flow volume, peak flow and timing as well as the portion of direct runoff and base flow. We observed considerable disparities in the parameters (e.g. groundwater storage) and runoff components across the five sub-catchments, that provided insights into the different hydrological processes at sub-catchment scale. We conclude that such disparities justify the need

Use of multiple age tracers to estimate groundwater residence times and long-term recharge rates in arid southern Oman

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Müller, Th.; Osenbrück, K.; Strauch, G.; Pavetich, S.; Al-Mashaikhi, K.-S.; Herb, C.; Merchel, S.; Rugel, G.; Aeschbach, W.; Sanford, W.

2016-01-01

Multiple age tracers were measured to estimate groundwater residence times in the regional aquifer system underlying southwestern Oman. This area, known as the Najd, is one of the most arid areas in the world and is planned to be the main agricultural center of the Sultanate of Oman in the near future. The three isotopic age tracers "4He, "1"4C and "3"6Cl were measured in waters collected from wells along a line that extended roughly from the Dhofar Mountains near the Arabian Sea northward 400 km into the Empty Quarter of the Arabian Peninsula. The wells sampled were mostly open to the Umm Er Radhuma confined aquifer, although, some were completed in the mostly unconfined Rus aquifer. The combined results from the three tracers indicate the age of the confined groundwater is  100 ka in the central section north of the mountains, and up to and > one Ma in the Empty Quarter. The "1"4C data were used to help calibrate the "4He and "3"6Cl data. Mixing models suggest that long open boreholes north of the mountains compromise "1"4C-only interpretations there, in contrast to "4He and "3"6Cl calculations that are less sensitive to borehole mixing. Thus, only the latter two tracers from these more distant wells were considered reliable. In addition to the age tracers, δ"2H and δ"1"8O data suggest that seasonal monsoon and infrequent tropical cyclones are both substantial contributors to the recharge. The study highlights the advantages of using multiple chemical and isotopic data when estimating groundwater travel times and recharge rates, and differentiating recharge mechanisms. - Highlights: • Multiple age tracers are required for the interpretation of the groundwater system. • Different tracers are applicable along different sections of the flowpath. • Groundwater residence times >1 Ma have been determined for the northern Najd area.

Implications of deep drainage through saline clay for groundwater recharge and sustainable cropping in a semi-arid catchment, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. A. Timms

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The magnitude and timing of deep drainage and salt leaching through clay soils is a critical issue for dryland agriculture in semi-arid regions (<500 mm yr⁻¹ rainfall, potential evapotranspiration >2000 mm yr⁻¹ such as parts of Australia's Murray-Darling Basin (MDB. In this rare study, hydrogeological measurements and estimations of the historic water balance of crops grown on overlying Grey Vertosols were combined to estimate the contribution of deep drainage below crop roots to recharge and salinization of shallow groundwater. Soil sampling at two sites on the alluvial flood plain of the Lower Namoi catchment revealed significant peaks in chloride concentrations at 0.8–1.2 m depth under perennial vegetation and at 2.0–2.5 m depth under continuous cropping indicating deep drainage and salt leaching since conversion to cropping. Total salt loads of 91–229 t ha⁻¹ NaCl equivalent were measured for perennial vegetation and cropping, with salinity to ≥ 10 m depth that was not detected by shallow soil surveys. Groundwater salinity varied spatially from 910 to 2430 mS m⁻¹ at 21 to 37 m depth (N = 5, whereas deeper groundwater was less saline (290 mS m⁻¹ with use restricted to livestock and rural domestic supplies in this area. The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM software package predicted deep drainage of 3.3–9.5 mm yr⁻¹ (0.7–2.1% rainfall based on site records of grain yields, rainfall, salt leaching and soil properties. Predicted deep drainage was highly episodic, dependent on rainfall and antecedent soil water content, and over a 39 yr period was restricted mainly to the record wet winter of 1998. During the study period, groundwater levels were unresponsive to major rainfall events (70 and 190 mm total, and most piezometers at about 18 m depth remained dry. In this area, at this time, recharge appears to be negligible due to low

Groundwater residence times in Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia, USA: A multi-tracer approach

Science.gov (United States)

Plummer, Niel; Busenberg, E.; Böhlke, J.K.; Nelms, D.L.; Michel, R.L.; Schlosser, P.

2001-01-01

Chemical and isotopic properties of water discharging from springs and wells in Shenandoah National Park (SNP), near the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VA, USA were monitored to obtain information on groundwater residence times. Investigated time scales included seasonal (wet season, April, 1996; dry season, August–September, 1997), monthly (March through September, 1999) and hourly (30-min interval recording of specific conductance and temperature, March, 1999 through February, 2000). Multiple environmental tracers, including tritium/helium-3 (3H/3He), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), sulfur-35 (35S), and stable isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) of water, were used to estimate the residence times of shallow groundwater discharging from 34 springs and 15 wells. The most reliable ages of water from springs appear to be based on SF6 and 3H/3He, with most ages in the range of 0–3 years. This range is consistent with apparent ages estimated from concentrations of CFCs; however, CFC-based ages have large uncertainties owing to the post-1995 leveling-off of the CFC atmospheric growth curves. Somewhat higher apparent ages are indicated by 35S (>1.5 years) and seasonal variation of δ18O (mean residence time of 5 years) for spring discharge. The higher ages indicated by the 35S and δ18O data reflect travel times through the unsaturated zone and, in the case of 35S, possible sorption and exchange of S with soils or biomass. In springs sampled in April, 1996, apparent ages derived from the 3H/3He data (median age of 0.2 years) are lower than those obtained from SF6 (median age of 4.3 years), and in contrast to median ages from 3H/3He (0.3 years) and SF6 (0.7 years) obtained during the late summer dry season of 1997. Monthly samples from 1999 at four springs in SNP had SF6apparent ages of only 1.2 to 2.5±0.8 years, and were consistent with the 1997 SF6 data. Water from springs has low excess air (0–1 cm3 kg−1) and N2–Ar temperatures that vary

Use of tritium for estimation of groundwater mean residence time, a case study of the Ain Al-Samak Karst springs (Central Syria)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kattan, Z.

2003-01-01

This work is an attempt to estimate the mean residence time of groundwater in the Ain Al-Tanour and Ain-Samak, which are the major karst springs in the Upper Orontes Basin (Central Syria). This estimate, which consists on the application of a mathematical modeling approach, was based on the use of tritium, as a natural radioisotope tracer and a tool for ground water age dating. By adopting a completely mixed reservoir model, linked with exponential time distribution function, the mean residence time (turnover time) of these two springs was evaluated to be about 50 years. This result is in good agreement with previous estimation obtained for the Figeh main spring, which belongs to the same aquifer (Cenomanian-Turonian complex) in the Damascus Basin. On the basis of this evaluation, a value of about 800 million m 3 was obtained for the maximum groundwater reservoir size

A tracer test to determine a hydraulic connection between the Lauchert and Danube karst catchments (Swabian Alb, Germany)

Science.gov (United States)

Knöll, Paul; Scheytt, Traugott

2018-03-01

A dye tracer experiment was conducted between the rivers Lauchert and Danube near Sigmaringen (Swabian Alb, southern Germany). After a flood event in the River Lauchert, it was suspected that flood water infiltrated into the karst system and drained towards springs in the Danube Valley. A potential connection of the two rivers is provided by the margin of a tectonic graben crossing the valleys. The aim of the tracer experiment was to gain insight into the dominant groundwater flow direction as well as to study a possible preferential connection between the Lauchert surface catchment area and springs in the Danube Valley. After introducing sodium-fluorescein into the unsaturated zone, six springs in the Danube Valley and the River Lauchert itself were observed. Tracer breakthrough at three springs showed that these springs are fed by groundwater originating in the Lauchert surface catchment. Adjacent springs were not affected by the experiment, indicating a rather sharp divide between separate spring catchments. Analyses of tracer breakthrough curves suggest that springs with a tracer occurrence are fed by the same conduit system. It was possible to show that spring catchments in Sigmaringen reach significantly into the Lauchert surface catchment. As a consequence, a drinking-water supplier has changed its supply strategy. The results also help to explain significant differences between flood damage in the central and lower courses of the River Lauchert.

Nested-scale discharge and groundwater level monitoring to improve predictions of flow route discharges and nitrate loads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Velde, Y. van der; Rozemeijer, J.C.; Rooij, G.H.de; Geer, F.C. van; Torfs, P.J.J.F.; Louw, P.G.B. de

2010-01-01

Identifying effective measures to reduce nutrient loads of headwaters in lowland catchments requires a thorough understanding of flow routes of water and nutrients. In this paper we assess the value of nested-scale discharge and groundwater level measurements for predictions of catchment-scale

On the development of a new methodology in sub-surface parameterisation on the calibration of groundwater models

Science.gov (United States)

Klaas, D. K. S. Y.; Imteaz, M. A.; Sudiayem, I.; Klaas, E. M. E.; Klaas, E. C. M.

2017-10-01

In groundwater modelling, robust parameterisation of sub-surface parameters is crucial towards obtaining an agreeable model performance. Pilot point is an alternative in parameterisation step to correctly configure the distribution of parameters into a model. However, the methodology given by the current studies are considered less practical to be applied on real catchment conditions. In this study, a practical approach of using geometric features of pilot point and distribution of hydraulic gradient over the catchment area is proposed to efficiently configure pilot point distribution in the calibration step of a groundwater model. A development of new pilot point distribution, Head Zonation-based (HZB) technique, which is based on the hydraulic gradient distribution of groundwater flow, is presented. Seven models of seven zone ratios (1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30) using HZB technique were constructed on an eogenetic karst catchment in Rote Island, Indonesia and their performances were assessed. This study also concludes some insights into the trade-off between restricting and maximising the number of pilot points and offers a new methodology for selecting pilot point properties and distribution method in the development of a physically-based groundwater model.

Hydrogeology and water chemistry of Infranz catchment springs, Bahir Dar Area, Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Abera, F. N.

2017-12-01

The major springs in the Infranz catchment are a significant source of water for Bahir city and nearby villages, while they help to sustain Infranz River and the downstream wetlands. The aim of the research was to understand the hydrogeological conditions of these high-discharge springs, and to explain the hydrochemical composition of spring waters. Water samples from rainwater and springs were collected and analyzed and compared for major cations and anions. The hydrochemical data analysis showed that all water samples of the springs have freshwater chemistry, Ca-HCO3 type, while deep groundwater shows more evolved types. This indicates limited water-rock interaction and short residence time for the spring waters. The rise of NO3- and PO43- may indicate future water quality degradation unless the anthropogenic activities upgradient and nearby are restricted. The uptake of 75% of spring water for water supply of Bahir Dar results in wetland degradation. Key words: Spring water, Infranz River, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, hydrochemistry

Sediment dynamics during the rainy season in tropical highland catchments of central Mexico using fallout radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evrard, Olivier; Ayrault, Sophie; Lefevre, Irene; Bonte, Philippe; Nemery, Julien; Gratiot, Nicolas; Duvert, Clement; Prat, Christian; Esteves, Michel; Poulenard, Jerome

2010-01-01

Tropical regions are affected by intense soil erosion associated with deforestation, overgrazing, and cropping intensification. This land degradation leads to important on-site (e.g., decrease in soil fertility) and off-site (e.g., reservoir siltation and water pollution) impacts. This study determined the mean soil particle and sediment residence times in soils and rivers of three sub-catchments (3-12 km 2 ) with contrasted land uses (i.e., cropland, forests, and rangelands) draining to a reservoir located in highlands of the trans-volcanic Mexican belt. Calculations were based on rainfall amount and river discharges as well as on fallout radionuclide measurements (Be-7, Cs-137, and Pb-210) conducted on rainfall precipitated samples, soil sampled in the catchments, and suspended sediment collected by automatic samplers in the river during most storms recorded throughout the 2009 rainy season. Calculations using a radionuclide two-box balance model showed that the mean residence time of particles in soils ranged between 5000 ± 1500 and 23, 300 ± 7000 years. In contrast, sediment residence time in rivers was much shorter, fluctuating between 50 ± 30 and 200 ± 70 days. The shortest mean residence times were measured in a hilly catchment dominated by cropland and rangelands, whereas they were the longest in an undulating catchment dominated by forests and cropland. Calculation of the Be-7/excess-Pb-210 in both rainfall and sediment allowed gaining insight on sediment dynamics throughout the rainy season. The first heavy storms of the year exported the bulk of the sediment stock accumulated in the river channel during the previous year. Then, during the rainy season, the two steeper catchments dominated by cropland and rangelands reacted strongly to rainfall. Sediment was indeed eroded and exported from both catchments during single heavy storms on several occasions in 2009. In contrast, the agro-forested catchment with gentler slopes exported sediment at a

Wairarapa Valley groundwater : residence time, flow pattern, and hydrochemistry trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgenstern, U.

2005-01-01

The Wairarapa groundwater system has a complicated hydrogeological setting as it evolved from sea level changes, tectonic activity, and geomorphic process. Due to increasing groundwater demand a better understanding of the groundwater resources is required to help achieve effective management and sustainable use. In addition to previous 'classical' hydrogeology studies, this report represents the first stage of a comprehensive approach using age dating and chemistry time trends for understanding the Wairarapa groundwater system. The methodology of groundwater age dating and mixing models is described in Appendix 1. Historic tritium data were evaluated, and combined with new tritium and CFC/SF 6 data to allow for robust age dating. (author). 14 refs., 30 figs

Hydrology of the North Klondike River: carbon export, water balance and inter-annual climate influences within a sub-alpine permafrost catchment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapp, Anthony; Clark, Ian; Macumber, Andrew; Patterson, Tim

2017-10-01

Arctic and sub-arctic watersheds are undergoing significant changes due to recent climate warming and degrading permafrost, engendering enhanced monitoring of arctic rivers. Smaller catchments provide understanding of discharge, solute flux and groundwater recharge at the process level that contributes to an understanding of how larger arctic watersheds are responding to climate change. The North Klondike River, located in west central Yukon, is a sub-alpine permafrost catchment, which maintains an active hydrological monitoring station with a record of >40 years. In addition to being able to monitor intra-annual variability, this data set allows for more complex analysis of streamflow records. Streamflow data, geochemistry and stable isotope data for 2014 show a groundwater-dominated system, predominantly recharged during periods of snowmelt. Radiocarbon is shown to be a valuable tracer of soil zone recharge processes and carbon sources. Winter groundwater baseflow contributes 20 % of total annual discharge, and accounts for up to 50 % of total river discharge during the spring and summer months. Although total stream discharge remains unchanged, mean annual groundwater baseflow has increased over the 40-year monitoring period. Wavelet analysis reveals a catchment that responds to El Niño and longer solar cycles, as well as climatic shifts such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Dedicated to Professor Peter Fritz on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Application of groundwater residence time tracers and broad screening for micro-organic contaminants in the Indo-Gangetic aquifer system

Science.gov (United States)

Lapworth, Dan; Das, Prerona; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Petersen, Jade; Gooddy, Daren; Krishan, Gopal

2017-04-01

Groundwater abstracted from aquifers underlying urban centres across India provide a vital source of domestic water. Abstraction from municipal and private supplies is considerable and growing rapidly with ever increasing demand for water from expanding urban populations. This trend is set to continue. The vulnerability of deeper aquifers (typically >100 m below ground) used for domestic water to contamination migration from often heavily contaminated shallow aquifer systems has not been studies in detail in India. This paper focusses on the occurrence of micro-organic contaminants within sedimentary aquifers beneath urban centres which are intensively pumped for drinking water and domestic use. New preliminary results from a detailed case study undertaken across Varanasi, a city with an estimated population of ca. 1.5 million in Uttar Pradesh. Micro -organic groundwater quality status and evolution with depth is investigated through selection of paired shallow and deep sites across the city. These results are considered within the context of paired groundwater residence time tracers within the top 150m within the sedimentary aquifer system. Groundwater emerging contaminant results are compared with surface water quality from the Ganges which is also used for drinking water supply. Broad screening for >800 micro-organic compounds was undertaken. Age dating tools were employed to constrain and inform a conceptual model of groundwater recharge and contaminant evolution within the sedimentary aquifer system.

Spatial and temporal changes in the structure of groundwater nitrate concentration time series (1935 1999) as demonstrated by autoregressive modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, A. L.; Smart, P. L.

2005-08-01

Autoregressive modelling is used to investigate the internal structure of long-term (1935-1999) records of nitrate concentration for five karst springs in the Mendip Hills. There is a significant short term (1-2 months) positive autocorrelation at three of the five springs due to the availability of sufficient nitrate within the soil store to maintain concentrations in winter recharge for several months. The absence of short term (1-2 months) positive autocorrelation in the other two springs is due to the marked contrast in land use between the limestone and swallet parts of the catchment, rapid concentrated recharge from the latter causing short term switching in the dominant water source at the spring and thus fluctuating nitrate concentrations. Significant negative autocorrelation is evident at lags varying from 4 to 7 months through to 14-22 months for individual springs, with positive autocorrelation at 19-20 months at one site. This variable timing is explained by moderation of the exhaustion effect in the soil by groundwater storage, which gives longer residence times in large catchments and those with a dominance of diffuse flow. The lags derived from autoregressive modelling may therefore provide an indication of average groundwater residence times. Significant differences in the structure of the autocorrelation function for successive 10-year periods are evident at Cheddar Spring, and are explained by the effect the ploughing up of grasslands during the Second World War and increased fertiliser usage on available nitrogen in the soil store. This effect is moderated by the influence of summer temperatures on rates of mineralization, and of both summer and winter rainfall on the timing and magnitude of nitrate leaching. The pattern of nitrate leaching also appears to have been perturbed by the 1976 drought.

Socio-hydrology of the Thippagondanahalli catchment in India - from common property to open-access.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, V.; Thomas, B.; Lele, S.

2014-12-01

Developing countries face difficult challenge as they must adapt to an uncertain climate future even as land use, demography and the composition of their economies are rapidly changing. Achieving a secure water future requires making reliable predictions of water cycle dynamics in future years. This necessitates understanding societal feedbacks and predicting how these will change in the future. We explore this "Predictions Under Change" problem in the Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) catchment of the Arkavathy Basin in South India. Here, river flows have declined sharply over the last thirty years. The TG Halli Reservoir that once supplied 148 MLD to Bangalore city only yields 30 MLD today. Our analyses suggest that these declines cannot be attributed to climatic factors; groundwater depletion is probably the major cause. We analysed the interlinked human and hydrologic factors and feedbacks between them that have resulted in the present situation using extensive primary data, including weather stations, stream gaging, soil moisture sensing, household surveys, oral histories, interviews, and secondary data including census data, crop reports, satellite imagery and historical hydro-climatic data. Our analysis suggests that several factors have contributed to a continuous shift from surface to groundwater in the TG Halli catchment. First, cheap borewell technology has made groundwater more accessible. Second, as demand for high-value produce from the city and wealth increased, farmers became increasingly willing to invest in risky borewell drilling. Third, differences in governance in groundwater (open access) versus surface water (community managed tanks) hastened the break-down of community managed water systems allowing unchecked exploitation of groundwater. Finally, the political economy of water spurred groundwater development through provision of free electricity and "watershed development" programmes.

Combining catchment and instream modelling to assess physical habitat quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Martin

Study objectives After the implementation of EU's Water Framework Directive (WFD) in Denmark ecological impacts from groundwater exploitation on surface waters has to receive additional consideration. Small streams in particular are susceptible to changes in run-off but have only recieved little...... attention in past studies of run-off impact on the quality of stream physical habitats. This study combined catchment and instream models with instream habitat observations to assess the ecological impacts from groundwater exploitation on a small stream. The main objectives of this study was; • to assess...... which factors are controlling the run-off conditions in stream Ledreborg and to what degree • to assess the run-off reference condition of stream Ledreborg where intensive groundwater abstraction has taken place in 67 years using a simple rainfall-run-off-model • to assess how stream run-off affect...

Catchment conceptualisation for examining applicability of chloride mass balance method in an area with historical forest clearance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Guan

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Of the various approaches for estimating groundwater recharge, the chloride mass balance (CMB method is one of the most frequently used, especially for arid and semiarid regions. Widespread native vegetation clearance, common in many areas globally, has changed the land surface boundary condition, posing the question as to whether the current system has reached new chloride equilibrium, required for a CMB application. Although a one-dimensional CMB can be applied at a point where the water and chloride fluxes are locally in steady state, the CMB method is usually applied at a catchment scale owing to significant lateral flows in mountains. The applicability of the CMB method to several conceptual catchment types of various chloride equilibrium conditions is examined. The conceptualisation, combined with some local climate conditions, is shown to be useful in assessing whether or not a catchment has reached new chloride equilibrium. The six conceptual catchment types are tested with eleven selected catchments in the Mount Lofty Ranges (MLR, a coastal hilly area in South Australia having experienced widespread historical forest clearance. The results show that six of the eleven catchments match a type VI chloride balance condition (chloride non-equilibrium with a gaining stream, with the ratios of stream chloride output (O over atmospheric chloride input (I, or catchment chloride O/I ratios, ranging from 2 to 4. Two catchments match a type V chloride balance condition (chloride non-equilibrium with a losing stream, with catchment chloride O/I ratios about 0.5. For these type V and type VI catchments, the CMB method is not applicable. The results also suggest that neither a chloride O/I ratio less than one nor a low seasonal fluctuation of streamflow chloride concentration (a factor below 4 guarantees a chloride equilibrium condition in the study area. A large chloride O/I value (above one and a large fluctuation of streamflow chloride

Response of current phosphorus mitigation measures across the nutrient transfer continuum in two hydrological contrasting agricultural catchments

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Noeleen; Shore, Mairead; Mellander, Per-Erik; Shortle, Ger; Jordan, Phil

2015-04-01

Effective assessment of National Action Programme (NAP) measures introduced under the EU Nitrates Directive (ND), to manage nutrient use and risk of loss to waters from agriculture, is best achieved when examined across the nutrient transfer continuum at catchment scale. The Irish NAP measures are implemented on a whole-territory basis for both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), with P being the key trophic pressure. The aim of this research was to observe the efficacy of P regulation measures and P source management across the transfer continuum and resultant water quality status (i.e. source to impact), in two contrasting agricultural catchments over a four year period. The catchments are ca. 11 km2 and are located in the south-east of Ireland. One is well-drained and arable dominated, while the other is mostly poorly-drained and grassland dominated. In 2009 and 2013 soil surveys for plant-available P were carried out (Importantly, the proportion of farmland with excessive soil P concentrations decreased in both the arable (20% to 11.8%) and grassland catchments (5.9 to 3.6%). However, soil P concentrations also declined critically in both catchments, as proportional areas below the national crop agronomic optimum thresholds (grassland; indicates a reduced or sustained level of P inputs in both catchments. Indications of responses to soil P change in the surface waters of these catchments appeared to be highly influenced by their hydrological differences and the impact that annual and inter-annual climate and hydrological processes have on nutrient delivery. In the arable catchment total reactive P (TRP) concentrations in interpreted pathways declined across the quickflow, interflow and shallow groundwater of the slowflow, while TRP concentrations in the deeper groundwater, mostly contributing to baseflow, remained the same. However, the complexity of the flow pathways in the grassland catchment made it difficult to determine any trends in P concentrations as a

Hydrological behaviour and water balance analysis for Xitiaoxi catchment of Taihu Basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue Lijuan

2008-09-01

Full Text Available With the rapid social and economic development of the Taihu region, Taihu Lake now faces an increasingly severe eutrophication problem. Pollution from surrounding catchments contributes greatly to the eutrophication of water bodies in the region. Investigation of surface flow and associated mass transport for the Xitiaoxi catchment is of a significant degree of importance as the Xitiaoxi catchment is one of the major catchments within the Taihu region. A SWAT-based distributed hydrological model was established for the Xitiaoxi catchment. The model was calibrated and verified using hydrometeorological data from 1988 to 2001. The results indicate that the modeled daily and annual stream flow match the observed data both in the calibration period and the verification period, with a linear regression coefficient R2 and a coefficient e for modeled daily stream flow greater than 0.8 at Hengtangcun and Fanjiacun gauge stations. The results show that the runoff process in the Xitiaoxi catchment is affected both by rainfall and human activities (e.g., reservoirs and polder areas. Moreover, the human activities weaken flood peaks more noticeably during rainstorms. The water balance analysis reveals the percentages of precipitation made up by surface flow, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge and the change of soil storage, all of which are considered useful to the further understanding of the hydrological processes in the Xitiaoxi catchment. This study provides a good base for further studies in mass transport modeling and comparison of modeling results from similar hydrological models.

Threshold values and management options for nutrients in a catchment of a temperate estuary with poor ecological status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Hinsby

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Intensive farming has severe impacts on the chemical status of groundwater and streams and consequently on the ecological status of dependent ecosystems. Eutrophication is a widespread problem in lakes and marine waters. Common problems are hypoxia, algal blooms, fish kills, and loss of water clarity, underwater vegetation, biodiversity and recreational value. In this paper we evaluate the nitrogen (N and phosphorus (P concentrations of groundwater and surface water in a coastal catchment, the loadings and sources of N and P, and their effect on the ecological status of an estuary. We calculate the necessary reductions in N and P loadings to the estuary for obtaining a good ecological status, which we define based on the number of days with N and P limitation, and the corresponding stream and groundwater threshold values assuming two different management options. The calculations are performed by the combined use of empirical models and a physically based 3-D integrated hydrological model of the whole catchment. The assessment of the ecological status indicates that the N and P loads to the investigated estuary should be reduced to levels corresponding to 52 and 56% of the current loads, respectively, to restore good ecological status. Model estimates show that threshold total N (TN concentrations should be in the range of 2.9 to 3.1 mg l⁻¹ in inlet freshwater (streams to Horsens estuary and 6.0 to 9.3 mg l⁻¹ in shallow aerobic groundwater (∼ 27–41 mg l⁻¹ of nitrate, depending on the management measures implemented in the catchment. The situation for total P (TP is more complex, but data indicate that groundwater threshold values are not needed. The stream threshold value for TP to Horsens estuary for the selected management options is 0.084 mg l⁻¹. Regional climate models project increasing winter precipitation and runoff in the investigated region resulting in increasing runoff and

Hydrological drought across the world: impact of climate and physical catchment structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. A. J. Van Lanen

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Large-scale hydrological drought studies have demonstrated spatial and temporal patterns in observed trends, and considerable difference exists among global hydrological models in their ability to reproduce these patterns. In this study a controlled modeling experiment has been set up to systematically explore the role of climate and physical catchment structure (soils and groundwater systems to better understand underlying drought-generating mechanisms. Daily climate data (1958–2001 of 1495 grid cells across the world were selected that represent Köppen–Geiger major climate types. These data were fed into a conceptual hydrological model. Nine realizations of physical catchment structure were defined for each grid cell, i.e., three soils with different soil moisture supply capacity and three groundwater systems (quickly, intermediately and slowly responding. Hydrological drought characteristics (number, duration and standardized deficit volume were identified from time series of daily discharge. Summary statistics showed that the equatorial and temperate climate types (A- and C-climates had about twice as many drought events as the arid and polar types (B- and E-climates, and the durations of more extreme droughts were about half the length. Selected soils under permanent grassland were found to have a minor effect on hydrological drought characteristics, whereas groundwater systems had major impact. Groundwater systems strongly controlled the hydrological drought characteristics of all climate types, but particularly those of the wetter A-, C- and D-climates because of higher recharge. The median number of droughts for quickly responding groundwater systems was about three times higher than for slowly responding systems. Groundwater systems substantially affected the duration, particularly of the more extreme drought events. Bivariate probability distributions of drought duration and standardized deficit for combinations of K�

Eco-hydrological process simulations within an integrated surface water-groundwater model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Butts, Michael; Loinaz, Maria Christina; Bauer-Gottwein, Peter

2014-01-01

Integrated water resources management requires tools that can quantify changes in groundwater, surface water, water quality and ecosystem health, as a result of changes in catchment management. To address these requirements we have developed an integrated eco-hydrological modelling framework...... that allows hydrologists and ecologists to represent the complex and dynamic interactions occurring between surface water, ground water, water quality and freshwater ecosystems within a catchment. We demonstrate here the practical application of this tool to two case studies where the interaction of surface...... water and ground water are important for the ecosystem. In the first, simulations are performed to understand the importance of surface water-groundwater interactions for a restored riparian wetland on the Odense River in Denmark as part of a larger investigation of water quality and nitrate retention...

Identification of nitrate sources in groundwater and potential impact on drinking water reservoir (Goczałkowice reservoir, Poland)

Science.gov (United States)

Czekaj, Joanna; Jakóbczyk-Karpierz, Sabina; Rubin, Hanna; Sitek, Sławomir; Witkowski, Andrzej J.

2016-08-01

Goczałkowice dammed reservoir (area - 26 km2) is a strategic object for flood control in the Upper Vistula River catchment and one of the most important source of drinking water in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region (Southern Poland). Main aims of the investigation were identification of sources of nitrate and assessment of their significance in potential risk to groundwater quality. In the catchment area monitoring network of 22 piezometers, included 14 nested, have been installed. The significant spatial and seasonal differences in chemical composition between northern and southern part of the catchment were indicated based on the groundwater sampling conducted twice - in autumn 2011 and spring 2012. Maximum observed concentrations of nitrate were identified in northern part of the study area 255 mg/L as a results of inappropriate sewage management and agriculture activity. Results, based on the combines multi-scale hydrogeological and hydrochemical field studies, groundwater flow and transport modelling, dual stable isotope approach and geochemical modelling indicate mainly agriculture and inappropriate sewage water management as a sources of NO3- contamination of groundwater which moreover is affected by geochemical processes. In general, contaminated groundwater does not impact surface water quality. However, due to high concentration of nitrate in northern part a continues measurements of nitrogen compounds should be continued and used for reducing uncertainty of the predictive scenarios of the mass transport modelling in the study area.

Hydrological observation of the artificial catchment `Chicken Creek

Science.gov (United States)

Mazur, K.; Biemelt, D.; Schoenheinz, D.; Grünewald, U.

2009-04-01

In Lusatia, eastern Germany, an artificial catchment called 'Chicken Creek' was developed. The catchment with an area of 6 ha was designed as hillside on the top of a refilled open mining pit. The bottom boundary was created by a 1 to 2 m thick clay layer acting as aquiclude. The catchment body consists of a 2 to 4 m mighty layer of sandy to loamy sediments acting as aquifer. The catchment 'Chicken Creek' is the central investigation site of the German-Swiss Collaborative Research Centre SFB/TRR 38. The aim of the research is to characterise various ecosystem development phases with respect to the occurring relevant structures and processes. Therefore, structures and processes as well as interactions being dominant within the initial ecosystem development phase are investigated and will be compared to those occurring in the later stages of ecosystem development. In this context, one important part of the investigations is the detailed observation of hydrological processes and the determination of the water balance components. To achieve these objectives, a comprehensive monitoring programme was planned considering the following questions: Which parameters/data are required? Which parameters/data can be measured? Which spatial and temporal resolution of observations is required? The catchment was accordingly equipped with weirs, flumes, observation wells, probes and meteorological observation stations. First results were obtained and will be presented. The gathered data provide parameters and boundary conditions for the ensuing hydro(geo)logical modeling. Conclusions e.g. from groundwater flow simulations shall allow to improve theses about the dynamic in the saturated zone and support the quantification of the groundwater discharge as component of the water balance. First research results show that precipitation related surface runoff proves to be much more dominant in the hydrological system than initially expected. Therefore, the monitoring concept had to be

The influence of naturally-occurring organic acids on model estimates of lakewater acidification using the model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.J.; Eilers, J.M.; Cosby, B.J.; Driscoll, C.T.; Hemond, H.F.; Charles, D.F.; Norton, S.A.

1993-01-01

A project for the US Department of Energy, entitled ''Incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and Testing of the Revised Model UsingIndependent Data Sources'' was initiated by E ampersand S Environmental Chemistry, Inc. in March, 1992. Major components of the project include: improving the MAGIC model by incorporating a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, and testing the revised model using data from paleolimnological hindcasts of preindustrial chemistry for 33 Adirondack Mountain lakes, and the results of whole-catchment artificial acidification projects in Maine and Norway. The ongoing research in this project involves development of an organic acid representation to be incorporated into the MAGIC modeland testing of the improved model using three independent data sources. The research during Year 1 has included conducting two workshops to agree on an approach for the organic acid modeling, developing the organic subroutine and incorporating it into MAGIC (Task 1), conducing MAGIC hindcasts for Adirondack lakes and comparing the results with paleolimnological reconstructions (Task 2), and conducting site visits to the manipulation project sites in Maine and Norway. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the work that has been conducted on this project during Year 1. Tasks 1 and 2 have now been completed

The influence of naturally-occurring organic acids on model estimates of lakewater acidification using the model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T.J.; Eilers, J.M. (E and S Environmental Chemistry, Inc., Corvallis, OR (United States)); Cosby, B.J. (Virginia Univ., Charlottesville, VA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Sciences); Driscoll, C.T. (Syracuse Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering); Hemond, H.F. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering); Charles, D.F.

1993-03-05

A project for the US Department of Energy, entitled Incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and Testing of the Revised Model UsingIndependent Data Sources'' was initiated by E S Environmental Chemistry, Inc. in March, 1992. Major components of the project include: improving the MAGIC model by incorporating a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, and testing the revised model using data from paleolimnological hindcasts of preindustrial chemistry for 33 Adirondack Mountain lakes, and the results of whole-catchment artificial acidification projects in Maine and Norway. The ongoing research in this project involves development of an organic acid representation to be incorporated into the MAGIC modeland testing of the improved model using three independent data sources. The research during Year 1 has included conducting two workshops to agree on an approach for the organic acid modeling, developing the organic subroutine and incorporating it into MAGIC (Task 1), conducing MAGIC hindcasts for Adirondack lakes and comparing the results with paleolimnological reconstructions (Task 2), and conducting site visits to the manipulation project sites in Maine and Norway. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the work that has been conducted on this project during Year 1. Tasks 1 and 2 have now been completed.

Applying limited data to estimate groundwater recharge in the Bida Basin, central Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shekwolo, P. D.

2000-01-01

Three river catchment basins in central Nigeria were studied to determine the amount to recharge to groundwater reservoir, using different techniques. The techniques include groundwater rise or specific yield, flownet, baseflow separation and chloride mass balance (CMB). Though results from the various methods vary within some limits, there is a fairly good agreement, particularly in the recharge percentages. Groundwater rise technique gave a value of about 53 mm/yr and 56 mm/yr in Gboko and Eku catchments respectively, which represents about 5% of the annual precipitation in Eku catchment. CMB method yielded 5% in Gboko, 4% in Eku and 7% in Kaduna catchment of annual precipitation. On the average, annual recharge in the entire basins falls within the range of 50 mm to 100 mm, which constitute about 5 - 10% of annual precipitation. All the methods can be considered complementary to each other, in the sense that sone salient hydrologic parameters that are not considered or emphasised in one technique appear in the other. The chloride mass and baseflow separation methods can be said to be fair result - yielding approach, because of the relatively good data acquisition in spite of the limitations of the method and their relevance to prevailing local conditions. Multi - technique approach is the best in recharge estimation because it allows an independent check to be made on the results. The value of hydrologic ration falls within the range of 0.45 to 0.8 and the study area has been classified into semi - humid and semi - arid climatic zones, on the basis of the hydrologic model

Isotopic Composition and Age of Surface Water as Indicators of Groundwater Sustainability in a Semiarid Area: Case of the Souss Basin (Morocco)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouchaou, L.; Tagma, T.; Boutaleb, S.; Hsissou, Y. [LAGAGE Laboratory, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir (Morocco); Nathaniel, W.; Vengosh, A. [Duke University (United States); Michelot, J. L.; Massault, M. [UMR ' IDES' , CNRS - Universite Paris-Sud, Orsay (France); Elfaskaoui, M. [Hydraulic Agency of Souss-Massa-Draa Basins, Agadir (Morocco)

2013-07-15

This study aims to determine the surface water and groundwater interconnection in the Souss catchment of western Morocco by applying multiple isotopic tracers such as {delta}{sup 18}O, {delta}{sup 2}H, {sup 3}H, Ra, {sup 14}C, {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr and CFCs. Stable water isotope data indicate that the High Atlas Mountains, with their high rainfall and low {delta}{sup 18}O and {delta}{sup 2}H values, constitute the major source of recharge to the Souss-Massa aquifer. Carbon-{sup 14} activities (34-94 pMC) and {sup 3}H indicate a long residence time of groundwater in some areas. The high {sup 14}C activities measured in the Ifni spring located at 2158 m a.s.l. and the Tiar spring at 711 m a.s.l. indicate a modern contribution, which is consistent with recharge from the High Atlas tributaries. In the upstream mountainous section, the mass balance mixing model suggest that groundwater contribution to stream flow is about 72% during the wet season and 36% during the dry season. In the downstream plain, 80% of surface flow infiltrates to the aquifer. {sup 226}Ra and {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr variations were indistinguishable for surface waters and groundwater. (author)

Scale dependence of the episodic hydrochemical response of nested catchments at Plynlimon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. Foster

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Previous monitoring of the surface water chemistry of the forested catchments at Plynlimon has concentrated on weekly measurements. Hence, peak values and details of the rapid changes in chemistry occurring during events tend to be missed, particularly for smaller catchments. Knowledge of the detailed hydrochemical response is necessary to predict effects on stream ecology and to quantify processes occurring within the catchment. This information is vital if the likely impacts of changes in landuse and pollutant input on episodic hydrochemical variations are to be modelled. A summary of daily and three-hourly chemistry for the River Severn headwaters at Plynlimon, central Wales is presented. Data are from the summer and autumn of 1995 and the winter and summer of 1996. The effects of antecedent conditions, soiltype, landuse and groundwater and tributary inflow on stream episodic hydrochemical response are discussed for a range of spatial scales, including first, second and third order streams. Detailed information on the chemical changes due to a discrete groundwater inflow into the bed of one stream shows that, during episodes, its influence on stream chemistry is overridden by that of event water. A comparison of drainage ditch chemistry with main stream chemistry during storm events is used to consider the importance of tributary inflow at these times. The contrast in results between sites is assessed, to evaluate the effects of clearfelling and soil type on stream event chemistry.

Sea-water/groundwater interactions along a small catchment of the European Atlantic coast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Einsiedl, Florian

2012-01-01

The geochemistry and isotopic composition of a karstic coastal aquifer in western Ireland has shed light on the effect of sea-water/groundwater interactions on the water quality of Ireland’s Atlantic coastal zone. The use of stable isotope data from the IAEA precipitation station in Valentia, located in SW Ireland has facilitated the characterization of groundwater recharge conditions in the western part of Ireland and suggests that groundwater is mostly replenished by the isotopically light winter precipitation. The dissolved SO 4 2- in the karstic groundwater that was collected during baseflow conditions with δ 34 S values between 4.6‰ and 18‰ may be composed of S stemming from three principal sources: SO 4 2- derived from precipitation which is composed of both sea-spray S (δ 34 S: 20‰) and an isotopically light anthropogenic source (δ 34 S: 1–5‰), SO 4 2- stemming from animal slurries (δ 34 S: ∼5‰), and intruding sea-water SO 4 2- (δ 34 S: 20.2‰). The isotopic composition of δ 18 O in dissolved groundwater SO 4 2- collected during baseflow conditions is interpreted as reflecting sea-water intrusion to the karstic coastal groundwater system. The highest δ 18 O values in dissolved groundwater SO 4 2- were in samples collected near the coast (4.8 ± 0.4‰) and the lowest (2 ± 0.5‰) were collected further inland. The δ 15 N and δ 18 O values of groundwater NO 3 - were between 3.4‰ and 11.4‰ and approximately 7.7‰, respectively, and reflect geochemical conditions in the aquifer that do not promote attenuation of NO 3 - through denitrification. As a result N loading to Kinvara Bay that is controlled by submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) was calculated as 5 tons/day on average compared to an estimated N-input that derives from precipitation of approximately 2.5 tons/a. SGD into the bay may result in near coastal sea-water quality changes. These results represent one of the first studies addressing the effect of groundwater

Climate and terrain factors explaining streamflow response and recession in Australian catchments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. J. M. van Dijk

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Daily streamflow data were analysed to assess which climate and terrain factors best explain streamflow response in 183 Australian catchments. Assessed descriptors of catchment response included the parameters of fitted baseflow models, and baseflow index (BFI, average quick flow and average baseflow derived by baseflow separation. The variation in response between catchments was compared with indicators of catchment climate, morphology, geology, soils and land use. Spatial coherence in the residual unexplained variation was investigated using semi-variogram techniques. A linear reservoir model (one parameter; recession coefficient produced baseflow estimates as good as those obtained using a non-linear reservoir (two parameters and for practical purposes was therefore considered an appropriate balance between simplicity and explanatory performance. About a third (27–34% of the spatial variation in recession coefficients and BFI was explained by catchment climate indicators, with another 53% of variation being spatially correlated over distances of 100–150 km, probably indicative of substrate characteristics not captured by the available soil and geology data. The shortest recession half-times occurred in the driest catchments and were attributed to intermittent occurrence of fast-draining (possibly perched groundwater. Most (70–84% of the variation in average baseflow and quick flow was explained by rainfall and climate characteristics; another 20% of variation was spatially correlated over distances of 300–700 km, possibly reflecting a combination of terrain and climate factors. It is concluded that catchment streamflow response can be predicted quite well on the basis of catchment climate alone. The prediction of baseflow recession response should be improved further if relevant substrate properties were identified and measured.

Community structures and activity of denitrifying microbes in a forested catchment in central Japan: survey using nitrite reductase genes

Science.gov (United States)

Ohte, N.; Aoki, M.; Katsuyama, C.; Suwa, Y.; Tange, T.

2012-12-01

To elucidate the mechanisms of denitrification processes in the forested catchment, microbial ecological approaches have been applied in an experimental watershed that has previously investigated its hydrological processes. The study catchment is located in the Chiba prefecture in central Japan under the temperate Asian monsoon climate. Potential activities of denitrification of soil samples were measured by incubation experiments under anoxic condition associated with Na15NO3 addition. Existence and variety of microbes having nitrite reductase genes were investigated by PCR amplification, cloning and sequencings of nirK and nirS fragments after DNA extraction. Contrary to our early expectation that the potential denitrification activity was higher at deeper soil horizon with consistent groundwater residence than that in the surface soil, denitrification potential was higher in shallower soil horizons than deeper soils. This suggested that the deficiency of NO3- as a respiratory substrate for denitrifier occurred in deeper soils especially in the summer. However, high denitrification activity and presence of microbes having nirK and nirS in surface soils usually under aerobic condition was explainable by the fact that the majority of denitrifying bacteria have been recognized as a facultative anaerobic bacterium. This also suggests the possibility of that denitrification occurs even in the surface soils if the wet condition is provided by rainwater during and after a storm event. Community structures of microbes having nirK were different between near surface and deeper soil horizons, and ones having nirS was different between saturated zone (under groundwater table) and unsaturated soil horizons. These imply that microbial communities with nisK are sensitive to the concentration of soil organic matters and ones with nirS is sensitive to soil moisture contents.

Changes in the Regional Groundwater Aquifer and Potential Impacts on Surface Waters in Central Zealand, Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorn, Paul

The regional, confined aquifer on the island of Zealand, in eastern Denmark, is the primary aquifer used for large-scale abstraction for the supplies of all larger cities, including Roskilde and the greater Copenhagen metropolitan area. Large-scale groundwater abstraction from this aquifer...... in the area near Lejre Denmark (approximately 15km to the SW of Roskilde) began in 1937, exporting approximately 18 million m3 of water per year to supply the city of Copenhagen. After abstraction began, streams in the area were observed to go dry after extended periods without precipitation, where......, wetlands and lakes in the area. The results show that there was a significant impact on the regional groundwater aquifer in the Langvad river catchment, with groundwater as much as 17m lower in 1987 from 1936 (pre-abstraction). However, in the Elverdam river catchment, the levels remained virtually...

Groundwater Drought and Recovery: a Case Study from the United Kingdom

Science.gov (United States)

Peach, D.; McKenzie, A. A.; Bloomfield, J.

2012-12-01

An understanding of the processes leading to the onset, duration and end of hydrological droughts is necessary to help improve the management of stressed or scarce water resources during such periods. In particular, the role and use of groundwater during episodes of drought is crucially important, since groundwater can provide relatively resilient water supplies during early stages of drought but maybe highly susceptible to relatively persistent or sustained droughts. Nevertheless, groundwater is seldom considered in drought analyses, and compared with other types of hydrological drought there have been few studies to date. The few previous studies of groundwater droughts at catchment- and regional-scale have shown that catchment and aquifer characteristics exert a strong influence on the spatio-temporal development of groundwater droughts as water deficit propagates through the terrestrial water cycle. In this context, the relationships between hydrogeological heterogeneity, catchment engineering infrastructure (storage), and decisions related to water resource management during drought events all shape the evolution and consequences of groundwater droughts. Here we examine the evolution of a recent regionally significant two-year drought across the United Kingdom (UK) and use it to investigate these relationships. We identify the drivers, characterise the development and spatio-temporal extent of the groundwater drought. In particular, we focus on the unusually rapid end and recovery from drought during what would normally be a period of groundwater recession. The UK, and in particular southern England, relies extensively on groundwater for public water supply, agricultural and industrial use, as well as for sustaining river flows that are essential to ecosystem health. In normal years relatively consistent rainfall patterns prevail, recharging aquifers over winter when evapotranspiration is minimal. However, by March 2012 large parts of the southern UK had

Determination of fluoride source in ground water using petrographic studies in Dashtestan area, south of Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Battaleb-Looie, Sedigheh; Moore, Farid, ,, Dr.

2010-05-01

The groundwater occurs in Dashtestan area, contains a high level of fluoride. Since groundwater is vastly used for drinking and irrigation purposes, the local residents are at high risk of fluoride toxicity, as already evidenced by the occurrence of dental Fluorosis in many residents. 35 surface and groundwater samples were collected in September, 2009. The results show that in 23 samples the fluoride concentration is above the permissible level (1.5ppm). Petrographic study of lithological units in the catchment area indicates that mica minerals are the most probable source of fluoride content in the study area.

Integrated modeling of groundwater-surface water interactions in a tile-drained agricultural field: The importance of directly measured flow route contributions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rozemeijer, J.C.; Velde, Y. van der; McLaren, R.G.; Geer, F.C. van; Broers, H.P.; Bierkens, M.F.P.

2010-01-01

Understanding the dynamics of groundwater-surface water interaction is needed to evaluate and simulate water and solute transport in catchments. However, direct measurements of the contributions of different flow routes from specific surfaces within a catchment toward the surface water are rarely

Why is the Groundwater Level Rising? A Case Study Using HARTT to Simulate Groundwater Level Dynamic.

Science.gov (United States)

Yihdego, Yohannes; Danis, Cara; Paffard, Andrew

2017-12-01

  Groundwater from a shallow unconfined aquifer at a site in coastal New South Wales has been causing recent water logging issues. A trend of rising groundwater level has been anecdotally observed over the last 10 years. It was not clear whether the changes in groundwater levels were solely natural variations within the groundwater system or whether human interference was driving the level up. Time series topographic images revealed significant surrounding land use changes and human modification to the environment of the groundwater catchment. A statistical model utilising HARTT (multiple linear regression hydrograph analysis method) simulated the groundwater level dynamics at five key monitoring locations and successfully showed a trend of rising groundwater level. Utilising hydrogeological input from field investigations, the model successfully simulated the rise in the water table over time to the present day levels, whilst taking into consideration rainfall and land changes. The underlying geological/land conditions were found to be just as significant as the impact of climate variation. The correlation coefficient for the monitoring bores (MB), excluding MB4, show that the groundwater level fluctuation can be explained by the climate variable (rainfall) with the lag time between the atypical rainfall and groundwater level ranging from 4 to 7 months. The low R2 value for MB4 indicates that there are factors missing in the model which are primarily related to human interference. The elevated groundwater levels in the affected area are the result of long term cumulative land use changes, instigated by humans, which have directly resulted in detrimental changes to the groundwater aquifer properties.

An integrated model for simulating nitrogen trading in an agricultural catchment with complex hydrogeology.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, T J; Rutherford, J C; Kerr, S C; Smeaton, D C; Palliser, C C

2013-09-30

Nitrogen loads to several New Zealand lakes are dominated by nonpoint runoff from pastoral farmland which adversely affects lake water quality. A 'cap and trade' scheme is being considered to help meet targets set for nitrogen loads to Lake Rotorua, and a numerical model, NTRADER, has been developed to simulate and compare alternative schemes. NTRADER models both the geophysics of nitrogen generation and transport, including groundwater lag times, and the economics of 'cap and trade' schemes. It integrates the output from several existing models, including a farm-scale nitrogen leaching and abatement model, a farm-scale management economic model, and a catchment-scale nitrogen transport model. This paper details modeling methods and compares possible trading program design features for the Lake Rotorua catchment. Model simulations demonstrate how a cap and trade program could be used to effectively achieve challenging environmental goals in the targeted catchment. However, results also show that, due to complex hydrogeology, satisfactory environmental outcomes may be not achieved unless groundwater lag times are incorporated into the regulatory scheme. One way to do this, as demonstrated here, would be to explicitly include lag times in the cap and trade program. The utility of the model is further demonstrated by quantifying relative differences in abatement costs across potential regulatory schemes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Response of groundwater level and surface-water/groundwater interaction to climate variability: Clarence-Moreton Basin, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Tao; Raiber, Matthias; Pagendam, Dan; Gilfedder, Mat; Rassam, David

2018-03-01

Understanding the response of groundwater levels in alluvial and sedimentary basin aquifers to climatic variability and human water-resource developments is a key step in many hydrogeological investigations. This study presents an analysis of groundwater response to climate variability from 2000 to 2012 in the Queensland part of the sedimentary Clarence-Moreton Basin, Australia. It contributes to the baseline hydrogeological understanding by identifying the primary groundwater flow pattern, water-level response to climate extremes, and the resulting dynamics of surface-water/groundwater interaction. Groundwater-level measurements from thousands of bores over several decades were analysed using Kriging and nonparametric trend analysis, together with a newly developed three-dimensional geological model. Groundwater-level contours suggest that groundwater flow in the shallow aquifers shows local variations in the close vicinity of streams, notwithstanding general conformance with topographic relief. The trend analysis reveals that climate variability can be quickly reflected in the shallow aquifers of the Clarence-Moreton Basin although the alluvial aquifers have a quicker rainfall response than the sedimentary bedrock formations. The Lockyer Valley alluvium represents the most sensitively responding alluvium in the area, with the highest declining (-0.7 m/year) and ascending (2.1 m/year) Sen's slope rates during and after the drought period, respectively. Different surface-water/groundwater interaction characteristics were observed in different catchments by studying groundwater-level fluctuations along hydrogeologic cross-sections. The findings of this study lay a foundation for future water-resource management in the study area.

Propagation of drought in a groundwater fed catchment, the Pang in UK

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tallaksen, L.; Hisdal, H.; Lanen, van H.A.J.

2006-01-01

Regional drought characteristics, such as the area covered by drought and the total deficit over that area, are important measures of the severity of a drought event. Gridded, monthly data from the Pang catchment, UK, are analysed here to study the spatial aspects of the drought as it propagates

From groundwater abstraction to vegetative response in fen ecosystems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Ole Munch; Jensen, Jacob Birk; Pedersen, Morten Lauge

2014-01-01

Hydrological effects of groundwater abstraction near a Danish river valley have been assessed by integrated hydrological modelling. The study site contains groundwater-dependent terrestrial ecosystems in terms of fen and spring habitats that are highly dependent on regional and local scale...... hydrology. Fens are rare and threatened worldwide due to pressures from agriculture, to lack of appropriate management and to altered catchment hydrology. A solid foundation for hydrological modelling was established based on intensive monitoring at the site, combined with full-scale pumping tests...... in the area. A regional groundwater model was used to describe the dynamics in groundwater recharge and the large-scale discharge to streams. A local grid refinement approach was then applied in a detailed assessment of damage in order to balance the computational effort and the need for a high spatial...

Analysis of metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid (MESA) chirality in groundwater: A tool for dating groundwater movement in agricultural settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Clifford P; McCarty, Gregory W; Bialek-Kalinski, Krystyna; Zabetakis, Kara; Torrents, Alba; Hapeman, Cathleen J

2016-08-01

To better address how much groundwater contributes to the loadings of pollutants from agriculture we developed a specific dating tool for groundwater residence times. This tool is based on metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid, which is a major soil metabolite of metolachlor. The chiral forms of metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid (MESA) and the chiral forms of metolachlor were examined over a 6-year period in samples of groundwater and water from a groundwater-fed stream in a riparian buffer zone. This buffer zone bordered cropland receiving annual treatments with metolachlor. Racemic (rac) metolachlor was applied for two years in the neighboring field, and subsequently S-metolachlor was used which is enriched by 88% with the S-enantiomer. Chiral analyses of the samples showed an exponential increase in abundance of the S-enantiomeric forms for MESA as a function of time for both the first order riparian buffer stream (R(2)=0.80) and for groundwater within the riparian buffer (R(2)=0.96). However, the S-enrichment values for metolachlor were consistently high indicating different delivery mechanisms for MESA and metolachlor. A mean residence time of 3.8years was determined for depletion of the initially-applied rac-metolachlor. This approach could be useful in dating groundwater and determining the effectiveness of conservation measures. A mean residence time of 3.8years was calculated for groundwater feeding a first-order stream by plotting the timed-decay for the R-enantiomer of metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Coastal Aquifer Contamination and Geochemical Processes Evaluation in Tugela Catchment, South Africa—Geochemical and Statistical Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badana Ntanganedzeni

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Assessment of groundwater quality, contamination sources and geochemical processes in the coastal aquifer of Tugela Catchment, South Africa were carried out by the geochemical and statistical approach using major ion chemistry of 36 groundwater samples. Results suggest that the spatial distribution pattern of EC, TDS, Na, Mg, Cl and SO4 are homogenous and elevated concentrations are observed in the wells in the coastal region and few wells near the Tugela River. Wells located far from the coast are enriched by Ca, HCO3 and CO3. Durov diagrams, Gibbs plots, ionic ratios, chloro alkaline indices (CAI1 and CAI2 and correlation analysis imply that groundwater chemistry in the coastal aquifer of Tugela Catchment is regulated by the ion exchange, mineral dissolution, saline sources, and wastewater infiltration from domestic sewage; septic tank leakage and irrigation return flow. Principle component analysis also ensured the role of saline and anthropogenic sources and carbonates dissolution on water chemistry. Spatial distributions of factor score also justify the above predictions. Groundwater suitability assessment indicates that around 80% and 90% of wells exceeded the drinking water standards recommended by the WHO and South African drinking water standards (SAWQG, respectively. Based on SAR, RSC, PI, and MH classifications, most of the wells are suitable for irrigation in the study region. USSL classification suggests that groundwater is suitable for coarse-textured soils and salt-tolerant crops. The study recommends that a proper management plan is required to protect this coastal aquifer efficiently.

Assessment of vulnerability in karst aquifers using a quantitative integrated numerical model: catchment characterization and high resolution monitoring - Application to semi-arid regions- Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Doummar, Joanna; Aoun, Michel; Andari, Fouad

2016-04-01

Karst aquifers are highly heterogeneous and characterized by a duality of recharge (concentrated; fast versus diffuse; slow) and a duality of flow which directly influences groundwater flow and spring responses. Given this heterogeneity in flow and infiltration, karst aquifers do not always obey standard hydraulic laws. Therefore the assessment of their vulnerability reveals to be challenging. Studies have shown that vulnerability of aquifers is highly governed by recharge to groundwater. On the other hand specific parameters appear to play a major role in the spatial and temporal distribution of infiltration on a karst system, thus greatly influencing the discharge rates observed at a karst spring, and consequently the vulnerability of a spring. This heterogeneity can only be depicted using an integrated numerical model to quantify recharge spatially and assess the spatial and temporal vulnerability of a catchment for contamination. In the framework of a three-year PEER NSF/USAID funded project, the vulnerability of a karst catchment in Lebanon is assessed quantitatively using a numerical approach. The aim of the project is also to refine actual evapotranspiration rates and spatial recharge distribution in a semi arid environment. For this purpose, a monitoring network was installed since July 2014 on two different pilot karst catchment (drained by Qachqouch Spring and Assal Spring) to collect high resolution data to be used in an integrated catchment numerical model with MIKE SHE, DHI including climate, unsaturated zone, and saturated zone. Catchment characterization essential for the model included geological mapping and karst features (e.g., dolines) survey as they contribute to fast flow. Tracer experiments were performed under different flow conditions (snow melt and low flow) to delineate the catchment area, reveal groundwater velocities and response to snowmelt events. An assessment of spring response after precipitation events allowed the estimation of the

Simple Kinematic Pathway Approach (KPA) to Catchment-scale Travel Time and Water Age Distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Soltani, S. S.; Cvetkovic, V.; Destouni, G.

2017-12-01

The distribution of catchment-scale water travel times is strongly influenced by morphological dispersion and is partitioned between hillslope and larger, regional scales. We explore whether hillslope travel times are predictable using a simple semi-analytical "kinematic pathway approach" (KPA) that accounts for dispersion on two levels of morphological and macro-dispersion. The study gives new insights to shallow (hillslope) and deep (regional) groundwater travel times by comparing numerical simulations of travel time distributions, referred to as "dynamic model", with corresponding KPA computations for three different real catchment case studies in Sweden. KPA uses basic structural and hydrological data to compute transient water travel time (forward mode) and age (backward mode) distributions at the catchment outlet. Longitudinal and morphological dispersion components are reflected in KPA computations by assuming an effective Peclet number and topographically driven pathway length distributions, respectively. Numerical simulations of advective travel times are obtained by means of particle tracking using the fully-integrated flow model MIKE SHE. The comparison of computed cumulative distribution functions of travel times shows significant influence of morphological dispersion and groundwater recharge rate on the compatibility of the "kinematic pathway" and "dynamic" models. Zones of high recharge rate in "dynamic" models are associated with topographically driven groundwater flow paths to adjacent discharge zones, e.g. rivers and lakes, through relatively shallow pathway compartments. These zones exhibit more compatible behavior between "dynamic" and "kinematic pathway" models than the zones of low recharge rate. Interestingly, the travel time distributions of hillslope compartments remain almost unchanged with increasing recharge rates in the "dynamic" models. This robust "dynamic" model behavior suggests that flow path lengths and travel times in shallow

Discharge process of cesium during rainstorms in headwater catchments, Fukushima, Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Iwagami, Sho; Nishino, Masataka; Konuma, Ryohei

2014-05-01

We monitored Cs-137 concentrations in stream water, groundwater, soil water and rainwater in the Yamakiya district located approximately 35 km north west of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) from June 2011 through July 2013, focusing on rainfall-runoff processes during the rainstorm events. Two catchments with different land cover (Iboishiyama and Koutaishiyama) were instrumentd, and stream water, groundwater, soil water and rainwater were sampled for approximately one month at each site, and intensive sampling was conducted during rainstorm events. The 137Cs concentration in stream water showed a relatively quick decreasing trend during 2011. Also, during rainfall events, the Cs-137 concentration in stream water showed a temporary increase. End Member Mixing Analysis was applied to evaluate contribution of groundwater, soil water and rainwater in discharge water during rainstorm events. The groundwater component was dominant in the runoff, whereas rainwater was main source for the Cs-137 concentration of the stream increasing during the storm events. In addition, a leaching of Cs-137 from the suspended sediments and the organic materials seemed to be also important sources to the stream.

Smallholder groundwater irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa: an interdisciplinary framework applied to the Usangu plains, Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villholth, Karen G.; Ganeshamoorthy, Jegan; Rundblad, Christian M.

2013-01-01

A simple but comprehensive framework for analysing the potential for and constraints to groundwater development for irrigated agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is proposed. The framework, based on food value chain principles, is applied to the sub-Saharan context and a specific catchment in Tanza......A simple but comprehensive framework for analysing the potential for and constraints to groundwater development for irrigated agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is proposed. The framework, based on food value chain principles, is applied to the sub-Saharan context and a specific catchment...... in Tanzania, the Usangu plains, where groundwater has been proposed as a strategic resource for augmenting food production and smallholder livelihoods and to alleviate seasonal water scarcity. The novel contribution of the work is the presentation of a tool that can be applied to support an interdisciplinary...... approach to systematically identify most significant barriers and most critical water management and development interventions for sustainable development of groundwater irrigation. The result of the case study shows that farmer economics, capacity, and pump and well drilling market constraints limit...

Improving catchment discharge predictions by inferring flow route contributions from a nested-scale monitoring and model setup

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Velde, Y. van der; Rozemeijer, J.C.; Rooij, G.H. de; Geer, F.C. van; Torfs, P.J.J.F.; Louw, P.G.B. de

2011-01-01

Identifying effective measures to reduce nutrient loads of headwaters in lowland catchments requires a thorough understanding of flow routes of water and nutrients. In this paper we assess the value of nested-scale discharge and groundwater level measurements for the estimation of flow route volumes

Residence time, chemical and isotopic analysis of nitrate in the groundwater and surface water of a small agricultural watershed in the Coastal Plain, Bucks Branch, Sussex County, Delaware

Science.gov (United States)

Clune, John W.; Denver, Judith M.

2012-01-01

Nitrate is a common contaminant in groundwater and surface water throughout the Nation, and water-resource managers need more detailed small-scale watershed research to guide conservation efforts aimed at improving water quality. Concentrations of nitrate in Bucks Branch are among the highest in the state of Delaware and a scientific investigation was performed to provide water-quality information to assist with the management of agriculture and water resources. A combination of major-ion chemistry, nitrogen isotopic composition and age-dating techniques was used to estimate the residence time and provide a chemical and isotopic analysis of nitrate in the groundwater in the surficial aquifer of the Bucks Branch watershed in Sussex County, Delaware. The land use was more than 90 percent agricultural and most nitrogen inputs were from manure and fertilizer. The apparent median age of sampled groundwater is 18 years and the estimated residence time of groundwater contributing to the streamflow for the entire Bucks Branch watershed at the outlet is approximately 19 years. Concentrations of nitrate exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standard of 10 milligrams per liter (as nitrogen) in 60 percent of groundwater samples and 42 percent of surface-water samples. The overall geochemistry in the Bucks Branch watershed indicates that agriculture is the predominant source of nitrate contamination and the observed patterns in major-ion chemistry are similar to those observed in other studies on the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. The pattern of enrichment in nitrogen and oxygen isotopes (δ15N and δ18O) of nitrate in groundwater and surface water indicates there is some loss of nitrate through denitrification, but this process is not sufficient to remove all of the nitrate from groundwater discharging to streams, and concentrations of nitrate in streams remain elevated.

Identifying the role of human-induced land-use change while assessing drought effects on groundwater recharge

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeiren, Boud; Weerasinghe, Imeshi; Vanderhaegen, Sven; Canters, Frank; Uljee, Inge; Engelen, Guy; Jacquemin, Ingrid; Tychon, Bernard; Vangelis, Harris; Tsakiris, George; Batelaan, Okke; Huysmans, Marijke

2015-04-01

Drought is mainly regarded as a purely natural phenomenon, driven by the natural variation in precipitation or rather the lack of precipitation. Nowadays many river catchments are, however, altered by human activities having direct effects on the catchment landscape and hydrological response. In case of the occurrence of drought events in those catchments it becomes more complex to determine the effects of drought. To what extent is the hydrological response a direct result of the natural phenomenon and what is the role of the human factor? In this study we focus on the effects of droughts on groundwater recharge. Reliable estimation of groundwater recharge in space and time is of utmost importance for sustainable management of groundwater resources. Groundwater recharge forms the main source for replenishing aquifers. The main factors influencing groundwater recharge are the soil and topographic characteristics, land use and climate. While the first two influencing factors are relatively static, the latter two are (highly) dynamic. Differentiating between the contributions of each of these influencing factors to groundwater recharge is a challenging but important task. On the one hand, the occurrence of meteorological drought events is likely to cause direct, potentially deteriorating, effects on groundwater recharge. On the other hand, this is also the case for on-going land-use dynamics such as extensive urbanisation. The presented methodology aims at distinguishing in space and time between climate (drought-related) and land-use (human-induced) effects, enabling to assess the effects of drought on groundwater recharge. The physically-based water balance model WetSpass is used to calculate groundwater recharge in a distributed way (space and time) for the Dijle-Demer catchments in Belgium. The key issue is to determine land-use dynamics in a consistent way. A land-use timeseries is build based on four base maps. Via a change trajectory analysis the consistency

Groundwater residence time downgradient of Trench No. 22 at the Chernobyl Pilot Site: Constraints on hydrogeological aquifer functioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Gal La Salle, C.; Aquilina, L.; Fourre, E.; Jean-Baptiste, P.; Michelot, J.-L.; Roux, C.; Bugai, D.; Labasque, T.; Simonucci, C.; Van Meir, N.; Noret, A.; Bassot, S.; Dapoigny, A.; Baumier, D.

2012-01-01

Following the explosion of reactor 4 at the Chernobyl power plant in northern Ukraine in 1986, contaminated soil and vegetation were buried in shallow trenches dug directly on-site in an Aeolian sand deposit. These trenches are sources of radionuclide (RN) pollution. The objective of the present study is to provide constraints for the Chernobyl flow and RN transport models by characterising groundwater residence time. A radiochronometer 3 H/ 3 He method (t 1/2 = 12.3 a) and anthropogenic tracers including CFC and SF 6 are investigated along with the water mass natural tracers Na, Cl, 18 O and 2 H. The groundwater is stratified, as evidenced by Na and Cl concentrations and stable isotopes ( 18 O, 2 H). In the upper aeolian layer, the Na–Cl relationship corresponds to evapotranspiration of precipitation, while in the underlying alluvial layer, an increase in Na and Cl with depth suggests both water–rock interactions and mixing processes. The 3 H/ 3 He and CFC apparent groundwater ages increase with depth, ranging from ‘recent’ (1–3 a) at a 2 m depth below the groundwater table to much higher apparent ages of 50–60 a at 27 m depth below the groundwater table. Discrepancies in 3 H/ 3 He and CFC apparent ages (20–25 a and 3–10 a, respectively) were observed during the 2008 campaign at an intermediate depth immediately below the aeolian/alluvial sand limit, which were attributed to the complex water transfer processes. Extremely high SF 6 concentrations, well above equilibrium with the atmosphere and up to 1112 pptv, are attributed to significant contamination of the soils following the nuclear reactor explosion in 1986. The SF 6 concentration vs. the apparent groundwater ages agrees with this interpretation, as the high SF 6 concentrations are all more recent than 1985. The persistence of the SF 6 concentration suggests that SF 6 was introduced in the soil atmosphere and slowly integrated in the groundwater moving along the hydraulic gradient. The

Regional Assessment of Groundwater Recharge in the Lower Mekong Basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillaume Lacombe

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Groundwater recharge remains almost totally unknown across the Mekong River Basin, hindering the evaluation of groundwater potential for irrigation. A regional regression model was developed to map groundwater recharge across the Lower Mekong Basin where agricultural water demand is increasing, especially during the dry season. The model was calibrated with baseflow computed with the local-minimum flow separation method applied to streamflow recorded in 65 unregulated sub-catchments since 1951. Our results, in agreement with previous local studies, indicate that spatial variations in groundwater recharge are predominantly controlled by the climate (rainfall and evapotranspiration while aquifer characteristics seem to play a secondary role at this regional scale. While this analysis suggests large scope for expanding agricultural groundwater use, the map derived from this study provides a simple way to assess the limits of groundwater-fed irrigation development. Further data measurements to capture local variations in hydrogeology will be required to refine the evaluation of recharge rates to support practical implementations.

A multi-tracer approach coupled to numerical models to improve understanding of mountain block processes in a high elevation, semi-humid catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, R.; McIntosh, J. C.; Meixner, T.; Ferré, T. P. A.; Chorover, J.

2016-12-01

Mountain systems are critical sources of recharge to adjacent alluvial basins in dryland regions. Yet, mountain systems face poorly defined threats due to climate change in terms of reduced snowpack, precipitation changes, and increased temperatures. Fundamentally, the climate risks to mountain systems are uncertain due to our limited understanding of natural recharge processes. Our goal is to combine measurements and models to provide improved spatial and temporal descriptions of groundwater flow paths and transit times in a headwater catchment located in a sub-humid region. This information is important to quantifying groundwater age and, thereby, to providing more accurate assessments of the vulnerability of these systems to climate change. We are using: (a) combination of geochemical composition, along with 2H/18O and 3H isotopes to improve an existing conceptual model for mountain block recharge (MBR) for the Marshall Gulch Catchment (MGC) located within the Santa Catalina Mountains. The current model only focuses on shallow flow paths through the upper unconfined aquifer with no representation of the catchment's fractured-bedrock aquifer. Groundwater flow, solute transport, and groundwater age will be modeled throughout MGC using COMSOL Multiphysics® software. Competing models in terms of spatial distribution of required hydrologic parameters, e.g. hydraulic conductivity and porosity, will be proposed and these models will be used to design discriminatory data collection efforts based on multi-tracer methods. Initial end-member mixing results indicate that baseflow in MGC, if considered the same as the streamflow during the dry periods, is not represented by the chemistry of deep groundwater in the mountain system. In the ternary mixing space, most of the samples plot outside the mixing curve. Therefore, to further constrain the contributions of water from various reservoirs we are collecting stable water isotopes, tritium, and solute chemistry of

Preferential Flow Paths In A Karstified Spring Catchment: A Study Of Fault Zones As Conduits To Rapid Groundwater Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Kordilla, J.; Terrell, A. N.; Veltri, M.; Sauter, M.; Schmidt, S.

2017-12-01

In this study we model saturated and unsaturated flow in the karstified Weendespring catchment, located within the Leinetal graben in Goettingen, Germany. We employ the finite element COMSOL Multiphysics modeling software to model variably saturated flow using the Richards equation with a van Genuchten type parameterization. As part of the graben structure, the Weende spring catchment is intersected by seven fault zones along the main flow path of the 7400 m cross section of the catchment. As the Weende spring is part of the drinking water supply in Goettingen, it is particularly important to understand the vulnerability of the catchment and effect of fault zones on rapid transport of contaminants. Nitrate signals have been observed at the spring only a few days after the application of fertilizers within the catchment at a distance of approximately 2km. As the underlying layers are known to be highly impermeable, fault zones within the area are likely to create rapid flow paths to the water table and the spring. The model conceptualizes the catchment as containing three hydrogeological limestone units with varying degrees of karstification: the lower Muschelkalk limestone as a highly conductive layer, the middle Muschelkalk as an aquitard, and the upper Muschelkalk as another conductive layer. The fault zones are parameterized based on a combination of field data from quarries, remote sensing and literary data. The fault zone is modeled considering the fracture core as well as the surrounding damage zone with separate, specific hydraulic properties. The 2D conceptual model was implemented in COMSOL to study unsaturated flow at the catchment scale using van Genuchten parameters. The study demonstrates the importance of fault zones for preferential flow within the catchment and its effect on the spatial distribution of vulnerability.

Hydrogeochemsitry of montane springs and their influence on streams in the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Soulsby

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Springs are important groundwater discharge points on the high altitude (>800m plateaux of the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland and form important wetland habitats within what is often a dry, sub-arctic landscape. The hydrogeochemistry of a typical spring in the Allt a'Mharcaidh catchment was examined between 1995-98 in order to characterise its chemical composition, identify the dominant controls on its chemical evolution and estimate groundwater residence time using 18O isotopes. Spring water, sustained by groundwater flow in shallow drift deposits and fractured bedrock, was moderately acidic (mean pH 5.89, with a very low alkalinity (mean 18 μeq l-1 and the ionic composition was dominated by sea-salts derived from atmospheric sources. Geochemical modelling using NETPATH, predicted that the dissolution of plagioclase mainly controls the release of Si, non-marine Na, Ca, K and Al into spring water. Hydrological conditions influenced seasonal variations in spring chemistry, with snowmelt associated with more rapid groundwater flows and lower weathering rates than summer discharges. Downstream of the spring, the chemistry of surface water was fundamentally different as a result of drainage from larger catchment areas, with increased soil and drift cover, and higher evaporation rates. Thus, the hydrogeochemical influence of springs on surface waters appears to be localized. Mean δ18O values in spring water were lower and more damped than those in precipitation. Nevertheless, a sinusoidal seasonal pattern was observed and used to estimate mean residence times of groundwater of around 2 years. Thus, in the high altitude plateau of the Cairngorms, shallow, coarse drift deposits from significant aquifers. At lower altitudes, deeper drift deposits, combined with larger catchment areas, increase mean groundwater residence times to >5 years. At high altitudes, the shallow, permeable nature of the drifts dictates that groundwater is vulnerable to impacts

Legacy nutrient dynamics and patterns of catchment response under changing land use and management

Science.gov (United States)

Attinger, S.; Van, M. K.; Basu, N. B.

2017-12-01

Watersheds are complex heterogeneous systems that store, transform, and release water and nutrients under a broad distribution of both natural and anthropogenic controls. Many current watershed models, from complex numerical models to simpler reservoir-type models, are considered to be well-developed in their ability to predict fluxes of water and nutrients to streams and groundwater. They are generally less adept, however, at capturing watershed storage dynamics. In other words, many current models are run with an assumption of steady-state dynamics, and focus on nutrient flows rather than changes in nutrient stocks within watersheds. Although these commonly used modeling approaches may be able to adequately capture short-term watershed dynamics, they are unable to represent the clear nonlinearities or hysteresis responses observed in watersheds experiencing significant changes in nutrient inputs. To address such a lack, we have, in the present work, developed a parsimonious modeling approach designed to capture long-term catchment responses to spatial and temporal changes in nutrient inputs. In this approach, we conceptualize the catchment as a biogeochemical reactor that is driven by nutrient inputs, characterized internally by both biogeochemical degradation and residence or travel time distributions, resulting in a specific nutrient output. For the model simulations, we define a range of different scenarios to represent real-world changes in land use and management implemented to improve water quality. We then introduce the concept of state-space trajectories to describe system responses to these potential changes in anthropogenic forcings. We also increase model complexity, in a stepwise fashion, by dividing the catchment into multiple biogeochemical reactors, coupled in series or in parallel. Using this approach, we attempt to answer the following questions: (1) What level of model complexity is needed to capture observed system responses? (2) How can we

Perennial flow through convergent hillslopes explains chemodynamic solute behavior in a shale headwater catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Herndon, E.; Steinhoefel, G.; Dere, A. L. D.; Sullivan, P. L.

2017-12-01

Streams experience changing hydrologic connectivity to heterogeneous water sources under different flow regimes. It remains unclear how seasonal flow paths link these different sources and regulate concentration-discharge behavior. Previous research at the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (SSHCZO) in central Pennsylvania, USA identified chemostatic solutes (e.g., K, Mg, Na, Cl) whose concentrations varied little across a wide range of discharge values and chemodynamic solutes (e.g., Fe and Mn) whose concentrations decreased sharply with increasing stream discharge. To elucidate inputs to the stream when concentrations of chemodynamic solutes were high, we investigated stream water and shallow groundwater (table remained over a meter below the stream bed along the rest of the channel. We conclude that well water sampled from the upper catchment is young, shallow interflow that upwells to generate metal-rich stream headwaters during the dry season. High concentrations of chemodynamic solutes measured during low discharge occur when metal-rich headwaters are flushed to the catchment outlet during periodic rain events. Interflow during the dry season originates from water that infiltrates through organic-rich swales; thus, metals in the stream at low flow are ultimately derived from convergent hillslopes where biological processes have concentrated chemodynamic elements. We infer that chemodynamic solutes are diluted at high discharge due to increased flow through planar hillslopes and inputs from regional groundwater that rises to enter the stream. This study highlights how spatially heterogeneous biogeochemistry and seasonally variable flow paths regulate concentration-discharge behavior within catchments.

Groundwater quality and hydrogeological characteristics of Malacca state in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirazi Sharif Moniruzzaman

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Groundwater quality and aquifer productivity of Malacca catchment in Peninsular Malaysia are presented in this article. Pumping test data were collected from 210 shallow and 17 deep boreholes to get well inventory information. Data analysis confirmed that the aquifers consisting of schist, sand, limestone and volcanic rocks were the most productive aquifers for groundwater in Malacca state. GIS-based aquifer productivity map was generated based on bedrock and discharge capacity of the aquifers. Aquifer productivity map is classified into three classes, namely high, moderate and low based on discharge capacity. Groundwater potential of the study area is 35, 57 and 8% of low, moderate and high class respectively. Fifty two shallow and 14 deep aquifer groundwater samples were analyzed for water quality. In some cases, groundwater quality analysis indicated that the turbidity, total dissolved solids, iron, chloride and cadmium concentrations exceeded the limit of drinking water quality standards.

Understanding and quantifying focused, indirect groundwater recharge from ephemeral streams using water table fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Cuthbert, M. O.; Acworth, R. I.; Andersen, M. S.; Larsen, J. R.; McCallum, A. M.; Rau, G. C.; Tellam, J. H.

2016-02-01

Understanding and managing groundwater resources in drylands is a challenging task, but one that is globally important. The dominant process for dryland groundwater recharge is thought to be as focused, indirect recharge from ephemeral stream losses. However, there is a global paucity of data for understanding and quantifying this process and transferable techniques for quantifying groundwater recharge in such contexts are lacking. Here we develop a generalized conceptual model for understanding water table and groundwater head fluctuations due to recharge from episodic events within ephemeral streams. By accounting for the recession characteristics of a groundwater hydrograph, we present a simple but powerful new water table fluctuation approach to quantify focused, indirect recharge over both long term and event time scales. The technique is demonstrated using a new, and globally unparalleled, set of groundwater observations from an ephemeral stream catchment located in NSW, Australia. We find that, following episodic streamflow events down a predominantly dry channel system, groundwater head fluctuations are controlled by pressure redistribution operating at three time scales from vertical flow (days to weeks), transverse flow perpendicular to the stream (weeks to months), and longitudinal flow parallel to the stream (years to decades). In relative terms, indirect recharge decreases almost linearly away from the mountain front, both in discrete monitored events as well as in the long-term average. In absolute terms, the estimated indirect recharge varies from 80 to 30 mm/a with the main uncertainty in these values stemming from uncertainty in the catchment-scale hydraulic properties.

Murrumbidgee Catchment, New South Wales: Recharge Trading and Targeting Markets pilot studies

OpenAIRE

Markets for Ecosystem Services Project

2007-01-01

Metadata only record There are two 'markets for ecosystem services' pilot studies in the Murrumbidgee Catchment of New South Wales, Australia. The first, "Recharge Trading", aims to develop a market-based instrument to resolve the issue of salinization caused by excess groundwater recharge from irrigated agriculture. The second, "Targeting Markets", explores the factors and conditions that make market-based approaches more or less suitable for addressing a natural resource management issue...

Responses of hydrochemical inorganic ions in the rainfall-runoff processes of the experimental catchments and its significance for tracing

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, W.-Z.; Lu, J.-J.; Zhao, X.; Peters, N.E.

2007-01-01

Aimed at the rainfall-runoff tracing using inorganic ions, the experimental study is conducted in the Chuzhou Hydrology Laboratory with special designed experimental catchments, lysimeters, etc. The various runoff components including the surface runoff, interflow from the unsaturated zone and the groundwater flow from saturated zone were monitored hydrometrically. Hydrochemical inorganic ions including Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO42-, HCO3- + CO32-, NO3-, F-, NH4-, PO42-, SiO2 and, pH, EC, 18O were measured within a one month period for all processes of rainfall, various runoff components and groundwater within the catchment from 17 boreholes distributed in the Hydrohill Catchment, few soil water samples were also included. The results show that: (a) all the runoff components are distinctly identifiable from both the relationships of Ca2+ versus Cl-/SO42-, EC versus Na+/(Na+ + Ca2+) and, from most inorganic ions individually; (b) the variation of inorganic ions in surface runoff is the biggest than that in other flow components; (c) most ions has its lowermost concentration in rainfall process but it increases as the generation depths of runoff components increased; (d) quantitatively, ion processes of rainfall and groundwater flow display as two end members of that of other runoff components; and (e) the 18O processes of rainfall and runoff components show some correlation with that of inorganic ions. The results also show that the rainfall input is not always the main source of inorganic ions of various runoff outputs due to the process of infiltration and dissolution resulted from the pre-event processes. The amount and sources of Cl- of runoff components with various generation mechanisms challenge the current method of groundwater recharge estimation using Cl-.

Environmental risk of climate change and groundwater abstraction on stream ecological conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seaby, Lauren Paige; Bøgh, Eva; Jensen, Niels H.

with DAISY, a one dimensional crop model describing soil water dynamics in the root zone, and MIKE SHE, a distributed groundwater-surface water model. The relative and combined impacts on low flows, groundwater levels, and nitrate leaching are quantified and compared to assess the water resource sensitivity...... and risk to stream ecological conditions. We find low flow and annual discharge to be most impacted by scenarios of climate change, with high variation across climate models (+/- 40% change). Doubling of current groundwater abstraction rates reduces annual discharge by approximately 20%, with higher...... flows and groundwater levels are of interest, as they relate to aquatic habitat and nitrate leaching, respectively. This study evaluates the risk to stream ecological conditions for a lowland Danish catchment under multiple scenarios of climate change and groundwater abstraction. Projections of future...

Modeling land use change impacts on water resources in a tropical West African catchment (Dano, Burkina Faso)

Science.gov (United States)

Yira, Y.; Diekkrüger, B.; Steup, G.; Bossa, A. Y.

2016-06-01

This study investigates the impacts of land use change on water resources in the Dano catchment, Burkina Faso, using a physically based hydrological simulation model and land use scenarios. Land use dynamic in the catchment was assessed through the analysis of four land use maps corresponding to the land use status in 1990, 2000, 2007, and 2013. A reclassification procedure levels out differences between the classification schemes of the four maps. The land use maps were used to build five land use scenarios corresponding to different levels of land use change in the catchment. Water balance was simulated by applying the Water flow and balance Simulation Model (WaSiM) using observed discharge, soil moisture, and groundwater level for model calibration and validation. Model statistical quality measures (R2, NSE and KGE) achieved during calibration and validation ranged between 0.6 and 0.9 for total discharge, soil moisture, and groundwater level, indicating a good agreement between observed and simulated variables. After a successful multivariate validation the model was applied to the land use scenarios. The land use assessment exhibited a decrease of savannah at an annual rate of 2% since 1990. Conversely, cropland and urban areas have increased. Since urban areas occupy only 3% of the catchment it can be assumed that savannah was mainly converted to cropland. The conversion rate of savannah was lower than the annual population growth of 3%. A clear increase in total discharge (+17%) and decrease in evapotranspiration (-5%) was observed following land use change in the catchment. A strong relationship was established between savannah degradation, cropland expansion, discharge increase and reduction of evapotranspiration. The increase in total discharge is related to high peak flow, suggesting (i) an increase in water resources that are not available for plant growth and human consumption and (ii) an alteration of flood risk for both the population within and

Assessment of Potential Nitrate Pollution Sources in the Marano Lagoon (Italy) and its Catchment Area Using a Multi Isotope Approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saccon, P.; Leis, A.; Marca, A.; Kaiser, J.; Campisi, L.; Savarino, J.; Erbland, J.; Boettcher, M.E.; Eisenhauer, A.; Sueltenfuss, J.

2011-01-01

The aims of this study were mainly: (i) the identification and differentiation of the main anthropogenic nitrogen sources in the Marano Lagoon (Italy) and its catchment area; and (ii) the assessment of the intra-lagoonal water circulation, the morphological development of the lagoon and its anthropogenic pressure by applying a combined approach of hydrochemical, isotopic and remote sensing techniques. To achieve the aforementioned targets analyses of stable isotope signatures of nitrate, boron, water and sulphate have been used. Moreover the residence times of groundwater were determined by the tritium-helium dating method. To characterize the chemical composition of the different water types the concentrations of the major ions and nutrients as well as the physicochemical parameters have been measured. Remote sensing techniques have been applied to assess the spatial distribution of most superficial algal flora, water temperature as well as the key environmental and morphological changes of the lagoon since the beginning of the 1970s.

Determination of dominant sources of nitrate contamination in transboundary (Russian Federation/Ukraine) catchment with heterogeneous land use.

Science.gov (United States)

Vystavna, Y; Diadin, D; Grynenko, V; Yakovlev, V; Vergeles, Y; Huneau, F; Rossi, P M; Hejzlar, J; Knöller, K

2017-09-18

Nitrate contamination of surface water and shallow groundwater was studied in transboundary (Russia/Ukraine) catchment with heterogeneous land use. Dominant sources of nitrate contamination were determined by applying a dual δ 15 N-NO 3 and δ 18 O-NO 3 isotope approach, multivariate statistics, and land use analysis. Nitrate concentration was highly variable from 0.25 to 22 mg L -1 in surface water and from 0.5 to 100 mg L -1 in groundwater. The applied method indicated that sewage to surface water and sewage and manure to groundwater were dominant sources of nitrate contamination. Nitrate/chloride molar ratio was added to support the dual isotope signature and indicated the contribution of fertilizers to the nitrate content in groundwater. Groundwater temperature was found to be an additional indicator of manure and sewerage leaks in the shallow aquifer which has limited protection and is vulnerable to groundwater pollution.

Catchment chemostasis revisited: water quality responds differently to variations in weather and climate

Science.gov (United States)

Godsey, Sarah; Kirchner, James

2017-04-01

Solute concentrations in streamflow typically vary systematically with stream discharge, and the resulting concentration-discharge relationships are important signatures of catchment (bio)geochemical processes. Solutes derived from mineral weathering often exhibit decreasing concentrations with increasing flows, suggesting dilution of a kinetically limited weathering flux by a variable flux of water. However, Godsey et al. (2009) showed that concentration-discharge relationships of weathering-derived solutes in 59 headwater catchments were much flatter than this simple dilution model would predict. Instead, their analysis showed that these catchments behaved almost like chemostats, with rates of solute production and/or mobilization that were nearly proportional to water fluxes, on both event and inter-annual time scales. Here we re-examine these findings using data from roughly 1000 catchments, ranging from ˜10 to >1,000,000 km2 in drainage area, and spanning a wide range of lithologic and climatic settings. Concentration-discharge relationships among this much larger set of much larger catchments are broadly consistent with the chemostatic behavior described by Godsey et al. (2009). Among these same catchments, however, site-to-site variations in mean concentrations are strongly (negatively) correlated with long-term average precipitation and discharge, suggesting strong dilution of stream concentrations under long-term leaching of the critical zone. The picture that emerges is one in which, on event and inter-annual time scales, stream solute concentrations are chemostatically buffered by groundwater storage and fast chemical reactions (such as ion exchange), but on much longer time scales, the catchment's chemostatic "set point" is determined by climatically driven critical zone evolution. Examples illustrating the different influences of (short-term) weather and (long-term) climate on water quality will be presented, and their implications will be discussed

Catchment Morphing (CM): A Novel Approach for Runoff Modeling in Ungauged Catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jun; Han, Dawei

2017-12-01

Runoff prediction in ungauged catchments has been one of the major challenges in the past decades. However, due to the tremendous heterogeneity of the catchments, obstacles exist in deducing model parameters for ungauged catchments from gauged ones. We propose a novel approach to predict ungauged runoff with Catchment Morphing (CM) using a fully distributed model. CM is defined as by changing the catchment characteristics (area and slope here) from the baseline model built with a gauged catchment to model the ungauged ones. As a proof of concept, a case study on seven catchments in the UK has been used to demonstrate the proposed scheme. Comparing the predicted with measured runoff, the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) varies from 0.03 to 0.69 in six catchments. Moreover, NSEs are significantly improved (up to 0.81) when considering the discrepancy of percentage runoff between the target and baseline catchments. A distinct advantage has been experienced by comparing the CM with a traditional method for ungauged catchments. The advantages are: (a) less demand of the similarity between the baseline catchment and the ungauged catchment, (b) less demand of available data, and (c) potentially widely applicable in varied catchments. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed scheme as a potentially powerful alternative to the conventional methods in runoff predictions of ungauged catchments. Clearly, more work beyond this pilot study is needed to explore and develop this new approach further to maturity by the hydrological community.

The catchment based approach using catchment system engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Jonczyk, Jennine; Quinn, Paul; Barber, Nicholas; Wilkinson, Mark

2015-04-01

The catchment based approach (CaBa) has been championed as a potential mechanism for delivery of environmental directives such as the Water Framework Directive in the UK. However, since its launch in 2013, there has been only limited progress towards achieving sustainable, holistic management, with only a few of examples of good practice ( e.g. from the Tyne Rivers trust). Common issues with developing catchment plans over a national scale include limited data and resources to identify issues and source of those issues, how to systematically identify suitable locations for measures or suites of measures that will have the biggest downstream impact and how to overcome barriers for implementing solutions. Catchment System Engineering (CSE) is an interventionist approach to altering the catchment scale runoff regime through the manipulation of hydrological flow pathways throughout the catchment. A significant component of the runoff generation can be managed by targeting hydrological flow pathways at source, such as overland flow, field drain and ditch function, greatly reducing erosive soil losses. Coupled with management of farm nutrients at source, many runoff attenuation features or measures can be co-located to achieve benefits for water quality and biodiversity. A catchment, community-led mitigation measures plan using the CSE approach will be presented from a catchment in Northumberland, Northern England that demonstrate a generic framework for identification of multi-purpose features that slow, store and filter runoff at strategic locations in the landscape. Measures include within-field barriers, edge of field traps and within-ditch measures. Progress on the implementation of measures will be reported alongside potential impacts on the runoff regime at both local and catchment scale and costs.

Separation of base flow from streamflow using groundwater levels - illustrated for the Pang catchment (UK)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peters, E.; Lanen, van H.A.J.

2005-01-01

A new filter to separate base flow from streamflow has developed that uses observed groundwater levels. To relate the base flow to the observed groundwater levels, a non-linear relation was used. This relation is suitable for unconfined aquifers with deep groundwater levels that do not respond to

Establishment of a hydrological monitoring network in a tropical African catchment: An integrated participatory approach

Science.gov (United States)

Gomani, M. C.; Dietrich, O.; Lischeid, G.; Mahoo, H.; Mahay, F.; Mbilinyi, B.; Sarmett, J.

Sound decision making for water resources management has to be based on good knowledge of the dominant hydrological processes of a catchment. This information can only be obtained through establishing suitable hydrological monitoring networks. Research catchments are typically established without involving the key stakeholders, which results in instruments being installed at inappropriate places as well as at high risk of theft and vandalism. This paper presents an integrated participatory approach for establishing a hydrological monitoring network. We propose a framework with six steps beginning with (i) inception of idea; (ii) stakeholder identification; (iii) defining the scope of the network; (iv) installation; (v) monitoring; and (vi) feedback mechanism integrated within the participatory framework. The approach is illustrated using an example of the Ngerengere catchment in Tanzania. In applying the approach, the concept of establishing the Ngerengere catchment monitoring network was initiated in 2008 within the Resilient Agro-landscapes to Climate Change in Tanzania (ReACCT) research program. The main stakeholders included: local communities; Sokoine University of Agriculture; Wami Ruvu Basin Water Office and the ReACCT Research team. The scope of the network was based on expert experience in similar projects and lessons learnt from literature review of similar projects from elsewhere integrated with local expert knowledge. The installations involved reconnaissance surveys, detailed surveys, and expert consultations to identify best sites. First, a Digital Elevation Model, land use, and soil maps were used to identify potential monitoring sites. Local and expert knowledge was collected on flow regimes, indicators of shallow groundwater plant species, precipitation pattern, vegetation, and soil types. This information was integrated and used to select sites for installation of an automatic weather station, automatic rain gauges, river flow gauging stations

Iron oxidation kinetics and phosphorus immobilization at the groundwater-surface water interface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Grift, Bas; Rozemeijer, Joachim; Griffioen, Jasper; van der Velde, Ype

2014-01-01

Eutrophication of freshwater environments following diffuse nutrient loads is a widely recognized water quality problem in catchments. Fluxes of non-point P sources to surface waters originate from surface runoff and flow from soil water and groundwater into surface water. The availability of P in

Integrating groundwater stress in life-cycle assessments – An evaluation of water abstraction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gejl, Ryle Nørskov; Bjerg, Poul Løgstrup; Henriksen, H. J.

2018-01-01

Understanding groundwater abstraction effects is vital for holistic impact assessments in areas depending on groundwater resources. The objective of our study was to modify the state-of-the-art AWaRe (available water remaining), freshwater impact assessment specifically for use in LCAs in areas...... and adjusts demarcations in order to improve the representation of the heterogeneity of groundwater catchments. The applicability of AGWaRe was demonstrated on three groundwater systems producing 5 million m3 water for the city of Copenhagen, namely Advanced Treatment of Groundwater, Simple Treatment...... of Groundwater and Infiltration of Reclaimed water. Results were normalised to compare with other effects of supplying water to an average Danish person. The normalised impacts for drinking water for one person ranged between 0.1 and 39 PE (person equivalent) for the three systems, which indicates that effects...

The role of near-stream riparian zones in the hydrology of steep upland catchments

Science.gov (United States)

McDonnell, Jeffery J.; McGlynn, B.L.; Kendall, K.; Shanley, J.; Kendall, C.

1998-01-01

Surface and subsurface waters were monitored and sampled at various topographic positions in a 40.5-ha headwater catchment to test several hypotheses of runoff generation and stream chemical and isotopic evolution during snowmelt. Transmissivity feedback was observed on the hillslopes during the melt period. Groundwater levels and stream DOC were highly correlated with stream discharge. Hysteresis in the groundwater-streamflow relation suggests that localized water flux from the riparian areas controlled the rising limb and main peak response of the melt hydrograph, whilst hillslope drainage controlled the timing and volume of the falling limb. Lateral flow from upslope positions was detected in the riparian zone.

Hydrological Modeling in Data-Scarce Catchments: The Kilombero Floodplain in Tanzania

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Kristian Näschen

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Deterioration of upland soils, demographic growth, and climate change all lead to an increased utilization of wetlands in East Africa. This considerable pressure on wetland resources results in trade-offs between those resources and their related ecosystem services. Furthermore, relationships between catchment attributes and available wetland water resources are one of the key drivers that might lead to wetland degradation. To investigate the impacts of these developments on catchment-wetland water resources, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT was applied to the Kilombero Catchment in Tanzania, which is like many other East African catchments, as it is characterized by overall data scarcity. Due to the lack of recent discharge data, the model was calibrated for the period from 1958–1965 (R2 = 0.86, NSE = 0.85, KGE = 0.93 and validated from 1966–1970 (R2 = 0.80, NSE = 0.80, KGE = 0.89 with the sequential uncertainty fitting algorithm (SUFI-2 on a daily resolution. Results show the dependency of the wetland on baseflow contribution from the enclosing catchment, especially in dry season. Main contributions with regard to overall water yield arise from the northern mountains and the southeastern highlands, which are characterized by steep slopes and a high share of forest and savanna vegetation, respectively. Simulations of land use change effects, generated with Landsat images from the 1970s up to 2014, show severe shifts in the water balance components on the subcatchment scale due to anthropogenic activities. Sustainable management of the investigated catchment should therefore account for the catchment–wetland interaction concerning water resources, with a special emphasis on groundwater fluxes to ensure future food production as well as the preservation of the wetland ecosystem.

Derivation of a fuzzy national phosphorus export model using 84 Irish catchments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nasr, Ahmed [School of Civil and Building Services Engineering, College Of Engineering and Built Environment, Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton Street, Dublin 1 (Ireland); Bruen, Michael, E-mail: michael.bruen@ucd.ie [Centre for Water Resources Research, University College Dublin, Newstead Building, Richview, Belfield, Dublin 4 (Ireland)

2013-01-15

Implementation of appropriate management strategies to mitigate diffuse phosphorus (P) pollution at the catchment scale is vitally important for the sustainable development of water resources in Ireland. An important element in the process of implementing such strategies is the prediction of their impacts on P concentrations in a catchment using a reliable mathematical model. In this study, a state-of-the-art adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) has been used to develop a new national P model capable of estimating average annual ortho-P concentrations at un-gauged catchments. Data from 84 catchments dominated by diffuse P pollution were used in developing and testing the model. Six different split-sample scenarios were used to partition the total number of the catchments into two sets, one to calibrate and the other to validate the model. The k-means clustering algorithm was used to partition the sets into clusters of catchments with similar features. Then for each scenario and for each cluster case, 11 different models, each of which consists of a linear regression sub-model for each cluster, were formulated by using different input variables selected from among six spatially distributed variables including phosphorus desorption index (PDI), runoff risk index (RRI), geology (GEO), groundwater (GW), land use (LU), and soil (SO). The success of the new approach over the conventional lumped, empirical, modelling approach was evident from the improved results obtained for most of the cases. In addition the results highlighted the importance of using information on PDI and RRI as explanatory input variables to simulate the average annual ortho-P concentrations. - Highlights: ► Develops a new national phosphorus export model for agricultural catchments in Ireland ► Improves on earlier empirical phosphorus export models by using k-means clustering method for partitioning data ► Uses ANFIS model to predict annual average ortho-phosphorus concentrations

Derivation of a fuzzy national phosphorus export model using 84 Irish catchments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nasr, Ahmed; Bruen, Michael

2013-01-01

Implementation of appropriate management strategies to mitigate diffuse phosphorus (P) pollution at the catchment scale is vitally important for the sustainable development of water resources in Ireland. An important element in the process of implementing such strategies is the prediction of their impacts on P concentrations in a catchment using a reliable mathematical model. In this study, a state-of-the-art adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) has been used to develop a new national P model capable of estimating average annual ortho-P concentrations at un-gauged catchments. Data from 84 catchments dominated by diffuse P pollution were used in developing and testing the model. Six different split-sample scenarios were used to partition the total number of the catchments into two sets, one to calibrate and the other to validate the model. The k-means clustering algorithm was used to partition the sets into clusters of catchments with similar features. Then for each scenario and for each cluster case, 11 different models, each of which consists of a linear regression sub-model for each cluster, were formulated by using different input variables selected from among six spatially distributed variables including phosphorus desorption index (PDI), runoff risk index (RRI), geology (GEO), groundwater (GW), land use (LU), and soil (SO). The success of the new approach over the conventional lumped, empirical, modelling approach was evident from the improved results obtained for most of the cases. In addition the results highlighted the importance of using information on PDI and RRI as explanatory input variables to simulate the average annual ortho-P concentrations. - Highlights: ► Develops a new national phosphorus export model for agricultural catchments in Ireland ► Improves on earlier empirical phosphorus export models by using k-means clustering method for partitioning data ► Uses ANFIS model to predict annual average ortho-phosphorus concentrations

Microbial Community-Level Physiological Profiles (CLPP) and herbicide mineralization potential in groundwater affected by agricultural land use

Science.gov (United States)

Janniche, Gry Sander; Spliid, Henrik; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen

2012-10-01

Diffuse groundwater pollution from agricultural land use may impact the microbial groundwater community, which was investigated as Community-Level Physiological Profiles (CLPP) using EcoPlate™. Water was sampled from seven piezometers and a spring in a small agricultural catchment with diffuse herbicide and nitrate pollution. Based on the Shannon-Wiener and Simpson's diversity indices the diversity in the microbial communities was high. The response from the EcoPlates™ showed which substrates support groundwater bacteria, and all 31 carbon sources were utilized by organisms from at least one water sample. However, only nine carbon sources were utilized by all water samples: D-Mannitol, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, putrescine, D-galacturonic acid, itaconic acid, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid, tween 40, tween 80, and L-asparagine. In all water samples the microorganisms preferred D-mannitol, D-galacturonic acid, tween 40, and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid as substrates, whereas none preferred 2-hydroxy benzoic acid, α-D-lactose, D,L-α-glycerol phosphate, α-ketobutyric acid, L-threonine and glycyl-L-glutamic acid. Principal Component Analysis of the CLPP's clustered the most agriculturally affected groundwater samples, indicating that the agricultural land use affects the groundwater microbial communities. Furthermore, the ability to mineralize atrazine and isoproturon, which have been used in the catchment, was also associated with this cluster.

A novel approach for runoff modelling in ungauged catchments by Catchment Morphing

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J.; Han, D.

2017-12-01

Runoff prediction in ungauged catchments has been one of the major challenges in the past decades. However, due to the tremendous heterogeneity of hydrological catchments, obstacles exist in deducing model parameters for ungauged catchments from gauged ones. We propose a novel approach to predict ungauged runoff with Catchment Morphing (CM) using a fully distributed model. CM is defined as by changing the catchment characteristics (area and slope here) from the baseline model built with a gauged catchment to model the ungauged ones. The advantages of CM are: (a) less demand of the similarity between the baseline catchment and the ungauged catchment, (b) less demand of available data, and (c) potentially applicable in varied catchments. A case study on seven catchments in the UK has been used to demonstrate the proposed scheme. To comprehensively examine the CM approach, distributed rainfall inputs are utilised in the model, and fractal landscapes are used to morph the land surface from the baseline model to the target model. The preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, which is promising in runoff simulation for ungauged catchments. Clearly, more work beyond this pilot study is needed to explore and develop this new approach further to maturity by the hydrological community.

Groundwater recharge in desert playas: current rates and future effects of climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Our results from playas, which are topographic low areas situated in closed-catchments in drylands, indicated that projected climate change in Southwestern USA would have a net positive impact over runon and groundwater recharge beneath playas. Expected increased precipitation variability can cause ...

Groundwater vulnerability mapping in Guadalajara aquifers system (Western Mexico)

Science.gov (United States)

Rizo-Decelis, L. David; Marín, Ana I.; Andreo, Bartolomé

2016-04-01

Groundwater vulnerability mapping is a practical tool to implement strategies for land-use planning and sustainable socioeconomic development coherent with groundwater protection. The objective of vulnerability mapping is to identify the most vulnerable zones of catchment areas and to provide criteria for protecting the groundwater used for drinking water supply. The delineation of protection zones in fractured aquifers is a challenging task due to the heterogeneity and anisotropy of hydraulic conductivities, which makes difficult prediction of groundwater flow organization and flow velocities. Different methods of intrinsic groundwater vulnerability mapping were applied in the Atemajac-Toluquilla groundwater body, an aquifers system that covers around 1300 km2. The aquifer supplies the 30% of urban water resources of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara (Mexico), where over 4.6 million people reside. Study area is located in a complex neotectonic active volcanic region in the Santiago River Basin (Western Mexico), which influences the aquifer system underneath the city. Previous works have defined the flow dynamics and identified the origin of recharge. In addition, the mixture of fresh groundwater with hydrothermal and polluted waters have been estimated. Two main aquifers compose the multilayer system. The upper aquifer is unconfined and consists of sediments and pyroclastic materials. Recharge of this aquifer comes from rainwater and ascending vertical fluids from the lower aquifer. The lower aquifer consists of fractured basalts of Pliocene age. Formerly, the main water source has been the upper unit, which is a porous and unconsolidated unit, which acts as a semi-isotropic aquifer. Intense groundwater usage has resulted in lowering the water table in the upper aquifer. Therefore, the current groundwater extraction is carried out from the deeper aquifer and underlying bedrock units, where fracture flow predominates. Pollution indicators have been reported in

Tile Drainage Density Reduces Groundwater Travel Times and Compromises Riparian Buffer Effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Schilling, Keith E; Wolter, Calvin F; Isenhart, Thomas M; Schultz, Richard C

2015-11-01

Strategies to reduce nitrate-nitrogen (nitrate) pollution delivered to streams often seek to increase groundwater residence time to achieve measureable results, yet the effects of tile drainage on residence time have not been well documented. In this study, we used a geographic information system groundwater travel time model to quantify the effects of artificial subsurface drainage on groundwater travel times in the 7443-ha Bear Creek watershed in north-central Iowa. Our objectives were to evaluate how mean groundwater travel times changed with increasing drainage intensity and to assess how tile drainage density reduces groundwater contributions to riparian buffers. Results indicate that mean groundwater travel times are reduced with increasing degrees of tile drainage. Mean groundwater travel times decreased from 5.6 to 1.1 yr, with drainage densities ranging from 0.005 m (7.6 mi) to 0.04 m (62 mi), respectively. Model simulations indicate that mean travel times with tile drainage are more than 150 times faster than those that existed before settlement. With intensive drainage, less than 2% of the groundwater in the basin appears to flow through a perennial stream buffer, thereby reducing the effectiveness of this practice to reduce stream nitrate loads. Hence, strategies, such as reconnecting tile drainage to buffers, are promising because they increase groundwater residence times in tile-drained watersheds. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Hydrogeological processes controlling water quality in the crystalline basement aquifer of the Vea Catchment in Northeast Ghana

Science.gov (United States)

Koffi, K. V.; Obuobie, E.; Banning, A.; Wohnlich, S.

2016-12-01

In the Vea catchment of Northeast Ghana, groundwater appears to be a good alternative source for domestic and agricultural water supply as surface water is largely unavailable in the prolonged dry season that characterises this semi-arid area underlain by a crystalline rock aquifer. But the usability of water depends on its quality and therefore this study was done to investigate the processes influencing groundwater hydrochemistry in the study area to inform sustainable development and use of the resource. Sixty one groundwater samples were collected from different lithologies of the crystalline aquifer, and analysed for hydrochemical and physico-chemical parameters. Results show that groundwater chemistry is governed by rock-water interaction in the area. It is mainly controlled by cation exchange and silicate weathering processes. The majority of the samples was found to cluster in the Ca-Mg-HCO3 water type, regardless of aquifer geology. From a hydrochemistry perspective, the groundwater in the area is generally suitable for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Organic carbon efflux from a deciduous forest catchment in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. J. Kim

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Soil infiltration and surface discharge of precipitation are critical processes that affect the efflux of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC and Particulate Organic Carbon (POC in forested catchments. Concentrations of DOC and POC can be very high in the soil surface in most forest ecosystems and their efflux may not be negligible particularly under the monsoon climate. In East Asia, however, there are little data available to evaluate the role of such processes in forest carbon budget. In this paper, we address two basic questions: (1 how does stream discharge respond to storm events in a forest catchment? and (2 how much DOC and POC are exported from the catchment particularly during the summer monsoon period? To answer these questions, we collected hydrological data (e.g., precipitation, soil moisture, runoff discharge, groundwater level and conducted hydrochemical analyses (including DOC, POC, and six tracers in a deciduous forest catchment in Gwangneung National Arboretum in west-central Korea. Based on the end-member mixing analysis of the six storm events during the summer monsoon in 2005, the surface discharge was estimated as 30 to 80% of the total runoff discharge. The stream discharge responded to precipitation within 12 h during these storm events. The annual efflux of DOC and POC from the catchment was estimated as 0.04 and 0.05 t C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively. Approximately 70% of the annual organic carbon efflux occurred during the summer monsoon period. Overall, the annual efflux of organic carbon was estimated to be about 10% of the Net Ecosystem carbon Exchange (NEE obtained by eddy covariance measurement at the same site. Considering the current trends of increasing intensity and amount of summer rainfall and the large interannual variability in NEE, ignoring the organic carbon efflux from forest catchments would result in an inaccurate estimation of the carbon sink strength of forest ecosystems in the monsoon

Groundwater vulnerability assessment to assist the measurement planning of the water framework directive - a practical approach with stakeholders

Science.gov (United States)

Berkhoff, K.

2007-05-01

An evaluation scheme is presented in this paper which can be used to assess groundwater vulnerability according to the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). The evaluation scheme results in a groundwater vulnerability map identifying areas of high, medium and low vulnerability, as necessary for the measurement planning of the WFD. The evaluation scheme is based on the definition of the vulnerability of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It considers exposure, sensitivity and the adaptive capacity of the region. The adaptive capacity is evaluated in an actors' platform, which was constituted for the region in the PartizipA ("Participative modelling, Actor and Ecosystem Analysis in Regions with Intensive Agriculture") project. As a result of the vulnerability assessment, 21% of the catchment area was classified as being highly vulnerable, whereas 73% has medium vulnerability and 6% has low vulnerability. Thus, a groundwater vulnerability assessment approach is presented, which can be used in practice on a catchment scale for the WFD measurement planning.

A residence-time-based transport approach for the groundwater pathway in performance assessment models

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Bruce A.; Chu, Shaoping

2013-03-01

This paper presents the theoretical development and numerical implementation of a new modeling approach for representing the groundwater pathway in risk assessment or performance assessment model of a contaminant transport system. The model developed in the present study, called the Residence Time Distribution (RTD) Mixing Model (RTDMM), allows for an arbitrary distribution of fluid travel times to be represented, to capture the effects on the breakthrough curve of flow processes such as channelized flow and fast pathways and complex three-dimensional dispersion. Mathematical methods for constructing the model for a given RTD are derived directly from the theory of residence time distributions in flowing systems. A simple mixing model is presented, along with the basic equations required to enable an arbitrary RTD to be reproduced using the model. The practical advantages of the RTDMM include easy incorporation into a multi-realization probabilistic simulation; computational burden no more onerous than a one-dimensional model with the same number of grid cells; and straightforward implementation into available flow and transport modeling codes, enabling one to then utilize advanced transport features of that code. For example, in this study we incorporated diffusion into the stagnant fluid in the rock matrix away from the flowing fractures, using a generalized dual porosity model formulation. A suite of example calculations presented herein showed the utility of the RTDMM for the case of a radioactive decay chain, dual porosity transport and sorption.

Changes in climate, catchment vegetation and hydrogeology as the causes of dramatic lake-level fluctuations in the Kurtna Lake District, NE Estonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marko Vainu

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Numerous lakes in the world serve as sensitive indicators of climate change. Water levels for lakes Ahnejärv and Martiska, two vulnerable oligotrophic closed-basin lakes on sandy plains in northeastern Estonia, fell more than 3 m in 1946–1987 and rose up to 2 m by 2009. Earlier studies indicated that changes in rates of groundwater abstraction were primarily responsible for the changes, but scientifically sound explanations for water-level fluctuations were still lacking. Despite the inconsistent water-level dataset, we were able to assess the importance of changing climate, catchment vegetation and hydrogeology in water-level fluctuations in these lakes. Our results from water-balance simulations indicate that before the initiation of ground­water abstraction in 1972 a change in the vegetation composition on the catchments triggered the lake-level decrease. The water-level rise in 1990–2009 was caused, in addition to the reduction of groundwater abstraction rates, by increased precipitation and decreased evaporation. The results stress that climate, catchment vegetation and hydrogeology must all be considered while evaluating the causes of modern water-level changes in lakes.

Study on Runoff Debit in the Catchment Area of Waduk Gajah Mungkur Wonogiri

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Alif Noor Anna

2004-01-01

Water resource is one of natural resources, that is very vital. It needed to be used and to be kept throughly. For those purposes need good and directed plan, in which one of the basic component of it plan have to be supported by available a complete hydrological data and it analysis. One of hydrological data analysis is to estimate runoff of catchement area, which can be used for planning the hydrologi construction. This research aim: 1 to calculate the run off discharge by thornwaite Mather Method, monthly, annualy, and the average on the catchment through a sample of Keduang, Temon, Alang, and Wuryantoro areas; 2 to analyze the difference of the run off discharge (at no. 1 by observation resulted from trend analysis. Based on the calculation, it appears, thornwaite-mather method showed that high discharge (moreover limit 0 in dry month. From the research result, it appears, that calculation discharge graphic had lower differentation than observation discharge graphic. From sample of catchment areas that have been investigated, from the highest to the lowest deviation was Wuryantoro catchment area (78,8%, Temon catchment area (47,38%, Alang catchment area (46,45%, and Keduang catchment area (24,98% respectively. The condition like above caused by intervation of man. Not only did he influence vegetatively, but he influenced technically as well. From these conservation, technical conservation (flood and construction and reservoir was the highest influence to run off discharge calculation. The run off discharge that was calculated by thornthwite-Mather Method based on air temperate, rainy, altitude, and water holding capacity only, but groundwater supply didn’t be calculated.

Mean transit times in headwater catchments: insights from the Otway Ranges, Australia

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W. Howcroft

2018-01-01

catchments are likely to be vulnerable to decadal changes in land use or climate. Additionally, there may be considerable delay in contaminants reaching the stream. An increase in nitrate and sulfate concentrations in several catchments at high streamflows may represent the input of contaminants through the shallow groundwater that contributes to streamflow during the wetter months. Poor correlations between 3H activities and catchment area, drainage density, land use, and average slope imply that the MTTs are not controlled by a single parameter but a variety of factors, including catchment geomorphology and the hydraulic properties of the soils and aquifers.

Mean transit times in headwater catchments: insights from the Otway Ranges, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Howcroft, William; Cartwright, Ian; Morgenstern, Uwe

2018-01-01

to be vulnerable to decadal changes in land use or climate. Additionally, there may be considerable delay in contaminants reaching the stream. An increase in nitrate and sulfate concentrations in several catchments at high streamflows may represent the input of contaminants through the shallow groundwater that contributes to streamflow during the wetter months. Poor correlations between 3H activities and catchment area, drainage density, land use, and average slope imply that the MTTs are not controlled by a single parameter but a variety of factors, including catchment geomorphology and the hydraulic properties of the soils and aquifers.

Climate-vegetation-soil interactions and long-term hydrologic partitioning: signatures of catchment co-evolution

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P. A. Troch

2013-06-01

subsurface storage release time scales produce significantly more E/P. Vegetation in these catchments have longer access to this additional groundwater source and thus are less prone to water stress. Further analysis reveals that climates that give rise to more (less E/P are associated with catchments that have vegetation with less (more efficient water use parameters. In particular, the climates with tendency to produce more E/P have catchments that have lower % root fraction and less light use efficiency. Our results suggest that their exists strong interactions between climate, vegetation and soil properties that lead to specific hydrologic partitioning at the catchment scale. This co-evolution of catchment vegetation and soils with climate needs to be further explored to improve our capabilities to predict hydrologic partitioning in ungauged basins.

Health risk assessment of groundwater arsenic pollution in southern Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Ching-Ping; Wang, Sheng-Wei; Kao, Yu-Hsuan; Chen, Jui-Sheng

2016-12-01

Residents of the Pingtung Plain, Taiwan, use groundwater for drinking. However, monitoring results showed that a considerable portion of groundwater has an As concentration higher than the safe drinking water regulation of 10 μg/L. Considering residents of the Pingtung Plain continue to use groundwater for drinking, this study attempted to evaluate the exposure and health risk from drinking groundwater. The health risk from drinking groundwater was evaluated based on the hazard quotient (HQ) and target risk (TR) established by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The results showed that the 95th percentile of HQ exceeded 1 and TR was above the safe value of threshold value of 10 -6 . To illustrate significant variability of the drinking water consumption rate and body weight of each individual, health risk assessments were also performed using a spectrum of daily water intake rate and body weight to reasonably and conservatively assess the exposure and health risk for the specific subgroups of population of the Pingtung Plain. The assessment results showed that 0.01-7.50 % of the population's HQ levels are higher than 1 and as much as 77.7-93.3 % of the population being in high cancer risk category and having a TR value >10 -6 . The TR estimation results implied that groundwater use for drinking purpose places people at risk of As exposure. The government must make great efforts to provide safe drinking water for residents of the Pingtung Plain.

Influence of landscape position and transient water table on soil development and carbon distribution in a steep, headwater catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Scott W. Bailey; Patricia A. Brousseau; Kevin J. McGuire; Donald S. Ross

2014-01-01

Upland headwater catchments, such as those in the AppalachianMountain region, are typified by coarse textured soils, flashy hydrologic response, and low baseflow of streams, suggesting well drained soils and minimal groundwater storage. Model formulations of soil genesis, nutrient cycling, critical loads and rainfall/runoff response are typically based on vertical...

Quantifying the importance of diffuse minewater pollution in a historically heavily coal mined catchment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayes, W.M.; Gozzard, E.; Potter, H.A.B.; Jarvis, A.P.

2008-01-01

There has been considerable progress in developing treatment systems for point sources of minewater pollution in recent years; however, there remains a knowledge gap in the characterisation and remediation of diffuse minewater sources. Data are presented from the River Gaunless catchment, a historically heavily coal mined catchment in the northeast of England. Instream iron (Fe) loadings were monitored alongside loadings arising from point minewater discharges over a 12-month period to assess the dynamic importance of diffuse sources of minewater pollution. In low flow, diffuse sources account for around 50% of instream loading, a proportion which increases to 98% in high flow conditions. The low flow sources appear to be dominated by direct discharge of contaminated groundwater to surface waters in lower reaches of the catchment. In high flow, resuspended Fe-rich sediments, which are both naturally occurring and derived from historic mining, become the dominant diffuse source of Fe in the water column. - Diffuse sources of minewater pollution significantly contribute to instream contaminant loadings under varying flow conditions

Landscape-Scale Disturbance: Insights into the Complexity of Catchment Hydrology in the Mountaintop Removal Mining Region of the Eastern United States

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Andrew J. Miller

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Few land disturbances impact watersheds at the scale and extent of mountaintop removal mining (MTM. This practice removes forests, soils and bedrock to gain access to underground coal that results in likely permanent and wholesale changes that impact catchment hydrology, geochemistry and ecosystem health. MTM is the dominant driver of land cover changes in the central Appalachian Mountains region of the United States, converting forests to mine lands and burying headwater streams. Despite its dominance on the landscape, determining the hydrological impacts of MTM is complicated by underground coal mines that significantly alter groundwater hydrology. To provide insight into how coal mining impacts headwater catchments, we compared the hydrologic responses of an MTM and forested catchment using event rainfall-runoff analysis, modeling and isotopic approaches. Despite similar rainfall characteristics, hydrology in the two catchments differed in significant ways, but both catchments demonstrated threshold-mediated hydrologic behavior that was attributed to transient storage and the release of runoff from underground mines. Results suggest that underground mines are important controls for runoff generation in both obviously disturbed and seemingly undisturbed catchments and interact in uncertain ways with disturbance from MTM. This paper summarizes our results and demonstrates the complexity of catchment hydrology in the MTM region.

Environmental care in agricultural catchments: Toward the communicative catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Peter

1991-11-01

Substantial land degradation of agricultural catchments in Australia has resulted from the importation of European farming methods and the large-scale clearing of land. Rural communities are now being encouraged by government to take responsibility for environmental care. The importance of community involvement is supported by the view that environmental problems are a function of interactions between people and their environment. It is suggested that the commonly held view that community groups cannot care for their resources is due to inappropriate social institutions rather that any inherent disability in people. The communicative catchment is developed as a vision for environmental care into the future. This concept emerges from a critique of resource management through the catchment metaphors of the reduced, mechanical, and the complex, evolving catchment, which reflect the development of systemic and people-centered approaches to environmental care. The communicative catchment is one where both community and resource managers participate collaboratively in environmental care. A methodology based on action research and systemic thinking (systemic action research) is proposed as a way of moving towards the communicative catchment of the future. Action research is a way of taking action in organizations and communities that is participative and informed by theory, while systemic thinking takes into account the interconnections and relationships between social and natural worlds. The proposed vision, methodology, and practical operating principles stem from involvement in an action research project looking at extension strategies for the implementation of total catchment management in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales.

Spatially telescoping measurements for improved characterization of groundwater-surface water interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Colin; Ferre, Ty P.A.; Welker, Jeffery M.

2012-01-01

The suite of measurement methods available to characterize fluxes between groundwater and surface water is rapidly growing. However, there are few studies that examine approaches to design of field investigations that include multiple methods. We propose that performing field measurements in a spatially telescoping sequence improves measurement flexibility and accounts for nested heterogeneities while still allowing for parsimonious experimental design. We applied this spatially telescoping approach in a study of ground water-surface water (GW-SW) interaction during baseflow conditions along Lucile Creek, located near Wasilla, Alaska. Catchment-scale data, including channel geomorphic indices and hydrogeologic transects, were used to screen areas of potentially significant GW-SW exchange. Specifically, these data indicated increasing groundwater contribution from a deeper regional aquifer along the middle to lower reaches of the stream. This initial assessment was tested using reach-scale estimates of groundwater contribution during baseflow conditions, including differential discharge measurements and the use of chemical tracers analyzed in a three-component mixing model. The reach-scale measurements indicated a large increase in discharge along the middle reaches of the stream accompanied by a shift in chemical composition towards a regional groundwater end member. Finally, point measurements of vertical water fluxes -- obtained using seepage meters as well as temperature-based methods -- were used to evaluate spatial and temporal variability of GW-SW exchange within representative reaches. The spatial variability of upward fluxes, estimated using streambed temperature mapping at the sub-reach scale, was observed to vary in relation to both streambed composition and the magnitude of groundwater contribution from differential discharge measurements. The spatially telescoping approach improved the efficiency of this field investigation. Beginning our assessment

Origins of streamflow in a crystalline basement catchment in a sub-humid Sudanian zone: The Donga basin (Benin, West Africa): Inter-annual variability of water budget

Science.gov (United States)

Séguis, L.; Kamagaté, B.; Favreau, G.; Descloitres, M.; Seidel, J.-L.; Galle, S.; Peugeot, C.; Gosset, M.; Le Barbé, L.; Malinur, F.; Van Exter, S.; Arjounin, M.; Boubkraoui, S.; Wubda, M.

2011-05-01

SummaryDuring the last quarter of the 20th century, West Africa underwent a particularly intense and generalized drought. During this period, the biggest drops in streamflow were observed in the Sudanian zone rather than in the Sahelian zone, but the reasons are still poorly understood. In 2000, a meso-scale hydrological observatory was set up in the sub-humid Sudanian zone of the Upper Ouémé Valley (Benin). Three embedded catchments of 12-586 km 2 located on a crystalline bedrock were intensively instrumented to document the different terms of the water budget and to identify the main streamflow generating processes and base-flow mechanisms at different scales. Geophysical, hydrological and geochemical data were collected throughout the catchments from 2002 to 2006. Crossing these data helped define their hydrological functioning. The region has seasonal streamflow, and the permanent groundwater in the weathered mantle does not drain to rivers, instead, seasonal perched groundwaters are the major contributor to annual streamflow. The perched groundwaters are mainly located in seasonally waterlogged sandy layers in the headwater bottom-lands called bas-fonds in French-speaking West Africa of 1st order streams. During the period 2003-2006, regolith groundwater recharge ranged between 10% and 15% of the annual rainfall depth. Depletion of permanent groundwater during the dry season is probably explained by local evapotranspiration which was seen not to be limited to gallery forests. During the 4-year study period, a reduction of 20% in annual rainfall led to a 50% reduction in streamflow. This reduction was observed in the two components of the flow: direct runoff and drainage of perched groundwater. Thanks to the comprehensive dataset obtained, the results obtained for the Donga experimental catchment are now being extrapolated to the whole upper Ouémé valley, which can be considered as representative of sub-humid Sudanian rivers flowing on a crystalline

Constraining Distributed Catchment Models by Incorporating Perceptual Understanding of Spatial Hydrologic Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Hutton, Christopher; Wagener, Thorsten; Freer, Jim; Han, Dawei

2016-04-01

Distributed models offer the potential to resolve catchment systems in more detail, and therefore simulate the hydrological impacts of spatial changes in catchment forcing (e.g. landscape change). Such models tend to contain a large number of poorly defined and spatially varying model parameters which are therefore computationally expensive to calibrate. Insufficient data can result in model parameter and structural equifinality, particularly when calibration is reliant on catchment outlet discharge behaviour alone. Evaluating spatial patterns of internal hydrological behaviour has the potential to reveal simulations that, whilst consistent with measured outlet discharge, are qualitatively dissimilar to our perceptual understanding of how the system should behave. We argue that such understanding, which may be derived from stakeholder knowledge across different catchments for certain process dynamics, is a valuable source of information to help reject non-behavioural models, and therefore identify feasible model structures and parameters. The challenge, however, is to convert different sources of often qualitative and/or semi-qualitative information into robust quantitative constraints of model states and fluxes, and combine these sources of information together to reject models within an efficient calibration framework. Here we present the development of a framework to incorporate different sources of data to efficiently calibrate distributed catchment models. For each source of information, an interval or inequality is used to define the behaviour of the catchment system. These intervals are then combined to produce a hyper-volume in state space, which is used to identify behavioural models. We apply the methodology to calibrate the Penn State Integrated Hydrological Model (PIHM) at the Wye catchment, Plynlimon, UK. Outlet discharge behaviour is successfully simulated when perceptual understanding of relative groundwater levels between lowland peat, upland peat

Using 14C and 3H to understand groundwater flow and recharge in an aquifer window

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, A. P.; Cartwright, I.; Gilfedder, B. S.; Cendón, D. I.; Unland, N. P.; Hofmann, H.

2014-12-01

Knowledge of groundwater residence times and recharge locations is vital to the sustainable management of groundwater resources. Here we investigate groundwater residence times and patterns of recharge in the Gellibrand Valley, southeast Australia, where outcropping aquifer sediments of the Eastern View Formation form an "aquifer window" that may receive diffuse recharge from rainfall and recharge from the Gellibrand River. To determine recharge patterns and groundwater flow paths, environmental isotopes (3H, 14C, δ13C, δ18O, δ2H) are used in conjunction with groundwater geochemistry and continuous monitoring of groundwater elevation and electrical conductivity. The water table fluctuates by 0.9 to 3.7 m annually, implying recharge rates of 90 and 372 mm yr-1. However, residence times of shallow (11 to 29 m) groundwater determined by 14C are between 100 and 10 000 years, 3H activities are negligible in most of the groundwater, and groundwater electrical conductivity remains constant over the period of study. Deeper groundwater with older 14C ages has lower δ18O values than younger, shallower groundwater, which is consistent with it being derived from greater altitudes. The combined geochemistry data indicate that local recharge from precipitation within the valley occurs through the aquifer window, however much of the groundwater in the Gellibrand Valley predominantly originates from the regional recharge zone, the Barongarook High. The Gellibrand Valley is a regional discharge zone with upward head gradients that limits local recharge to the upper 10 m of the aquifer. Additionally, the groundwater head gradients adjacent to the Gellibrand River are generally upwards, implying that it does not recharge the surrounding groundwater and has limited bank storage. 14C ages and Cl concentrations are well correlated and Cl concentrations may be used to provide a first-order estimate of groundwater residence times. Progressively lower chloride concentrations from 10

Exploring the Linkage between Urban Flood Risk and Spatial Patterns in Small Urbanized Catchments of Beijing, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Yao

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In the context of global urbanization, urban flood risk in many cities has become a serious environmental issue, threatening the health of residents and the environment. A number of hydrological studies have linked urban flooding issues closely to the spectrum of spatial patterns of urbanization, but relatively little attention has been given to small-scale catchments within the realm of urban systems. This study aims to explore the hydrological effects of small-scaled urbanized catchments assigned with various landscape patterns. Twelve typical residential catchments in Beijing were selected as the study areas. Total Impervious Area (TIA, Directly Connected Impervious Area (DCIA, and a drainage index were used as the catchment spatial metrics. Three scenarios were designed as different spatial arrangement of catchment imperviousness. Runoff variables including total and peak runoff depth (Qt and Qp were simulated by using Strom Water Management Model (SWMM. The relationship between catchment spatial patterns and runoff variables were determined, and the results demonstrated that, spatial patterns have inherent influences on flood risks in small urbanized catchments. Specifically: (1 imperviousness acts as an effective indicator in affecting both Qt and Qp; (2 reducing the number of rainwater inlets appropriately will benefit the catchment peak flow mitigation; (3 different spatial concentrations of impervious surfaces have inherent influences on Qp. These findings provide insights into the role of urban spatial patterns in driving rainfall-runoff processes in small urbanized catchments, which is essential for urban planning and flood management.

Exploring the Linkage between Urban Flood Risk and Spatial Patterns in Small Urbanized Catchments of Beijing, China

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Lei; Chen, Liding; Wei, Wei

2017-01-01

In the context of global urbanization, urban flood risk in many cities has become a serious environmental issue, threatening the health of residents and the environment. A number of hydrological studies have linked urban flooding issues closely to the spectrum of spatial patterns of urbanization, but relatively little attention has been given to small-scale catchments within the realm of urban systems. This study aims to explore the hydrological effects of small-scaled urbanized catchments assigned with various landscape patterns. Twelve typical residential catchments in Beijing were selected as the study areas. Total Impervious Area (TIA), Directly Connected Impervious Area (DCIA), and a drainage index were used as the catchment spatial metrics. Three scenarios were designed as different spatial arrangement of catchment imperviousness. Runoff variables including total and peak runoff depth (Qt and Qp) were simulated by using Strom Water Management Model (SWMM). The relationship between catchment spatial patterns and runoff variables were determined, and the results demonstrated that, spatial patterns have inherent influences on flood risks in small urbanized catchments. Specifically: (1) imperviousness acts as an effective indicator in affecting both Qt and Qp; (2) reducing the number of rainwater inlets appropriately will benefit the catchment peak flow mitigation; (3) different spatial concentrations of impervious surfaces have inherent influences on Qp. These findings provide insights into the role of urban spatial patterns in driving rainfall-runoff processes in small urbanized catchments, which is essential for urban planning and flood management. PMID:28264521

Scale and legacy controls on catchment nutrient export regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Howden, N. J. K.; Burt, T.; Worrall, F.

2017-12-01

Nutrient dynamics in river catchments are complex: water and chemical fluxes are highly variable in low-order streams, but this variability declines as fluxes move through higher-order reaches. This poses a major challenge for process understanding as much effort is focussed on long-term monitoring of the main river channel (a high-order reach), and therefore the data available to support process understanding are predominantly derived from sites where much of the transient response of nutrient export is masked by the effect of averaging over both space and time. This may be further exacerbated at all scales by the accumulation of legacy nutrient sources in soils, aquifers and pore waters, where historical activities have led to nutrient accumulation where the catchment system is transport limited. Therefore it is of particular interest to investigate how the variability of nutrient export changes both with catchment scale (from low to high-order catchment streams) and with the presence of legacy sources, such that the context of infrequent monitoring on high-order streams can be better understood. This is not only a question of characterising nutrient export regimes per se, but also developing a more thorough understanding of how the concepts of scale and legacy may modify the statistical characteristics of observed responses across scales in both space and time. In this paper, we use synthetic data series and develop a model approach to consider how space and timescales combine with impacts of legacy sources to influence observed variability in catchment export. We find that: increasing space and timescales tend to reduce the observed variance in nutrient exports, due to an increase in travel times and greater mixing, and therefore averaging, of sources; increasing the influence of legacy sources inflates the variance, with the level of inflation dictated by the residence time of the respective sources.

Aggregation effects on tritium-based mean transit times and young water fractions in spatially heterogeneous catchments and groundwater systems

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Michael K.; Morgenstern, Uwe; Gusyev, Maksym A.; Małoszewski, Piotr

2017-09-01

Kirchner (2016a) demonstrated that aggregation errors due to spatial heterogeneity, represented by two homogeneous subcatchments, could cause severe underestimation of the mean transit times (MTTs) of water travelling through catchments when simple lumped parameter models were applied to interpret seasonal tracer cycle data. Here we examine the effects of such errors on the MTTs and young water fractions estimated using tritium concentrations in two-part hydrological systems. We find that MTTs derived from tritium concentrations in streamflow are just as susceptible to aggregation bias as those from seasonal tracer cycles. Likewise, groundwater wells or springs fed by two or more water sources with different MTTs will also have aggregation bias. However, the transit times over which the biases are manifested are different because the two methods are applicable over different time ranges, up to 5 years for seasonal tracer cycles and up to 200 years for tritium concentrations. Our virtual experiments with two water components show that the aggregation errors are larger when the MTT differences between the components are larger and the amounts of the components are each close to 50 % of the mixture. We also find that young water fractions derived from tritium (based on a young water threshold of 18 years) are almost immune to aggregation errors as were those derived from seasonal tracer cycles with a threshold of about 2 months.

Nutrient pressures and legacies in a small agricultural karst catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Fenton, Owen; Mellander, Per-Erik; Daly, Karen; Wall, David P.; Jahangir, Mohammad M.; Jordan, Phil; Hennessey, Deirdre; Huebsch, Manuela; Blum, Philipp; Vero, Sara; Richards, Karl G.

2017-04-01

Catchments with short subsurface hydrologic time lags are commonly at risk for leached losses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Such catchments are suitable for testing the efficacy of mitigation measures as management changes. In some sites, however, N and P may be retained in the soil and subsoil layers, and then leached, mobilised or attenuated over time. This biogeochemical time lag may therefore have enduring effects on the water quality. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of N and P retention, attenuation and distribution of subsurface pathway in an intensively managed agricultural karst catchment with an oxidised aquifer setting, and also to inform how similar sites can be managed in the future. Results showed that in the years pre-2000 slurry from an on-site integrated pig production unit had been applied at rates of 33 t/ha annually, which supplied approximately 136 kg/ha total N and approximately 26 kg/ha total P annually. This practice contributed to large quantities of N (total N and NH4-N) and elevated soil test P (Morgan extractable P), present to a depth of 1 m. This store was augmented by recent surpluses of 263 kg N/ha, with leached N to groundwater of 82.5 kg N/ha and only 2.5 kg N/ha denitrified in the aquifer thereafter. Sub hourly spring data showed the largest proportion of N loss from small (54-88%) and medium fissure pathways (7- 21%) with longer hydrologic time lags, with smallest loads from either large fissure (1-13%) or conduit (1-10%) pathways with short hydrologic time lags (reaction time at the spring from onset of a rainfall event is within hours). Although soils were saturated in P and in mobile forms to 0.5 m, dissolved reactive P concentrations in groundwater remained low due to Ca and Mg limestone chemistry. Under these conditions a depletion of the legacy store, with no further inputs, would take approximately 50 years and with NO3-N concentrations in the source area dropping to levels that could sustain

Conifer density within lake catchments predicts fish mercury concentrations in remote subalpine lakes

Science.gov (United States)

Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Herring, Garth; Johnson, Branden L.; Graw, Rick

2016-01-01

Remote high-elevation lakes represent unique environments for evaluating the bioaccumulation of atmospherically deposited mercury through freshwater food webs, as well as for evaluating the relative importance of mercury loading versus landscape influences on mercury bioaccumulation. The increase in mercury deposition to these systems over the past century, coupled with their limited exposure to direct anthropogenic disturbance make them useful indicators for estimating how changes in mercury emissions may propagate to changes in Hg bioaccumulation and ecological risk. We evaluated mercury concentrations in resident fish from 28 high-elevation, sub-alpine lakes in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Fish total mercury (THg) concentrations ranged from 4 to 438 ng/g wet weight, with a geometric mean concentration (±standard error) of 43 ± 2 ng/g ww. Fish THg concentrations were negatively correlated with relative condition factor, indicating that faster growing fish that are in better condition have lower THg concentrations. Across the 28 study lakes, mean THg concentrations of resident salmonid fishes varied as much as 18-fold among lakes. We used a hierarchal statistical approach to evaluate the relative importance of physiological, limnological, and catchment drivers of fish Hg concentrations. Our top statistical model explained 87% of the variability in fish THg concentrations among lakes with four key landscape and limnological variables: catchment conifer density (basal area of conifers within a lake's catchment), lake surface area, aqueous dissolved sulfate, and dissolved organic carbon. Conifer density within a lake's catchment was the most important variable explaining fish THg concentrations across lakes, with THg concentrations differing by more than 400 percent across the forest density spectrum. These results illustrate the importance of landscape characteristics in controlling mercury bioaccumulation in fish.

Groundwater, springs, and stream flow generation in an alpine meadow of a tropical glacierized catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, R.; Lautz, L. K.; McKenzie, J. M.; Mark, B. G.; Chavez, D.

2013-12-01

Melting tropical glaciers supply approximately half of dry season stream discharge in glacierized valleys of the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. The remainder of streamflow originates as groundwater stored in alpine meadows, moraines and talus slopes. A better understanding of the dynamics of alpine groundwater, including sources and contributions to streamflow, is important for making accurate estimates of glacial inputs to the hydrologic budget, and for our ability to make predictions about future water resources as glaciers retreat. Our field study, conducted during the dry season in the Llanganuco valley, focused on a 0.5-km2 alpine meadow complex at 4400 m elevation, which includes talus slopes, terminal moraines, and a debris fan. Two glacial lakes and springs throughout the complex feed a network of stream channels that flow across the meadow (~2 km total length). We combined tracer measurements of stream and spring discharge and groundwater-surface water exchange with synoptic sampling of water isotopic and geochemical composition, in order to characterize and quantify contributions to streamflow from different geomorphic features. Surface water inputs to the stream channels totaled 58 l/s, while the stream gained an additional 57 l/s from groundwater inputs. Water chemistry is primarily controlled by flowpath type (surface/subsurface) and length, as well as bedrock lithology, while stable water isotopic composition appears to be controlled by water source (glacial lake, meadow or deep groundwater). Stream water chemistry is most similar to meadow groundwater springs, but isotopic composition suggests that the majority of stream water, which issues from springs at the meadow/fan interface, is from the same glacial source as the up-gradient lake. Groundwater sampled from piezometers in confined meadow aquifers is unique in both chemistry and isotopic composition, but does not contribute a large percentage of stream water exiting this small meadow, as quantified by

Simulating high frequency water quality monitoring data using a catchment runoff attenuation flux tool (CRAFT).

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Russell; Quinn, Paul F; Perks, Matthew; Barber, Nicholas J; Jonczyk, Jennine; Owen, Gareth J

2016-12-01

High resolution water quality data has recently become widely available from numerous catchment based monitoring schemes. However, the models that can reproduce time series of concentrations or fluxes have not kept pace with the advances in monitoring data. Model performance at predicting phosphorus (P) and sediment concentrations has frequently been poor with models not fit for purpose except for predicting annual losses. Here, the data from the Eden Demonstration Test Catchments (DTC) project have been used to calibrate the Catchment Runoff Attenuation Flux Tool (CRAFT), a new, parsimonious model developed with the aim of modelling both the generation and attenuation of nutrients and sediments in small to medium sized catchments. The CRAFT has the ability to run on an hourly timestep and can calculate the mass of sediments and nutrients transported by three flow pathways representing rapid surface runoff, fast subsurface drainage and slow groundwater flow (baseflow). The attenuation feature of the model is introduced here; this enables surface runoff and contaminants transported via this pathway to be delayed in reaching the catchment outlet. It was used to investigate some hypotheses of nutrient and sediment transport in the Newby Beck Catchment (NBC) Model performance was assessed using a suite of metrics including visual best fit and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency. It was found that this approach for water quality models may be the best assessment method as opposed to using a single metric. Furthermore, it was found that, when the aim of the simulations was to reproduce the time series of total P (TP) or total reactive P (TRP) to get the best visual fit, that attenuation was required. The model will be used in the future to explore the impacts on water quality of different mitigation options in the catchment; these will include attenuation of surface runoff. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Persistent pollution of Warta river catchment with chromium: case study from central Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Hermanski, S.; Lukaczynski, I.; Nikiel, G.; Mizera, J.; Dulinski, M.; Kania, J.; Rozanski, K.; Szklarczyk, T.; Wachniew, P.; Witczak, S.; Zurek, A.

2012-04-01

Upper reaches of the Warta river, the third largest river in Poland, are located in a densely populated and industrialized area, with presence of heavy industry going back to the second half of the XIX century. Industrial activities include iron smelters in towns of Częstochowa and Zawiercie, large chemical plants (Rudniki and Aniolow) producing predominantly chromium compounds, paper and textile industry, as well as large number of small enterprises specialized in metal coatings (nickel and chromium). Until the 1960s all the industrial and municipal effluents in the region were discharged into the Warta river and its tributaries. Solid wastes were dumped on the surface, mostly without appropriate cover and isolation. This resulted in progressive contamination of surface waters and groundwater with heavy metals, mostly chromium. The upper reaches of the Warta river are located on top of upper Jurassic Major Groundwater Basin (MGWB 326 which is one of four most important groundwater reservoirs in Poland. Almost all potable water demands in the area (ca. 340,000 inhabitants, 800 factories and enterprises) are covered by MGWB 326 (50 deep wells with the average extraction rate of 57,000 m3/d). As the MGWB 326 is mostly phreatic, it has been recognized since long time that persistent pollution of the upper catchment of the Warta river with heavy metals may pose serious thread to quality of this important groundwater resource. In this presentation we summarize the work carried out to date, focused on characterization of the extent and understanding of the mechanisms of pollution of surface water, sediments and groundwater in MGWB 326 with chromium. Historical monitoring data of the levels of chromium in the Warta river and its tributaries are presented, supplemented by the results of measurements of Cr loads in Warta over-bank deposits and Cr levels in groundwater production wells in the area. Three conceptual models of spreading of chromium in the catchment of Warta

Groundwater control on the suspended sediment load in the Na Borges River, Mallorca, Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Estrany, Joan; Garcia, Celso; Batalla, Ramon J.

2009-05-01

Groundwater dominance has important effects on the hydrological and geomorphological characteristics of river systems. Low suspended sediment concentrations and high water clarity are expected because significant inputs of sediment-free spring water dilute the suspended sediment generated by storms. However, in many Mediterranean rivers, groundwater dominance is characterised by seasonal alternations of influent and effluent discharge involving significant variability on the sediment transport regimes. Such areas are often subject to soil and water conservation practices over the centuries that have reduced the sediment contribution from agricultural fields and favour subsurface flow to rivers. Moreover, urbanisation during the twentieth century has changed the catchment hydrology and altered basic river processes due to its 'flashy' regime. In this context, we monitored suspended sediment fluxes during a two-year period in the Na Borges River, a lowland agricultural catchment (319 km 2) on the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands). The suspended sediment concentration (SSC) was lower when the base flow index (i.e., relative proportion of baseflow compared to stormflow, BFI) was higher. Therefore, strong seasonal contrasts explain the high SSC coefficient of variation, which is clearly related to dilution effects associated with different groundwater and surface water seasonal interactions. A lack of correlation in the Q-SSC rating curves shows that factors other than discharge control sediment transport. As a result, at the event scale, multiple regressions illustrate that groundwater and surface water interactions are involved in the sedimentary response of flood events. In the winter, the stability of baseflow driven by groundwater contributions and agricultural and urban spills causes hydraulic variables (i.e., maximum discharge) to exert the most important control on events, whereas in the summer, it is necessary to accumulate important volumes of rainfall

Impacts of model initialization on an integrated surface water - groundwater model

KAUST Repository

Ajami, Hoori

2015-04-01

Integrated hydrologic models characterize catchment responses by coupling the subsurface flow with land surface processes. One of the major areas of uncertainty in such models is the specification of the initial condition and its influence on subsequent simulations. A key challenge in model initialization is that it requires spatially distributed information on model states, groundwater levels and soil moisture, even when such data are not routinely available. Here, the impact of uncertainty in initial condition was explored across a 208 km2 catchment in Denmark using the ParFlow.CLM model. The initialization impact was assessed under two meteorological conditions (wet vs dry) using five depth to water table and soil moisture distributions obtained from various equilibrium states (thermal, root zone, discharge, saturated and unsaturated zone equilibrium) during the model spin-up. Each of these equilibrium states correspond to varying computation times to achieve stability in a particular aspect of the system state. Results identified particular sensitivity in modelled recharge and stream flow to the different initializations, but reduced sensitivity in modelled energy fluxes. Analysis also suggests that to simulate a year that is wetter than the spin-up period, an initialization based on discharge equilibrium is adequate to capture the direction and magnitude of surface water–groundwater exchanges. For a drier or hydrologically similar year to the spin-up period, an initialization based on groundwater equilibrium is required. Variability of monthly subsurface storage changes and discharge bias at the scale of a hydrological event show that the initialization impacts do not diminish as the simulations progress, highlighting the importance of robust and accurate initialization in capturing surface water–groundwater dynamics.

Numerical and experimental investigations of submarine groundwater discharge to a coastal lagoon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haider, Kinza

The main goal of this study is to understand and estimate the amount of submarine groundwater discharge into Ringkøbing Fjord from shallow and deep aquifer systems at the Eastern shoreline from Ringkøbing catchment in Western Denmark. In order to accomplish this objective, the study was initiated...... of the groundwater discharge occurred near the shoreline of the lagoon, but also off-shore discharge from deep confined aquifers system occurred at places where confining clay layers are eroded by buried valleys. The simulated fresh groundwater discharge was a non-negligible component, 59 % of recharge on the lagoon...... and 6 % of river input into the lagoon. This large-scale study was the motivation to conduct field investigation techniques in order to understand the dynamic processes in the near-shore environment. Field campaigns were conducted every two months in order to understand the seasonal groundwater...

Helium sources to groundwater in active volcanic terrain, and implications for tritium-helium dating at Mount St. Helens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gates, John B. [Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 217 Bessey Hall, Lincoln NE 68588 (United States)

2013-07-01

Groundwater helium sources and residence times were investigated using groundwater discharging from springs surrounding Mount St. Helens in the Cascades region of the United States. Significant contributions of mantle helium were found in all samples and are attributable to interaction between groundwater and magmatic gases. Bounding calculations for residence times were made on the basis of helium isotope mixing plots and historical tritium data. (authors)

Iron oxidation kinetics and phosphorus immobilization at the groundwater-surface water interface

Science.gov (United States)

van der Grift, Bas; Rozemeijer, Joachim; Griffioen, Jasper; van der Velde, Ype

2014-05-01

Eutrophication of freshwater environments following diffuse nutrient loads is a widely recognized water quality problem in catchments. Fluxes of non-point P sources to surface waters originate from surface runoff and flow from soil water and groundwater into surface water. The availability of P in surface waters is controlled strongly by biogeochemical nutrient cycling processes at the soil-water interface. The mechanisms and rates of the iron oxidation process with associated binding of phosphate during exfiltration of anaerobic Fe(II) bearing groundwater are among the key unknowns in P retention processes in surface waters in delta areas where the shallow groundwater is typically pH-neutral to slightly acid, anoxic, iron-rich. We developed an experimental field set-up to study the dynamics in Fe(II) oxidation and mechanisms of P immobilization at the groundwater-surface water interface in an agricultural experimental catchment of a small lowland river. We physically separated tube drain effluent from groundwater discharge before it entered a ditch in an agricultural field. The exfiltrating groundwater was captured in in-stream reservoirs constructed in the ditch. Through continuous discharge measurements and weekly water quality sampling of groundwater, tube drain water, exfiltrated groundwater, and ditch water, we quantified Fe(II) oxidation kinetics and P immobilization processes across the seasons. This study showed that seasonal changes in climatic conditions affect the Fe(II) oxidation process. In winter time the dissolved iron concentrations in the in-stream reservoirs reached the levels of the anaerobic groundwater. In summer time, the dissolved iron concentrations of the water in the reservoirs are low, indicating that dissolved Fe(II) is completely oxidized prior to inflow into the reservoirs. Higher discharges, lower temperatures and lower pH of the exfiltrated groundwater in winter compared to summer shifts the location of the redox transition zone

Analyzing the hydrological impact of afforestation and tree species in two catchments with contrasting soil properties using the spatially distributed model MIKE SHE SWET

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonnenborg, Torben Obel; Christiansen, Jesper Riis; Pang, Bo

2017-01-01

afforestation or forest conversion impacts the water resource at the catchment scale. We hypothesize that the groundwater formation and streamflow is increased when water consuming conifers are replaced with the less consumptive broadleaf tree species. To test this a distributed hydrological model...

Flux rates of atmospheric lead pollution within soils of a small catchment in northern Sweden and their implications for future stream water quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Klaminder, Jonatan; Bindler, Richard; Laudon, Hjalmar; Bishop, Kevin; Emteryd, Ove; Renberg, Ingemar

2006-08-01

It is not well-known how the accumulated pool of atmospheric lead pollution in the boreal forest soil will affect the groundwater and surface water chemistry in the future as this lead migrates through the soil profile. This study uses stable lead isotopes (206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/ 207Pb ratios) to trace the transport of atmospheric lead pollution within the soil of a small catchment and predict future lead level changes in a stream draining the catchment. Low 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb ratios for the lead in the soil water (1.16 +/- 0.02; 2.43 +/- 0.03) and streamwater (1.18 +/- 0.03; 2.42 +/- 0.03) in comparison to that of the mineral soil (>1.4; >2.5) suggest that atmospheric pollution contributes by about 90% (65-100%) to the lead pool found in these matrixes. Calculated transport rates of atmospheric lead along a soil transect indicate that the mean residence time of lead in organic and mineral soil layers is at a centennial to millennial time scale. A maximum release of the present pool of lead pollution in the soil to the stream is predicted to occur within 200-800 years. Even though the uncertainty of the prediction is large, it emphasizes the magnitude of the time lag between the accumulation of atmospheric lead pollution in soils and the subsequent response in streamwater quality.

Correcting for catchment area nonresidency in studies based on tumor-registry data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sposto, R.; Preston, D.L.

1993-05-01

We discuss the effect of catchment area nonresidency on estimates of cancer incidence from a tumor-registry-based cohort study and demonstrate that a relatively simple correction is possible in the context of Poisson regression analysis if individual residency histories or the probabilities of residency are known. A comparison of a complete data maximum likelihood analysis with several Poisson regression analyses demonstrates the adequacy of the simple correction in a large simulated data set. We compare analyses of stomach-cancer incidence from the Radiation Effects Research Foundation tumor registry with and without the correction. We also discuss some implications of including cases identified only on the basis of death certificates. (author)

Distribution and sources of 226Rain groundwater of arid region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zheng, M. J.; Murad, A.; Zhou, X. D.

2016-01-01

As a part of characterizing radioactivity in groundwater of the eastern Arabian Peninsula, a first systematic evaluation of 226Ra activity in groundwater indicates a wide range (0.65-203.66 mBq L-1) with average of 17.56 mBq L-1. Adsorption/desorption process, groundwater residence time and urani...... concentration are the main controlling factors of 226Ra distribution in groundwater of the different aquifers. Estimation of 226Ra effective dose from water ingestion suggests potential risk of drinking water from the carbonate aquifer....

Watershed scale spatial variability in dissolved and total organic and inorganic carbon in contrasting UK catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Cumberland, S.; Baker, A.; Hudson, N. J.

2006-12-01

Approximately 800 organic and inorganic carbon analyses have been undertaken from watershed scale and regional scale spatial surveys in various British catchments. These include (1) a small (urban catchment (Ouseburn, N England); (2) a headwater, lowland agricultural catchment (River Tern, C England) (3) a large UK catchment (River Tyne, ~3000 sq-km) and (4) a spatial survey of ~300 analyses from rivers from SW England (~1700 sq-km). Results demonstrate that: (1) the majority of organic and inorganic carbon is in the dissolved (DOC and DIC) fractions; (2) that with the exception of peat rich headwaters, DIC concentration is always greater than DOC; (3) In the rural River Tern, riverine DOC and DIC are shown to follow a simple end- member mixing between DIC (DOC) rich (poor) ground waters and DOC (DIC) rich (poor) riparian wetlands for all sample sites. (4) In the urbanized Ouseburn catchment, although many sample sites also show this same mixing trend, some tributaries follow a pollutant trend of simultaneous increases in both DOC and DIC. The Ouseburn is part of the larger Tyne catchment: this larger catchment follows the simple groundwater DIC- soil water DOC end member mixing model, with the exception of the urban catchments which exhibit an elevated DIC compared to rural sites. (5) Urbanization is demonstrated to increase DIC compared to equivalent rural catchments; this DIC has potential sources including diffuse source inputs from the dissolution of concrete, point sources such as trade effluents and landfill leachates, and bedrock derived carbonates relocated to the soil dissolution zone by urban development. (6) DIC in rural SW England demonstrates that spatial variability in DIC can be attributed to variations in geology; but that DIC concentrations in the SW England rivers dataset are typically lower than the urbanized Tyne catchments despite the presence of carbonate bedrock in many of the sample catchments in the SW England dataset. (7) Recent

Relating runoff generation mechanisms to concentration-discharge relationships in catchments with well-characterized Critical Zone structures and hydrologic dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Hahm, W. J.; Wang, J.; Druhan, J. L.; Rempe, D.; Dietrich, W. E.

2017-12-01

Stream solute concentration-discharge (C-Q) relationships integrate catchment-scale hydrologic and geochemical processes, potentially yielding valuable information about runoff generation and weathering mechanisms. However, recent compilations have established that chemostasis—the condition where solute concentrations are invariant across large ranges of runoff—is observed in watersheds of diverse lithology, climate, and topography, suggesting an equifinality of the C-Q relationship independent of hydrologic process. Here we explore C-Q signals in contrasting catchments of the Eel River Critical Zone (CZ) Observatory in the Northern California Coast Ranges, where, unlike most watersheds where chemostasis has been observed, hillslope hydrologic processes are well characterized via years of intensive hydrologic monitoring. Our two catchments in the Franciscan Complex have radically different runoff generation mechanisms arising from differences in CZ structure: at Elder Creek (Coastal Belt), rain passes vertically as unsaturated flow through soil, saprolite, and a thick weathered rock zone before perching as groundwater on fresh bedrock and flowing laterally through fractures to generate streamflow, resulting in nearly chemostatic major cation behavior (power law C-Q slopes (B) ≈ 0 to -0.1). At Dry Creek (Central Belt), the thin (2 to 3 m) hydrologically active CZ completely saturates in most storm events, generating saturation overland flow across the landscape. New data from Dry Creek reveal log-log C-Q relationships for major cations that exhibit negative curvature, indicating a trend towards increasing dilution at higher flow rates and a possible C-Q signature of overland flow. High geomorphic channel drainage density (16.9 km/km2) results in short flow paths and, presumably, short water hillslope residence times at high runoff when overland flow dominates (> 50 mm d-1). Surprisingly, even at these high runoff rates, pure dilution does not occur (high

Fully integrated physically-based numerical modelling of impacts of groundwater extraction on surface and irrigation-induced groundwater interactions: case study Lower River Murray, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Alaghmand, S.; Beecham, S.; Hassanli, A.

2013-07-01

Combination of reduction in the frequency, duration and magnitude of natural floods, rising saline water-table in floodplains and excessive evapotranspiration have led to an irrigation-induced groundwater mound forced the naturally saline groundwater onto the floodplain in the Lower River Murray. It is during the attenuation phase of floods that these large salt accumulations are likely to be mobilised and will discharge into the river. The Independent Audit Group for Salinity highlighted this as the most significant risk in the Murray-Darling Basin. South Australian government and catchment management authorities have developed salt interception schemes (SIS). This is to pump the highly saline groundwater from the floodplain aquifer to evaporation basins in order to reduce the hydraulic gradient that drives the regional saline groundwater towards the River Murray. This paper investigates the interactions between a river (River Murray in South Australia) and a saline semi-arid floodplain (Clarks Floodplain) significantly influenced by groundwater lowering (Bookpurnong SIS). Results confirm that groundwater extraction maintain a lower water-table and more fresh river water flux to the saline floodplain aquifer. In term of salinity, this may lead to less amount of solute stored in the floodplain aquifer. This occurs through two mechanisms; extracting some of the solute mass from the system and changing the floodplain groundwater regime from a losing to gaining one. Finally, it is shown that groundwater extraction is able to remove some amount of solute stored in the unsaturated zone and mitigate the floodplain salinity risk.

Using the PCRaster-POLFLOW approach to GIS-based modelling of coupled groundwater-surface water hydrology in the Forsmark Area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jarsjoe, Jerker; Shibuo, Yoshihiro; Destouni, Georgia [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology

2004-09-01

The catchment-scale hydrologic modelling approach PCRaster-POLFLOW permits the integration of environmental process modelling functions with classical GIS functions such as database maintenance and screen display. It has previously successfully been applied at relatively large river basins and catchments, such as Rhine, Elbe and Norrstroem, for modelling stream water flow and nutrient transport. In this study, we review the PCRaster-POLFLOW modelling approach and apply it using a relatively fine spatial resolution to the smaller catchment of Forsmark. As input we use data from SKB's database, which includes detailed data from Forsmark (and Simpevarp), since these locations are being investigated as part of the process to find a suitable location for a deep repository for spent nuclear fuel. We show, by comparison with independently measured, area-averaged runoff data, that the PCRaster-POLFLOW model produces results that, without using site-specific calibration, agree well with these independent measurements. In addition, we deliver results for four planned hydrological stations within the Forsmark catchment thus allowing for future direct comparisons with streamflow monitoring. We also show that, and how, the PCRaster-POLFLOW model in its present state can be used for predicting average seasonal streamflow. The present modelling exercise provided insights into possible ways of extending and using the PCRaster-POLFLOW model for applications beyond its current main focus of surface water hydrology. In particular, regarding analysis of possible surface water-groundwater interactions, we identify the Analytic Element Method for groundwater modelling together with its GIS-based pre- and post processor ArcFlow as suitable and promising for use in combination with the PCRaster-POLFLOW modelling approach. Furthermore, for transport modelling, such as that of radionuclides entering the coupled shallow groundwater-surface water hydrological system from possible deep

Using the PCRaster-POLFLOW approach to GIS-based modelling of coupled groundwater-surface water hydrology in the Forsmark Area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarsjoe, Jerker; Shibuo, Yoshihiro; Destouni, Georgia

2004-09-01

The catchment-scale hydrologic modelling approach PCRaster-POLFLOW permits the integration of environmental process modelling functions with classical GIS functions such as database maintenance and screen display. It has previously successfully been applied at relatively large river basins and catchments, such as Rhine, Elbe and Norrstroem, for modelling stream water flow and nutrient transport. In this study, we review the PCRaster-POLFLOW modelling approach and apply it using a relatively fine spatial resolution to the smaller catchment of Forsmark. As input we use data from SKB's database, which includes detailed data from Forsmark (and Simpevarp), since these locations are being investigated as part of the process to find a suitable location for a deep repository for spent nuclear fuel. We show, by comparison with independently measured, area-averaged runoff data, that the PCRaster-POLFLOW model produces results that, without using site-specific calibration, agree well with these independent measurements. In addition, we deliver results for four planned hydrological stations within the Forsmark catchment thus allowing for future direct comparisons with streamflow monitoring. We also show that, and how, the PCRaster-POLFLOW model in its present state can be used for predicting average seasonal streamflow. The present modelling exercise provided insights into possible ways of extending and using the PCRaster-POLFLOW model for applications beyond its current main focus of surface water hydrology. In particular, regarding analysis of possible surface water-groundwater interactions, we identify the Analytic Element Method for groundwater modelling together with its GIS-based pre- and post processor ArcFlow as suitable and promising for use in combination with the PCRaster-POLFLOW modelling approach. Furthermore, for transport modelling, such as that of radionuclides entering the coupled shallow groundwater-surface water hydrological system from possible deep

Uncertainty of climate change impact on groundwater reserves - Application to a chalk aquifer

Science.gov (United States)

Goderniaux, Pascal; Brouyère, Serge; Wildemeersch, Samuel; Therrien, René; Dassargues, Alain

2015-09-01

Recent studies have evaluated the impact of climate change on groundwater resources for different geographical and climatic contexts. However, most studies have either not estimated the uncertainty around projected impacts or have limited the analysis to the uncertainty related to climate models. In this study, the uncertainties around impact projections from several sources (climate models, natural variability of the weather, hydrological model calibration) are calculated and compared for the Geer catchment (465 km2) in Belgium. We use a surface-subsurface integrated model implemented using the finite element code HydroGeoSphere, coupled with climate change scenarios (2010-2085) and the UCODE_2005 inverse model, to assess the uncertainty related to the calibration of the hydrological model. This integrated model provides a more realistic representation of the water exchanges between surface and subsurface domains and constrains more the calibration with the use of both surface and subsurface observed data. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were performed on predictions. The linear uncertainty analysis is approximate for this nonlinear system, but it provides some measure of uncertainty for computationally demanding models. Results show that, for the Geer catchment, the most important uncertainty is related to calibration of the hydrological model. The total uncertainty associated with the prediction of groundwater levels remains large. By the end of the century, however, the uncertainty becomes smaller than the predicted decline in groundwater levels.

The influence of naturally-occurring organic acids on model estimates of lakewater acidification using the model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC). Summary of research conducted during year 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T.J.; Eilers, J.M. [E and S Environmental Chemistry, Inc., Corvallis, OR (United States); Cosby, B.J. [Virginia Univ., Charlottesville, VA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Sciences; Driscoll, C.T. [Syracuse Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Hemond, H.F. [Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Charles, D.F. [Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, PA (United States). Patrick Center for Environmental Research; Norton, S.A. [Maine Univ., Orono, ME (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences

1993-03-05

A project for the US Department of Energy, entitled ``Incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and Testing of the Revised Model UsingIndependent Data Sources`` was initiated by E&S Environmental Chemistry, Inc. in March, 1992. Major components of the project include: improving the MAGIC model by incorporating a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, and testing the revised model using data from paleolimnological hindcasts of preindustrial chemistry for 33 Adirondack Mountain lakes, and the results of whole-catchment artificial acidification projects in Maine and Norway. The ongoing research in this project involves development of an organic acid representation to be incorporated into the MAGIC modeland testing of the improved model using three independent data sources. The research during Year 1 has included conducting two workshops to agree on an approach for the organic acid modeling, developing the organic subroutine and incorporating it into MAGIC (Task 1), conducing MAGIC hindcasts for Adirondack lakes and comparing the results with paleolimnological reconstructions (Task 2), and conducting site visits to the manipulation project sites in Maine and Norway. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the work that has been conducted on this project during Year 1. Tasks 1 and 2 have now been completed.

Recent and old groundwater in the Niebla-Posadas regional aquifer (southern Spain): Implications for its management

Science.gov (United States)

Scheiber, Laura; Ayora, Carlos; Vázquez-Suñé, Enric; Cendón, Dioni I.; Soler, Albert; Custodio, Emilio; Baquero, Juan Carlos

2015-04-01

The Niebla-Posadas (NP) aquifer in southern Spain is one of the main groundwater sources for the lower Guadalquivir Valley, a semiarid region supporting an important population, agriculture and industry. To contribute to the understanding of this aquifer the assessment of sustainable use of groundwater, the residence time of groundwater in the NP aquifer has been estimated using 3H, 14C and 36Cl. Along the flow paths, recharged groundwater mixes with NaCl-type waters and undergoes calcite dissolution and is further modified by cation exchange (Ca-Na). Consequently, the water loses most of its calcium and the residual δ13CDIC in the groundwater is isotopically enriched. Further modifications take place along the flow path in deeper zones, where depleted δ13CDIC values are overprinted due to SO42- and iron oxide reduction, triggered by the presence of organic matter. Dating with 3H, 14C and 36Cl has allowed the differentiation of several zones: recharge zone (30 ky). An apparent link between the tectonic structure and the groundwater residence time zonation can be established. Regional faults clearly separates deep zone 1 from the distinctly older age (>30 ky) deep zone 2. From the estimated residence times, two groundwater areas of different behavior can be differentiated within the aquifer.

Isotope hydrology: Investigating groundwater contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubinchuk, V.; Froehlich, K.; Gonfiantini, R.

1989-01-01

Groundwater quality has worsened in many regions, with sometimes serious consequences. Decontaminating groundwater is an extremely slow process, and sometimes impossible, because of the generally long residence time of the water in most geological formations. Major causes of contamination are poor groundwater management (often dictated by immediate social needs) and the lack of regulations and control over the use and disposal of contaminants. These types of problems have prompted an increasing demand for investigations directed at gaining insight into the behaviour of contaminants in the hydrological cycle. Major objectives are to prevent pollution and degradation of groundwater resources, or, if contamination already has occurred, to identify its origin so that remedies can be proposed. Environmental isotopes have proved to be a powerful tool for groundwater pollution studies. The IAEA has had a co-ordinated research programme since 1987 on the application of nuclear techniques to determine the transport of contaminants in groundwater. An isotope hydrology project is being launched within the framework of the IAEA's regional co-operative programme in Latin America (known as ARCAL). Main objectives are the application of environmental isotopes to problems of groundwater assessment and contamination in Latin America. In 1989, another co-ordinated research programme is planned under which isotopic and other tracers will be used for the validation of mathematical models in groundwater transport studies

Minimal groundwater leakage restricts salinity in a hydrologically terminal basin of northwest Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Skrzypek, Grzegorz; Dogramaci, Shawan; Rouillard, Alexandra; Grierson, Pauline

2016-04-01

The Fortescue Marsh (FM) is one of the largest wetlands of arid northwest Australia (~1200 km2) and is thought to act as a terminal basin for the Upper Fortescue River catchment. Unlike the playa lake systems that predominate in most arid regions, where salinity is driven by inflow and evaporation of groundwater, the hydrological regime of the FM is driven by inundation from irregular cyclonic events [1]. Surface water of the FM is fresh to brackish and the salinity of the deepest groundwater (80 m b.g.l.) does not exceed 160 g/L; salt efflorescences are rarely present on the surface [2]. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that persistent but low rates of groundwater outflow have restricted the accumulation of salt in the FM over time. Using hydrological, hydrochemical data and dimensionless time evaporation modelling along with the water and salt budget, we calculated the time and the annual groundwater discharge volume that would be required to achieve and maintain the range of salinity levels observed in the Marsh. Groundwater outflow from alluvial and colluvial aquifers to the Lower Fortescue catchment is limited by an extremely low hydraulic gradient of 0.001 and is restricted to a relatively small 'alluvial window' of 0.35 km2 because of the elevation of the basement bedrock at the Marsh outflow. We show that if the Marsh was 100% "leakage free" i.e., a true terminal basin for the Upper Fortescue Catchment, the basin water would have achieved salt saturation after ~45 ka. This is not the case and only a very small outflow of saline groundwater of water volume) is needed to maintain the current salinity conditions. The minimum time required to develop the current hydrochemical composition of the water in the Marsh and the steady-state conditions for salt concentration is between 58 and 164 ka. This is a minimum age of the Marsh but it can be much older as nearly steady-state conditions could be maintained infinitely. Our approach using a combined water

Environmental isotope and hydrochemical investigation of Bauru and Botucatu groundwaters, Parana basin, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimmelmann, A.

1991-06-01

A combined hydrogeochemical and environmental isotope investigation is being carried out in the Bauru- and Botucatu groundwaters. Based on former isotope data, the 2 H/ 18 O-, 3 H-, 13 C-, 14 C- and 3 He/ 4 He-contents of representative groundwaters out from the Bauru- and Botucatu-aquifer are now investigated to reveal a possible interaction of the groundwater systems and to correlate 14 C-groundwater residence times with groundwater ages derived from other isotope methods. (author)

Groundwater Recharge Process in the Morondava Sedimentary Basin, Southwestern Madagascar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamifarananahary, E.; Rajaobelison, J.; Ramaroson, V.; Rahobisoa, J.J.

2007-01-01

The groundwater recharge process in the Morondava Sedimentary basin was determined using chemical and isotopic tools. The results showed that the main recharge into shallow aquifer is from infiltration of evaporated water. Into deeper aquifer, it is done either from direct infiltration of rainfall from recharge areas on the top of the hill in the East towards the low-lying discharge areas in the West, or from vertical infiltration of evaporated shallow groundwater. The tritium contents suggest that recharge from shallow aquifers is from recent rainfall with short residence time while recharge into deeper aquifers is from older rainfall with longer residence time.

Aggregation effects on tritium-based mean transit times and young water fractions in spatially heterogeneous catchments and groundwater systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. K. Stewart

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Kirchner (2016a demonstrated that aggregation errors due to spatial heterogeneity, represented by two homogeneous subcatchments, could cause severe underestimation of the mean transit times (MTTs of water travelling through catchments when simple lumped parameter models were applied to interpret seasonal tracer cycle data. Here we examine the effects of such errors on the MTTs and young water fractions estimated using tritium concentrations in two-part hydrological systems. We find that MTTs derived from tritium concentrations in streamflow are just as susceptible to aggregation bias as those from seasonal tracer cycles. Likewise, groundwater wells or springs fed by two or more water sources with different MTTs will also have aggregation bias. However, the transit times over which the biases are manifested are different because the two methods are applicable over different time ranges, up to 5 years for seasonal tracer cycles and up to 200 years for tritium concentrations. Our virtual experiments with two water components show that the aggregation errors are larger when the MTT differences between the components are larger and the amounts of the components are each close to 50 % of the mixture. We also find that young water fractions derived from tritium (based on a young water threshold of 18 years are almost immune to aggregation errors as were those derived from seasonal tracer cycles with a threshold of about 2 months.

Geochemical modelling of groundwater evolution and residence time at the Haestholmen site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pitkaenen, P.; Luukkonen, A. [VTT Communities and Infrastructure, Espoo (Finland); Ruotsalainen, P. [Fintact Oy, Helsinki (Finland); Leino- Forsman, H.; Vuorinen, U. [VTT Chemical Technology, Espoo (Finland)

2001-01-01

An understanding of the geochemical evolution of groundwater is an essential part of the performance assessment and safety analysis of the geological final disposal of radioactive waste. The performance of technical barriers and migration of possibly released radionuclides depend on the geochemical conditions. A prerequisite for understanding these factors is the ability to specify the water-rock interactions that control chemical conditions in groundwater. The objective of this study is to interpret the processes and factors that control the hydrogeochemistry, such as pH and redox conditions. A model of the hydrogeochemical progress in different parts of the crystalline bedrock at Haestholmen has been created and the significance of geochemical reactions and groundwater mixing along different flow paths calculated. Long term hydrodynamics have also been evaluated. The interpretation and modelling are based on water samples (64 altogether) obtained from precipitation, the Baltic Sea, the soil layer, shallow wells in the bedrock, and 14 deep boreholes in the bedrock for which a comprehensive data set on dissolved chemical species and isotopes was available. Some analyses of dissolved gases and their isotopic measurements were also utilised. The data covers the bedrock at Haestholmen to a depth of 1000 m. The results from groundwater chemistry, isotopes, petrography, hydrogeology of the site, geomicrobial studies, and PCA and speciation calculations were used to evaluate evolutionary processes at the site. The geochemical interpretation of water-rock interaction, isotope-chemical evolution ({delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 34}S) and mixing of palaeo-water types were approached by mass-balance calculations (NETPATH). Reaction-path calculations (EQ3/6) were used to verify the thermodynamic feasibility of the reaction models obtained. The interpretation and calculation of hydrochemical data from Haestholmen suggest that changes in external conditions, such as glaciation

Residence Times in Central Valley Aquifers Recharged by Dammed Rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Loustale, M.; Paukert Vankeuren, A. N.; Visser, A.

2017-12-01

Groundwater is a vital resource for California, providing between 30-60% of the state's water supply. Recent emphasis on groundwater sustainability has induced a push to characterize recharge rates and residence times for high priority aquifers, including most aquifers in California's Central Valley. Flows in almost all rivers from the western Sierra to the Central Valley are controlled by dams, altering natural flow patterns and recharge to local aquifers. In eastern Sacramento, unconfined and confined shallow aquifers (depth recharged by a losing reach of the Lower American River, despite the presence of levees with slurry cut-off walls.1 Flow in the Lower American River is controlled through the operation of the Folsom and Nimbus Dams, with a minimum flow of 500 cfs. Water table elevation in wells in close proximity to the river are compared to river stage to determine the effect of river stage on groundwater recharge rates. Additionally, Tritium-3Helium dates and stable isotopes (∂18O and ∂2H) have been measured in monitoring wells 200- 2400 ft lateral distance from the river, and depths of 25 -225 feet BGS. Variation in groundwater age in the vertical and horizontal directions are used to determine groundwater flow path and velocity. These data are then used to calculate residence time of groundwater in the unconfined and confined aquifer systems for the Central Valley in eastern Sacramento. Applying groundwater age tracers can benefit future compliance metrics of the California Sustainable Groundwater Resources Act (SGMA), by quantifying river seepage rates and impacts of groundwater management on surface water resources. 1Moran et al., UCRL-TR-203258, 2004.

Nitrogen speciation and trends, and prediction of denitrification extent, in shallow US groundwater

Science.gov (United States)

Hinkle, Stephen R.; Tesoriero, Anthony J.

2014-01-01

Uncertainties surrounding nitrogen cycling complicate assessments of the environmental effects of nitrogen use and our understanding of the global carbon–nitrogen cycle. In this paper, we synthesize data from 877 ambient-monitoring wells across the US to frame broad patterns of nitrogen speciation and trends. At these sites, groundwater frequently contains substantial co-occurring NO3− and XSN2 (N2 from denitrification), reflecting active/ongoing denitrification and/or a mixture of undenitrified and denitrified groundwater. NO3− and NH4+ essentially do not co-occur, indicating that the dominant source of NH4+ at these sites likely is not dissimilatory reduction of NO3− to NH4+. Positive correlations of NH4+ with apparent age, CH4, dissolved organic carbon, and indicators of reduced conditions are consistent with NH4+ mobilization from degradation of aquifer organic matter and contraindicate an anthropogenic source of NH4+ for most sites. Glacial aquifers and eastern sand and gravel aquifers generally have lower proportions of NO3− and greater proportions of XSN2 than do fractured rock and karst aquifers and western sand and gravel aquifers. NO3− dominates in the youngest groundwater, but XSN2 increases as residence time increases. Temporal patterns of nitrogen speciation and concentration reflect (1) changing NO3− loads over time, (2) groundwater residence-time controls on NH4+ mobilization from solid phases, and (3) groundwater residence-time controls on denitrification. A simple classification tree using readily available variables (a national coverage of soil water depth, generalized geology) or variables reasonably estimated in many aquifers (residence time) identifies categorical denitrification extent (50%) with 79% accuracy in an independent testing set, demonstrating a predictive application based on the interconnected effects of redox, geology, and residence time.

Using streamflow and hydrochemical tracers to conceptualise hydrological function of underground channel system in a karst catchment of southwest China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhicai; Chen, Xi; Wang, Jinli

2016-04-01

Karst hydrodynamic behaviour is complex because of special karst geology and geomorphology. The permeable multi-media consisting of soil, epikarst fractures and conduits has a key influence on karst hydrological processes. Spatial heterogeneity is high due to special landforms of vertical shafts, caves and sinkholes, which leads to a high dynamic variability of hydrological processes in space and time, and frequent exchange of surface water and groundwater. Underground water in different reach were sampled over the 1996-2001 in a karst catchment of Houzhai, with 81km2, located in Guizhou province of southwest China. Samples were analysed for water temperature, pH, conductivity and four solute concentrations. The monitoring sought to assess the combined utility of flow discharge and natural geochemical tracers in upscaling flow structure understanding in karst area. Based on previous researches and field investigation, the catchment characteristics were explored with the use of a GIS. Both flow discharge and solute concentrations exhibited clear seasonal patterns at every groundwater sampling sites. The variations of flow and chemistry are more dramatic in upstream site with less soil cover and more sinkholes development, which affect the hydrological pathways significantly. There was clear evidence that the differences in geology and soil were the main controls on hydrology and flow chemistry, which was spatially variable in different sites of underground channel. Conceptual flow structures in main hydrological response units for different area in the catchment were developed according to the variation of discharge and flow chemistry.

Mitigating Agricultural Diffuse Pollution: Learning from The River Eden Demonstration Test Catchment Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Reaney, S. M.; Barker, P. A.; Haygarth, P.; Quinn, P. F.; Aftab, A.; Barber, N.; Burke, S.; Cleasby, W.; Jonczyk, J. C.; Owen, G. J.; Perks, M. T.; Snell, M. A.; Surridge, B.

2016-12-01

Freshwater systems continue to fail to achieve their ecological potential and provide associated ecological services due to poor water quality. A key driver of the failure to achieve good status under the EU Water Framework Directive derives from non-point (diffuse) pollution of sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen from agricultural landscapes. While many mitigation options exist, a framework is lacking which provides a holistic understanding of the impact of mitigation scheme design on catchment function and agronomics. The River Eden Demonstration Test Catchment project (2009-2017) in NW England uses an interdisciplinary approach including catchment hydrology, sediment-nutrient fluxes and farmer attitudes, to understand ecological function and diffuse pollution mitigation feature performance. Water flow (both surface and groundwater) and quality monitoring focused on three ca. 10km2 catchments with N and P measurements every 30 minutes. Ecological status was determined by monthly diatom community analysis and supplemented by macrophyte, macroinvertebrate and fish surveys. Changes in erosion potential and hydrological connectivity were monitored using extensive Landsat images and detailed UAV monitoring. Simulation modelling work utilised hydrological simulation models (CRAFT, CRUM3 and HBV-Light) and SCIMAP based risk mapping. Farmer behaviour and attitudes have been assessed with surveys, interviews and diaries. A suite of mitigation features have been installed including changes to land management - e.g. aeriation, storage features within a `treatment train', riparian fencing and woodland creation. A detailed dataset of the integrated catchment hydrological, water quality and ecological behaviour over multiple years, including a drought period and an extreme rainfall event, highlights the interaction between ecology, hydrological and nutrient dynamics that are driven by sediment and nutrients exported within a small number of high magnitude storm events. Hence

Assessment of Hydrochemistry for Use as Groundwater Age Proxy

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Monique; Daughney, Chris; Jackson, Bethanna; Morgenstern, Uwe

2015-04-01

Groundwater dating can aid groundwater management by providing information on groundwater flow, mixing and residence-, storage- and exposure-time of groundwater in the subsurface. Groundwater age can be inferred from environmental tracers, such as tritium, SF6 and CFCs (CFC-12, -11 and -113). These tracers often need to be applied complementarily, since they have a restricted application range and ambiguous age interpretations can be obtained. Some tracers, such as the CFCs, will become of limited use in near future, due their fading out atmospheric concentration. As a consequence of these limitations, there is a need for additional, complementary tracers to ensure groundwater dating in future. Hydrochemistry parameters, such as the concentrations and ratios of major ions, appear to be promising candidates. Hydro-chemistry data at various spatial and temporal scales are widely available through local, regional and national groundwater monitoring programmes. Promising relationships between hydrochemistry parameters and groundwater residence time or aquifer depth have been found in near piston flow environments. However, most groundwater samples contain proportions of different aged water, due to mixing of water emerging from different flow lines during sampling or discharge, which complicates the establishment of hydrochemistry-time relationships in these environments. In this study, we establish a framework to infer hydrochemistry - (residence) time relationships in non-piston flow environments by using age information inferred from environmental tracer data and lumped parameter models (LPMs). The approach involves the generation of major element concentrations by 'classic' Monte Carlo simulation and subsequent comparison of simulated and observed element concentrations by means of an objective function to establish hydrochemistry-time relationships. The framework also allows for assessment of the hydrochemistry-time relationships with regards to their potential to

Use of multiple age tracers to estimate groundwater residence times and long-term recharge rates in arid southern Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Th.; Osenbrück, K.; Strauch, G.; Pavetich, S.; Al-Mashaikhi, K.-S.; Herb, C.; Merchel, S.; Rugel, G.; Aeschbach, W.; Sanford, Ward E.

2016-01-01

Multiple age tracers were measured to estimate groundwater residence times in the regional aquifer system underlying southwestern Oman. This area, known as the Najd, is one of the most arid areas in the world and is planned to be the main agricultural center of the Sultanate of Oman in the near future. The three isotopic age tracers 4He, 14C and 36Cl were measured in waters collected from wells along a line that extended roughly from the Dhofar Mountains near the Arabian Sea northward 400 km into the Empty Quarter of the Arabian Peninsula. The wells sampled were mostly open to the Umm Er Radhuma confined aquifer, although, some were completed in the mostly unconfined Rus aquifer. The combined results from the three tracers indicate the age of the confined groundwater is  100 ka in the central section north of the mountains, and up to and > one Ma in the Empty Quarter. The 14C data were used to help calibrate the 4He and 36Cl data. Mixing models suggest that long open boreholes north of the mountains compromise 14C-only interpretations there, in contrast to 4He and 36Cl calculations that are less sensitive to borehole mixing. Thus, only the latter two tracers from these more distant wells were considered reliable. In addition to the age tracers, δ2H and δ18O data suggest that seasonal monsoon and infrequent tropical cyclones are both substantial contributors to the recharge. The study highlights the advantages of using multiple chemical and isotopic data when estimating groundwater travel times and recharge rates, and differentiating recharge mechanisms.

Agriculture and groundwater nitrate contamination in the Seine basin. The STICS-MODCOU modelling chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ledoux, E.; Gomez, E.; Monget, J.M.; Viavattene, C.; Viennot, P.; Ducharne, A.; Benoit, M.; Mignolet, C.; Schott, C.; Mary, B.

2007-01-01

A software package is presented here to predict the fate of nitrogen fertilizers and the transport of nitrate from the rooting zone of agricultural areas to surface water and groundwater in the Seine basin, taking into account the long residence times of water and nitrate in the unsaturated and aquifer systems. Information on pedological characteristics, land use and farming practices is used to determine the spatial units to be considered. These data are converted into input data for the crop model STICS which simulates the water and nitrogen balances in the soil-plant system with a daily time-step. A spatial application of STICS has been derived at the catchment scale which computes the water and nitrate fluxes at the bottom of the rooting zone. These fluxes are integrated into a surface and groundwater coupled model MODCOU which calculates the daily water balance in the hydrological system, the flow in the rivers and the piezometric variations in the aquifers, using standard climatic data (rainfall, PET). The transport of nitrate and the evolution of nitrate contamination in groundwater and to rivers is computed by the model NEWSAM. This modelling chain is a valuable tool to predict the evolution of crop productivity and nitrate contamination according to various scenarios modifying farming practices and/or climatic changes. Data for the period 1970-2000 are used to simulate the past evolution of nitrogen contamination. The method has been validated using available data bases of nitrate concentrations in the three main aquifers of the Paris basin (Oligocene, Eocene and chalk). The approach has then been used to predict the future evolution of nitrogen contamination up to 2015. A statistical approach allowed estimating the probability of transgression of different concentration thresholds in various areas in the basin. The model is also used to evaluate the cost of the damage resulting of the treatment of drinking water at the scale of a groundwater management

Agriculture and groundwater nitrate contamination in the Seine basin. The STICS-MODCOU modelling chain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ledoux, E. [Centre de Geosciences, ENSMP, UMR Sisyphe, Fontainebleau (France)]. E-mail: emmanuel.ledoux@ensmp.fr; Gomez, E. [Centre de Geosciences, ENSMP, UMR Sisyphe, Fontainebleau (France); Monget, J.M. [Centre de Geosciences, ENSMP, UMR Sisyphe, Fontainebleau (France); Viavattene, C. [Centre de Geosciences, ENSMP, UMR Sisyphe, Fontainebleau (France); Viennot, P. [Centre de Geosciences, ENSMP, UMR Sisyphe, Fontainebleau (France); Ducharne, A. [Laboratoire Sisyphe, CNRS/Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris (France); Benoit, M. [INRA, Station de Recherche SAD, 662 avenue Louis Buffet, 88500 Mirecourt (France); Mignolet, C. [INRA, Station de Recherche SAD, 662 avenue Louis Buffet, 88500 Mirecourt (France); Schott, C. [INRA, Station de Recherche SAD, 662 avenue Louis Buffet, 88500 Mirecourt (France); Mary, B. [INRA, Unite d' Agronomie Laon-Reims-Mons, Laon (France)

2007-04-01

A software package is presented here to predict the fate of nitrogen fertilizers and the transport of nitrate from the rooting zone of agricultural areas to surface water and groundwater in the Seine basin, taking into account the long residence times of water and nitrate in the unsaturated and aquifer systems. Information on pedological characteristics, land use and farming practices is used to determine the spatial units to be considered. These data are converted into input data for the crop model STICS which simulates the water and nitrogen balances in the soil-plant system with a daily time-step. A spatial application of STICS has been derived at the catchment scale which computes the water and nitrate fluxes at the bottom of the rooting zone. These fluxes are integrated into a surface and groundwater coupled model MODCOU which calculates the daily water balance in the hydrological system, the flow in the rivers and the piezometric variations in the aquifers, using standard climatic data (rainfall, PET). The transport of nitrate and the evolution of nitrate contamination in groundwater and to rivers is computed by the model NEWSAM. This modelling chain is a valuable tool to predict the evolution of crop productivity and nitrate contamination according to various scenarios modifying farming practices and/or climatic changes. Data for the period 1970-2000 are used to simulate the past evolution of nitrogen contamination. The method has been validated using available data bases of nitrate concentrations in the three main aquifers of the Paris basin (Oligocene, Eocene and chalk). The approach has then been used to predict the future evolution of nitrogen contamination up to 2015. A statistical approach allowed estimating the probability of transgression of different concentration thresholds in various areas in the basin. The model is also used to evaluate the cost of the damage resulting of the treatment of drinking water at the scale of a groundwater management

Diatoms as a fingerprint of sub-catchment contributions to meso-scale catchment runoff

Science.gov (United States)

Klaus, Julian; Wetzel, Carlos E.; Martinez-Carreras, Nuria; Ector, Luc; Pfister, Laurent

2014-05-01

In recent years, calls were made for new eco-hydrological approaches to improve understanding of hydrological processes. Recently diatoms, one of the most common and diverse algal groups that can be easily transported by flowing water due to their small size (~10-200 µm), were used to detect the onset and cessation of surface runoff to small headwater streams and constrain isotopic and hydro-chemical hydrograph separation methods. While the method showed its potential in the hillslope-riparian zone-stream continuum of headwater catchments, the behavior of diatoms and their use for hydrological process research in meso-scale catchments remains uncertain. Diatoms can be a valuable support for isotope and hydro-chemical tracer methods when these become ambiguous with increasing scale. Distribution and abundance of diatom species is controlled by various environmental factors (pH, soil type, moisture conditions, exposition to sunlight, etc.). We therefore hypothesize that species abundance and composition can be used as a proxy for source areas. This presentation evaluates the potential for diatoms to trace source-areas in the nested meso-scale Attert River basin (250 km2, Luxembourg, Europe). We sampled diatom populations in streamwater during one flood event in Fall 2011 in 6 sub-catchments and the basin outlet - 17 to 28 samples/catchment for the different sampling locations. Diatoms were classified and counted in every individual sample. In total more than 400 diatom species were detected. Ordination analysis revealed a clear distinction between communities sampled in different sub-catchments. The species composition at the catchment outlet reflects a mixing of the diatom composition originating from different sub-catchments. This data suggests that diatoms indeed can reflect the geographic origin of stream water at the catchment outlet. The centroids of the ordination analysis might be linked to the physiographic characteristics (geology and land use) of the

Isotope hydrology of catchment basins: lithogenic and cosmogenic isotopic systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nimz, G. J., LLNL

1998-06-01

also be treated as a mostly closed system for mass balance considerations. It is the near closure of the system that permits well- constrained chemical mass balance calculations to be made. These calculations generally focus of lithogenic solutes, and therefore in our discussions of lithogenic nuclides in the paper, the concept of chemical mass balance in a nearly dosed system will play an important role. Examination of the isotopic compositions of solutes provides a better understanding of the variety of processes controlling mass balance. It is with this approach that we examined the variety of processes occurring within the catchment system, such as weathering and soil production, generation of stormflow and streamflow (hydrograph separation), movement of soil pore water, groundwater flow, and the overall processes involved with basinal water balance. In this paper, the term `nuclide` will be used when referring to a nuclear species that contains a particular number of protons and neutrons. The term is not specific to any element. The term `isotope` will be used to distinguish nuclear species of a given element (atoms with the same number of protons). That is to say, there are many nuclides in nature - for example, {sup 36}Cl, {sup 87}Sr, {sup 238}U; the element has four naturally-occurring isotopes - {sup 87}Sr, and {sup 88}Sr. This paper will first discuss the general principles that underlie the study of lithogenic and cosmogenic nuclides in hydrology, and provide references to some of the more important studies applying these principles and nuclides. We then turn in the second section to a discussion of their specific applications in catchment- scale systems. The final section of this paper discusses new directions in the application of lithogenic and cosmogenic nuclides to catchment hydrology, with some thoughts concerning possible applications that still remain unexplored.

Reducing uncertainty of estimated nitrogen load reductions to aquatic systems through spatially targeting agricultural mitigation measures using groundwater nitrogen reduction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hashemi, Fatemeh; Olesen, Jørgen Eivind; Jabloun, Mohamed

2018-01-01

variation across the landscape in natural N-reduction (denitrification) of leached nitrate in the groundwater and surface water systems. A critical basis for including spatial targeting in regulation of N-load in Denmark is the uncertainty associated with the effect of spatially targeting measures, since......The need to further abate agricultural nitrate (N)-loadings to coastal waters in Denmark represents the main driver for development of a new spatially targeted regulation that focus on locating N-mitigation measures in agricultural areas with high N-load. This targeting makes use of the spatial...... the effect will be critically affected by uncertainty in the quantification of the spatial variation in N-reduction. In this study, we used 30 equally plausible N-reduction maps, at 100 m grid and sub-catchment resolutions, for the 85-km2 groundwater dominated Norsminde catchment in Denmark, applying set...

The Effect of Subsurface Parameterizations on Modeled Flows in the Catchment Land Surface Model, Fortuna 2.5

Science.gov (United States)

Roningen, J. M.; Eylander, J. B.

2014-12-01

Groundwater use and management is subject to economic, legal, technical, and informational constraints and incentives at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Planned and de facto management practices influenced by tax structures, legal frameworks, and agricultural and trade policies that vary at the country scale may have medium- and long-term effects on the ability of a region to support current and projected agricultural and industrial development. USACE is working to explore and develop global-scale, physically-based frameworks to serve as a baseline for hydrologic policy comparisons and consequence assessment, and such frameworks must include a reasonable representation of groundwater systems. To this end, we demonstrate the effects of different subsurface parameterizations, scaling, and meteorological forcings on surface and subsurface components of the Catchment Land Surface Model Fortuna v2.5 (Koster et al. 2000). We use the Land Information System 7 (Kumar et al. 2006) to process model runs using meteorological components of the Air Force Weather Agency's AGRMET forcing data from 2006 through 2011. Seasonal patterns and trends are examined in areas of the Upper Nile basin, northern China, and the Mississippi Valley. We also discuss the relevance of the model's representation of the catchment deficit with respect to local hydrogeologic structures.

Groundwater fluoride enrichment in an active rift setting: Central Kenya Rift case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olaka, Lydia A., E-mail: lydiaolaka@gmail.com [Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 30197, Nairobi (Kenya); Wilke, Franziska D.H. [Geoforschungs Zentrum, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam (Germany); Olago, Daniel O.; Odada, Eric O. [Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 30197, Nairobi (Kenya); Mulch, Andreas [Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt (Germany); Institut für Geowissenschaften, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt (Germany); Musolff, Andreas [UFZ-Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Hydrogeology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany)

2016-03-01

Groundwater is used extensively in the Central Kenya Rift for domestic and agricultural demands. In these active rift settings groundwater can exhibit high fluoride levels. In order to address water security and reduce human exposure to high fluoride in drinking water, knowledge of the source and geochemical processes of enrichment are required. A study was therefore carried out within the Naivasha catchment (Kenya) to understand the genesis, enrichment and seasonal variations of fluoride in the groundwater. Rocks, rain, surface and groundwater sources were sampled for hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations, the data was statistically and geospatially analyzed. Water sources have variable fluoride concentrations between 0.02–75 mg/L. 73% exceed the health limit (1.5 mg/L) in both dry and wet seasons. F{sup −} concentrations in rivers are lower (0.2–9.2 mg/L) than groundwater (0.09 to 43.6 mg/L) while saline lake waters have the highest concentrations (0.27–75 mg/L). The higher values are confined to elevations below 2000 masl. Oxygen (δ{sup 18}O) and hydrogen (δD) isotopic values range from − 6.2 to + 5.8‰ and − 31.3 to + 33.3‰, respectively, they are also highly variable in the rift floor where they attain maximum values. Fluoride base levels in the precursor vitreous volcanic rocks are higher (between 3750–6000 ppm) in minerals such as cordierite and muscovite while secondary minerals like illite and kaolinite have lower remnant fluoride (< 1000 ppm). Thus, geochemical F{sup −} enrichment in regional groundwater is mainly due to a) rock alteration, i.e. through long residence times and natural discharge and/or enhanced leakages of deep seated geothermal water reservoirs, b) secondary concentration fortification of natural reservoirs through evaporation, through reduced recharge and/or enhanced abstraction and c) through additional enrichment of fluoride after volcanic emissions. The findings are useful to help improve water management

Relationship of urinary arsenic metabolites to intake estimates in residents of the Red River Delta, Vietnam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agusa, Tetsuro [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Department of Legal Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Enya 89-1, Izumo 693-8501 (Japan); Kunito, Takashi [Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621 (Japan); Minh, Tu Binh [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Department of Biology and Chemistry (BCH), City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China); Pham Thi Kim Trang [Center for Environmental Technology and Sustainable Development (CETASD), Hanoi National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Iwata, Hisato [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Pham Hung Viet [Center for Environmental Technology and Sustainable Development (CETASD), Hanoi National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Tanabe, Shinsuke [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan)], E-mail: shinsuke@agr.ehime-u.ac.jp

2009-02-15

This study investigated the status of arsenic (As) exposure from groundwater and rice, and its methylation capacity in residents from the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Arsenic levels in groundwater ranged from <1.8 to 486 {mu}g/L. Remarkably, 86% of groundwater samples exceeded WHO drinking water guideline of 10 {mu}g/L. Also, estimated inorganic As intake from groundwater and rice were over Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (15 {mu}g/week/kg body wt.) by FAO/WHO for 92% of the residents examined. Inorganic As and its metabolite (monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) concentrations in human urine were positively correlated with estimated inorganic As intake. These results suggest that residents in these areas are exposed to As through consumption of groundwater and rice, and potential health risk of As is of great concern for these people. Urinary concentration ratios of dimethylarsinic acid to monomethylarsonic acid in children were higher than those in adults, especially among men, indicating greater As methylation capacity in children. - Positive correlations between estimated arsenic intake and urinary inorganic arsenic and its metabolites were observed in human from the Red River Delta, Vietnam.

Relationship of urinary arsenic metabolites to intake estimates in residents of the Red River Delta, Vietnam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agusa, Tetsuro; Kunito, Takashi; Minh, Tu Binh; Pham Thi Kim Trang; Iwata, Hisato; Pham Hung Viet; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2009-01-01

This study investigated the status of arsenic (As) exposure from groundwater and rice, and its methylation capacity in residents from the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Arsenic levels in groundwater ranged from <1.8 to 486 μg/L. Remarkably, 86% of groundwater samples exceeded WHO drinking water guideline of 10 μg/L. Also, estimated inorganic As intake from groundwater and rice were over Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (15 μg/week/kg body wt.) by FAO/WHO for 92% of the residents examined. Inorganic As and its metabolite (monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) concentrations in human urine were positively correlated with estimated inorganic As intake. These results suggest that residents in these areas are exposed to As through consumption of groundwater and rice, and potential health risk of As is of great concern for these people. Urinary concentration ratios of dimethylarsinic acid to monomethylarsonic acid in children were higher than those in adults, especially among men, indicating greater As methylation capacity in children. - Positive correlations between estimated arsenic intake and urinary inorganic arsenic and its metabolites were observed in human from the Red River Delta, Vietnam

Common problematic aspects of coupling hydrological models with groundwater flow models on the river catchment scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Barthel

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Model coupling requires a thorough conceptualisation of the coupling strategy, including an exact definition of the individual model domains, the "transboundary" processes and the exchange parameters. It is shown here that in the case of coupling groundwater flow and hydrological models – in particular on the regional scale – it is very important to find a common definition and scale-appropriate process description of groundwater recharge and baseflow (or "groundwater runoff/discharge" in order to achieve a meaningful representation of the processes that link the unsaturated and saturated zones and the river network. As such, integration by means of coupling established disciplinary models is problematic given that in such models, processes are defined from a purpose-oriented, disciplinary perspective and are therefore not necessarily consistent with definitions of the same process in the model concepts of other disciplines. This article contains a general introduction to the requirements and challenges of model coupling in Integrated Water Resources Management including a definition of the most relevant technical terms, a short description of the commonly used approach of model coupling and finally a detailed consideration of the role of groundwater recharge and baseflow in coupling groundwater models with hydrological models. The conclusions summarize the most relevant problems rather than giving practical solutions. This paper aims to point out that working on a large scale in an integrated context requires rethinking traditional disciplinary workflows and encouraging communication between the different disciplines involved. It is worth noting that the aspects discussed here are mainly viewed from a groundwater perspective, which reflects the author's background.

Using geochemical tracers to distinguish groundwater and parafluvial inflows in rivers (the Avon Catchment, SE Australia)

Science.gov (United States)

Cartwright, I.; Hofmann, H.

2015-09-01

Understanding the location and magnitude of groundwater inflows to rivers is important for the protection of riverine ecosystems and the management of connected groundwater and surface water systems. Downstream trends in 222Rn activities and Cl concentrations in the Avon River, southeast Australia, implies that it contains alternating gaining and losing reaches. 222Rn activities of up to 3690 Bq m-3 imply that inflows are locally substantial (up to 3.1 m3 m-1 day-1). However, if it assumed that these inflows are solely from groundwater, the net groundwater inflows during low-flow periods exceed the measured increase in streamflow along the Avon River by up to 490 %. Uncertainties in the 222Rn activities of groundwater, the gas transfer coefficient, and the degree of hyporheic exchange cannot explain this discrepancy. It is proposed that a significant volume of the total calculated inflows into the Avon River represents water that exfiltrates from the river, flows through parafluvial sediments, and subsequently re-enters the river in the gaining reaches. This returning parafluvial flow has high 222Rn activities due to 222Rn emanations from the alluvial sediments. The riffle sections of the Avon River commonly have steep longitudinal gradients and may transition from losing at their upstream end to gaining at the downstream end and parafluvial flow through the sediment banks on meanders and point bars may also occur. Parafluvial flow is likely to be important in rivers with coarse-grained alluvial sediments on their floodplains and failure to quantify the input of 222Rn from parafluvial flow will result in overestimating groundwater inflows to rivers.

Oxygen, hydrogen, and helium isotopes for investigating groundwater systems of the Cape Verde Islands, West Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Heilweil, V.M.; Solomon, K.D.; Gingerich, S.B.; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.

2009-01-01

Stable isotopes (??18O, ??2H), tritium (3H), and helium isotopes (3He, 4He) were used for evaluating groundwater recharge sources, flow paths, and residence times of three watersheds in the Cape Verde Islands (West Africa). Stable isotopes indicate the predominance of high-elevation precipitation that undergoes little evaporation prior to groundwater recharge. In contrast to other active oceanic hotspots, environmental tracers show that deep geothermal circulation does not strongly affect groundwater. Low tritium concentrations at seven groundwater sites indicate groundwater residence times of more than 50 years. Higher tritium values at other sites suggest some recent recharge. High 4He and 3He/4He ratios precluded 3H/3He dating at six sites. These high 3He/4He ratios (R/Ra values of up to 8.3) are consistent with reported mantle derived helium of oceanic island basalts in Cape Verde and provided end-member constraints for improved dating at seven other locations. Tritium and 3H/3He dating shows that S??o Nicolau Island's Ribeira Faj?? Basin has groundwater residence times of more than 50 years, whereas Fogo Island's Mosteiros Basin and Santo Ant??o Island's Ribeira Paul Basin contain a mixture of young and old groundwater. Young ages at selected sites within these two basins indicate local recharge and potential groundwater susceptibility to surface contamination and/or salt-water intrusion. ?? Springer-Verlag 2009.

Groundwater flow system under a rapidly urbanizing coastal city as determined by hydrogeochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Kagabu, Makoto; Shimada, Jun; Delinom, Robert; Tsujimura, Maki; Taniguchi, Makoto

2011-01-01

In the Jakarta area (Indonesia), excessive groundwater pumping due to the rapidly increasing population has caused groundwater-related problems such as brackish water contamination in coastal areas and land subsidence. In this study, we adopted multiple hydrogeochemical techniques to demonstrate the groundwater flow system in the Jakarta area. Although almost all groundwater existing in the Jakarta basin is recharged at similar elevations, the water quality and residence time demonstrates a clear difference between the shallow and deep aquifers. Due to the rapid decrease in the groundwater potential in urban areas, we found that the seawater intrusion and the shallow and deep groundwaters are mixing, a conclusion confirmed by major ions, Br -:Cl - ratios, and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-12 analysis. Spring water and groundwater samples collected from the southern mountainside area show younger age characteristics with high concentrations of 14C and Ca-HCO 3 type water chemistry. We estimated the residence times of these groundwaters within 45 years under piston flow conditions by tritium analysis. Also, these groundwater ages can be limited to 20-30 years with piston flow evaluated by CFCs. Moreover, due to the magnitude of the CFC-12 concentration, we can use a pseudo age indicator in this field study, because we found a positive correlation between the major type of water chemistry and the CFC-12 concentration.

Two dimensions of nitrate pollution management in an agricultural catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Wachniew, Przemysław; Martinez, Grit; Bar-Michalczyk, Dominika; Kania, Jarosław; Malina, Grzegorz; Michalczyk, Tomasz; Różański, Kazimierz; Witczak, Stanisław; Zięba, Damian; Żurek, Anna J.; Berrini, Anne

2017-04-01

The Kocinka River catchment underlain by the karstic-fissured upper Jurrasic Częstochowa aquifer in Southern Poland is the site of an interdisciplinary research aimed at finding solutions to pollution of water resources with nutrients. These efforts are conducted in the framework of the BONUS Soils2Sea project that deals with the development of differentiated environmental management measures based on utilization of the natural ability of soils, groundwater and surface water to remove surplus nutrients. Implementation of these or any other measures for the improvement of water quality depends primarily on the perceptions and attitudes of the major actors, which in turn are a product of the socio-economic, cultural-historical and political development spanning many generations. The problem of the deteriorating water quality is therefore twofold. Understanding the complex natural system consisting of the coupled groundwater and surface water component with a wide spectrum of time lags of pollution transport is only the beginning of the solution. The mitigation policies and measures based on this scientific knowledge have to recognize the equally complex nature of social factors and interactions. Implementation of the European and national policies and legislations has to take into account the regional perspective. Identification of the key stakeholders is in this regard a first step followed by an inquiry into their values, perceptions and motivations through interviews, workshops, etc. Understanding of the socio-cultural, historical, economic and political factors that shape stakeholder actions is a prerequisite for the development of the successful management and mitigation schemes. The process of gaining insights into the environmental and social aspects of nutrient pollution in the Kocinka catchment is partly presented by the documentary film "Soils2Sea: Reducing nutrient loadings into the Baltic Sea" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUouES4SeJk).

GIS-Based KW-GIUH hydrological model of semiarid catchments: The case of Faria Catchment, Palestine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shadeed, S.; Shaheen, H.; Jayyousi, A.

2007-01-01

Among the most basic challenges of hydrology are the quantitative understanding of the processes of runoff generation and prediction of flow hydrographs. Traditional techniques have been widely applied for the estimation of runoff hydrographs of gauged catchments using historical rainfall-runoff data and unit hydrographs. Such procedures are questioned as to their reliability and their application to ungauged, arid and semiarid catchments. To overcome such difficulties, the use of physically based rainfall-runoff process of Faria Catchment using the lately developed KW-GIUH. Faria catchment, located in the northeastern part of the West Bank, Palestine, is characterized as a semiarid region with annual rainfall depths ranging on average from 150 to 640 mm at both ends of the catchment. The Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques were used to shape the geomorphological features of the catchment. A GIS based KW-GIUH hydrological model was used to stimulate the rainfall-runoff process in the three sub-catchments of Faria, namely: Al-Badan, Al-Faria and Al-Malaqi. The simulated runoff hydrographs proved that the GIS-based KW-GIUH model is applicable to semiarid regions and can be used to estimate the unit hydrographs in the West Bank catchments. (author)

Technical Note: Reducing the spin-up time of integrated surface water–groundwater models

KAUST Repository

Ajami, H.

2014-06-26

One of the main challenges in catchment scale application of coupled/integrated hydrologic models is specifying a catchment\\'s initial conditions in terms of soil moisture and depth to water table (DTWT) distributions. One approach to reduce uncertainty in model initialization is to run the model recursively using a single or multiple years of forcing data until the system equilibrates with respect to state and diagnostic variables. However, such "spin-up" approaches often require many years of simulations, making them computationally intensive. In this study, a new hybrid approach was developed to reduce the computational burden of spin-up time for an integrated groundwater-surface water-land surface model (ParFlow.CLM) by using a combination of ParFlow.CLM simulations and an empirical DTWT function. The methodology is examined in two catchments located in the temperate and semi-arid regions of Denmark and Australia respectively. Our results illustrate that the hybrid approach reduced the spin-up time required by ParFlow.CLM by up to 50%, and we outline a methodology that is applicable to other coupled/integrated modelling frameworks when initialization from equilibrium state is required.

Dissolved helium, inert gases, radium and radon in groundwaters from the Altnabreac research site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrews, J.N.; Kay, R.L.F.

1985-01-01

A groundwater geochemical study has been carried out at Altnabreac, Cenithness, Scotland, to investigate the feasibility of disposal of high-level radioactive wastes in crystalline rock. A groundwater flow model was constructed for sampling a section at depths up to 300 m. Measurements of inert gases dissolved in groundwaters are used, with parallel measurements of 14 C, tritium, oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to infer groundwater ages and residence times. (UK)

The groundwater contribution to surface water contamination in a region with intensive agricultural land use (Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rozemeijer, J.C.; Broers, H.P.

2007-01-01

Traditionally, monitoring of soil, groundwater and surface water quality is coordinated by different authorities in the Netherlands. Nowadays, the European Water Framework Directive (EU, 2000) stimulates an integrated approach of the complete soil-groundwater-surface water system. Based on water quality data from several test catchments, we propose a conceptual model stating that stream water quality at different discharges is the result of different mixing ratios of groundwater from different depths. This concept is used for a regional study of the groundwater contribution to surface water contamination in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant, using the large amount of available data from the regional monitoring networks. The results show that groundwater is a dominant source of surface water contamination. The poor chemical condition of upper and shallow groundwater leads to exceedance of the quality standards in receiving surface waters, especially during quick flow periods. - Water quality monitoring data show the importance of the groundwater contribution to surface water pollution

Temporal 222Rn distributions to reveal groundwater discharge into desert lakes: Implication of water balance in the Badain Jaran Desert, China

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Xin; Jiao, Jiu Jimmy; Wang, Xu-sheng; Liu, Kun

2016-03-01

How lake systems are maintained and water is balanced in the lake areas in the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD), northeast of China have been debated for about a decade. In this study, continuous 222Rn measurement is used to quantify groundwater discharge into two representative fresh and brine water lakes in the desert using a steady-state mass-balance model. Two empirical equations are used to calculate atmospheric evasion loss crossing the water-air interface of the lakes. Groundwater discharge rates yielded from the radon mass balance model based on the two empirical equations are well correlated and of almost the same values, confirming the validity of the model. The fresh water and brine lakes have a daily averaged groundwater discharge rate of 7.6 ± 1.7 mm d-1 and 6.4 ± 1.8 mm d-1, respectively. The temporal fluctuations of groundwater discharge show similar patterns to those of the lake water level, suggesting that the lakes are recharged from nearby groundwater. Assuming that all the lakes have the same discharge rate as the two studied lakes, total groundwater discharge into all the lakes in the desert is estimated to be 1.59 × 105 m3 d-1. A conceptual model of water balance within a desert lake catchment is proposed to characterize water behaviors within the catchment. This study sheds lights on the water balance in the BJD and is of significance in sustainable regional water resource utilization in such an ecologically fragile area.

Smallholder groundwater irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa: an interdisciplinary framework applied to the Usangu plains, Tanzania

Science.gov (United States)

Villholth, Karen G.; Ganeshamoorthy, Jegan; Rundblad, Christian M.; Knudsen, Theis S.

2013-11-01

A simple but comprehensive framework for analysing the potential for and constraints to groundwater development for irrigated agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is proposed. The framework, based on food value chain principles, is applied to the sub-Saharan context and a specific catchment in Tanzania, the Usangu plains, where groundwater has been proposed as a strategic resource for augmenting food production and smallholder livelihoods and to alleviate seasonal water scarcity. The novel contribution of the work is the presentation of a tool that can be applied to support an interdisciplinary approach to systematically identify most significant barriers and most critical water management and development interventions for sustainable development of groundwater irrigation. The result of the case study shows that farmer economics, capacity, and pump and well drilling market constraints limit groundwater irrigation in the Usangu plains rather than hydrogeological conditions.

Groundwater biofilm dynamics grown in situ along a nutrient gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Wendy M; Close, Murray E; Leonard, Margaret M; Webber, Judith B; Lin, Susan

2012-01-01

This paper describes the in situ response of groundwater biofilms in an alluvial gravel aquifer system on the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand. Biofilms were developed on aquifer gravel, encased in fine mesh bags and suspended in protective columns in monitoring wells for at least 20 weeks. Four sites were selected in the same groundwater system where previous analyses indicated a gradient of increasing nitrate down the hydraulic gradient from Sites 1 to 4. Measurements during the current study classified the groundwater as oligotrophic. Biofilm responses to the nutrient gradients were assessed using bioassays, with biomass determined using protein and cellular and nucleic acid staining and biofilm activity using enzyme assays for lipid, carbohydrate, phosphate metabolism, and cell viability. In general, biofilm activity decreased as nitrate levels increased from Sites 1 to 4, with the opposite relationship for carbon and phosphorus concentrations. These results showed that the groundwater system supported biofilm growth and that the upper catchment supported efficient and productive biofilms (high ratio of activity per unit biomass). © 2012, Institute of Environmental Science & Research Ltd (ESR). Ground Water © 2012, National Ground Water Association.

Suitability of artificial sweeteners as indicators of raw wastewater contamination in surface water and groundwater.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Ngoc Han; Hu, Jiangyong; Li, Jinhua; Ong, Say Leong

2014-01-01

There is no quantitative data on the occurrence of artificial sweeteners in the aquatic environment in Southeast Asian countries, particularly no information on their suitability as indicators of raw wastewater contamination on surface water and groundwater. This study provided the first quantitative information on the occurrence of artificial sweeteners in raw wastewater, surface water and groundwater in the urban catchment area in Singapore. Acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharin, and sucralose were ubiquitous in raw wastewater samples at concentrations in the range of ng/L-μg/L, while other sweeteners were not found or found only in a few of the raw wastewater samples. Residential and commercial effluents were demonstrated to be the two main sources of artificial sweeteners entering the municipal sewer systems. Relatively higher concentrations of the detected sweeteners were frequently found in surface waters at the sampling sites located in the residential/commercial areas. No significant difference in the concentrations of the detected sweeteners in surface water or groundwater was noted between wet and dry weather conditions (unpaired T-test, p> 0.05). Relatively higher concentrations and detection frequencies of acesulfame, cyclamate and saccharin in surface water samples were observed at the potentially impacted sampling sites, while these sweeteners were absent in most of the background surface water samples. Similarly, acesulfame, cyclamate, and saccharin were found in most groundwater samples at the monitoring well (GW6), which is located close to known leaking sewer segment; whereas these were absent in the background monitoring well, which is located in the catchment with no known wastewater sources. Taken together, the results suggest that acesulfame, cyclamate, and saccharin can be used as potential indicators of raw wastewater contamination in surface water and groundwater. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isotopic Survey of Lake Davis and the Local Groundwater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ridley, M N; Moran, J E; Singleton, M J

2007-08-21

In September 2007, California Fish and Game (CAFG) plans to eradicate the northern pike from Lake Davis. As a result of the eradication treatment, local residents have concerns that the treatment might impact the local groundwater quality. To address the concerns of the residents, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) recommended measuring the naturally occurring stable oxygen isotopes in local groundwater wells, Lake Davis, and the Lake Davis tributaries. The purpose of these measurements is to determine if the source of the local groundwater is either rain/snowmelt, Lake Davis/Big Grizzly Creek water or a mixture of Lake Davis/Big Grizzly Creek and rain/snowmelt. As a result of natural evaporation, Lake Davis and the water flowing into Big Grizzly Creek are naturally enriched in {sup 18}oxygen ({sup 18}O), and if a source of a well's water is Lake Davis or Big Grizzly Creek, the well water will contain a much higher concentration of {sup 18}O. This survey will allow for the identification of groundwater wells whose water source is Lake Davis or Big Grizzly Creek. The results of this survey will be useful in the development of a water-quality monitoring program for the upcoming Lake Davis treatment. LLNL analyzed 167 groundwater wells (Table 1), 12 monthly samples from Lake Davis (Table 2), 3 samples from Lake Davis tributaries (Table 2), and 8 Big Grizzly Creek samples (Table 2). Of the 167 groundwater wells sampled and analyzed, only 2 wells contained a significant component of evaporated water, with an isotope composition similar to Lake Davis water. The other 163 groundwater wells have isotope compositions which indicate that their water source is rain/snowmelt.

Mean Residence Time and Emergency Drinking Water Supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Kralik, Martin; Humer, Franko

2013-04-01

Immediately after securing an endangered population, the first priority of aid workers following a disaster is the distribution of drinking water. Such emergency situations are reported from many parts of the world following regional chemical or nuclear pollution accidents, floods, droughts, rain-induced landslides, tsunami, and other extreme events. It is often difficult to organise a replacement water supply when regular water systems with short residence times are polluted, infiltrated or even flooded by natural or man-made disasters. They are either unusable or their restoration may take months or even years. Groundwater resources, proven safe and protected by the geological environment, with long residence times and the necessary infrastructure for their exploitation, would provide populations with timeous replacement of vulnerable water supply systems and make rescue activities more rapid and effective. Such resources have to be identified and investigated, as a substitute for affected drinking water supplies thereby eliminating or reducing the impact of their failure following catastrophic events. Even in many areas such water resources with long residence times in years or decades are difficult to find it should be known which water supply facilities in the region are matching these requirements to allow in emergency situation the transport of water in tankers to the affected regions to prevent epidemics, importing large quantities of bottled water. One should know the residence time of the water supply to have sufficient time to plan and install new safe water supply facilities. Development of such policy and strategy for human security - both long term and short term - is therefore needed to decrease the vulnerability of populations threatened by extreme events and water supplies with short residence times. Generally: The longer the residence time of groundwater in the aquifer, the lower its vulnerability. The most common and economic methods to estimate

Catchment-scale evaluation of environmental regulations in the agricultural sector in Ireland (Invited)

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Melland, A. R.; Jordan, P.; Mellander, P.; Wall, D. J.; Buckley, C.; Mechan, S.; Shortle, G.

2010-12-01

The European Union (EU) Nitrates Directive regulations in Ireland limits the use of agricultural fertilisers to agronomic optima and aims to minimise surplus phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) losses to the aquatic environment. The legislated measures include limits on nutrient application according to soil P status, crop type and livestock intensity and restricts chemical and organic fertiliser spreading and ploughing to periods of the year with typically lower exposure of nutrients to runoff and leaching. These agricultural policies are being evaluated in an Agricultural Catchments Programme in six representative catchments dominated by moderate to high intensity grassland and arable enterprises across Ireland (Fealy et al., 2010). An experimental programme has been established to provide a baseline of farm nutrient management and water body quality during the early years of the measures and to provide estimates of trajectories towards (or otherwise) water quality targets. A ‘nutrient transfer continuum’ from source, through pathways, to delivery and impact in a water body receptor describes the different phases of diffuse pollution and is being used as a framework for evaluation. Compliance with Irish standards at different levels of the continuum is being evaluated and demonstrative studies are being conducted to provide evidence of linkages between source and delivery to validate conceptual models of P and N transfers in time and space in each catchment. Source compliance is being evaluated through census soil testing and a survey of nutrient management practice and farmyard infrastructure. Mobilisation and pathways of nutrient transfers do not have chemical standards except where a groundwater body acts as both a receptor and a pathway. To demonstrate these linkages, however, representative groundwater pathways are being monitored through piezometer, chemical end-member and tracer studies, and surface water pathways are being evaluated through subcatchment

Using StorAge Selection Functions to Improve Simulation of Groundwater Nitrate Lag Times in the SWAT Modeling Framework.

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Wilusz, D. C.; Fuka, D.; Cho, C.; Ball, W. P.; Easton, Z. M.; Harman, C. J.

2017-12-01

Intensive agriculture and atmospheric deposition have dramatically increased the input of reactive nitrogen into many watersheds worldwide. Reactive nitrogen can leach as nitrate into groundwater, which is stored and eventually released over years to decades into surface waters, potentially degrading water quality. To simulate the fate and transport of groundwater nitrate, many researchers and practitioners use the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) or an enhanced version of SWAT that accounts for topographically-driven variable source areas (TopoSWAT). Both SWAT and TopoSWAT effectively assume that nitrate in the groundwater reservoir is well-mixed, which is known to be a poor assumption at many sites. In this study, we describe modifications to TopoSWAT that (1) relax the assumption of groundwater well-mixedness, (2) more flexibly parameterize groundwater transport as a time-varying distribution of travel times using the recently developed theory of rank StorAge Selection (rSAS) functions, and (3) allow for groundwater age to be represented by position on the hillslope or hydrological distance from the stream. The approach conceptualizes the groundwater aquifer as a population of water parcels entering as recharge with a particular nitrate concentration, aging as they move through storage, and eventually exiting as baseflow. The rSAS function selects the distribution of parcel ages that exit as baseflow based on a parameterized probability distribution; this distribution can be adjusted to preferentially select different distributions of young and old parcels in storage so as to reproduce (in principle) any form of transport. The modified TopoSWAT model (TopoSWAT+rSAS) is tested at a small agricultural catchment in the Eastern Shore, MD with an extensive hydrologic and hydrochemical data record for calibration and evaluation. The results examine (1) the sensitivity of TopoSWAT+rSAS modeling of nitrate transport to assumptions about the distribution of travel

The study of the interactions between groundwater and Sava River water in the Ljubljansko polje aquifer system (Slovenia)

Science.gov (United States)

Vrzel, Janja; Solomon, D. Kip; Blažeka, Željko; Ogrinc, Nives

2018-01-01

River basin aquifers are common sites for drinking water wells as bank filtration can be a cost effective pretreatment technology. A groundwater vulnerability to pollution depends on a groundwater mean residence time and on a relative contribution of river water versus local precipitation to groundwater. Environmental isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen (δ18O and δ2H), tritium (3H) and concentrations of nitrate (NO3-) were used to investigate hydrological pathways, mean residence time and interactions between surface water and groundwater in the Ljubljansko polje aquifer system in Slovenia. δ18O and δ2H values indicate a spatial variability of the influence of individual groundwater sources inside the aquifer - local precipitation and the Sava River water. Fractions of river water in groundwater depend on the depth of perforated screens in the pumping wells and their distance from the Sava River. It was estimated that groundwater at wells Kleče 11, Hrastje 3, and Hrastje 8 is mostly composed of recently infiltrated local precipitation, while the Sava River is the dominant source of groundwater at the well Jarški prod 1. Groundwater at wells Kleče 8, Kleče 12, and Jarški prod 3 contains on average between 41% and 48% of the Sava River water. The 3H and 3H/3He methods indicate short mean residence time of groundwater present at Jarški prod (2-7 years) and Hrastje (7-8 years). A small fraction (pollution.

Hydrology of prairie wetlands: Understanding the integrated surface-water and groundwater processes

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Masaki; van der Kamp, Garth; Rosenberry, Donald O.

2016-01-01

Wetland managers and policy makers need to make decisions based on a sound scientific understanding of hydrological and ecological functions of wetlands. This article presents an overview of the hydrology of prairie wetlands intended for managers, policy makers, and researchers new to this field (e.g., graduate students), and a quantitative conceptual framework for understanding the hydrological functions of prairie wetlands and their responses to changes in climate and land use. The existence of prairie wetlands in the semi-arid environment of the Prairie-Pothole Region (PPR) depends on the lateral inputs of runoff water from their catchments because mean annual potential evaporation exceeds precipitation in the PPR. Therefore, it is critically important to consider wetlands and catchments as highly integrated hydrological units. The water balance of individual wetlands is strongly influenced by runoff from the catchment and the exchange of groundwater between the central pond and its moist margin. Land-use practices in the catchment have a sensitive effect on runoff and hence the water balance. Surface and subsurface storage and connectivity among individual wetlands controls the diversity of pond permanence within a wetland complex, resulting in a variety of eco-hydrological functionalities necessary for maintaining the integrity of prairie-wetland ecosystems.

CROSS-CORRELATION MODELLING OF SURFACE WATER – GROUNDWATER INTERACTION USING THE EXCEL SPREADSHEET APPLICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristijan Posavec

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Modelling responses of groundwater levels in aquifer systems, which occur as a reaction to changes in aquifer system boundary conditions such as river or stream stages, is commonly being studied using statistical methods, namely correlation, cross-correlation and regression methods. Although correlation and regression analysis tools are readily available in Microsoft Excel, a widely applied spreadsheet industry standard, the cross-correlation analysis tool is missing. As a part of research of groundwater pressure propagation into alluvial aquifer systems of the Sava and Drava/Danube River catchments following river stages rise, focused on estimating groundwater pressure travel times in aquifers, an Excel spreadsheet data analysis application for cross-correlation modelling has been designed and used in modelling surface water – groundwater interaction. Examples of fi eld data from the Zagreb aquifer system and the Kopački rit Nature Park aquifer system are used to illustrate the usefulness of the cross-correlation application.

Groundwater and Human Controls on the Suspended Sediment Load of Na Borges River, Mallorca (Spain)

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Estrany, J.; Garcia, C.

2009-04-01

Groundwater dominance has important effects on the hydrological and geomorphological characteristics of river systems. Low suspended sediment concentrations and high water clarity are expected because significant inputs of sediment-free spring water dilute the suspended sediment generated by storms. However, in many Mediterranean temporary rivers, groundwater dominance is characterised by seasonal alternations of influent and effluent discharge involving significant variability on the sediment transport regimes. Such areas are often subject to soil and water conservation practices over the centuries that have reduced the sediment contribution from agricultural fields and favour subsurface flow to rivers. Moreover, urbanisation during the twentieth century has changed the catchment hydrology and altered basic river processes due to its ‘flashy' regime. In this context, we monitored suspended sediment fluxes by means of three nested sub-catchments during a two-year period in the Na Borges River, a lowland agricultural catchment (319 km2) on the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands) managed and therefore modified since Roman Age by agricultural soil and water conservation practices and recently by urbanisation. The suspended sediment concentration (SSC) was lower when the base flow index (i.e., relative proportion of baseflow compared to stormflow, BFI) was higher. Considering the high variability of the Mediterranean climate, a significant scatter of daily average SSC between sites and seasonally was observed, ranging between 22 to 54 mg l-1 for the total study period. The maximum instantaneous peak surpassed 6,000 mg l-1, recorded at downstream site based on the sediment supplied when there was no baseflow and the rainfall intensity was remarkable. At the other sites, peak concentrations did not exceed 2,000 mg l-1 because groundwater plays a more significant role. Furthermore, strong seasonal contrasts explain the high SSC coefficient of variation, which is

Contrasting patterns of groundwater evapotranspiration in grass and tree dominated riparian zones of a temperate agricultural catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Satchithanantham, Sanjayan; Wilson, Henry F.; Glenn, Aaron J.

2017-06-01

Consumptive use of shallow groundwater by phreatophytic vegetation is a significant part of the water budget in many regions, particularly in riparian areas. The influence of vegetation type on groundwater level fluctuations and evapotranspiration has rarely been quantified for contrasting plant communities concurrently although it has implications for downstream water yield and quality. Hourly groundwater evapotranspiration (ETG) rates were estimated for grass and tree riparian vegetation in southwestern Manitoba, Canada using two modified White methods. Groundwater table depth was monitored in four 21 m transects of five 3 m deep monitoring wells in the riparian zone of a stream reach including tree (Acer negundo; boxelder) and grass (Bromus inermis; smooth brome) dominated segments. The average depths to the groundwater table from the surface were 1.4 m and 1 m for the tree and grass segments, respectively, over the two-year study. During rain free periods of the growing season ETG was estimated for a total of 70 days in 2014 and 79 days in 2015 when diurnal fluctuations were present in groundwater level. Diurnal groundwater level fluctuations were observed during dry periods under both segments, however, ETG was significantly higher (p < 0.001) under trees compared to grass cover in 2014 (a wet year with 72% higher than normal growing season precipitation) and 2015 (a drier year with 15% higher than normal growing season precipitation). The two methods used to estimate ETG produced similar daily and seasonal values for the two segments. In 2014, total ETG was approximately 50% (148 mm) and 100% (282-285 mm) of reference evapotranspiration (ETref, 281 mm) for the grass and tree segments, respectively. In 2015, total ETG was approximately 40% (106-127 mm) and 120% (369-374 mm) of ETref (307 mm) for the grass and tree segments, respectively. Results from the study show the tree dominated portions of the stream reach consumed approximately 2.4 ML ha-1 yr-1 more

Chlorine isotopes and their application to groundwater dating at Olkiluoto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gascoyne, M.

2014-09-01

The chlorine isotopes 36 Cl and 37 Cl have been shown to be useful tracers of groundwater, and for investigations of sources of dissolved Cl, mixing of fluids, water-rock interactions in sedimentary environments and in identifying solute sources and transport mechanisms. In addition, the radioactive isotope, 36 Cl, is a useful tracer for determining the residence time of groundwater. This report examines the results of Cl isotopic analysis of groundwaters from as deep as 1000 m at the Olkiluoto site in southwest Finland. Thirty-four samples were analysed for 36 Cl/Cl and 29 were analysed for 37 Cl (expressed as δ 37 Cl). The value δ 37 Cl was found to stabilize at higher salinities and the maximum range of δ 37 Cl was from about - 0.6 to +0.6 per mille. Because of this limited range and the relatively large error margins associated with the δ 37 Cl measurement, the usefulness of this ratio appears to be limited. Therefore, the main part of this report is largely focused on 36 Cl. Estimation of residence time of 36 Cl gives results that support the presence of at least five groundwater types at Olkiluoto. The consistency of 36 Cl/Cl ratios in groundwaters of several widely separated, deep locations and different rock compositions, suggests that these deeper groundwaters are in secular equilibrium and, therefore, likely to be older than 1.5 million years. (orig.)

Validation on groundwater flow model including sea level change. Modeling on groundwater flow in coastal granite area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Takuma; Miyakawa, Kimio

2009-01-01

It is important to verify the groundwater flow model that reproduces pressure head, water chemistry, and groundwater age. However, water chemistry and groundwater age are considered to be influenced by historical events. In this study, sea level change during glacial-interglacial cycle was taken into account for simulating salinity and groundwater age at coastal granite area. As a result of simulation, salinity movement could not catch up with sea level changes, and mixing zone was formed below the fresh-water zone. This mixing zone was observed in the field measurement, and the observed salinities were agreed with simulated results including sea level change. The simulated residence time including sea level change is one-tenth of steady state. The reason is that the saline water was washed out during regression and modern sea-water was infiltrated during transgression. As mentioned before, considering sea level change are important to reproduce salinity and helium age at coastal area. (author)

A study of groundwater monitoring data analysis using Artificial Neural Network model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Kunio; Gautam, M.R.; Saegusa, Hiromitsu

2003-05-01

The results of groundwater flow modeling are to be justified using groundwater monitoring data in the hydrogeological characterization. On the other hand, hydraulic continuities of the geological structures, all of which are considered to have great effect on groundwater flow and/or groundwater quality, are to be estimated using the groundwater flow monitoring data with hydraulic response to some impacts such as borehole drilling, pumping test and so on. Therefore, the groundwater monitoring is important for characterizing the geological and hydrogeological environments. In order to characterize of hydrogeological environment using the monitoring data, it is important to evaluate the influence of artificial and natural impact on the monitoring data. In this study, the following three research works are carried out based on the groundwater monitoring data collected at the Tono area. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was adopted as the tool for monitoring data analysis. Runoff analysis for assessment of importance of soil moisture on runoff estimation in a catchment. Analysis of water level fluctuation for determination influence factors in the water level fluctuation and for filtering out the influence factors from the water level data . Analysis of hydraulic pressure fluctuation in deep geological formations for hydrogeological characterization and assessment of human influence on the pore pressure in deep formation. Through this study, applicability of ANN for analysis and interpretation of the groundwater monitoring data could be confirmed and methodology for utilization the monitoring data for understanding and characterization of hydrogeological environment could be developed. (author)

The Legal Framework for Groundwater Allocation in Quebec: Towards Integrated Water Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hugo Tremblay

2008-09-01

Full Text Available This paper aims at providing a model of the legal framework for groundwater allocation in the province of Quebec (Canada, identifying its potential deficiencies and suggesting possible improvements. In Quebec, groundwater is a res communis. The right to use it is tied to real estate property. This right forms the basis of the legal framework for the management of groundwater quantity. However, according to statutory law, the actual use of groundwater also depends on governmental authorisations that limit quantities used. The main statutory instrument for managing the resource is the Groundwater Catchment Regulation (GWCR, which aims at conflict prevention between first users and new users by means of governmental authorisations. In agricultural areas, an additional authorisation regime indirectly prioritises agricultural groundwater uses. Finally, legal mechanisms addressing conflicts between water users rely on the general litigation framework provided by Quebec law without establishing an order of priority for the different uses of the resource. According to Integrated Water Resources Management, four aspects of the legal framework for groundwater quantity management can be modified to increase the efficiency of the allocation regime: 1 provisions should be made to preserve a residual environmental flow; 2 an order of priority should be established between the different uses to minimise conflict; 3 the scope of the regime should be extended to all groundwater users to increase its efficiency; 4 stakeholders should participate in the management of the resource.

Catchment Models and Management Tools for diffuse Contaminants (Sediment, Phosphorus and Pesticides): DIFFUSE Project

Science.gov (United States)

Mockler, Eva; Reaney, Simeon; Mellander, Per-Erik; Wade, Andrew; Collins, Adrian; Arheimer, Berit; Bruen, Michael

2017-04-01

The agricultural sector is the most common suspected source of nutrient pollution in Irish rivers. However, it is also often the most difficult source to characterise due to its predominantly diffuse nature. Particulate phosphorus in surface water and dissolved phosphorus in groundwater are of particular concern in Irish water bodies. Hence the further development of models and indices to assess diffuse sources of contaminants are required for use by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide support for river basin planning. Understanding connectivity in the landscape is a vital component of characterising the source-pathway-receptor relationships for water-borne contaminants, and hence is a priority in this research. The DIFFUSE Project will focus on connectivity modelling and incorporation of connectivity into sediment, nutrient and pesticide risk mapping. The Irish approach to understanding and managing natural water bodies has developed substantially in recent years assisted by outputs from multiple research projects, including modelling and analysis tools developed during the Pathways and CatchmentTools projects. These include the Pollution Impact Potential (PIP) maps, which are an example of research output that is used by the EPA to support catchment management. The PIP maps integrate an understanding of the pollution pressures and mobilisation pathways and, using the source-pathways-receptor model, provide a scientific basis for evaluation of mitigation measures. These maps indicate the potential risk posed by nitrate and phosphate from diffuse agricultural sources to surface and groundwater receptors and delineate critical source areas (CSAs) as a means of facilitating the targeting of mitigation measures. Building on this previous research, the DIFFUSE Project will develop revised and new catchment managements tools focused on connectivity, sediment, phosphorus and pesticides. The DIFFUSE project will strive to identify the state

Groundwater Recharge Processes Revealed By Multi-Tracers Approach in a Headwater, North China Plain

Science.gov (United States)

Sakakibara, K.; Tsujimura, M.; Song, X.; Zhang, J.

2014-12-01

Groundwater recharge variation in space and time is crucial for effective water management especially in arid/ semi-arid regions. In order to reveal comprehensive groundwater recharge processes in a catchment with a large topographical relief and seasonal hydrological variations, intensive field surveys were conducted at 4 times in different seasons in Wangkuai watershed, Taihang Mountains, which is a main groundwater recharge zone of North China Plain. The groundwater, spring, stream water and lake water were sampled, and inorganic solute constituents and stable isotopes of oxygen-18 and deuterium were determined on all water samples. Also, the stream flow rate was observed in stable state condition. The stable isotopic compositions, silica and bicarbonate concentrations in the groundwater show close values as those in the surface water, suggesting main groundwater recharge occurs from surface water at mountain-plain transitional zone throughout a year. Also, the deuterium and oxgen-18 in the Wangkuai reservoir and the groundwater in the vicinity of the reservoir show higher values, suggesting the reservoir water, affected by evaporation effect, seems to have an important role for the groundwater recharge in alluvial plain. For specifying the groundwater recharge area and quantifying groundwater recharge rate from the reservoir, an inversion analysis and a simple mixing model were applied in Wangkuai watershed using stable isotopes of oxygen-18 and deuterium. The model results show that groundwater recharge occurs dominantly at the altitude from 357 m to 738 m corresponding to mountain-plain transitional zone, and groundwater recharge rate by Wangkuai reservoir is estimated to be 2.4 % of total groundwater recharge in Wangkuai watershed.

Efficient Calibration of Distributed Catchment Models Using Perceptual Understanding and Hydrologic Signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Hutton, C.; Wagener, T.; Freer, J. E.; Duffy, C.; Han, D.

2015-12-01

Distributed models offer the potential to resolve catchment systems in more detail, and therefore simulate the hydrological impacts of spatial changes in catchment forcing (e.g. landscape change). Such models may contain a large number of model parameters which are computationally expensive to calibrate. Even when calibration is possible, insufficient data can result in model parameter and structural equifinality. In order to help reduce the space of feasible models and supplement traditional outlet discharge calibration data, semi-quantitative information (e.g. knowledge of relative groundwater levels), may also be used to identify behavioural models when applied to constrain spatially distributed predictions of states and fluxes. The challenge is to combine these different sources of information together to identify a behavioural region of state-space, and efficiently search a large, complex parameter space to identify behavioural parameter sets that produce predictions that fall within this behavioural region. Here we present a methodology to incorporate different sources of data to efficiently calibrate distributed catchment models. Metrics of model performance may be derived from multiple sources of data (e.g. perceptual understanding and measured or regionalised hydrologic signatures). For each metric, an interval or inequality is used to define the behaviour of the catchment system, accounting for data uncertainties. These intervals are then combined to produce a hyper-volume in state space. The state space is then recast as a multi-objective optimisation problem, and the Borg MOEA is applied to first find, and then populate the hyper-volume, thereby identifying acceptable model parameter sets. We apply the methodology to calibrate the PIHM model at Plynlimon, UK by incorporating perceptual and hydrologic data into the calibration problem. Furthermore, we explore how to improve calibration efficiency through search initialisation from shorter model runs.

Using Emergent and Internal Catchment Data to Elucidate the Influence of Landscape Structure and Storage State on Hydrologic Response in a Piedmont Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Putnam, S. M.; Harman, C. J.

2017-12-01

Many studies have sought to unravel the influence of landscape structure and catchment state on the quantity and composition of water at the catchment outlet. These studies run into issues of equifinality where multiple conceptualizations of flow pathways or storage states cannot be discriminated against on the basis of the quantity and composition of water alone. Here we aim to parse out the influence of landscape structure, flow pathways, and storage on both the observed catchment hydrograph and chemograph, using hydrometric and water isotope data collected from multiple locations within Pond Branch, a 37-hectare Piedmont catchment of the eastern US. This data is used to infer the quantity and age distribution of water stored and released by individual hydrogeomorphic units, and the catchment as a whole, in order to test hypotheses relating landscape structure, flow pathways, and catchment storage to the hydrograph and chemograph. Initial hypotheses relating internal catchment properties or processes to the hydrograph or chemograph are formed at the catchment scale. Data from Pond Branch include spring and catchment discharge measurements, well water levels, and soil moisture, as well as three years of high frequency precipitation and surface water stable water isotope data. The catchment hydrograph is deconstructed using hydrograph separation and the quantity of water associated with each time-scale of response is compared to the quantity of discharge that could be produced from hillslope and riparian hydrogeomorphic units. Storage is estimated for each hydrogeomorphic unit as well as the vadose zone, in order to construct a continuous time series of total storage, broken down by landscape unit. Rank StorAge Selection (rSAS) functions are parameterized for each hydrogeomorphic unit as well as the catchment as a whole, and the relative importance of changing proportions of discharge from each unit as well as storage in controlling the variability in the catchment

Microbes Characteristics in Groundwater Flow System in Mountainous Area

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Chisato; Tsujimura, Maki; Kato, Kenji; Sakakibara, Koichi; Ogawa, Mahiro; Sugiyama, Ayumi; Nagaosa, Kazuyo

2017-04-01

We focus on a possibility of microbes as a tracer for groundwater flow investigation. Some previous papers showed that the total number of prokaryotes in groundwater has correlation with depth and geology (Parkes et al., 1994; Griebler et al., 2009; Kato et al., 2012). However, there are few studies investigating both microbe characteristics and groundwater flow system. Therefore, we investigated a relationship between the total number of prokaryotes and age of spring water and groundwater. Intensive field survey was conducted at four mountainous areas, namely Mt. Fuji (volcano), a headwater at Mt. Setohachi, a headwater at River Oi and a headwater at River Nagano underlain by volcanic lava at Mt. Fuji, granite at Mt. Setohachi and sedimentary rock at River Oi and River Nagano. We collected totally 40 spring water/ groundwater samples in these mountainous areas in October 2015, August, October and November 2016 and analyzed concentration of inorganic ions, the stable isotopes of oxygen - 18, deuterium, CFCs and SF6. Also, we counted prokaryotic cells under the epifluorescence microscopy after fixation and filteration. The total number of prokaryotes in the spring water/ groundwater ranged from 1.0×102 to 7.0×103cells mL-1 at the Mt. Fuji, 1.3×104 to 2.7×105cells mL-1 at Mt. Setohachi, 3.1×104cells mL-1 at River Oi and 1.8×105 to 3.2×106cells mL-1 at River Nagano. The SF6 age of the spring water/ groundwater ranged from 8 to 64 years at Mt. Fuji, 2 to 32.5 years at Mt. Setohachi, 2.5 years at River Oi and 15 to 16 years at River Nagano. The total number of prokaryotes showed a clear negative correlation with residence time of spring water/ groundwater in all regions. Especially the prokaryotes number increased in the order of 102 cells mL-1 with decreasing of residence time in approximately 10 years in the groundwater and spring water with the age less than 15 years.

85Kr dating of groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rozanski, K.; Florkowski, T.

1978-01-01

The possibility of 85 Kr dating of groundwater is being investigated. The method of gas extraction from 200 to 300 litres of water sample has been developed. The Argon and Krypton mixture, separated from the gas extracted from water, was counted in a 1.5 ml volume proportional counter. The amount of krypton gas in the counter was determined by mass spectrometry. A number of surface and groundwater samples were analyzed indicating an 85 Kr concentration ranging from present atmospheric content (river water) to zero values. 85 Kr 'blank value' was determined to be about 5 per cent of present 85 Kr atmospheric content. For groundwater samples, the mean residence time in the system was calculated assuming the exponential model and known 85 Kr input function. Further improvement of the method should bring higher yield of krypton separation and lower volume of water necessary for analysis. (orig.) [de

Qualitatively Modeling solute fate and transport across scales in an agricultural catchment with diverse lithology

Science.gov (United States)

Wayman, C. R.; Russo, T. A.; Li, L.; Forsythe, B.; Hoagland, B.

2017-12-01

As part of the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (SSHCZO) project, we have collected geochemical and hydrological data from several subcatchments and four monitoring sites on the main stem of Shaver's Creek, in Huntingon county, Pennsylvania. One subcatchment (0.43 km2) is under agricultural land use, and the monitoring locations on the larger Shaver's Creek (up to 163 km2) drain watersheds with 0 to 25% agricultural area. These two scales of investigation, coupled with advances made across the SSHCZO on multiple lithologies allow us to extrapolate from the subcatchment to the larger watershed. We use geochemical surface and groundwater data to estimate the solute and water transport regimes within the catchment, and to show how lithology and land use are major controls on ground and surface water quality. One area of investigation includes the transport of nutrients between interflow and regional groundwater, and how that connectivity may be reflected in local surface waters. Water and nutrient (Nitrogen) isotopes, will be used to better understand the relative contributions of local and regional groundwater and interflow fluxes into nearby streams. Following initial qualitative modeling, multiple hydrologic and nutrient transport models (e.g. SWAT and CYCLES/PIHM) will be evaluated from the subcatchment to large watershed scales. We will evaluate the ability to simulate the contributions of regional groundwater versus local groundwater, and also impacts of agricultural land management on surface water quality. Improving estimations of groundwater contributions to stream discharge will provide insight into how much agricultural development can impact stream quality and nutrient loading.

Shallow bedrock limits groundwater seepage-based headwater climate refugia

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Briggs, Martin A.; Lane, John W.; Snyder, Craig D.; White, Eric A.; Johnson, Zachary; Nelms, David L.; Hitt, Nathaniel P.

2018-01-01

Groundwater/surface-water exchanges in streams are inexorably linked to adjacent aquifer dynamics. As surface-water temperatures continue to increase with climate warming, refugia created by groundwater connectivity is expected to enable cold water fish species to survive. The shallow alluvial aquifers that source groundwater seepage to headwater streams, however, may also be sensitive to seasonal and long-term air temperature dynamics. Depth to bedrock can directly influence shallow aquifer flow and thermal sensitivity, but is typically ill-defined along the stream corridor in steep mountain catchments. We employ rapid, cost-effective passive seismic measurements to evaluate the variable thickness of the shallow colluvial and alluvial aquifer sediments along a headwater stream supporting cold water-dependent brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in Shenandoah National Park, VA, USA. Using a mean depth to bedrock of 2.6 m, numerical models predicted strong sensitivity of shallow aquifer temperature to the downward propagation of surface heat. The annual temperature dynamics (annual signal amplitude attenuation and phase shift) of potential seepage sourced from the shallow modeled aquifer were compared to several years of paired observed stream and air temperature records. Annual stream water temperature patterns were found to lag local air temperature by ∼8–19 d along the stream corridor, indicating that thermal exchange between the stream and shallow groundwater is spatially variable. Locations with greater annual signal phase lag were also associated with locally increased amplitude attenuation, further suggestion of year-round buffering of channel water temperature by groundwater seepage. Numerical models of shallow groundwater temperature that incorporate regional expected climate warming trends indicate that the summer cooling capacity of this groundwater seepage will be reduced over time, and lower-elevation stream sections may no longer serve as larger

Characterizing multiple sources and interaction in the critical zone through Sr-isotope tracing of surface and groundwater

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Negrel, Philippe; Pauwels, Hélène

2017-04-01

The Critical Zone (CZ) is the lithosphere-atmosphere boundary where complex physical, chemical and biological processes occurs and control the transfer and storage of water and chemical elements. This is the place where life-sustaining resources are, where nutrients are being released from the rocks. Because it is the place where we are living, this is a fragile zone, a critical zone as a perturbed natural ecosystem. Water resources in hard-rocks commonly involve different hydrogeological compartments such as overlying sediments, weathered rock, the weathered-fissured zone, and fractured bedrock. Streams, lakes and wetlands that drain such environments can drain groundwater, recharge groundwater, or do both. Groundwater resources in many countries are increasingly threatened by growing demand, wasteful use, and contamination. Surface water and shallow groundwater are particularly vulnerable to pollution, while deeper resources are more protected from contamination. Here, we first report on Sr isotope data as well as major ions, from shallow and deep groundwater in several granite and schist areas over France with intensive agriculture covering large parts of these catchments. In three granite and Brioverian 'schist' areas of the Armorican Massif, the range in Sr contents in groundwater from different catchments agrees with previous work on groundwater sampled from granites in France. The Sr content is well correlated with Mg and both are partly related to agricultural practices and water rock interaction. The relationship between Sr- isotope and Mg/Sr ratios allow defining the different end-members, mainly rain, agricultural practice and water-rock interaction. The data from the Armorican Massif and other surface and groundwater for catchment draining silicate bedrocks (300-450Ma) like the Hérault, Seine, Moselle, Garonne, Morvan, Margeride, Cantal, Pyrénées and Vosges are scattered between at least three geochemical signatures. These include fertilizer and

National survey of molecular bacterial diversity of New Zealand groundwater: relationships between biodiversity, groundwater chemistry and aquifer characteristics.

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Sirisena, Kosala A; Daughney, Christopher J; Moreau-Fournier, Magali; Ryan, Ken G; Chambers, Geoffrey K

2013-12-01

Groundwater is a vital component of rural and urban water supplies in New Zealand. Although extensive monitoring of chemical and physical properties is conducted due to the high demand for this valuable resource, current information on its bacterial content is limited. However, bacteria provide an immense contribution to drive the biogeochemical processes in the groundwater ecosystem as in any other ecosystem. Therefore, a proper understanding of bacterial diversity is crucial to assess the effectiveness of groundwater management policies. In this study, we investigated the bacterial community structure in NZ groundwater at a national scale using the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) molecular profiling tool and determined the relationships between bacterial diversity and groundwater chemistry, geological parameters and human impact. Considerable bacterial diversity was present and the community structures were strongly related to groundwater chemistry, and in particular to redox potential and human impact, reflecting their potential influence on determination of bacterial diversity. Further, the mean residence time of groundwater also showed relationships with bacterial community structure. These novel findings pertaining to community composition and its relationships with environmental parameters will provide a strong foundation for qualitative exploration of the bacterial diversity in NZ groundwater in relation to sustainable management of this valuable resource. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a distributed catchment scale water balance model

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Troch, Peter A.; Mancini, Marco; Paniconi, Claudio; Wood, Eric F.

1993-01-01

The validity of some of the simplifying assumptions in a conceptual water balance model is investigated by comparing simulation results from the conceptual model with simulation results from a three-dimensional physically based numerical model and with field observations. We examine, in particular, assumptions and simplifications related to water table dynamics, vertical soil moisture and pressure head distributions, and subsurface flow contributions to stream discharge. The conceptual model relies on a topographic index to predict saturation excess runoff and on Philip's infiltration equation to predict infiltration excess runoff. The numerical model solves the three-dimensional Richards equation describing flow in variably saturated porous media, and handles seepage face boundaries, infiltration excess and saturation excess runoff production, and soil driven and atmosphere driven surface fluxes. The study catchments (a 7.2 sq km catchment and a 0.64 sq km subcatchment) are located in the North Appalachian ridge and valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Hydrologic data collected during the MACHYDRO 90 field experiment are used to calibrate the models and to evaluate simulation results. It is found that water table dynamics as predicted by the conceptual model are close to the observations in a shallow water well and therefore, that a linear relationship between a topographic index and the local water table depth is found to be a reasonable assumption for catchment scale modeling. However, the hydraulic equilibrium assumption is not valid for the upper 100 cm layer of the unsaturated zone and a conceptual model that incorporates a root zone is suggested. Furthermore, theoretical subsurface flow characteristics from the conceptual model are found to be different from field observations, numerical simulation results, and theoretical baseflow recession characteristics based on Boussinesq's groundwater equation.

Helium-4 characteristics of groundwaters from Central Australia: Comparative chronology with chlorine-36 and carbon-14 dating techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Kulongoski, Justin T.; Hilton, David R.; Cresswell, Richard G.; Hostetler, Stephen; Jacobson, Gerry

2008-01-01

SummaryHelium isotope and concentration characteristics were determined for a suite of groundwater samples from the Amadeus Basin in Central Australia. Two study areas include a wellfield south of Alice Springs, and the Dune Plains and Mututjulu aquifers near Uluru. Measurements of 36Cl/Cl and 14C on the same sample suite enable us to assess the relative applicability of the three groundwater chronometers over a range of anticipated groundwater residence times (ages), and to investigate possible causes of discordant 'ages' derived from the different groundwater dating techniques. Results from the analyses of 39 groundwater samples reveal helium-4 ( 4He) concentrations that range from 0.80 to 98.8 (×10 -7 cm 3 STP g -1 H 2O) in the Alice Springs samples, and from 0.47 to 65.6 (×10 -7 cm 3 STP g -1 H 2O) in the Uluru samples. 4He concentrations yield uncorrected groundwater residence times (i.e. time since recharge) of between modern to >2500 ka (near Alice Springs) and modern to 1600 ka (near Uluru) assuming an effective porosity of 20%, and uranium and thorium contents of 1.7 and 6.1 ppm, respectively. 36Cl/Cl ratios on the same samples range from 93 to 158 (×10 -15) (near Alice Springs) and from 80 to 335 (×10 -15) (near Uluru) representing groundwater residence times near Alice Springs from modern to >200 ka, and from modern to >300 ka near Uluru. Percent modern carbon (pmc) on the same samples ranged from 64.9 to 12.5 pmc near Alice Springs, and from 93.5 to 30 ka. For the Amadeus Basin groundwater samples, the 4He method (uncorrected) over-estimates groundwater residence time compared to 36Cl and 14C techniques. This implies the presence of an extraneous He component or basal flux of He ( J0). To reconcile groundwater 4He and 14C residence times, it is necessary to adopt J0 values between 0 and 30 (×10 -8) cm 3 STP He cm -2 a -1 which supplements in situ produced He within the aquifer. Adoption of J0 values over this range lowers 4He residence times

Spatial Modelling of Sediment Transport over the Upper Citarum Catchment

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Poerbandono

2006-05-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses set up of a spatial model applied in Geographic Information System (GIS environment for predicting annual erosion rate and sediment yield of a watershed. The study area is situated in the Upper Citarum Catchment of West Java. Annual sediment yield is considered as product of erosion rate and sediment delivery ratio to be modelled under similar modeling tool. Sediment delivery ratio is estimated on the basis of sediment resident time. The modeling concept is based on the calculation of water flow velocity through sub-catchment surface, which is controlled by topography, rainfall, soil characteristics and various types of land use. Relating velocity to known distance across digital elevation model, sediment resident time can be estimated. Data from relevance authorities are used. Bearing in mind limited knowledge of some governing factors due to lack of observation, the result has shown the potential of GIS for spatially modeling regional sediment transport. Validation of model result is carried out by evaluating measured and computed total sediment yield at the main outlet. Computed total sediment yields for 1994 and 2001 are found to be 1.96×106 and 2.10×106tons/year. They deviate roughly 54 and 8% with respect to those measured in the field. Model response due to land use change observed in 2001 and 1994 is also recognised. Under presumably constant rainfall depth, an increase of overall average annual erosion rate of 11% resulted in an increase of overall average sediment yield of 7%.

Spatial and temporal variability of runoff and streamflow generation within and among headwater catchments: a combined hydrometric and stable isotope approach

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, N. K.; Emanuel, R. E.; McGlynn, B. L.

2012-12-01

The combined influence of topography and vegetation on runoff generation and streamflow in headwater catchments remains unclear. We aim to understand how spatial, hydrological and climate variables affect runoff generation and streamflow at hillslope and watershed scales at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory (CHL) in the southern Appalachian Mountains by analyzing stable isotopes of hydrogen (2H) and oxygen (18O) coupled with measurements of hydrological variables (stream discharge, soil moisture, shallow groundwater) and landscape variables (upslope accumulated area, vegetation density slope, and aspect). We investigated four small catchments, two of which contained broadleaf deciduous vegetation and two of which contained evergreen coniferous vegetation. Beginning in June 2011, we collected monthly water samples at 25 m intervals along each stream, monthly samples from 24 shallow groundwater wells, and weekly to monthly samples from 10 rain gauges distributed across CHL. Water samples were analyzed for 2H and 18O using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. During the same time period we recorded shallow groundwater stage at 30 min intervals from each well, and beginning in fall 2011 we collected volumetric soil moisture data at 30 min intervals from multiple depths at 16 landscape positions. Results show high spatial and temporal variability in δ2H and δ18O within and among streams, but in general we found isotopic enrichment with increasing contributing area along each stream. We used a combination of hydrometric observations and geospatial analyses to understand why stream isotope patterns varied during the year and among watersheds, and we used complementary measurements of δ2H and δ18O from other pools within the watersheds to understand the movement and mixing of precipitation that precedes runoff formation. This combination of high resolution stable isotope data and hydrometric observations facilitates a clearer understanding of spatial controls on streamflow

Large-Scale Water Resources Management within the Framework of GLOWA-Danube - Part A: The Groundwater Model

Science.gov (United States)

Barthel, R.; Rojanschi, V.; Wolf, J.; Braun, J.

2003-04-01

The interdisciplinary research co-operation Glowa-Danube aims at the development of innovative techniques, scenarios and strategies to investigate the impacts of Global Change on the hydrological cycle within the catchment area of the Upper Danube Basin (Gauge Passau). Both the influence of natural changes in the ecosystem, such as climate change, and changes in human behavior, such as changes in land use or water consumption, are considered. A globally applicable decision support tool "DANUBIA" that comprises 15 individual disciplinary models will be developed. The models are connected with each other via customized interfaces that facilitate network-based parallel calculations. The strictly object-oriented DANUBIA architecture was developed using the graphical notation tool UML (Unified Modeling Language) and has been implemented in Java code. The Institute of Hydraulic Engineering of the Universitaet Stuttgart contributes two models to DANUBIA: A groundwater flow and transport model and a water supply model. The latter is dealt with in a second contribution to this conference. This paper focuses on the groundwater model. The catchment basin of the Upper Danube covers an area of approximately 77.000 km2. The elevation difference from the highest peaks of the Alps to the lowest flatlands in the Danube valley is more than 3.000 m. In addition to the Alps, several lower mountain ranges such as the Black Forest, the Swabian and Franconian Alb and the Bavarian Forest are located respectively in the Northeast, North and Northwest of the basin. The climatic conditions, geomorphology, geology and land use show a wide range of different characteristics. The size and heterogeneity of the area make it extremely difficult to represent the natural conditions in a numerical model. Both data availability and accessibility add to the difficulties that one encounters in the approach to simulate groundwater flow and contaminant transport in this area. The groundwater flow model of

Analyzing catchment behavior through catchment modeling in the Gilgel Abay, Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia

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S. Uhlenbrook

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Understanding catchment hydrological processes is essential for water resources management, in particular in data scarce regions. The Gilgel Abay catchment (a major tributary into Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile is undergoing intensive plans for water management, which is part of larger development plans in the Blue Nile basin in Ethiopia. To obtain a better understanding of the water balance dynamics and runoff generation mechanisms and to evaluate model transferability, catchment modeling has been conducted using the conceptual hydrological model HBV. Accordingly, the catchment of the Gilgel Abay has been divided into two gauged sub-catchments (Upper Gilgel Abay and Koga and the un-gauged part of the catchment. All available data sets were tested for stationarity, consistency and homogeneity and the data limitations (quality and quantity are discussed. Manual calibration of the daily models for three different catchment representations, i.e. (i lumped, (ii lumped with multiple vegetation zones, and (iii semi-distributed with multiple vegetation and elevation zones, showed good to satisfactory model performances with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies R_eff > 0.75 and > 0.6 for the Upper Gilgel Abay and Koga sub-catchments, respectively. Better model results could not be obtained with manual calibration, very likely due to the limited data quality and model insufficiencies. Increasing the computation time step to 15 and 30 days improved the model performance in both sub-catchments to R_eff > 0.8. Model parameter transferability tests have been conducted by interchanging parameters sets between the two gauged sub-catchments. Results showed poor performances for the daily models (0.30 < R_eff < 0.67, but better performances for the 15 and 30 days models, R_eff > 0.80. The transferability tests together with a sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulations (more than 1 million

Uranium in groundwater from Western Haryana, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balvinder Singh; Nawal Kishore; Vandana Pulhani

2014-01-01

This study was undertaken to assess uranium in groundwater and radiological and chemical risks associated with its ingestion in rural habitats in the vicinity of proposed nuclear power project in Western Haryana, India. Uranium concentration in the groundwater of the study area varied from 0.3 to 256.4 μg L -1 . Radiological risk calculated in the form of average life time dose was found 5.1 × 10 -2 mSv to the residents of the area from the ingestion of groundwater. The average cancer mortality and average cancer morbidity risk were calculated to be 4.9 × 10 -6 and 7.7 × 10 -6 respectively indicating the absence of carcinogenic risks. Chemical risk was in the range of 0.02-18.8 μg kg -1 day -1 . Hazard quotient for 72 % samples was greater than unity which indicates health risk due to chemical toxicity of uranium in groundwater. The results indicate that uranium concentrations in the groundwater of the study area are important due to chemical risk than radiological risk. (author)

Topographical controls on soil moisture distribution and runoff response in a first order alpine catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Penna, Daniele; Gobbi, Alberto; Mantese, Nicola; Borga, Marco

2010-05-01

Hydrological processes driving runoff generation in mountain basins depend on a wide number of factors which are often strictly interconnected. Among them, topography is widely recognized as one of the dominant controls influencing soil moisture distribution in the root zone, depth to water table and location and extent of saturated areas possibly prone to runoff production. Morphological properties of catchments are responsible for the alternation between steep slopes and relatively flat areas which have the potentials to control the storage/release of water and hence the hydrological response of the whole watershed. This work aims to: i) identify the role of topography as the main factor controlling the spatial distribution of near-surface soil moisture; ii) evaluate the possible switch in soil moisture spatial organization between wet and relatively dry periods and the stability of patterns during triggering of surface/subsurface runoff; iii) assess the possible connection between the develop of an ephemeral river network and the groundwater variations, examining the influence of the catchment topographical properties on the hydrological response. Hydro-meteorological data were collected in a small subcatchment (Larch Creek Catchment, 0.033 km²) of Rio Vauz basin (1.9 km²), in the eastern Italian Alps. Precipitation, discharge, water table level over a net of 14 piezometric wells and volumetric soil moisture at 0-30 cm depth were monitored continuously during the late spring-early autumn months in 2007 and 2008. Soil water content at 0-6 and 0-20 cm depth was measured manually during 22 field surveys in summer 2007 over a 44-sampling point experimental plot (approximately 3000 m²). In summer 2008 the sampling grid was extended to 64 points (approximately 4500 m²) and 28 field surveys were carried out. The length of the ephemeral stream network developed during rainfall events was assessed by a net of 24 Overland Flow Detectors (OFDs), which are able to

Analysis of groundwater flow beneath ice sheets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boulton, G. S.; Zatsepin, S.; Maillot, B. [Univ. of Edinburgh (United Kingdom). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics

2001-03-01

The large-scale pattern of subglacial groundwater flow beneath European ice sheets was analysed in a previous report. It was based on a two-dimensional flowline model. In this report, the analysis is extended to three dimensions by exploring the interactions between groundwater and tunnel flow. A theory is developed which suggests that the large-scale geometry of the hydraulic system beneath an ice sheet is a coupled, self-organising system. In this system the pressure distribution along tunnels is a function of discharge derived from basal meltwater delivered to tunnels by groundwater flow, and the pressure along tunnels itself sets the base pressure which determines the geometry of catchments and flow towards the tunnel. The large-scale geometry of tunnel distribution is a product of the pattern of basal meltwater production and the transmissive properties of the bed. The tunnel discharge from the ice margin of the glacier, its seasonal fluctuation and the sedimentary characteristics of eskers are largely determined by the discharge of surface meltwater which penetrates to the bed in the terminal zone. The theory explains many of the characteristics of esker systems and can account for tunnel valleys. It is concluded that the large-scale hydraulic regime beneath ice sheets is largely a consequence of groundwater/tunnel flow interactions and that it is essential similar to non-glacial hydraulic regimes. Experimental data from an Icelandic glacier, which demonstrates measured relationships between subglacial tunnel flow and groundwater flow during the transition from summer to winter seasons for a modern glacier, and which support the general conclusions of the theory is summarised in an appendix.

Analysis of groundwater flow beneath ice sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boulton, G. S.; Zatsepin, S.; Maillot, B.

2001-03-01

The large-scale pattern of subglacial groundwater flow beneath European ice sheets was analysed in a previous report. It was based on a two-dimensional flowline model. In this report, the analysis is extended to three dimensions by exploring the interactions between groundwater and tunnel flow. A theory is developed which suggests that the large-scale geometry of the hydraulic system beneath an ice sheet is a coupled, self-organising system. In this system the pressure distribution along tunnels is a function of discharge derived from basal meltwater delivered to tunnels by groundwater flow, and the pressure along tunnels itself sets the base pressure which determines the geometry of catchments and flow towards the tunnel. The large-scale geometry of tunnel distribution is a product of the pattern of basal meltwater production and the transmissive properties of the bed. The tunnel discharge from the ice margin of the glacier, its seasonal fluctuation and the sedimentary characteristics of eskers are largely determined by the discharge of surface meltwater which penetrates to the bed in the terminal zone. The theory explains many of the characteristics of esker systems and can account for tunnel valleys. It is concluded that the large-scale hydraulic regime beneath ice sheets is largely a consequence of groundwater/tunnel flow interactions and that it is essential similar to non-glacial hydraulic regimes. Experimental data from an Icelandic glacier, which demonstrates measured relationships between subglacial tunnel flow and groundwater flow during the transition from summer to winter seasons for a modern glacier, and which support the general conclusions of the theory is summarised in an appendix

Influence of landscape heterogeneity on water available to tropical forests in an Amazonian catchment and implications for modeling drought response

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Yilin; Leung, L. Ruby; Duan, Zhuoran; Wigmosta, Mark S.; Maxwell, Reed M.; Chambers, Jeffrey Q.; Tomasella, Javier

2017-08-01

The Amazon basin has experienced periodic droughts in the past, and intense and frequent droughts are predicted in the future. Landscape heterogeneity could play an important role in how tropical forests respond to drought by influencing water available to plants. Using the one-dimensional ACME Land Model and the three-dimensional ParFlow variably saturated flow model, numerical experiments were performed for a catchment in central Amazon to elucidate processes that influence water available for plant use and provide insights for improving Earth system models. Results from ParFlow show that topography has a dominant influence on groundwater table and runoff through lateral flow. Without any representations of lateral processes, ALM simulates very different seasonal variations in groundwater table and runoff compared to ParFlow even if it is able to reproduce the long-term spatial average groundwater table of ParFlow through simple parameter calibration. In the ParFlow simulations, even in the plateau with much deeper water table depth during the dry season in the drought year of 2005, plant transpiration is not water stressed as the soil saturation is still sufficient for the stomata to be fully open based on the empirical wilting formulation in the models. This finding is insensitive to uncertainty in atmospheric forcing and soil parameters, but the empirical wilting formulation is an important factor that should be addressed using observations and modeling of coupled plant hydraulics-soil hydrology processes in future studies. The results could be applicable to other catchments in the Amazon basin with similar seasonal variability and hydrologic regimes.

Isotopic study of the effect of Tarbela reservoir on the groundwater system in the downstream areas