WorldWideScience

Sample records for saline groundwater resource

  1. Characterization of saline groundwater across the coastal aquifer of Israel as resource for desalination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stein, Shaked; Russak, Amos; Sivan, Orit; Yechieli, Yospeh; Oren, Yoram; Kasher, Roni

    2015-04-01

    compared. The results have shown that using saline groundwater underneath the FSI as a resource for RO desalination process is beneficial in terms of fluxes: the flux reduction in the seawater desalination was 16% of the initial flux, while the flux reduction with the saline groundwater was only 9%. The SDI and total organic carbon were lower in saline groundwater than in seawater, which support the flux results. Therefore, using saline groundwater as feed water for desalination may be advantageous because of lower operational costs and reduced applied pressure needed and energy usage.

  2. Saline groundwater in crystalline bedrock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lampen, P.

    1992-11-01

    The State-of-art report describes research made on deep saline groundwaters and brines found in crystalline bedrock, mainly in site studies for nuclear waste disposal. The occurrence, definitions and classifications of saline groundwaters are reviewed with a special emphasis on the different theories concerning the origins of saline groundwaters. Studies of the saline groundwaters in Finland and Sweden have been reviewed more thoroughly. Also the mixing of different bodies of groundwaters, observations of the contact of saline groundwaters and permafrost, and the geochemical modelling of saline groundwaters as well as the future trends of research have been discussed. (orig.)

  3. Dynamics of rainwater lenses on upward seeping saline groundwater

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eeman, Sara

    2017-01-01

    Fresh water is generally a limited resource in coastal areas which are often densely populated. In low-lying areas, groundwater is mostly saline and both agriculture and freshwater nature depend on a thin lens of rainwater that is formed by precipitation surplus on top of saline, upward seeping

  4. Geophysical and geochemical characterisation of groundwater resources in Western Zambia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chongo, Mkhuzo; Banda, Kawawa Eddy; Bauer-Gottwein, Peter

    Zambia’s rural water supply system depends on groundwater resources to a large extent. However, groundwater resources are variable in both quantity and quality across the country and a national groundwater resources assessment and mapping program is presently not in place. In the Machile area...... in South-Western Zambia, groundwater quality problems are particularly acute. Saline groundwater occurrence is widespread and affects rural water supply, which is mainly based on shallow groundwater abstraction using hand pumps. This study has mapped groundwater quality variations in the Machile area using...... both ground-based and airborne geophysical methods as well as extensive water quality sampling. The occurrence of saline groundwater follows a clear spatial pattern and appears to be related to the palaeo Lake Makgadikgadi, whose northernmost extension reached into the Machile area. Because the lake...

  5. Salty or Sweet: Exploring the Challenges of Groundwater Salinization Within a Sustainability Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basu, N. B.; Van Meter, K. J.; Tate, E.

    2012-12-01

    In semi-arid to arid landscapes under intensive irrigation, groundwater salinization can be a persistent and critical problem, leading to reduced agricultural productivity, limited access to fresh drinking water, and ultimately desertification. It is estimated that in India alone, problems of salinity are now affecting over 6 million hectares of agricultural land. In villages of the Mewat district of Haryana in Northern India, subsistence-level farming is the primary source of income, and farming families live under serious threat from increasing salinity levels, both in terms of crop production and adequate supplies of drinking water. The Institute for Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), a non-governmental organization (NGO) working in Mewat, has taken an innovative approach in this area to problems of groundwater salinization, using check dams and rainwater harvesting ponds to recharge aquifers in the freshwater zones of upstream hill areas, and to create freshwater pockets within the saline groundwater zones of down-gradient areas. Initial, pilot-scale efforts have led to apparent success in raising groundwater levels in freshwater zones and changing the dynamics of encroaching groundwater salinity, but the expansion of such efforts to larger-scale restoration is constrained by the availability of adequate resources. Under such resource constraints, which are typical of international development work, it becomes critical to utilize a decision-analysis framework to quantify both the immediate and long-term effectiveness and sustainability of interventions by NGOs such as IRRAD. In the present study, we have developed such a framework, linking the climate-hydrological dynamics of monsoon driven systems with village-scale socio-economic attributes to evaluate the sustainability of current restoration efforts and to prioritize future areas for intervention. We utilize a multi-dimensional metric that takes into account both physical factors related to water

  6. Impact of hydrogeological factors on groundwater salinization due to ocean-surge inundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jie; Zhang, Huichen; Yu, Xuan; Graf, Thomas; Michael, Holly A.

    2018-01-01

    Ocean surges cause seawater inundation of coastal inland areas. Subsequently, seawater infiltrates into coastal aquifers and threatens the fresh groundwater resource. The severity of resulting salinization can be affected by hydrogeological factors including aquifer properties and hydrologic conditions, however, little research has been done to assess these effects. To understand the impacts of hydrogeological factors on groundwater salinization, we numerically simulated an ocean-surge inundation event on a two-dimensional conceptual coastal aquifer using a coupled surface-subsurface approach. We varied model permeability (including anisotropy), inland hydraulic gradient, and recharge rate. Three salinization-assessment indicators were developed, based on flushing time, depth of salt penetration, and a combination of the two, weighted flushing time, with which the impact of hydrogeological factors on groundwater vulnerability to salinization were quantitatively assessed. The vulnerability of coastal aquifers increases with increasing isotropic permeability. Low horizontal permeability (kx) and high vertical permeability (kz) lead to high aquifer vulnerability, and high kx and low kz lead to low aquifer vulnerability. Vulnerability decreases with increasing groundwater hydraulic gradient and increasing recharge rate. Additionally, coastal aquifers with a low recharge rate (R ≤ 300 mm yr-1) may be highly vulnerable to ocean-surge inundation. This study shows how the newly introduced indicators can be used to quantitatively assess coastal aquifer vulnerability. The results are important for global vulnerability assessment of coastal aquifers to ocean-surge inundation.

  7. Isotopic evidence for identifying the mechanism of salinization of groundwater in Bacolod City,Negros Occidental

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castaneda, Soledad S.; Almoneda, Rosalinda V.; Sucgang, Raymond J.; Desengano, Daisy; Lim, Fatima

    2008-01-01

    Saline water is easily identified by measurement of the conductivity of the ionic species in the water. In groundwater, it is important to identify the mechanism of salinization for proper management of the resource. Salinization may come from: a) leaching of salts by percolating water, b) intrusion of modern saltwater bodies of connate water, and c) concentration of dissolved salts due to evaporation. The salinity and isotopic concentrations of 18 O, 2 H, and 3 H of the water sources were used to assess the processes which lead to the salinization of groundwater in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. The isotopic composition of deep groundwater, river water, and springs cluster along the LMWL with δ 18 O ranging from -7.9 ''promille'' to -6.5 ''promille'' and δ 2 H ranging from -52.6 ''promille'' to -39.1''promille''. Two isotopically distinct groups of deep groundwater were deleated; the higher elevation wells yielding isotopically depleted waters while the lowland wells yielding relatively enriched water with higher conductivity. The shallow coastal wells exhibited more enriched isotope values with δ 18 O values from 6.10 ''promille''-5.61''promille'' and δ 2 H from -43.1''promille'' to -38.8''promille'' and highest conductivity. The relative enrichment in the isotopic composition of the deep groundwater in the lowland and the shallow groundwater along the coast is attributed to saltwater intrusion. The process of salinization in these waters is differentiated based on the relationship between their isotopic compositions and the chlorine concentrations. The high salinity of the isotopically enriched and old deep groundwater inland is attributed to mixing with connate water. On the other hand , mixing with modern sea water is evident in the deep and shallow coastal wells. (author)

  8. Salinity of deep groundwater in California: Water quantity, quality, and protection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Mary; Jackson, Robert B.

    2016-01-01

    Deep groundwater aquifers are poorly characterized but could yield important sources of water in California and elsewhere. Deep aquifers have been developed for oil and gas extraction, and this activity has created both valuable data and risks to groundwater quality. Assessing groundwater quantity and quality requires baseline data and a monitoring framework for evaluating impacts. We analyze 938 chemical, geological, and depth data points from 360 oil/gas fields across eight counties in California and depth data from 34,392 oil and gas wells. By expanding previous groundwater volume estimates from depths of 305 m to 3,000 m in California’s Central Valley, an important agricultural region with growing groundwater demands, fresh [groundwater volume is almost tripled to 2,700 km3, most of it found shallower than 1,000 m. The 3,000-m depth zone also provides 3,900 km3 of fresh and saline water, not previously estimated, that can be categorized as underground sources of drinking water (USDWs; freshwater zones and USDWs, respectively, in the eight counties. Deeper activities, such as wastewater injection, may also pose a potential threat to groundwater, especially USDWs. Our findings indicate that California’s Central Valley alone has close to three times the volume of fresh groundwater and four times the volume of USDWs than previous estimates suggest. Therefore, efforts to monitor and protect deeper, saline groundwater resources are needed in California and beyond. PMID:27354527

  9. Strategies for safe exploitation of fresh water through multi-strainer skimming wells in saline groundwater areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alam, M.M.; Jaffery, H.M.; Hanif, M.

    2005-01-01

    Due to growing population of Pakistan, there is a tremendous pressure on our agriculture sector to increase its production to meet the food and fiber requirement. Water is a basic need to increase the agriculture production and to bring more areas under cultivation. The exploitation of groundwater resources is increasing because of limited surface water availability. Statistics indicated that number of public and private tube-wells have increased to more than 5 lacs. Over exploitations of groundwater caused a number of environmental problems including salt water intrusion and increase in the soil and groundwater salinity. A large number of fresh water tube-wells have started pumping saline groundwater in various parts of Pakistan indicating up-coning of saline groundwater in the relatively fresh water aquifers. Use of poor quality groundwater for irrigation is considered as one of the major causes of salinity in the areas of irrigated agriculture. Indiscriminate pumping of the groundwater of marginal quality through skimming fresh water overlain by saline groundwater can not be helpful in the long run. It can add to the root zone salinity and ultimately reduction of crops yield. Mona Reclamation Experimental Project (MREP) is conducting a collaborative research study on 'Root Zone Salinity Management using Fractional Skimming Wells with Pressurized Irrigation' under a research and studies portfolio of the country wide National Drainage Programme (NDP) MREP, IWMI Pakistan and Water Resources Research Institute of PARC are collaborators in this joint research effort. MREP is responsible to specifically address the objective of the study to identify and test a limited number of promising skimming well techniques in the shallow fresh water aquifers which could control the saline water up-coning phenomenon as a consequence of groundwater pumping. Detailed investigations have been done at various locations in the north-central part of Chaj Doab (Sargodha Region) in the

  10. Investigating groundwater salinity in the Machile-Zambezi Basin (Zambia) with hydrogeophysical methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chongo, Mkhuzo; A. Nyambe, Imasiku; Larsen, Flemming

    resources worldwide. This thesis presents the application of geo-electrical and electromagnetic methods for the investigation of groundwater salinity in the Machile-Zambezi Basin in south western Zambia, southern central Africa. Aerial and ground based transient electromagnetic measurenments were used...... use of direct current and transient electromagnetic data in one optimization. The result from the regional mapping with transient electromagnetic measurenments showed a spatial distribution of electrical resistivity that indicated block faulting in the Machile-Zambezi Basin. Saline groundwater...... parameters. This was for a coupled flow and solute transport model setup for the Kasaya transect under the forcing of evapotranspiration. Performance of the coupled hydrogeophysical inversion was better with the inclusion of direct current data in comparison to the use of transient electromagnetic data alone...

  11. Coastal hazards and groundwater salinization on low coral islands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, James P.; Chui, T. F. May

    2016-04-01

    Remote oceanic communities living on low-lying coral islands (atolls) without surface water rely for their survival on the continuing viability of fragile groundwater resources. These exist in the form of fresh groundwater lenses (FGLs) that develop naturally within the porous coral sand and gravel substrate. Coastal hazards such as inundation by high-energy waves driven by storms and continuing sea-level rise (SLR) are among many possible threats to viable FGL size and quality on atolls. Yet, not much is known about the combined effects of wave washover during powerful storms and SLR on different sizes of coral island, nor conversely how island size influences lens resilience against damage. This study investigates FGL damage by salinization (and resilience) caused by such coastal hazards using a modelling approach. Numerical modelling is carried out to generate steady-state FGL configurations at three chosen island sizes (400, 600 and 800 m widths). Steady-state solutions reveal how FGL dimensions are related in a non-linear manner to coral island size, such that smaller islands develop much more restricted lenses than larger islands. A 40 cm SLR scenario is then imposed. This is followed by transient simulations to examine storm-induced wave washover and subsequent FGL responses to saline damage over a 1 year period. Smaller FGLs display greater potential for disturbance by SLR, while larger and more robust FGLs tend to show more resilience. Further results produce a somewhat counterintuitive finding: in the post-SLR condition, FGL vulnerability to washover salinization may actually be reduced, owing to the thinner layer of unsaturated substrate lying above the water table into which saline water can infiltrate during a storm event. Nonetheless, combined washover and SLR impacts imply overall that advancing groundwater salinization may lead to some coral islands becoming uninhabitable long before they are completely submerged by sea-level rise, thereby calling

  12. The Slow Moving Threat of Groundwater Salinization: Mechanisms, Costs, and Adaptation Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauloo, R.; Guo, Z.; Fogg, G. E.

    2016-12-01

    Population growth, the Green Revolution, and climate uncertainties have accelerated overdraft in groundwater basins worldwide, which in some regions is converting these basins into closed hydrologic systems, where the dominant exits for water are evapotranspiration and pumping. Irrigated agricultural basins are particularly at risk to groundwater salinization, as naturally occurring (i.e., sodium, potassium, chloride) and anthropogenic (i.e., nitrate fertilizers) salts leach back into the water table through the root zone, while a large portion of pumped groundwater leaves the system as it is evapotranspired by crops. Decreasing water quality associated with increases in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) has been documented in aquifers across the United States in the past half century. This study suggests that the increase in TDS in aquifers can be partially explained by closed basin hydrogeology and rock-water interactions leading to groundwater salinization. This study will present: (1) a report on historical water quality in the Tulare basin, (2) a forward simulation of salt balance in Tulare Basin based on the Department of Water Resources numerical model C2VSim, and a simple mixing model, (3) an economic analysis forecasting the cost of desalination under varying degrees of managed groundwater recharge where the basin is gradually filled, avoiding hydraulic closure.

  13. Development of a Conductivity Sensor for Monitoring Groundwater Resources to Optimize Water Management in Smart City Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parra, Lorena; Sendra, Sandra; Lloret, Jaime; Bosch, Ignacio

    2015-08-26

    The main aim of smart cities is to achieve the sustainable use of resources. In order to make the correct use of resources, an accurate monitoring and management is needed. In some places, like underground aquifers, access for monitoring can be difficult, therefore the use of sensors can be a good solution. Groundwater is very important as a water resource. Just in the USA, aquifers represent the water source for 50% of the population. However, aquifers are endangered due to the contamination. One of the most important parameters to monitor in groundwater is the salinity, as high salinity levels indicate groundwater salinization. In this paper, we present a specific sensor for monitoring groundwater salinization. The sensor is able to measure the electric conductivity of water, which is directly related to the water salinization. The sensor, which is composed of two copper coils, measures the magnetic field alterations due to the presence of electric charges in the water. Different salinities of the water generate different alterations. Our sensor has undergone several tests in order to obtain a conductivity sensor with enough accuracy. First, several prototypes are tested and are compared with the purpose of choosing the best combination of coils. After the best prototype was selected, it was calibrated using up to 30 different samples. Our conductivity sensor presents an operational range from 0.585 mS/cm to 73.8 mS/cm, which is wide enough to cover the typical range of water salinities. With this work, we have demonstrated that it is feasible to measure water conductivity using solenoid coils and that this is a low cost application for groundwater monitoring.

  14. Groundwater salinity at Olkiluoto and its effects on a spent fuel repository

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vieno, T. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland)

    2000-06-01

    The Olkiluoto island rose from the Baltic Sea 2500 to 3000 years ago. The layered sequence of groundwaters can be related to climatic and shoreline changes from modern tune through former Baltic stages to the deglaciation phase about 10 000 years ago and even to preglacial times. Fresh groundwater is found to the depth of about 150 metres, brackish between 100 and 400 metres, deeper groundwaters are saline. At the depth of 500 meters, the content of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) varies between 10 and 25 g/l. The most saline waters at depths greater than 800 metres have TDS values between 30 and 75 g/l. These deep saline waters seem to have been undisturbed during the most recent glaciation and even much longer in the past. Today fresh water infiltrating at the surface gradually displaces brackish and saline groundwater in the bedrock. Due to the still ongoing postglacial land uplift, Olkiluoto is likely to become an inland site with brackish or fresh groundwater at the depth of 500 metres within the next 10 000 years. During the construction and operation phases groundwater will be drawn into the repository from the surrounding bedrock. As a consequence, more saline groundwaters, presently laying 100 to 200 metres below the repository level, may rise to the disposal level. After the closing of the repository the salinity distribution will gradually return towards the natural state. During the glacial cycle groundwater salinity may increase, for example, during freezing of groundwater into permafrost, when dissolved solids concentrate in the remaining water phase, and in a situation where deep saline groundwaters from under the centre of the glacier are pushed to the upper parts of the bedrock at the periphery of the glacier. The most significant open issue related to saline groundwater is the performance of the tunnel backfill which in the BS-3 concept has been planned to consist of a mixture of crushed rock and 10-30% of bentonite. Saline groundwater may

  15. Cl/Br ratios and chlorine isotope evidences for groundwater salinization and its impact on groundwater arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in the Datong basin, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Junxia; Wang, Yanxin, E-mail: yx.wang@cug.edu.cn; Xie, Xianjun

    2016-02-15

    In order to identify the salinization processes and its impact on arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in groundwater, hydrogeochemical and environmental isotope studies have been conducted on groundwater from the Datong basin, China. The total dissolved solid (TDS) concentrations in groundwater ranged from 451 to 8250 mg/L, and 41% of all samples were identified as moderately saline groundwater with TDS of 3000–10,000 mg/L. The results of groundwater Cl concentrations, Cl/Br molar ratio and Cl isotope composition suggest that three processes including water-rock interaction, surface saline soil flushing, and evapotranspiration result in the groundwater salinization in the study area. The relatively higher Cl/Br molar ratio in groundwater from multiple screening wells indicates the contribution of halite dissolution from saline soil flushed by vertical infiltration to the groundwater salinization. However, the results of groundwater Cl/Br molar ratio model indicate that the effect of saline soil flushing practice is limited to account for the observed salinity variation in groundwater. The plots of groundwater Cl vs. Cl/Br molar ratio, and Cl vs δ{sup 37}Cl perform the dominant effects of evapotranspiration on groundwater salinization. Inverse geochemical modeling results show that evapotranspiration may cause approximately 66% loss of shallow groundwater to account for the observed hydrochemical pattern. Due to the redox condition fluctuation induced by irrigation activities and evapotranspiration, groundwater salinization processes have negative effects on groundwater arsenic enrichment. For groundwater iodine and fluoride enrichment, evapotranspiration partly accounts for their elevation in slightly saline water. However, too strong evapotranspiration would restrict groundwater fluoride concentration due to the limitation of fluorite solubility. - Highlights: • Natural high arsenic, fluoride and iodine groundwater co-occur with saline water.

  16. Cl/Br ratios and chlorine isotope evidences for groundwater salinization and its impact on groundwater arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in the Datong basin, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Junxia; Wang, Yanxin; Xie, Xianjun

    2016-01-01

    In order to identify the salinization processes and its impact on arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in groundwater, hydrogeochemical and environmental isotope studies have been conducted on groundwater from the Datong basin, China. The total dissolved solid (TDS) concentrations in groundwater ranged from 451 to 8250 mg/L, and 41% of all samples were identified as moderately saline groundwater with TDS of 3000–10,000 mg/L. The results of groundwater Cl concentrations, Cl/Br molar ratio and Cl isotope composition suggest that three processes including water-rock interaction, surface saline soil flushing, and evapotranspiration result in the groundwater salinization in the study area. The relatively higher Cl/Br molar ratio in groundwater from multiple screening wells indicates the contribution of halite dissolution from saline soil flushed by vertical infiltration to the groundwater salinization. However, the results of groundwater Cl/Br molar ratio model indicate that the effect of saline soil flushing practice is limited to account for the observed salinity variation in groundwater. The plots of groundwater Cl vs. Cl/Br molar ratio, and Cl vs δ"3"7Cl perform the dominant effects of evapotranspiration on groundwater salinization. Inverse geochemical modeling results show that evapotranspiration may cause approximately 66% loss of shallow groundwater to account for the observed hydrochemical pattern. Due to the redox condition fluctuation induced by irrigation activities and evapotranspiration, groundwater salinization processes have negative effects on groundwater arsenic enrichment. For groundwater iodine and fluoride enrichment, evapotranspiration partly accounts for their elevation in slightly saline water. However, too strong evapotranspiration would restrict groundwater fluoride concentration due to the limitation of fluorite solubility. - Highlights: • Natural high arsenic, fluoride and iodine groundwater co-occur with saline water. • Groundwater

  17. Fresh meteoric versus recirculated saline groundwater nutrient inputs into a subtropical estuary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadat-Noori, Mahmood; Santos, Isaac R.; Tait, Douglas R.; Maher, Damien T.

    2016-01-01

    The role of groundwater in transporting nutrients to coastal aquatic systems has recently received considerable attention. However, the relative importance of fresh versus saline groundwater-derived nutrient inputs to estuaries and how these groundwater pathways may alter surface water N:P ratios remains poorly constrained. We performed detailed time series measurements of nutrients in a tidal estuary (Hat Head, NSW, Australia) and used radium to quantify the contribution of fresh and saline groundwater to total surface water estuarine exports under contrasting hydrological conditions (wet and dry season). Tidally integrated nutrient fluxes showed that the estuary was a source of nutrients to the coastal waters. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux rate for rivers likely due to the small catchment size, surrounding wetlands and high groundwater inputs. Fresh groundwater discharge was dominant in the wet season accounting for up to 45% of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and 48% of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) estuarine exports. In the dry season, fresh and saline groundwater accounted for 21 and 33% of TDN export, respectively. The combined fresh and saline groundwater fluxes of NO_3, PO_4, NH_4, DON, DOP, TDN and TDP were estimated to account for 66, 58, 55, 31, 21, 53 and 47% of surface water exports, respectively. Groundwater-derived nitrogen inputs to the estuary were responsible for a change in the surface water N:P ratio from typical N-limiting conditions to P-limiting as predicted by previous studies. This shows the importance of both fresh and saline groundwater as a source of nutrients for coastal productivity and nutrient budgets of coastal waters. - Highlights: • Groundwater TDN and TDP fluxes account for 53 and 47% of surface water exports. • The estuary DIN export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux. • Fresh GW nutrient input dominated the wet season and saline GW the

  18. Cl/Br ratios and chlorine isotope evidences for groundwater salinization and its impact on groundwater arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in the Datong basin, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Junxia; Wang, Yanxin; Xie, Xianjun

    2016-02-15

    In order to identify the salinization processes and its impact on arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in groundwater, hydrogeochemical and environmental isotope studies have been conducted on groundwater from the Datong basin, China. The total dissolved solid (TDS) concentrations in groundwater ranged from 451 to 8250 mg/L, and 41% of all samples were identified as moderately saline groundwater with TDS of 3000-10,000 mg/L. The results of groundwater Cl concentrations, Cl/Br molar ratio and Cl isotope composition suggest that three processes including water-rock interaction, surface saline soil flushing, and evapotranspiration result in the groundwater salinization in the study area. The relatively higher Cl/Br molar ratio in groundwater from multiple screening wells indicates the contribution of halite dissolution from saline soil flushed by vertical infiltration to the groundwater salinization. However, the results of groundwater Cl/Br molar ratio model indicate that the effect of saline soil flushing practice is limited to account for the observed salinity variation in groundwater. The plots of groundwater Cl vs. Cl/Br molar ratio, and Cl vs δ(37)Cl perform the dominant effects of evapotranspiration on groundwater salinization. Inverse geochemical modeling results show that evapotranspiration may cause approximately 66% loss of shallow groundwater to account for the observed hydrochemical pattern. Due to the redox condition fluctuation induced by irrigation activities and evapotranspiration, groundwater salinization processes have negative effects on groundwater arsenic enrichment. For groundwater iodine and fluoride enrichment, evapotranspiration partly accounts for their elevation in slightly saline water. However, too strong evapotranspiration would restrict groundwater fluoride concentration due to the limitation of fluorite solubility. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Abacus to determine soils salinity in presence of saline groundwater in arid zones case of the region of Ouargla

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fergougui, Myriam Marie El; Benyamina, Hind; Boutoutaou, Djamel

    2018-05-01

    In order to remedy the limit of salt intake to the soil surface, it is necessary to study the causes of the soil salinity and find the origin of these salts. The arid areas in the region of Ouargla lie on excessively mineralized groundwater whose level is near the soil surface (0 - 1.5 m). The topography and absence of a reliable drainage system led to the rise of the groundwater beside the arid climatic conditions contributed to the salinization and hydromorphy of the soils. The progress and stabilization of cultures yields in these areas can only occur if the groundwater is maintained (drained) to a depth of 1.6 m. The results of works done to the determination of soil salinity depend mainly on the groundwater's salinity, its depth and the climate.

  20. Fresh meteoric versus recirculated saline groundwater nutrient inputs into a subtropical estuary

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sadat-Noori, Mahmood, E-mail: mahmood.sadat-noori@scu.edu.au [National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Australia); School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW (Australia); Santos, Isaac R. [National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Australia); Tait, Douglas R. [National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Australia); School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW (Australia); Maher, Damien T. [School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW (Australia)

    2016-10-01

    The role of groundwater in transporting nutrients to coastal aquatic systems has recently received considerable attention. However, the relative importance of fresh versus saline groundwater-derived nutrient inputs to estuaries and how these groundwater pathways may alter surface water N:P ratios remains poorly constrained. We performed detailed time series measurements of nutrients in a tidal estuary (Hat Head, NSW, Australia) and used radium to quantify the contribution of fresh and saline groundwater to total surface water estuarine exports under contrasting hydrological conditions (wet and dry season). Tidally integrated nutrient fluxes showed that the estuary was a source of nutrients to the coastal waters. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux rate for rivers likely due to the small catchment size, surrounding wetlands and high groundwater inputs. Fresh groundwater discharge was dominant in the wet season accounting for up to 45% of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and 48% of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) estuarine exports. In the dry season, fresh and saline groundwater accounted for 21 and 33% of TDN export, respectively. The combined fresh and saline groundwater fluxes of NO{sub 3}, PO{sub 4}, NH{sub 4}, DON, DOP, TDN and TDP were estimated to account for 66, 58, 55, 31, 21, 53 and 47% of surface water exports, respectively. Groundwater-derived nitrogen inputs to the estuary were responsible for a change in the surface water N:P ratio from typical N-limiting conditions to P-limiting as predicted by previous studies. This shows the importance of both fresh and saline groundwater as a source of nutrients for coastal productivity and nutrient budgets of coastal waters. - Highlights: • Groundwater TDN and TDP fluxes account for 53 and 47% of surface water exports. • The estuary DIN export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux. • Fresh GW nutrient input dominated the wet season and

  1. FRESHEM - Fresh-saline groundwater distribution in Zeeland (NL) derived from airborne EM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siemon, Bernhard; van Baaren, Esther; Dabekaussen, Willem; Delsman, Joost; Gunnik, Jan; Karaoulis, Marios; de Louw, Perry; Oude Essink, Gualbert; Pauw, Pieter; Steuer, Annika; Meyer, Uwe

    2017-04-01

    In a setting of predominantly saline surface waters, the availability of fresh water for agricultural purposes is not obvious in Zeeland, The Netherlands. Canals and ditches are mainly brackish to saline due to saline seepage, which originates from old marine deposits and salt-water transgressions during historical times. The only available fresh groundwater is present in the form of freshwater lenses floating on top of the saline groundwater. This fresh groundwater is vital for agricultural, industrial, ecological, water conservation and drinking water functions. An essential first step for managing this fresh groundwater properly is to know the present spatial fresh-brackish-saline groundwater distribution. As traditional salinity monitoring is labour-intensive, airborne electromagnetics (AEM), which is fast and can cover large areas in short time, is an efficient alternative. A consortium of BGR, Deltares and TNO started FRESHEM Zeeland (FREsh Salt groundwater distribution by Helicopter ElectroMagnetic survey in the Province of Zeeland) in October 2014. Within 3x2 weeks of the first project year, the entire area of about 2000 km2 was surveyed using BGR's helicopter-borne geophysical system totalling to about 10,000 line-km. The HEM datasets of 17 subareas were carefully processed using advanced BGR in-house software and inverted to 2.5 Million resistivity-depth models. Ground truthing demonstrated that the large-scale HEM results fit very well with small-scale ground EM data (ECPT). Based on this spatial resistivity distribution, a 3D voxel model for Chloride concentration was derived for the entire province taking into account geological model data (GeoTOP) for the lithology correction and local in-situ groundwater measurements for the translation of water conductivity to Chloride concentration. The 3D voxel model enables stakeholders to implement spatial Chloride concentration in their groundwater models.

  2. Characterization of mechanisms and processes of groundwater salinization in irrigated coastal area using statistics, GIS, and hydrogeochemical investigations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouzourra, Hazar; Bouhlila, Rachida; Elango, L; Slama, Fairouz; Ouslati, Naceur

    2015-02-01

    Coastal aquifers are at threat of salinization in most parts of the world. This study was carried out in coastal shallow aquifers of Aousja-Ghar El Melh and Kalâat el Andalous, northeastern of Tunisia with an objective to identify sources and processes of groundwater salinization. Groundwater samples were collected from 42 shallow dug wells during July and September 2007. Chemical parameters such as Na(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), K(+), Cl(-), SO4 (2-), HCO3 (-), NO3 (-), Br(-), and F(-) were analyzed. The combination of hydrogeochemical, statistical, and GIS approaches was used to understand and to identify the main sources of salinization and contamination of these shallow coastal aquifers as follows: (i) water-rock interaction, (ii) evapotranspiration, (iii) saltwater is started to intrude before 1972 and it is still intruding continuously, (iv) irrigation return flow, (v) sea aerosol spray, and finally, (vi) agricultural fertilizers. During 2005/2006, the overexploitation of the renewable water resources of aquifers caused saline water intrusion. In 2007, the freshening of a brackish-saline groundwater occurred under natural recharge conditions by Ca-HCO3 meteoric freshwater. The cationic exchange processes are occurred at fresh-saline interfaces of mixtures along the hydraulic gradient. The sulfate reduction process and the neo-formation of clays minerals characterize the hypersaline coastal Sebkha environments. Evaporation tends to increase the concentrations of solutes in groundwater from the recharge areas to the discharge areas and leads to precipitate carbonate and sulfate minerals.

  3. A GIS cost model to assess the availability of freshwater, seawater, and saline groundwater for algal biofuel production in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venteris, Erik R; Skaggs, Richard L; Coleman, Andre M; Wigmosta, Mark S

    2013-05-07

    A key advantage of using microalgae for biofuel production is the ability of some algal strains to thrive in waters unsuitable for conventional crop irrigation such as saline groundwater or seawater. Nonetheless, the availability of sustainable water supplies will provide significant challenges for scale-up and development of algal biofuels. We conduct a partial techno-economic assessment based on the availability of freshwater, saline groundwater, and seawater for use in open pond algae cultivation systems. We explore water issues through GIS-based models of algae biofuel production, freshwater supply (constrained to less than 5% of mean annual flow per watershed) and costs, and cost-distance models for supplying seawater and saline groundwater. We estimate that, combined, these resources can support 9.46 × 10(7) m(3) yr(-1) (25 billion gallons yr(-1)) of renewable biodiesel production in the coterminous United States. Achievement of larger targets requires the utilization of less water efficient sites and relatively expensive saline waters. Despite the addition of freshwater supply constraints and saline water resources, the geographic conclusions are similar to our previous results. Freshwater availability and saline water delivery costs are most favorable for the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and Florida peninsula, where evaporation relative to precipitation is moderate. As a whole, the barren and scrub lands of the southwestern U.S. have limited freshwater supplies, and large net evaporation rates greatly increase the cost of saline alternatives due to the added makeup water required to maintain pond salinity. However, this and similar analyses are particularly sensitive to knowledge gaps in algae growth/lipid production performance and the proportion of freshwater resources available, key topics for future investigation.

  4. Study of groundwater salinization in Chaj Doab using environmental isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussain, S.D.; Sajjid, M.I.; Akram, W.; Ahmad, M.; Rafiq, M.

    1991-09-01

    Environmental isotopes and chemical composition of water have been used to study the origin of groundwater salinity in Chaj Doab. Three important possible processes of salinization i.e. enrichment of salt content of water by evaopration, mixing with connate marine water and dissolution of salts from soil sediments have been investigated. No evidence for mixing with connate maine water could be found. The process of evaporation too does not seem to apply any significant role in salinization of groundwater. The dissolution of salts from soil sediments appears as dominant mechanism for increasing the salt content of water in this area. (author)

  5. Investigating the salinization and freshening processes of coastal groundwater resources in Urmia aquifer, NW Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiri, Vahab; Nakhaei, Mohammad; Lak, Razyeh; Kholghi, Majid

    2016-04-01

    This paper presents the results of an assessment about interaction between Urmia Lake (UL) and coastal groundwater in the Urmia aquifer (UA). This aquifer is the most significant contributor to the freshwater supply of the coastal areas. The use of hydrochemical facies can be very useful to identify the saltwater encroachment or freshening phases in the coastal aquifers. In this study, the analysis of salinization/freshening processes was carried out through the saturation index (SI), ionic deltas (Δ), binary diagrams, and hydrochemical facies evolution (HFE) diagram. Based on the Gibbs plot, the behavior of the major ions showed that the changes in the chemical composition of the groundwater are mainly controlled by the water-soil/rock interaction zone and few samples are relatively controlled by evaporation. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is that the deposited chloride and sulfate particles can form the minor salinity source in some coastal areas when washed down by precipitation. The SI calculations showed that all groundwater samples, collected in these periods, show negative saturation indices, which indicate undersaturation with respect to anhydrite, gypsum, and halite. In addition, except in a few cases, all other samples showed the undersaturation with respect to the carbonate minerals such as aragonite, calcite, and dolomite. Therefore, these minerals are susceptible to dissolution. In the dry season, the SI calculations showed more positive values with respect to dolomite, especially in the northern part of UA, which indicated a higher potential for precipitation and deposition of dolomite. The percentage of saltwater in the groundwater samples of Urmia plain was very low, ranging between 0.001 and 0.79 % in the wet season and 0.0004 and 0.81 % in the dry season. The results of HFE diagram, which was taken to find whether the aquifer was in the saltwater encroachment phase or in the freshening phase, indicated that except for a few wells

  6. The study of coastal groundwater depth and salinity variation using time-series analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tularam, G.A.; Keeler, H.P.

    2006-01-01

    A time-series approach is applied to study and model tidal intrusion into coastal aquifers. The authors examine the effect of tidal behaviour on groundwater level and salinity intrusion for the coastal Brisbane region using auto-correlation and spectral analyses. The results show a close relationship between tidal behaviour, groundwater depth and salinity levels for the Brisbane coast. The known effect can be quantified and incorporated into new models in order to more accurately map salinity intrusion into coastal groundwater table

  7. Groundwater-level trends and forecasts, and salinity trends, in the Azraq, Dead Sea, Hammad, Jordan Side Valleys, Yarmouk, and Zarqa groundwater basins, Jordan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goode, Daniel J.; Senior, Lisa A.; Subah, Ali; Jaber, Ayman

    2013-01-01

    Changes in groundwater levels and salinity in six groundwater basins in Jordan were characterized by using linear trends fit to well-monitoring data collected from 1960 to early 2011. On the basis of data for 117 wells, groundwater levels in the six basins were declining, on average about -1 meter per year (m/yr), in 2010. The highest average rate of decline, -1.9 m/yr, occurred in the Jordan Side Valleys basin, and on average no decline occurred in the Hammad basin. The highest rate of decline for an individual well was -9 m/yr. Aquifer saturated thickness, a measure of water storage, was forecast for year 2030 by using linear extrapolation of the groundwater-level trend in 2010. From 30 to 40 percent of the saturated thickness, on average, was forecast to be depleted by 2030. Five percent of the wells evaluated were forecast to have zero saturated thickness by 2030. Electrical conductivity was used as a surrogate for salinity (total dissolved solids). Salinity trends in groundwater were much more variable and less linear than groundwater-level trends. The long-term linear salinity trend at most of the 205 wells evaluated was not increasing, although salinity trends are increasing in some areas. The salinity in about 58 percent of the wells in the Amman-Zarqa basin was substantially increasing, and the salinity in Hammad basin showed a long-term increasing trend. Salinity increases were not always observed in areas with groundwater-level declines. The highest rates of salinity increase were observed in regional discharge areas near groundwater pumping centers.

  8. Groundwater salinity in coastal aquifer of Karachi, Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mashiatullah, A.; Qureshi, R.M.; Ahmad, E.; Tasneem, M.A.; Sajjad, M.I.; Khan, H.A.

    2002-01-01

    Potable groundwater salinity has become a problem of great concern in the Karachi Metropolis, which is not only the most populous and biggest industrial base but also the largest coastal dwelling of Pakistan. Stable isotope techniques [O/sup 18/ content of Oxygen in the water molecular and C/sup 13/ content of the Total Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (TDIC)] have been used, in conjunction with physiochemical tools (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, redox electrical conductivity, salinity), to examine the quality of potable water and the source of salinity. Surface water samples (12 No.) were collected from polluted streams, namely: Layeri River, Malir River; Hub River/Hub Lake and the Indus River. Shallow groundwater samples (7 No. ) were collected from operating dug wells. Relatively deep groundwater samples (12 No.) were collected from operating dug wells, relatively deep groundwater samples (12 No.) were collected from pumping wells/tube-wells. Physicochemical analysis of water samples was completed in the field. In the laboratory, water samples were analyzed for O/sup 18/ content of oxygen in the water molecule and C/sup 13/ content of the TDIC, using specific gas extraction systems and a modified GD-150 gas source mass spectrometer. It is concluded from this preliminary investigation that the potable aquifer system in coastal Karachi hosts a mixture of precipitation (rainwater only) from hinterlands, trapped seawater in relatively deep aquifer system, as well as intruded seawater under natural infiltration conditions and/or induced recharge conditions (in shallow aquifers). (author)

  9. The integrated impacts of natural processes and human activities on groundwater salinization in the coastal aquifers of Beihai, southern China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qinghua; Zhang, Yanpeng; Chen, Wen; Yu, Shaowen

    2018-03-01

    Salinization in coastal aquifers is usually related to both seawater intrusion and water-rock interaction. The results of chemical and isotopic methods were combined to identify the origin and processes of groundwater salinization in Daguansha area of Beihai, southern China. The concentrations of the major ions that dominate in seawater (Cl-, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and SO4 2- ), as well as the isotopic content and ratios (2H, 18O, 87Sr/86Sr and 13C), suggest that the salinization occurring in the aquifer of the coastal plain is related to seawater and that the prevailing hydrochemical processes are evaporation, mixing, dissolution and ion exchange. For the unconfined aquifer, groundwater salinization has occurred in an area that is significantly influenced by land-based sea farming. The integrated impacts of seawater intrusion from the Beibuwan Gulf and infiltration of seawater from the culture ponds are identified in the shallowest confined aquifer (I) in the middle of the area (site BBW2). Leakage from this polluted confined aquifer causes the salinization of groundwater in the underlying confined aquifer (II). At the coastal monitoring site (BBW3), confined aquifer I and lower confined aquifer II are heavily contaminated by seawater intrusion. The weak connectivity between the upper aquifers, and the seaward movement of freshwater, prevents saltwater from encroaching the deepest confined aquifer (III). A conceptual model is presented. Above all, understanding of the origin and processes of groundwater salinization will provide essential information for the planning and sustainable management of groundwater resources in this region.

  10. Machine Learning for Mapping Groundwater Salinity with Oil Well Log Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, W. H.; Shimabukuro, D.; Gillespie, J. M.; Stephens, M.

    2016-12-01

    An oil field may have thousands of wells with detailed petrophysical logs, and far fewer direct measurements of groundwater salinity. Can the former be used to extrapolate the latter into a detailed map of groundwater salinity? California Senate Bill 4, with its requirement to identify Underground Sources of Drinking Water, makes this a question worth answering. A well-known obstacle is that the basic petrophysical equations describe ideal scenarios ("clean wet sand") and even these equations contain many parameters that may vary with location and depth. Accounting for other common scenarios such as high-conductivity shaly sands or low-permeability diatomite (both characteristic of California's Central Valley) causes parameters to proliferate to the point where the model is underdetermined by the data. When parameters outnumber data points, however, is when machine learning methods are most advantageous. We present a method for modeling a generic oil field, where groundwater salinity and lithology are depth series parameters, and the constants in petrophysical equations are scalar parameters. The data are well log measurements (resistivity, porosity, spontaneous potential, and gamma ray) and a small number of direct groundwater salinity measurements. Embedded in the model are petrophysical equations that account for shaly sand and diatomite formations. As a proof of concept, we feed in well logs and salinity measurements from the Lost Hills Oil Field in Kern County, California, and show that with proper regularization and validation the model makes reasonable predictions of groundwater salinity despite the large number of parameters. The model is implemented using Tensorflow, which is an open-source software released by Google in November, 2015 that has been rapidly and widely adopted by machine learning researchers. The code will be made available on Github, and we encourage scrutiny and modification by machine learning researchers and hydrogeologists alike.

  11. Groundwater salinity study in the Mekong Delta using isotope techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Van Khoi, Nguyen Kien Chinh; Do Tien Hung

    2002-01-01

    Environmental isotopes D, 18 O and chemical composition were used for study of recharge and salinization of groundwater in the are located between Bassac and Mekong Rivers. The results showed that: (a) Pleistocene aquifers are recharged through flood plains and outcrops located at the same altitude. The sanility of groundwater in these aquifers is mostly due to dissolution of the aquifer material, (b) Pliocene and Miocene aquifers receive recharge through outcrops located at the higher altitude on the northeast extension of the Delta and Cambodia. The salinity of groundwater in the coastal region of the aquifer is attributable to sea water intrusion. There appears to be significant retention of sea water in the coastal sediment during intrusion. (Author)

  12. Strontium isotopes as an indicator for groundwater salinity sources in the Kirkuk region, Iraq

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sahib, Layth Y. [Institute for Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 9, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Geology Department, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Jadreya, Baghdad (Iraq); Marandi, Andres; Schüth, Christoph [Institute for Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 9, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany)

    2016-08-15

    The Kirkuk region in northern Iraq hosts some of the largest oil fields in the Middle East. Several anticline structures enabled vertical migration and entrapment of the oil. Frequently, complex fracture systems and faults cut across the Eocene and middle Oligocene reservoirs and the cap rock, the Fatha Formation of Miocene age. Seepage of crude oil and oil field brines are therefore a common observation in the anticline axes and contamination of shallow groundwater resources is a major concern. In this study, 65 water samples were collected in the Kirkuk region to analyze and distinguish mixing processes between shallow groundwater resources, uprising oil field brines, and dissolution of gypsum and halite from the Fatha Formation. Hydrochemical analyses of the water samples included general hydrochemistry, stable water isotopes, as well as strontium concentrations and for 22 of the samples strontium isotopes ({sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr). Strontium concentrations increased close to the anticline axes with highest concentrations in the oil field brines (300 mg/l). Strontium isotopes proved to be a valuable tool to distinguish mixing processes as isotope signatures of the oil field brines and of waters from the Fatha Formation are significantly different. It could be shown, that mixing of shallow groundwater with oil field brines is occurring close to the major fault zones in the anticlines but high concentrations of strontium in the water samples are mainly due to dissolution from the Fatha Formation. - Highlights: • This field study evaluates the salinity sources in the groundwater in Kirkuk region. • Salinity is related to evaporates dissolving and/or mixing with oil field brine. • Strontium isotopes proved to be a valuable tool to distinguish mixing processes.

  13. Influence of seasonal variations in sea level on the salinity regime of a coastal groundwater-fed wetland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Cameron; Harrington, Glenn A

    2015-01-01

    Seasonal variations in sea level are often neglected in studies of coastal aquifers; however, they may have important controls on processes such as submarine groundwater discharge, sea water intrusion, and groundwater discharge to coastal springs and wetlands. We investigated seasonal variations in salinity in a groundwater-fed coastal wetland (the RAMSAR listed Piccaninnie Ponds in South Australia) and found that salinity peaked during winter, coincident with seasonal sea level peaks. Closer examination of salinity variations revealed a relationship between changes in sea level and changes in salinity, indicating that sea level-driven movement of the fresh water-sea water interface influences the salinity of discharging groundwater in the wetland. Moreover, the seasonal control of sea level on wetland salinity seems to override the influence of seasonal recharge. A two-dimensional variable density model helped validate this conceptual model of coastal groundwater discharge by showing that fluctuations in groundwater salinity in a coastal aquifer can be driven by a seasonal coastal boundary condition in spite of seasonal recharge/discharge dynamics. Because seasonal variations in sea level and coastal wetlands are ubiquitous throughout the world, these findings have important implications for monitoring and management of coastal groundwater-dependent ecosystems. © 2014, National Ground Water Association.

  14. Fingerprinting groundwater salinity sources in the Gulf Coast Aquifer System, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowdhury, Ali H.; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Reedy, Robert C.; Young, Steve

    2018-02-01

    Understanding groundwater salinity sources in the Gulf Coast Aquifer System (GCAS) is a critical issue due to depletion of fresh groundwater and concerns for potential seawater intrusion. The study objective was to assess sources of groundwater salinity in the GCAS using ˜1,400 chemical analyses and ˜90 isotopic analyses along nine well transects in the Texas Gulf Coast, USA. Salinity increases from northeast (median total dissolved solids (TDS) 340 mg/L) to southwest (median TDS 1,160 mg/L), which inversely correlates with the precipitation distribution pattern (1,370- 600 mm/yr, respectively). Molar Cl/Br ratios (median 540-600), depleted δ2H and δ18O (-24.7‰, -4.5‰) relative to seawater (Cl/Br ˜655 and δ2H, δ18O 0‰, 0‰, respectively), and elevated 36Cl/Cl ratios (˜100), suggest precipitation enriched with marine aerosols as the dominant salinity source. Mass balance estimates suggest that marine aerosols could adequately explain salt loading over the large expanse of the GCAS. Evapotranspiration enrichment to the southwest is supported by elevated chloride concentrations in soil profiles and higher δ18O. Secondary salinity sources include dissolution of salt domes or upwelling brines from geopressured zones along growth faults, mainly near the coast in the northeast. The regional extent and large quantities of brackish water have the potential to support moderate-sized desalination plants in this location. These results have important implications for groundwater management, suggesting a current lack of regional seawater intrusion and a suitable source of relatively low TDS water for desalination.

  15. Cation exchange in a temporally fluctuating thin freshwater lens on top of saline groundwater

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eeman, S.; Louw, de P.G.B.; Zee, van der S.E.A.T.M.

    2017-01-01

    In coastal-zone fields with a high groundwater level and sufficient rainfall, freshwater lenses are formed on top of saline or brackish groundwater. The fresh and the saline water meet at shallow depth, where a transition zone is found. This study investigates the mixing zone that is characterized

  16. Assessment of groundwater salinity in Nellore district using multi ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    water samples at six locations close to the electrical resistivity survey sites also suggest high ... Electrical resistivity imaging; Nellore district; groundwater salinity; geochemistry. ..... Sasaki Y 1992 Resolution of resistivity tomography inferred.

  17. A groundwater salinity hotspot and its connection to an intermittent stream identified by environmental tracers (Mt Lofty Ranges, South Australia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Thomas A.; Bestland, Erick A.; Soloninka, Lesja; Wallis, Ilka; Banks, Edward W.; Pichler, Markus

    2017-12-01

    High and variable levels of salinity were investigated in an intermittent stream in a high-rainfall area (˜800 mm/year) of the Mt. Lofty Ranges of South Australia. The groundwater system was found to have a local, upslope saline lens, referred to here as a groundwater salinity `hotspot'. Environmental tracer analyses (δ18O, δ2H, 87/86Sr, and major elements) of water from the intermittent stream, a nearby permanent stream, shallow and deep groundwater, and soil-water/runoff demonstrate seasonal groundwater input of very saline composition into the intermittent stream. This input results in large salinity increases of the stream water because the winter wet-season stream flow decreases during spring in this Mediterranean climate. Furthermore, strontium and water isotope analyses demonstrate: (1) the upslope-saline-groundwater zone (hotspot) mixes with the dominant groundwater system, (2) the intermittent-stream water is a mixture of soil-water/runoff and the upslope saline groundwater, and (3) the upslope-saline-groundwater zone results from the flushing of unsaturated-zone salts from the thick clayey regolith and soil which overlie the metamorphosed shale bedrock. The preferred theory on the origin of the upslope-saline-groundwater hotspot is land clearing of native deep-rooted woodland, followed by flushing of accumulated salts from the unsaturated zone due to increased recharge. This cause of elevated groundwater and surface-water salinity, if correct, could be widespread in Mt. Lofty Ranges areas, as well as other climatically and geologically similar areas with comparable hydrogeologic conditions.

  18. Problems of irrigated agriculture in saline groundwater areas: farmers' perceptions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, S.; Yasin, M.; Ahmad, M.M.; Hussain, Z.; Khan, Z.; Akbar, G.

    2005-01-01

    A research study was conducted using participatory interactive dialogue in the brackish groundwater area of Mona SCARP-II, Bhalwal district Sargodha, Pakistan. The Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) was conducted in thirteen villages to identify macro- and micro-level issues related to irrigated agriculture in saline groundwater areas. SCARP tube wells have been abandoned or few have been handed over to farmers' organizations. Groundwater in the Indus basin contributes around 35% to the total water available for agriculture. Water quality of 60% area of the Indus basin is marginal to brackish. Minimum land holding of cultivated land in the elected villages varied from 0.10 to 4 ha. The maximum land holding of cultivated area in selected villages varied for 6 to 50 ha. However, the average size of farm was around 4 ha. The average salt-affected area per household was 17% of the total cultivated area. The salt-affected lands in 8 villages out of 13 were barren, where mainly rice crop is grown during kharif season. About 67% farms had access to conjunctive use of water, as water from both canal and private tube wells is available. In addition, 10% farms were having tube well water only. Therefore, 77% farms are having access to the groundwater. According to the farmers' perceptions, 100% villages have fresh groundwater to a depth of 7.5 m and 62% villages had depth ranging from 15-30 m. Furthermore, in all thirteen selected villages, groundwater quality beyond 30 m depth was brackish. Laboratory analysis confirmed the farmer's perception that groundwater quality is a function of depth. About 92% farmers groups indicated that non-availability and high price of inputs was a major problem. The second major issue was related to the shortage of canal water supplies and 77% villages are facing this problem. Moreover, 31% farmers' groups of selected villages indicated that water logging and salinity are the major concerns affecting agricultural productivity. This figure is

  19. Integral Analysis of Field Work and Laboratory Electrical Resistivity Imaging for Saline Water Intrusion Prediction in Groundwater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawawi, M. H.; Zahar, M. F.; Hashim, M. M. M.; Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Zahari, N. M.; Kamaruddin, M. A.

    2018-04-01

    Saline water intrusion is a serious threat to the groundwater as many part of the world utilize groundwater as their main source of fresh water supply. The usage of high salinity level of water as drinking water can lead to a very serious health hazard towards human. Saline water intrusion is a process by which induced flow of seawater into freshwater aquifer along the coastal area. It might happen due to human action and/or by natural event. The climate change and rise up of sea level may speed up the saline water intrusion process. The conventional method for distinguishing and checking saltwater interference to groundwater along the coast aquifers is to gather and test the groundwater from series of observation wells (borehole) with an end goal to give the important information about the hydrochemistry data to conclude whether the water in the well are safe to consume or not. An integrated approach of field and laboratory electrical resistivity investigation is proposed for indicating the contact region between saline and fresh groundwater. It was found that correlation for both soilbox produced almost identical curvilinear trends for 2% increment of seawater tested using sand sample. This project contributes towards predicting the saline water intrusion to the groundwater by non-destructive test that can replaced the conventional method of groundwater monitoring using series of boreholes in the coastal area

  20. The integrated impacts of natural processes and human activities on the origin and processes of groundwater salinization in the coastal aquifers of Beihai, Southern China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Q.; Zhan, Y., , Dr; Chen, W. Ms; Yu, S., , Dr

    2017-12-01

    Salinization in coastal aquifers usually is the results of contamination related to both seawater intrusion and water-rock interaction. The chemical and isotopic methods were combined to identify the origin and processes of groundwater salinization in Daguansha area of Beihai. The concentrations of the major ions that dominate in sea water (Cl-, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and SO2- 4), as well as the isotopic ratios (2H, 18O, 87Sr/86Sr and 13C) suggest that the salinization occurring in the aquifer water of the coastal plain is related to seawater and the prevailing hydrochemical processes are evaporation, mixing, dissolution and ion exchange. For the unconfined aquifer, groundwater salinization occurred in parts of the area, which is significantly influenced by the land-based sea farming. The integrated impacts of seawater intrusion from the Beibuwan Gulf and infiltration of seawater from the culture ponds is identified in the confined aquifer I at site BBW2. In consequence, the leakage from this polluted aquifer causes the salinization of groundwater in the confined aquifer II. At site BBW3, the confined aquifer I and lower confined aquifer II are remarkably contaminated by seawater intrusion. The weak connectivity with upper aquifers and seaward movement of freshwater prevents saltwater from encroaching the confined aquifer III. Above all, understanding of the origin and processes of groundwater salinization will provide essential information for sustainable planning and management of groundwater resources in this region.

  1. Pollution potential of oil-contaminated soil on groundwater resources in Kuwait

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Literathy, P.; Quinn, M.; Al-Rashed, M.

    2003-01-01

    The only natural freshwater resource of Kuwait occurs as lenses floating on the saline groundwater in the northern part of the country, near to the oil fields. Rainwater is the only means of recharge of this limited groundwater resource. This groundwater is used as bottled drinking water and the fresh groundwater aquifer is considered as a strategic drinking water reserve for Kuwait. As a result of the 1991 Gulf War, the upper soil layer has been widely contaminated with crude oil and crude oil combustion products, which are potential pollutants likely affecting the groundwater resources. Significant efforts have been made to assess this pollution. These included: (a) a soil survey for assessing the soil contamination, and (b) leaching experiments to characterise the mobilization of the soil-associated pollutants. Fluorescence measurement techniques were used during field surveys as well as for laboratory testing. In addition, determination of the total extractable matter (TEM), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and GC/MS measurement of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were performed for the assessments. The laser induced fluorescence (LIF) measurement, having good correlation with the other laboratory measurements, was proved to provide necessary information for the assessment of the oil-contamination level in the desert soil. The subsequent leaching test with water demonstrated the mobilization of the fluorescing compounds (e.g. PAHs), and the alteration in the leaching characteristics of the contamination during the long term environmental weathering of the oil. (author)

  2. Salinity Impacts on Agriculture and Groundwater in Delta Regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, D.; Salehin, M.; Jairuddin, M.; Saleh, A. F. M.; Rahman, M. M.; Parks, K. E.; Haque, M. A.; Lázár, A. N.; Payo, A.

    2015-12-01

    Delta regions are attractive for high intensity agriculture due to the availability of rich sedimentary soils and of fresh water. Many of the world's tropical deltas support high population densities which are reliant on irrigated agriculture. However environmental changes such as sea level rise, tidal inundation and reduced river flows have reduced the quantity and quality of water available for successful agriculture. Additionally, anthropogenic influences such as the over abstraction of ground water and the increased use of low quality water from river inlets has resulted in the accumulation of salts in the soils which diminishes crop productivity. Communities based in these regions are usually reliant on the same water for drinking and cooking because surface water is frequently contaminated by commercial and urban pollution. The expansion of shallow tube well systems for drinking water and agricultural use over the last few decades has resulted in mobilisation of salinity in the coastal and estuarine fringes. Sustainable development in delta regions is becoming constrained by water salinity. However salinity is often studied as an independent issue by specialists working in the fields of agriculture, community water supply and groundwater. The lack of interaction between these disciplines often results in corrective actions being applied to one sector without fully assessing the effects of these actions on other sectors. This paper describes a framework for indentifying the causes and impacts of salinity in delta regions based on the source-pathway-receptor framework. It uses examples and scenarios from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta in Bangladesh together with field measurements and observations made in vulnerable coastal communities. The paper demonstrates the importance of creating an holistic understanding of the development and management of water resources to reduce the impact of salinity in fresh water in delta regions.

  3. What Drives Saline Circulation Cells in Coastal Aquifers? An Energy Balance for Density-Driven Groundwater Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey, C. F.; Michael, H. A.

    2017-12-01

    We formulate the energy balance for coastal groundwater systems and apply it to: (1) Explain the energy driving offshore saline circulation cells, and; (2) Assess the accuracy of numerical simulations of coastal groundwater systems. The flow of fresh groundwater to the ocean is driven by the loss of potential energy as groundwater drops from the elevation of the inland watertable, where recharge occurs, to discharge at sea level. This freshwater flow creates an underlying circulation cell of seawater, drawn into coastal aquifers offshore and discharging near shore, that adds to total submarine groundwater discharge. The saline water in the circulation cell enters and exits the aquifer through the sea floor at the same hydraulic potential. Existing theory explains that the saline circulation cell is driven by mixing of fresh and saline without any additional source of potential or mechanical power. This explanation raises a basic thermodynamic question: what is the source of energy that drives the saline circulation cell? Here, we resolve this question by building upon Hubbert's conception of hydraulic potential to formulate an energy balance for density-dependent flow and salt transport through an aquifer. We show that, because local energy dissipation within the aquifer is proportional to the square of the groundwater velocity, more groundwater flow may be driven through an aquifer for a given energy input if local variations in velocity are smoothed. Our numerical simulations of coastal groundwater systems show that dispersion of salt across the fresh-saline interface spreads flow over larger volumes of the aquifer, smoothing the velocity field, and increasing total flow and submarine groundwater discharge without consuming more power. The energy balance also provides a criterion, in addition to conventional mass balances, for judging the accuracy of numerical solutions of non-linear density-dependent flow problems. Our results show that some numerical

  4. Sulfur isotopic study of sulfate in the aquifer of Costa de Hermosillo (Sonora, Mexico) in relation to upward intrusion of saline groundwater, irrigation pumping and land cultivation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szynkiewicz, Anna; Medina, Miguel Rangel; Modelska, Magdalena; Monreal, Rogelio; Pratt, Lisa M.

    2008-01-01

    Groundwater from the Costa de Hermosillo aquifer has been used extensively for irrigation over the past 60 a in the Sonora region of northwestern Mexico resulting in salinization of fresh groundwater resources. Salinization of groundwater is most pronounced on the western/coastal side of the aquifer, with an aerial extent of 26.7 km 2 , where maximum values are reported for conductivity (31 mS/cm) and Cl - concentrations (16,271 mg/L). Salinization is likely to increase if groundwater pumping continues at levels comparable to the present time. Upward incursion of marine water into the aquifer is inferred from δ 2 H (-7.2 per mille ) and δ 18 O (+1.6 per mille ) compositions of groundwater samples with the highest conductivity. Compared to modern seawater in the Gulf of California, ratios of SO 4 /Cl and Cl/Br are small (0.01 and 33, respectively) and the S isotopic composition of SO 4 2- is high (+32.7%) in the most saline portions of the Costa de Hermosillo. This saline groundwater is inferred to result from an earlier phase of dissimilatory bacterial SO 4 2- reduction coupled to decomposition of organic matter in marine blue clays deposited during the Miocene/Pliocene transgression. The isotopic composition of present-day surface discharge from agricultural fields is substantially enriched in 32 S due to widespread application of (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 fertilizers and potential mobilization of S from mineral resources. Surface water discharging from irrigated fields has δ 34 S values ranging from -2.1 to 3.3 per mille which are distinctly different from groundwater and surface water in adjacent non-agricultural areas with δ 34 S values ranging from 5.2 to 13.5 per mille . Prolonged irrigation pumping that promotes the incursion of air to the subsurface could enhance the weathering of S-bearing minerals such as magmatic sulfides, producing 32 S-enriched SO 4 2-

  5. Airborne EM, Lithology and in-situ Data Used for Quantizing Groundwater Salinity in Zeeland (NL)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, U.; Siemon, B.; van Baaren, E.; Dabekaussen, W.; Delsman, J. R.; Karaoulis, M.; Gunnink, J.; Pauw, P.; Vermaas, T.

    2017-12-01

    In a setting of predominantly saline surface waters in Zeeland, the Netherlands, the only available shallow fresh groundwater is present in the form of freshwater lenses floating on top of the saline groundwater. This fresh water is vital for agricultural, industrial, ecological, water conservation and drinking water functions. An essential first step for managing the usable water properly is to know the present spatial fresh-brackish-saline groundwater distribution. As traditional salinity monitoring is labor-intensive, airborne electromagnetics, which is fast and can cover large areas in short time, is an efficient alternative. A consortium of BGR, Deltares and TNO conducted FRESHEM Zeeland (FREsh Salt groundwater distribution by Helicopter ElectroMagnetic survey in the Province of Zeeland) in 2014-17. An area of more than 2000 square km was surveyed using BGR's helicopter-borne geophysical system totaling to about 9,600 line-km. The HEM data, after inversion to 2.5 Million resistivity-depth models for each of the three 1D inversion procedures applied (Marquardt single site, smooth and sharp laterally constrained inversion), served as base-line information for further interpretation. A probabilistic Monte Carlo approach combines HEM resistivities, 3D lithology model data (GeoTOP), laboratory results (formation factor and surface conductivity) and local in-situ groundwater measurements for the translation of resistivity to Chloride concentration. The resulting 3D voxel model enables stakeholders to implement spatial Chloride concentration in their groundwater models.

  6. Simulating Salt Movement using a Coupled Salinity Transport Model in a Variably Saturated Agricultural Groundwater System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavakoli Kivi, S.; Bailey, R. T.; Gates, T. K.

    2017-12-01

    Salinization is one of the major concerns in irrigated agricultural fields. Increasing salinity concentrations are due principally to a high water table that results from excessive irrigation, canal seepage, and a lack of efficient drainage systems, and lead to decreasing crop yield. High groundwater salinity loading to nearby river systems also impacts downstream areas, with saline river water diverted for application on irrigated fields. To assess the different strategies for salt remediation, we present a reactive transport model (UZF-RT3D) coupled with a salinity equilibrium chemistry module for simulating the fate and transport of salt ions in a variably-saturated agricultural groundwater system. The developed model accounts not for advection, dispersion, nitrogen and sulfur cycling, oxidation-reduction, sorption, complexation, ion exchange, and precipitation/dissolution of salt minerals. The model is applied to a 500 km2 region within the Lower Arkansas River Valley (LARV) in southeastern Colorado, an area acutely affected by salinization in the past few decades. The model is tested against salt ion concentrations in the saturated zone, total dissolved solid concentrations in the unsaturated zone, and salt groundwater loading to the Arkansas River. The model now can be used to investigate salinity remediation strategies.

  7. Bank storage buffers rivers from saline regional groundwater: an example from the Avon River Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilfedder, Benjamin; Hofmann, Harald; Cartwrighta, Ian

    2014-05-01

    Groundwater-surface water interactions are often conceptually and numerically modeled as a two component system: a groundwater system connected to a stream, river or lake. However, transient storage zones such as hyporheic exchange, bank storage, parafluvial flow and flood plain storage complicate the two component model by delaying the release of flood water from the catchment. Bank storage occurs when high river levels associated with flood water reverses the hydraulic gradient between surface water and groundwater. River water flows into the riparian zone, where it is stored until the flood water recede. The water held in the banks then drains back into the river over time scales ranging from days to months as the hydraulic gradient returns to pre-flood levels. If the frequency and amplitude of flood events is high enough, water held in bank storage can potentially perpetually remain between the regional groundwater system and the river. In this work we focus on the role of bank storage in buffering river salinity levels against saline regional groundwater on lowland sections of the Avon River, Victoria, Australia. We hypothesize that the frequency and magnitude of floods will strongly influence the salinity of the stream water as banks fill and drain. A bore transect (5 bores) was installed perpendicular to the river and were instrumented with head and electrical conductivity loggers measuring for two years. We also installed a continuous 222Rn system in one bore. This data was augmented with long-term monthly EC from the river. During high rainfall events very fresh flood waters from the headwaters infiltrated into the gravel river banks leading to a dilution in EC and 222Rn in the bores. Following the events the fresh water drained back into the river as head gradients reversed. However the bank water salinities remained ~10x lower than regional groundwater levels during most of the time series, and only slightly above river water. During 2012 SE Australia

  8. 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

  9. Impact of groundwater levels on evaporation and water-vapor fluxes in highly saline soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munoz, J. F.; Hernández, M. F.; Braud, I.; Gironas, J. A.; Suarez, F. I.

    2012-12-01

    In aquifers of arid and hyper-arid zones, such as those occurring in the Chilean Andes high plateau, it is important to determine both the quantity and location of water discharges at the temporal scales of interest to close the basin's water budget and thus, to manage the water resource properly. In zones where shallow aquifers are the main source of water, overexploitation of the water resource changes the dynamics of water, heat and solute transport in the vadose zone. As aquifers are exploited, fluctuations in depth to groundwater are exacerbated. These fluctuations modify both soil structure and evaporation from the ground, which is typically the most important discharge from the water budget and is very difficult to estimate. Therefore, a correct quantification of evaporation from these soils is essential to improve the accuracy of the water balance estimation. The objective of this study was to investigate the evaporation processes and water-vapor fluxes in a soil column filled with a saline soil from the Salar del Huasco basin, Chile. Water content, electrical conductivity and temperature at different depths in the soil profile were monitored to determine the liquid and vapor fluxes within the soil column. The results showed that evaporation is negligible when the groundwater table is deeper than 1 m. For shallower groundwater levels, evaporation increases in an exponential fashion reaching a value of 3 mm/day when the groundwater table is near the surface of the ground. These evaporation rates are on the same order of magnitude than the field measurements, but slightly lower due to the controlled conditions maintained in the laboratory. Isothermal fluid fluxes were predominant over the non-isothermal fluid and water vapor fluxes. The net flux for all the phreatic levels tested in the laboratory showed different behaviors, with ascending or descending flows as a consequence of changes in water content and temperature distribution within the soil. It was

  10. Investigation and Evaluation of Groundwater Resources of Juxian

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xinyi, Li; Wanglin, Li; Xiaojiao, Zhang; Deling, Zhu; Huadan, Yan

    2018-03-01

    The investigation and evaluation of groundwater resources refers to the analysis of groundwater quantity, quality, spatial-temporal property and exploitation status. Based on the collected data and field investigation, the groundwater resources in plain and hilly area of Juxian were calculated by replenishment method, discharge method and comprehensive infiltration coefficient method, and the groundwater quality was analyzed and evaluated. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The amount of groundwater resources is 224.940 million m3/a, including 89.585 million m3/a of plain area and 142.523 million m3/a of hilly area respectively. (2) The allowable yield of groundwater is about 162.948 million m3/a, in which the amounts in the plain area and the hilly area are 74 .585million m3/a and 88.363 million m3/a, respectively. (3) The pH value of groundwater ranges from 6.5∼7.5 and the degree of mineralization of groundwater was lower than 1 g/L at most. In addition, the total hardness varies from 150 mg/L to 450 mg/L in plain area and 300 mg/L to 550 mg/L in hilly area, respectively. The investigation and evaluation of groundwater resources was of great significance in ensuring the sustainable development of groundwater resources, establishing the scheme of groundwater resources exploitation and utilization.

  11. Distinct kinetics and mechanisms of mZVI particles aging in saline and fresh groundwater: H2 evolution and surface passivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, Jia; Tang, Fenglin; Zheng, Xilai; Shao, Haibing; Kolditz, Olaf; Lu, Xin

    2016-09-01

    Application of microscale zero-valent iron (mZVI) is a promising technology for in-situ contaminated groundwater remediation; however, its longevity is negatively impacted by surface passivation, especially in saline groundwater. In this study, the aging behavior of mZVI particles was investigated in three media (milli-Q water, fresh groundwater and saline groundwater) using batch experiments to evaluate their potential corrosion and passivation performance under different field conditions. The results indicated that mZVI was reactive for 0-7 days of exposure to water and then gradually lost H2-generating capacity over the next hundred days in all of the tested media. In comparison, mZVI in saline groundwater exhibited the fastest corrosion rate during the early phase (0-7 d), followed by the sharpest kinetic constant decline in the latter phases. The SEM-EDS and XPS analyses demonstrated that in the saline groundwater, a thin and compact oxide film was immediately formed on the surface and significantly shielded the iron reactive site. Nevertheless, in fresh groundwater and milli-Q water, a passive layer composed of loosely and unevenly distributed precipitates slowly formed, with abundant reactive sites available to support continuous iron corrosion. These findings provide insight into the molecular-scale mechanism that governs mZVI passivation and provide implications for long-term mZVI application in saline contaminated groundwater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The Effects of High Salinity Groundwater on the Performance of Clay Barriers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savage, David

    2005-08-01

    Potential changes in groundwater chemistry during the operational or post-closure periods of the Swedish repository for spent fuel could affect the performance of both the bentonite buffer and repository backfill. For example, the up-coning of saline groundwater could lead to decreased swelling pressures in both the bentonite buffer and tunnel backfills, and could also induce 'piping'. SKB is considering these issues as part of its 'SR-Can' safety assessment. This report reviews evidence for the behaviour of swelling clays in groundwaters of varying salinity with special relevance to the SKB programme. Smectite clays can absorb water into clay inter-layers with the most important parameters being: the surface density of charge of the clay; the charge and solvation behaviour of the inter-layer ions; and the electrolyte concentration or activity of water. Two categories of swelling are generally observed: innercrystalline swelling caused by the hydration of the exchangeable cations in the dry clay; and osmotic swelling, resulting from concentration gradients in ion concentrations between clay surfaces and pore water. Several models exist to interpret and predict the swelling behaviour of clays. SKB currently prefer an interpretation of clay swelling pressure where clay particles are viewed as 'macro-ions' and the entire clay-water system can be considered as a 'polyelectrolyte'. SKB use the term 'Donnan exclusion' to estimate the amount of introduced ions into the clay and hence the amount of reduced swelling pressure due to contact with a saline solution. Donnan exclusion is the process whereby the migration of anions through the narrow aqueous film surrounding clay platelets is restricted due to the repulsion by the negative charge of the clay platelets. SKB's experimental work shows that: There is an exponential relation between swelling pressure and mean basal interlamellar spacing of the clay. Ions from the external electrolyte solution enter the clay volume

  13. The Effects of High Salinity Groundwater on the Performance of Clay Barriers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Savage, David [Quintessa Ltd., Nottingham (United Kingdom)

    2005-07-01

    Potential changes in groundwater chemistry during the operational or post-closure periods of the Swedish repository for spent fuel could affect the performance of both the bentonite buffer and repository backfill. For example, the up-coning of saline groundwater could lead to decreased swelling pressures in both the bentonite buffer and tunnel backfills, and could also induce 'piping'. SKB is considering these issues as part of its 'SR-Can' safety assessment. This report reviews evidence for the behaviour of swelling clays in groundwaters of varying salinity with special relevance to the SKB programme. Smectite clays can absorb water into clay inter-layers with the most important parameters being: the surface density of charge of the clay; the charge and solvation behaviour of the inter-layer ions; and the electrolyte concentration or activity of water. Two categories of swelling are generally observed: innercrystalline swelling caused by the hydration of the exchangeable cations in the dry clay; and osmotic swelling, resulting from concentration gradients in ion concentrations between clay surfaces and pore water. Several models exist to interpret and predict the swelling behaviour of clays. SKB currently prefer an interpretation of clay swelling pressure where clay particles are viewed as 'macro-ions' and the entire clay-water system can be considered as a 'polyelectrolyte'. SKB use the term 'Donnan exclusion' to estimate the amount of introduced ions into the clay and hence the amount of reduced swelling pressure due to contact with a saline solution. Donnan exclusion is the process whereby the migration of anions through the narrow aqueous film surrounding clay platelets is restricted due to the repulsion by the negative charge of the clay platelets. SKB's experimental work shows that: There is an exponential relation between swelling pressure and mean basal interlamellar spacing of the clay. Ions from the

  14. Salinization and Saline Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vengosh, A.

    2003-12-01

    One of the most conspicuous phenomena of water-quality degradation, particularly in arid and semi-arid zones, is salinization of water and soil resources. Salinization is a long-term phenomenon, and during the last century many aquifers and river basins have become unsuitable for human consumption owing to high levels of salinity. Future exploitation of thousands of wells in the Middle East and in many other water-scarce regions in the world depends, to a large extent, on the degree and rate of salinization. Moreover, every year a large fraction of agricultural land is salinized and becomes unusable.Salinization is a global environmental phenomenon that affects many different aspects of our life (Williams, 2001a, b): changing the chemical composition of natural water resources (lakes, rivers, and groundwater), degrading the quality of water supply to the domestic and agriculture sectors, contribution to loss of biodiversity, taxonomic replacement by halotolerant species ( Williams, 2001a, b), loss of fertile soil, collapse of agricultural and fishery industries, changing of local climatic conditions, and creating severe health problems (e.g., the Aral Basin). The damage due to salinity in the Colorado River Basin alone, for example, ranges between 500 and 750 million per year and could exceed 1 billion per year if the salinity in the Imperial Dam increases from 700 mg L-1 to 900 mg L-1 (Bureau of Reclamation, 2003, USA). In Australia, accelerating soil salinization has become a massive environmental and economic disaster. Western Australia is "losing an area equal to one football oval an hour" due to spreading salinity ( Murphy, 1999). The annual cost for dryland salinity in Australia is estimated as AU700 million for lost land and AU$130 million for lost production ( Williams et al., 2002). In short, the salinization process has become pervasive.Salinity in water is usually defined by the chloride content (mg L-1) or total dissolved solids content (TDS, mg L-1or g

  15. Groundwater Salinity Simulation of a Subsurface Reservoir in Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, H. T.

    2015-12-01

    The subsurface reservoir is located in Chi-Ken Basin, Pescadores (a group islands located at western part of Taiwan). There is no river in these remote islands and thus the freshwater supply is relied on the subsurface reservoir. The basin area of the subsurface reservoir is 2.14 km2 , discharge of groundwater is 1.27×106m3 , annual planning water supplies is 7.9×105m3 , which include for domestic agricultural usage. The annual average temperature is 23.3oC, average moisture is 80~85%, annual average rainfall is 913 mm, but ET rate is 1975mm. As there is no single river in the basin; the major recharge of groundwater is by infiltration. Chi-Ken reservoir is the first subsurface reservoir in Taiwan. Originally, the water quality of the reservoir is good. The reservoir has had the salinity problem since 1991 and it became more and more serious from 1992 until 1994. Possible reason of the salinity problem was the shortage of rainfall or the leakage of the subsurface barrier which caused the seawater intrusion. The present study aimed to determine the leakage position of subsurface barrier that caused the salinity problem. In order to perform the simulation for different possible leakage position of the subsurface reservoir, a Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) is used to define soils layer data, hydro-geological parameters, initial conditions, boundary conditions and the generation of three dimension meshes. A three dimension FEMWATER(Yeh , 1996) numerical model was adopted to find the possible leakage position of the subsurface barrier and location of seawater intrusion by comparing the simulation of different possible leakage with the observations. 1.By assuming the leakage position in the bottom of barrier, the simulated numerical result matched the observation better than the other assumed leakage positions. It showed that the most possible leakage position was at the bottom of the barrier. 2.The research applied three dimension FEMWATER and GMS as an interface

  16. Contributions of groundwater conditions to soil and water salinization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salama, Ramsis B.; Otto, Claus J.; Fitzpatrick, Robert W.

    Salinization is the process whereby the concentration of dissolved salts in water and soil is increased due to natural or human-induced processes. Water is lost through one or any combination of four main mechanisms: evaporation, evapotranspiration, hydrolysis, and leakage between aquifers. Salinity increases from catchment divides to the valley floors and in the direction of groundwater flow. Salinization is explained by two main chemical models developed by the authors: weathering and deposition. These models are in agreement with the weathering and depositional geological processes that have formed soils and overburden in the catchments. Five soil-change processes in arid and semi-arid climates are associated with waterlogging and water. In all represented cases, groundwater is the main geological agent for transmitting, accumulating, and discharging salt. At a small catchment scale in South and Western Australia, water is lost through evapotranspiration and hydrolysis. Saline groundwater flows along the beds of the streams and is accumulated in paleochannels, which act as a salt repository, and finally discharges in lakes, where most of the saline groundwater is concentrated. In the hummocky terrains of the Northern Great Plains Region, Canada and USA, the localized recharge and discharge scenarios cause salinization to occur mainly in depressions, in conjunction with the formation of saline soils and seepages. On a regional scale within closed basins, this process can create playas or saline lakes. In the continental aquifers of the rift basins of Sudan, salinity increases along the groundwater flow path and forms a saline zone at the distal end. The saline zone in each rift forms a closed ridge, which coincides with the closed trough of the groundwater-level map. The saline body or bodies were formed by evaporation coupled with alkaline-earth carbonate precipitation and dissolution of capillary salts. Résumé La salinisation est le processus par lequel la

  17. Submarine groundwater discharge to a small estuary estimated from radon and salinity measurements and a box model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Crusius

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Submarine groundwater discharge was quantified by a variety of methods for a 4-day period during the early summer of 2004, in Salt Pond, adjacent to Nauset Marsh, on Cape Cod, USA. Discharge estimates based on radon and salinity took advantage of the presence of the narrow channel connecting Salt Pond to Nauset Marsh, which allowed constructing whole-pond mass balances as water flowed in and out due to tidal fluctuations. The data suggest that less than one quarter of the discharge in the vicinity of Salt Pond happened within the pond itself, while three quarters or more of the discharge occurred immediately seaward of the pond, either in the channel or in adjacent regions of Nauset Marsh. Much of this discharge, which maintains high radon activities and low salinity, is carried into the pond during each incoming tide. A box model was used as an aid to understand both the rates and the locations of discharge in the vicinity of Salt Pond. The model achieves a reasonable fit to both the salinity and radon data assuming submarine groundwater discharge is fresh and that most of it occurs either in the channel or in adjacent regions of Nauset Marsh. Salinity and radon data, together with seepage meter results, do not rule out discharge of saline groundwater, but suggest either that the saline discharge is at most comparable in volume to the fresh discharge or that it is depleted in radon. The estimated rate of fresh groundwater discharge in the vicinity of Salt Pond is 3000-7000 m3 d-1. This groundwater flux estimated from the radon and salinity data is comparable to a value of 3200-4500 m3 d-1 predicted by a recent hydrologic model (Masterson, 2004; Colman and Masterson, 2004, although the model predicts this rate of discharge to the pond whereas our data suggest most of the groundwater bypasses the pond prior to discharge. Additional work is needed to determine if the measured rate of discharge is representative of the long-term average, and to

  18. The origin of brackish and saline groundwater in the coastal area of the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Post, VEA; Van der Plicht, H; Meijer, HAJ

    An explanation is presented for the origin of brackish to saline groundwater in the coastal area of the Netherlands based on geological, chemical (chlorinity), isotopic and geophysical data. A critical review of all possible salinization mechanisms shows that the origin of the brackish water is

  19. Using geochemical investigations for determining the interaction between groundwater and saline water in arid areas: case of the Wadi Ouazzi basin (Morocco

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. El Moukhayar

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The characteristics of the Essaouira basin water resources are a semi-arid climate, which is severely impacted by the climate (quantity and quality. Considering the importance of the Essaouira aquifer in the groundwater supply of the region, a study was conducted in order to understand groundwater evolution in this aquifer. The Essaouira aquifer is a coastal aquifer located on the Atlantic coastline of southern Morocco, corresponding to a sedimentary basin with an area of nearly 200 km2. The control of the fluid exchange and the influence of mixing zones between the groundwater and saline water was investigated by sampling from 20 wells, drillings and sources belonging to the Plio-Quaternary and Turonian aquifers. It is hypothesized that groundwater major ions chemistry can be employed to determine the interaction between the groundwater and saline water (coastal aquifers. Groundwater samples examined for electric conductivity and temperature showed that waters belonging to the Plio-Quaternary and Turonian aquifers present very variable electric conductivities, from 900 μs/cm to 3880 μs/cm. Despite this variability, they are from the same family and are characterized by sodium-chloride facies. However, a good correlation exists between the electrical conductivity and chloride and sodium contents. The lower electrical conductivities are situated in the North quarter immediately to the south of the Wadi Ouazzi.

  20. Assessment of groundwater and soil quality degradation using multivariate and geostatistical analyses, Dakhla Oasis, Egypt

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masoud, Alaa A.; El-Horiny, Mohamed M.; Atwia, Mohamed G.; Gemail, Khaled S.; Koike, Katsuaki

    2018-06-01

    Salinization of groundwater and soil resources has long been a serious environmental hazard in arid regions. This study was conducted to investigate and document the factors controlling such salinization and their inter-relationships in the Dakhla Oasis (Egypt). To accomplish this, 60 groundwater samples and 31 soil samples were collected in February 2014. Factor analysis (FA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were integrated with geostatistical analyses to characterize the chemical properties of groundwater and soil and their spatial patterns, identify the factors controlling the pattern variability, and clarify the salinization mechanism. Groundwater quality standards revealed emergence of salinization (av. 885.8 mg/L) and extreme occurrences of Fe2+ (av. 17.22 mg/L) and Mn2+ (av. 2.38 mg/L). Soils were highly salt-affected (av. 15.2 dS m-1) and slightly alkaline (av. pH = 7.7). Evaporation and ion-exchange processes governed the evolution of two main water types: Na-Cl (52%) and Ca-Mg-Cl (47%), respectively. Salinization leads the chemical variability of both resources. Distinctive patterns of slight salinization marked the northern part and intense salinization marked the middle and southern parts. Congruence in the resources clusters confirmed common geology, soil types, and urban and agricultural practices. Minimizing the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the resources salinization urges the need for better understanding of the hydrochemical characteristics and prediction of quality changes.

  1. Potential impact of climate change on groundwater resources in the Central Huai Luang Basin, Northeast Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pholkern, Kewaree; Saraphirom, Phayom; Srisuk, Kriengsak

    2018-08-15

    The Central Huai Luang Basin is one of the important rice producing areas of Udon Thani Province in Northeastern Thailand. The basin is underlain by the rock salt layers of the Maha Sarakham Formation and is the source of saline groundwater and soil salinity. The regional and local groundwater flow systems are the major mechanisms responsible for spreading saline groundwater and saline soils in this basin. Climate change may have an impact on groundwater recharge, on water table depth and the consequences of waterlogging, and on the distribution of soil salinity in this basin. Six future climate conditions from the SEACAM and CanESM2 models were downscaled to investigate the potential impact of future climate conditions on groundwater quantity and quality in this basin. The potential impact was investigated by using a set of numerical models, namely HELP3 and SEAWAT, to estimate the groundwater recharge and flow and the salt transport of groundwater simulation, respectively. The results revealed that within next 30years (2045), the future average annual temperature is projected to increase by 3.1°C and 2.2°C under SEACAM and CanESM2 models, respectively, while the future precipitation is projected to decrease by 20.85% under SEACAM and increase by 18.35% under the CanESM2. Groundwater recharge is projected to increase under the CanESM2 model and to slightly decrease under the SEACAM model. Moreover, for all future climate conditions, the depths of the groundwater water table are projected to continuously increase. The results showed the impact of climate change on salinity distribution for both the deep and shallow groundwater systems. The salinity distribution areas are projected to increase by about 8.08% and 56.92% in the deep and shallow groundwater systems, respectively. The waterlogging areas are also projected to expand by about 63.65% from the baseline period. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. An integrated hydrogeochemical and isotopic approach to study groundwater Salinization in the overexploited aquifers of Indo-Gangetic Plain, a part of NCR Delhi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumari, R.

    2017-12-01

    roundwater resources in arid and semi-arid areas are highly vulnerable to salinity problems. Inadequate availability of surface water supply, vagaries of mansoonal rainfall and overexploitation due to population pressure and rapid landuse change induced decline in groundwater levels and salinization has been observed in many Asian cities. After green revolution, large part of Indo-Gangetic plain groundwater salinization has been reported. One such region is National Capital Region, Delhi- India's largest and the world's second largest agglomeration of people and economic hub of Northern India. The present study includes National capital territory, Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad. In the present study, different graphical plots, Piper plot, saturation index values (using PHREEQC), stable isotopes (δ18O and δD) and GIS is used to create the database for analysis of spatial variation in respective water quality parameters as well as to decipher the hydrogeochemical process occurring in the area. Major ions are analysed to describe the composition and distribution of salinization and dissolution/precipitation dynamics. It was observed that groundwater weathering is governed by carbonate and silicate weathering and reverse ion-exchange, however due to semi-arid climate evaporation is also playing a major role in groundwater chemistry and salinity of the area. δ18O and δD regression line of groundwater samples of the study area is below the LMWL also suggest from non-equilibrium fractionation during evaporation. Large lateral variation in chloride concentration indicates impact of evapotranspiration rate during recharge. Most of water facies are of Na-Cl. Stable isotope (δ18O and δD) analysis helps to identify evaporation and to better understand recharge processes and mixing dynamics in the study region. Limited availability of surface water supply, no pricing exists for groundwater extraction has resulted in a widespread decline in the water table and intermixing of

  3. Origins and processes of groundwater salinization in the urban coastal aquifers of Recife (Pernambuco, Brazil): A multi-isotope approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cary, Lise; Petelet-Giraud, Emmanuelle; Bertrand, Guillaume; Kloppmann, Wolfram; Aquilina, Luc; Martins, Veridiana; Hirata, Ricardo; Montenegro, Suzana; Pauwels, Hélène; Chatton, Eliot; Franzen, Melissa; Aurouet, Axel; Lasseur, Eric; Picot, Géraldine; Guerrot, Catherine; Fléhoc, Christine

    2015-01-01

    In the coastal multilayer aquifer system of a highly urbanized southern city (Recife, Brazil), where groundwaters are affected by salinization, a multi-isotope approach (Sr, B, O, H) was used to investigate the sources and processes of salinization. The high diversity of the geological bodies, built since the Atlantic opening during the Cretaceous, highly constrains the heterogeneity of the groundwater chemistry, e.g. Sr isotope ratios, and needs to be integrated to explain the salinization processes and groundwater pathways. A paleoseawater intrusion, most probably the 120 ky B.P. Pleistocene marine transgression, and cationic exchange are clearly evidenced in the most salinized parts of the Cabo and Beberibe aquifers. All 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values are above the past and present-day seawater signatures, meaning that the Sr isotopic signature is altered due to additional Sr inputs from dilution with different freshwaters, and water–rock interactions. Only the Cabo aquifer presents a well-delimitated area of Na-HCO 3 water typical of a freshening process. The two deep aquifers also display a broad range of B concentrations and B isotope ratios with values among the highest known to date (63–68.5‰). This suggests multiple sources and processes affecting B behavior, among which mixing with saline water, B sorption on clays and mixing with wastewater. The highly fractionated B isotopic values were explained by infiltration of relatively salty water with B interacting with clays, pointing out the major role played by (palaeo)-channels for the deep Beberibe aquifer recharge. Based on an increase of salinity at the end of the dry season, a present-day seawater intrusion is identified in the surficial Boa Viagem aquifer. Our conceptual model presents a comprehensive understanding of the major groundwater salinization pathways and processes, and should be of benefit for other southern Atlantic coastal aquifers to better address groundwater management issues. - Highlights:

  4. Baseline Geochemistry of Natural Occurring Methane and Saline Groundwater in an Area of Unconventional Shale Gas Development Through Time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harkness, J.; Darrah, T.; Warner, N. R.; Whyte, C. J.; Moore, M. T.; Millot, R.; Kloppmann, W.; Jackson, R. B.; Vengosh, A.

    2017-12-01

    Naturally occurring methane is nearly ubiquitous in most sedimentary basins and delineating the effects of anthropogenic contamination sources from geogenic sources is a major challenge for evaluating the impact of unconventional shale gas development on water quality. This study employs a broadly integrated study of various geochemical techniques to investigate the geochemical variations of groundwater and surface water before, during, and after hydraulic fracturing.This approache combines inorganic geochemistry (major cations and anions), stable isotopes of select inorganic constituents including strontium (87Sr/86Sr), boron (δ11B), lithium (δ7Li), and carbon (δ13C-DIC), select hydrocarbon molecular (methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane) and isotopic tracers (δ13C-CH4, δ13C-C2H6), tritium (3H), and noble gas elemental and isotopic composition (He, Ne, Ar) to apportion natural and anthropogenic sources of natural gas and salt contaminants both before and after drilling. Methane above 1 ccSTP/L in groundwater samples awas strongly associated with elevated salinity (chloride >50 mg/L).The geochemical and isotopic analysis indicate saline groundwater originated via naturally occurring processes, presumably from the migration of deeper methane-rich brines that have interacted extensively with coal lithologies. The chemistry and gas compostion of both saline and fresh groundwater wells did not change following the installation of nearby shale-gas wells.The results of this study emphasize the value of baseline characterization of water quality in areas of fossil fuel exploration. Overall this study presents a comprehensive geochemical framework that can be used as a template for assessing the sources of elevated hydrocarbons and salts to water resources in areas potentially impacted by oil and gas development.

  5. Geochemical and isotopic characterization of groundwater resources in El Hicha region, Gabes, southern Tunisia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ben Hamouda, M.F.; Ben Kraiem, H.; Mahjoub, A.; Labidi, B.; Ghoudi, R.; Hamrouni, H.; Nasr, H.; Zouari, K.; Froehlich, K.; Sajjad, M.I.; Garcia-Agudo, E.

    2002-01-01

    The groundwater study area is located in the southern part of Tunisia at some kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, about 35 km north of the town Gabes. It extends over 300 km 2 and is bounded by the Gulf of Gabes in the East, El Hamma in the West and Skhira in the North. This region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of about 180 mm and a potential evaporation of 2130 mm per year. The groundwater resources of the region are represented by four hydrogeological units: the Continental Intercalaire, the Sfax Aquifer, the Jeffara Aquifer and the shallow aquifer of El Hicha. The dug wells and boreholes used for groundwater abstraction in this region reach depths between a few meters and about 170m. The upper zone of 50m depths is formed by sandy clay and gypsum, and the lower zone of 50 to 70m depths consists of sandy layers. The salinity measured in groundwater samples from this area is rather high; the values range between 5 and 7g/l. Since the water will be used to grow salt-tolerant plants, it is important to know the origin of the groundwater (to assess its availability) and the source(s) of its salinity. To this end, groundwater samples for isotope and chemical analysis were taken from 6 dug wells, 6 boreholes (one of them is an artesian well), a spring and a drainage canal. Each site was sampled in March, June, July, September and December 1999. During these sampling campaigns, in-situ measurements of temperature and electrolytic conductivity were carried out

  6. The geochemistry of groundwater resources in the Jordan Valley: The impact of the Rift Valley brines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farber, E.; Vengosh, A.; Gavrieli, I.; Marie, Amarisa; Bullen, T.D.; Mayer, B.; Polak, A.; Shavit, U.

    2007-01-01

    The chemical composition of groundwater in the Jordan Valley, along the section between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, is investigated in order to evaluate the origin of the groundwater resources and, in particular, to elucidate the role of deep brines on the chemical composition of the regional groundwater resources in the Jordan Valley. Samples were collected from shallow groundwater in research boreholes on two sites in the northern and southern parts of the Jordan Valley, adjacent to the Jordan River. Data is also compiled from previous published studies. Geochemical data (e.g., Br/Cl, Na/Cl and SO4/Cl ratios) and B, O, Sr and S isotopic compositions are used to define groundwater groups, to map their distribution in the Jordan valley, and to evaluate their origin. The combined geochemical tools enabled the delineation of three major sources of solutes that differentially affect the quality of groundwater in the Jordan Valley: (1) flow and mixing with hypersaline brines with high Br/Cl (>2 ?? 10-3) and low Na/Cl (shallow saline groundwaters influenced by brine mixing exhibit a north-south variation in their Br/Cl and Na/Cl ratios. This chemical trend was observed also in hypersaline brines in the Jordan valley, which suggests a local mixing process between the water bodies. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Geochemical and isotopic determination of deep groundwater contributions and salinity to the shallow groundwater and surface water systems, Mesilla Basin, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, A.; Carroll, K. C.; Kubicki, C.; Purtshert, R.

    2017-12-01

    The Mesilla Basin/Conejos-Médanos aquifer system, extending from southern New Mexico to Chihuahua, Mexico, is a priority transboundary aquifer under the 2006 United States­-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act. Declining water levels, deteriorating water quality, and increasing groundwater use by municipal, industrial, and agricultural users on both sides of the international border raise concerns about long-term aquifer sustainability. Relative contributions of present-day and "paleo" recharge to sustainable fresh groundwater yields has not been determined and evidence suggests that a large source of salinity at the distal end of the Mesilla Basin is saline discharge from deep groundwater flow. The magnitude and distribution of those deep saline flow paths are not determined. The contribution of deep groundwater to discharge and salinity in the shallow groundwater and surface water of the Mesilla Basin will be determined by collecting discrete groundwater samples and analyzing for aqueous geochemical and isotopic tracers, as well as the radioisotopes of argon and krypton. Analytes include major ions, trace elements, the stable isotopes of water, strontium and boron isotopes, uranium isotopes, the carbon isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon, noble gas concentrations and helium isotope ratios. Dissolved gases are extracted and captured from groundwater wells using membrane contactors in a process known as ultra-trace sampling. Gas samples are analyzed for radioisotope ratios of krypton by the ATTA method and argon by low-level counting. Effectiveness of the ultra-trace sampling device and method was evaluated by comparing results of tritium concentrations to the krypton-85 content. Good agreement between the analyses, especially in samples with undetectable tritium, indicates that the ultra-trace procedure is effective and confirms that introduction of atmospheric air has not occurred. The geochemistry data indicate a complex system of geochemical

  8. The distribution and origins of extremely acidic saline groundwaters in the south of Western Australia - Groundwater and digital mapping datasets provide new insights

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lillicrap, Adam M.; Biermann, Vera; George, Richard J.; Gray, David J.; Oldham, Carolyn E.

    2018-01-01

    Some of the largest extents of naturally occurring acidic waters are found across southern Australia. The origins of these systems remain poorly understood with many hypotheses for their genesis. Australian government agency groundwater datasets and mapping data (vegetation, geology, regolith and soils) for south-western Australia, unavailable to previous researchers, were statistically analysed to better understand the origins of acidic groundwater and guide additional fieldwork to study the origins of acidic saline groundwater. The groundwater data showed a distinct bimodal distribution in pH; the 'acid' population had a median pH of 3.5 and the larger 'non-acid' population had a median pH of 6.6. Acidic groundwater became progressively more common further from the coast towards the drier internally drained regions. Acidic groundwater was mostly confined to the lower slopes and valley floors with localised controls on distribution. Paradoxically, subsoil alkalinity within the internally drained inland regions had the strongest correlation with acidic groundwater (r2 = 0.85). Vegetation was also a strong predictor of acidic groundwater. Acidic groundwater had the highest occurrence under Eucalyptus woodlands and shrublands that grew on alkaline calcareous soils. Pre-clearing soil data in areas with acidic saline groundwater showed that the upper 1 m of the unsaturated zone had a pH around 8 while the pH at depths greater than 5 m decreased to calcium is sourced from the deeper profile where the root biota exchanges calcium for hydrogen ions to maintain charge balance. Iron is mobilised from the upper soil profile and concentrates lower in the profile at depths >1.5 m. There, the iron is reduced around roots and the alkalinity generated by microbial iron reduction is removed by biogenic calcification processes. The iron moves in solution further down the profile following roots where it comes in contact with the oxygenated unsaturated zone matrix and is oxidised

  9. Integrating an artificial intelligence approach with k-means clustering to model groundwater salinity: the case of Gaza coastal aquifer (Palestine)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alagha, Jawad S.; Seyam, Mohammed; Md Said, Md Azlin; Mogheir, Yunes

    2017-12-01

    Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have increasingly become efficient alternative modeling tools in the water resources field, particularly when the modeled process is influenced by complex and interrelated variables. In this study, two AI techniques—artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machine (SVM)—were employed to achieve deeper understanding of the salinization process (represented by chloride concentration) in complex coastal aquifers influenced by various salinity sources. Both models were trained using 11 years of groundwater quality data from 22 municipal wells in Khan Younis Governorate, Gaza, Palestine. Both techniques showed satisfactory prediction performance, where the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and correlation coefficient ( R) for the test data set were, respectively, about 4.5 and 99.8% for the ANNs model, and 4.6 and 99.7% for SVM model. The performances of the developed models were further noticeably improved through preprocessing the wells data set using a k-means clustering method, then conducting AI techniques separately for each cluster. The developed models with clustered data were associated with higher performance, easiness and simplicity. They can be employed as an analytical tool to investigate the influence of input variables on coastal aquifer salinity, which is of great importance for understanding salinization processes, leading to more effective water-resources-related planning and decision making.

  10. Origins and processes of groundwater salinization in the urban coastal aquifers of Recife (Pernambuco, Brazil): A multi-isotope approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cary, Lise, E-mail: l.cary@brgm.fr [BRGM French Geological Survey, 3 Avenue Claude Guillemin, 45060 Orléans Cedex 2 (France); Petelet-Giraud, Emmanuelle [BRGM French Geological Survey, 3 Avenue Claude Guillemin, 45060 Orléans Cedex 2 (France); Bertrand, Guillaume [Institute of Geosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Lago, 562 Butantã, 05508-080 Sao Paulo (Brazil); Kloppmann, Wolfram [BRGM French Geological Survey, 3 Avenue Claude Guillemin, 45060 Orléans Cedex 2 (France); Aquilina, Luc [OSUR-Géosciences Rennes, Université Rennes 1 — CNRS, 35000 Rennes (France); Martins, Veridiana; Hirata, Ricardo [Institute of Geosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Lago, 562 Butantã, 05508-080 Sao Paulo (Brazil); Montenegro, Suzana [Civil Engineering Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740 Recife, PE Brazil (Brazil); Pauwels, Hélène [BRGM French Geological Survey, 3 Avenue Claude Guillemin, 45060 Orléans Cedex 2 (France); Chatton, Eliot [OSUR-Géosciences Rennes, Université Rennes 1 — CNRS, 35000 Rennes (France); Franzen, Melissa [CPRM, Brazilian Geologic Survey, Avenida Sul 2291, Recife PE (Brazil); Aurouet, Axel [Géo-Hyd, 101 rue Jacques Charles, 45160 Olivet (France); Lasseur, Eric; Picot, Géraldine; Guerrot, Catherine; Fléhoc, Christine [BRGM French Geological Survey, 3 Avenue Claude Guillemin, 45060 Orléans Cedex 2 (France); and others

    2015-10-15

    In the coastal multilayer aquifer system of a highly urbanized southern city (Recife, Brazil), where groundwaters are affected by salinization, a multi-isotope approach (Sr, B, O, H) was used to investigate the sources and processes of salinization. The high diversity of the geological bodies, built since the Atlantic opening during the Cretaceous, highly constrains the heterogeneity of the groundwater chemistry, e.g. Sr isotope ratios, and needs to be integrated to explain the salinization processes and groundwater pathways. A paleoseawater intrusion, most probably the 120 ky B.P. Pleistocene marine transgression, and cationic exchange are clearly evidenced in the most salinized parts of the Cabo and Beberibe aquifers. All {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr values are above the past and present-day seawater signatures, meaning that the Sr isotopic signature is altered due to additional Sr inputs from dilution with different freshwaters, and water–rock interactions. Only the Cabo aquifer presents a well-delimitated area of Na-HCO{sub 3} water typical of a freshening process. The two deep aquifers also display a broad range of B concentrations and B isotope ratios with values among the highest known to date (63–68.5‰). This suggests multiple sources and processes affecting B behavior, among which mixing with saline water, B sorption on clays and mixing with wastewater. The highly fractionated B isotopic values were explained by infiltration of relatively salty water with B interacting with clays, pointing out the major role played by (palaeo)-channels for the deep Beberibe aquifer recharge. Based on an increase of salinity at the end of the dry season, a present-day seawater intrusion is identified in the surficial Boa Viagem aquifer. Our conceptual model presents a comprehensive understanding of the major groundwater salinization pathways and processes, and should be of benefit for other southern Atlantic coastal aquifers to better address groundwater management issues

  11. Salinization of the soil solution decreases the further accumulation of salt in the root zone of the halophyte Atriplex nummularia Lindl. growing above shallow saline groundwater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alharby, Hesham F; Colmer, Timothy D; Barrett-Lennard, Edward G

    2018-01-01

    Water use by plants in landscapes with shallow saline groundwater may lead to the accumulation of salt in the root zone. We examined the accumulation of Na + and Cl - around the roots of the halophyte Atriplex nummularia Lindl. and the impacts of this increasing salinity for stomatal conductance, water use and growth. Plants were grown in columns filled with a sand-clay mixture and connected at the bottom to reservoirs containing 20, 200 or 400 mM NaCl. At 21 d, Na + and Cl - concentrations in the soil solution were affected by the salinity of the groundwater, height above the water table and the root fresh mass density at various soil depths (P soil solution therefore had a feedback effect on further salinization within the root zone. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Origin and distribution of saline groundwaters in the upper Miocene aquifer system, coastal Rhodope area, northeastern Greece

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petalas, C. P.; Diamantis, I. B.

    1999-06-01

    This paper describes the origins and distribution of saline groundwaters in the coastal area of Rhodope, Greece. The aquifer system includes two aquifers within coarse-grained alluvial sediments in the coastal part of the study area. Two major water-quality groups occur in the study area, namely Ca2+-rich saline groundwater and Ca2+-poor, almost fresh groundwater. The main process controlling the groundwater chemistry is the exchange of calcium and sodium between the aquifer matrix and intruding seawater. The natural salt water in the study area is probably residual water that infiltrated the aquifer system during repeated marine transgressions in late Pleistocene time. Seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer system occurs as a result of overpumping in two seawater wedges separated vertically by a low-permeability layer. The rate of intrusion averages 0.8 m/d and is less than expected due to a decline of the aquifer's permeability at the interface with the seawater. The application of several hydrochemical techniques (Piper and Durov diagrams; Na+/Cl-, Ca2+/Cl-, Mg2+/Cl-, and Br-/Cl- molar ratios; Ca2+/Mg2+ weight ratio; and chloride concentrations), combined with field observations, may lead to a better explanation of the origin of the saline groundwater.

  13. Quantitative maps of groundwater resources in Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacDonald, A M; Bonsor, H C; Dochartaigh, B É Ó; Taylor, R G

    2012-01-01

    In Africa, groundwater is the major source of drinking water and its use for irrigation is forecast to increase substantially to combat growing food insecurity. Despite this, there is little quantitative information on groundwater resources in Africa, and groundwater storage is consequently omitted from assessments of freshwater availability. Here we present the first quantitative continent-wide maps of aquifer storage and potential borehole yields in Africa based on an extensive review of available maps, publications and data. We estimate total groundwater storage in Africa to be 0.66 million km 3 (0.36–1.75 million km 3 ). Not all of this groundwater storage is available for abstraction, but the estimated volume is more than 100 times estimates of annual renewable freshwater resources on Africa. Groundwater resources are unevenly distributed: the largest groundwater volumes are found in the large sedimentary aquifers in the North African countries Libya, Algeria, Egypt and Sudan. Nevertheless, for many African countries appropriately sited and constructed boreholes can support handpump abstraction (yields of 0.1–0.3 l s −1 ), and contain sufficient storage to sustain abstraction through inter-annual variations in recharge. The maps show further that the potential for higher yielding boreholes ( > 5 l s −1 ) is much more limited. Therefore, strategies for increasing irrigation or supplying water to rapidly urbanizing cities that are predicated on the widespread drilling of high yielding boreholes are likely to be unsuccessful. As groundwater is the largest and most widely distributed store of freshwater in Africa, the quantitative maps are intended to lead to more realistic assessments of water security and water stress, and to promote a more quantitative approach to mapping of groundwater resources at national and regional level. (letter)

  14. Brackish groundwater in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanton, Jennifer S.; Anning, David W.; Brown, Craig J.; Moore, Richard B.; McGuire, Virginia L.; Qi, Sharon L.; Harris, Alta C.; Dennehy, Kevin F.; McMahon, Peter B.; Degnan, James R.; Böhlke, John Karl

    2017-04-05

    For some parts of the Nation, large-scale development of groundwater has caused decreases in the amount of groundwater that is present in aquifer storage and that discharges to surface-water bodies. Water supply in some areas, particularly in arid and semiarid regions, is not adequate to meet demand, and severe drought is affecting large parts of the United States. Future water demand is projected to heighten the current stress on groundwater resources. This combination of factors has led to concerns about the availability of freshwater to meet domestic, agricultural, industrial, mining, and environmental needs. To ensure the water security of the Nation, currently [2016] untapped water sources may need to be developed.Brackish groundwater is an unconventional water source that may offer a partial solution to current and future water demands. In support of the national census of water resources, the U.S. Geological Survey completed the national brackish groundwater assessment to better understand the occurrence and characteristics of brackish groundwater in the United States as a potential water resource. Analyses completed as part of this assessment relied on previously collected data from multiple sources; no new data were collected. Compiled data included readily available information about groundwater chemistry, horizontal and vertical extents and hydrogeologic characteristics of principal aquifers (regionally extensive aquifers or aquifer systems that have the potential to be used as a source of potable water), and groundwater use. Although these data were obtained from a wide variety of sources, the compiled data are biased toward shallow and fresh groundwater resources; data representing groundwater that is at great depths and is saline were not as readily available.One of the most important contributions of this assessment is the creation of a database containing chemical characteristics and aquifer information for the known areas with brackish groundwater

  15. Coupled flow and salinity transport modelling in semi-arid environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bauer-Gottwein, Peter; Held, R.J.; Zimmermann, S.

    2006-01-01

    Numerical groundwater modelling is used as the base for sound aquifer system analysis and water resources assessment. In many cases, particularly in semi-arid and arid regions, groundwater flow is intricately linked to salinity transport. A case in point is the Shashe River Valley in Botswana. A ...

  16. A New Method to Infer Advancement of Saline Front in Coastal Groundwater Systems by 3D: The Case of Bari (Southern Italy Fractured Aquifer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Costantino Masciopinto

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available A new method to study 3D saline front advancement in coastal fractured aquifers has been presented. Field groundwater salinity was measured in boreholes of the Bari (Southern Italy coastal aquifer with depth below water table. Then, the Ghyben-Herzberg freshwater/saltwater (50% sharp interface and saline front position were determined by model simulations of the freshwater flow in groundwater. Afterward, the best-fit procedure between groundwater salinity measurements, at assigned water depth of 1.0 m in boreholes, and distances of each borehole from the modelled freshwater/saltwater saline front was used to convert each position (x, y in groundwater to the water salinity concentration at depth of 1.0 m. Moreover, a second best-fit procedure was applied to the salinity measurements in boreholes with depth z. These results provided a grid file (x, y, z, salinity suitable for plotting the actual Bari aquifer salinity by 3D maps. Subsequently, in order to assess effects of pumping on the saltwater-freshwater transition zone in the coastal aquifer, the Navier-Stokes (N-S equations were applied to study transient density-driven flow and salt mass transport into freshwater of a single fracture. The rate of seawater/freshwater interface advancement given by the N-S solution was used to define the progression of saline front in Bari groundwater, starting from the actual salinity 3D map. The impact of pumping of 335 L·s−1 during the transition period of 112.8 days was easily highlighted on 3D salinity maps of Bari aquifer.

  17. Study of groundwater chemistry and salinization in Rechna Doab using hydrochemical and isotopic tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajjad, M.I.; Tasneem, M.A.; Akram, W.; Ahmad, M.; Hussain, S.D.; Khan, I.H.

    1991-09-01

    Isotopic and chemical characterization of groundwater in Rechna Doab were studied. Samples of water from existing shallow and deep wells, etc. were collected and analyzed for their major ionic and stable isotopic (/sup 2/H, /sup 18/O) contents. The chemical data was used to have a knowledge of various aspects of water chemistry. Different compositional types of water existing in the area were identified. It was observed that groundwater at most of the locations belongs to sodium bicarbonate type. The geochemical evaluation of groundwater was also studied. It is suggested that infiltering water picks up carbon dioxide during percolation through the soil zone. This CO/sub 2/rich water upon interaction with the sediments dissolves more soluble ions. With the increase in salinity soluble remains in solution. Chemical quality of water was evaluated for various uses and found satisfactory in most of the cases. Stable isotopic values in combination with conservative ion (Cl) concentration were used to identify the process of groundwater salinization. Three possible processes, mixing with connate marine water, concentration of salts by evaporation and dissolution of salts from sediments was found to be the operating mechanism under the prevailing conditions. (author)

  18. A geochemical approach to determine sources and movement of saline groundwater in a coastal aquifer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anders, Robert; Mendez, Gregory O; Futa, Kiyoto; Danskin, Wesley R

    2014-01-01

    Geochemical evaluation of the sources and movement of saline groundwater in coastal aquifers can aid in the initial mapping of the subsurface when geological information is unavailable. Chloride concentrations of groundwater in a coastal aquifer near San Diego, California, range from about 57 to 39,400 mg/L. On the basis of relative proportions of major-ions, the chemical composition is classified as Na-Ca-Cl-SO4, Na-Cl, or Na-Ca-Cl type water. δ(2)H and δ(18)O values range from -47.7‰ to -12.8‰ and from -7.0‰ to -1.2‰, respectively. The isotopically depleted groundwater occurs in the deeper part of the coastal aquifer, and the isotopically enriched groundwater occurs in zones of sea water intrusion. (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios range from about 0.7050 to 0.7090, and differ between shallower and deeper flow paths in the coastal aquifer. (3)H and (14)C analyses indicate that most of the groundwater was recharged many thousands of years ago. The analysis of multiple chemical and isotopic tracers indicates that the sources and movement of saline groundwater in the San Diego coastal aquifer are dominated by: (1) recharge of local precipitation in relatively shallow parts of the flow system; (2) regional flow of recharge of higher-elevation precipitation along deep flow paths that freshen a previously saline aquifer; and (3) intrusion of sea water that entered the aquifer primarily during premodern times. Two northwest-to-southeast trending sections show the spatial distribution of the different geochemical groups and suggest the subsurface in the coastal aquifer can be separated into two predominant hydrostratigraphic layers. © 2013, National Ground Water Association.

  19. Potential effects of the Hawaii geothermal project on ground-water resources on the Island of Hawaii

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sorey, M.L.; Colvard, E.M.

    1994-07-01

    This report provides data and information on the quantity and quality of ground-water resources in and adjacent to proposed geothermal development areas on the Island of Hawaii Geothermal project for the development of as much as 500 MW of electric power from the geothermal system in the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano. Data presented for about 31 wells and 8 springs describe the chemical, thermal, and hydraulic properties of the ground-water system in and adjacent to the East Rift Zone. On the basis of this information, potential effects of this geothermal development on drawdown of ground-water levels and contamination of ground-water resources are discussed. Significant differences in ground-water levels and in the salinity and temperature of ground water within the study area appear to be related to mixing of waters from different sources and varying degrees of ground-water impoundment by volcanic dikes. Near Pahoa and to the east, the ground-water system within the rift is highly transmissive and receives abundant recharge from precipitation; therefore, the relatively modest requirements for fresh water to support geothermal development in that part of the east rift zone would result in minimal effects on ground-water levels in and adjacent to the rift. To the southwest of Pahoa, dike impoundment reduces the transmissivity of the ground-water system to such an extent that wells might not be capable of supplying fresh water at rates sufficient to support geothermal operations. Water would have to be transported to such developments from supply systems located outside the rift or farther downrift. Contaminant migration resulting from well accidents could be rapid because of relatively high ground-water velocities in parts of the region. Hydrologic monitoring of observation wells needs to be continued throughout development of geothermal resources for the Hawaii Geothermal Project to enable the early detection of leakage and migration of geothermal fluids.

  20. Provision of Desalinated Irrigation Water by the Desalination of Groundwater within a Saline Aquifer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David D. J. Antia

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Irrigated land accounts for 70% of global water usage and 30% of global agricultural production. Forty percent of this water is derived from groundwater. Approximately 20%–30% of the groundwater sources are saline and 20%–50% of global irrigation water is salinized. Salinization reduces crop yields and the number of crop varieties which can be grown on an arable holding. Structured ZVI (zero valent iron, Fe0 pellets desalinate water by storing the removed ions as halite (NaCl within their porosity. This allows an “Aquifer Treatment Zone” to be created within an aquifer, (penetrated by a number of wells (containing ZVI pellets. This zone is used to supply partially desalinated water directly from a saline aquifer. A modeled reconfigured aquifer producing a continuous flow (e.g., 20 m3/day, 7300 m3/a of partially desalinated irrigation water is used to illustrate the impact of porosity, permeability, aquifer heterogeneity, abstraction rate, Aquifer Treatment Zone size, aquifer thickness, optional reinjection, leakage and flow by-pass on the product water salinity. This desalination approach has no operating costs (other than abstraction costs (and ZVI regeneration and may potentially be able to deliver a continuous flow of partially desalinated water (30%–80% NaCl reduction for $0.05–0.5/m3.

  1. Effects of environmental conditions on soil salinity and arid region in Tunisia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ben Ahmed, C.; Ben Rouina, B.; Boukhris, M.

    2009-01-01

    The shortage of water resources of good water quality is becoming an issue in the arid and semi arid regions. for this reason, the use of water resources of marginal quality such as treated wastewater and saline groundwater has become and important consideration, particularly in arid region in Tunisia, where large quantities of saline water are used for irrigation. (Author)

  2. SALINE WATER RESOURCES IN CLUJ-NAPOCA SURROUNDINGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. CZELLECZ

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Saline waters are usually researched in those places where it is used for balneotherapy or other industrial purposes. The aim of this study is to describe the saline water sources from less known areas, as they are an important natural mineral water resource. Twenty nine water samples were analyzed from Cojocna-Pata-Sopor region, thirteen of them can be considered saline waters. The visited locations are 21, 15 and 3 km far from Cluj-Napoca. Highly concentrated springs are to be found in the old mine area from Pata village and in the slough from Cojocna. Beside the well known saline lakes from Cojocna, five other saline lakes were identified; most of them are having artificial origin.

  3. Fluoride contamination in groundwater resources of Alleppey, southern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhanya Raj

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Alleppey is one of the thickly populated coastal towns of the Kerala state in southern India. Groundwater is the main source of drinking water for the 240,991 people living in this region. The groundwater is being extracted from a multi-layer aquifer system of unconsolidated to semi-consolidated sedimentary formations, which range in age from Recent to Tertiary. The public water distribution system uses dug and tube wells. Though there were reports on fluoride contamination, this study reports for the first time excess fluoride and excess salinity in the drinking water of the region. The quality parameters, like Electrical Conductivity (EC ranges from 266 to 3900 μs/cm, the fluoride content ranges from 0.68 to 2.88 mg/L, and the chloride ranges between the 5.7 to 1253 mg/L. The main water types are Na-HCO3, Na-CO3 and Na-Cl. The aqueous concentrations of F− and CO32− show positive correlation whereas F− and Ca2+ show negative correlation. The source of fluoride in the groundwater could be from dissolution of fluorapatite, which is a common mineral in the Tertiary sediments of the area. Long residence time, sediment–groundwater interaction and facies changes (Ca-HCO3 to Na-HCO3 during groundwater flow regime are the major factors responsible for the high fluoride content in the groundwater of the area. High strontium content and high EC in some of the wells indicate saline water intrusion that could be due to the excess pumping from the deeper aquifers of the area. The water quality index computation has revealed that 62% of groundwater belongs to poor quality and is not suitable for domestic purposes as per BIS and WHO standards. Since the groundwater is the only source of drinking water in the area, proper treatment strategies and regulating the groundwater extraction are required as the quality deterioration poses serious threat to human health.

  4. Mapping deep aquifer salinity trends in the southern San Joaquin Valley using borehole geophysical data constrained by chemical analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillespie, J.; Shimabukuro, D.; Stephens, M.; Chang, W. H.; Ball, L. B.; Everett, R.; Metzger, L.; Landon, M. K.

    2016-12-01

    The California State Water Resources Control Board and the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources are collaborating with the U.S. Geological Survey to map groundwater resources near oil fields and to assess potential interactions between oil and gas development and groundwater resources. Groundwater resources having salinity less than 10,000 mg/L total dissolved solids may be classified as Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDW) and subject to protection under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. In this study, we use information from oil well borehole geophysical logs, oilfield produced water and groundwater chemistry data, and three-dimensional geologic surfaces to map the spatial distribution of salinity in aquifers near oil fields. Salinity in the southern San Joaquin Valley is controlled primarily by depth and location. The base of protected waters occurs at very shallow depths, often 1,500 meters, in the eastern part of the San Joaquin Valley where higher runoff from the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada provide relatively abundant aquifer recharge. Stratigraphy acts as a secondary control on salinity within these broader areas. Formations deposited in non-marine environments are generally fresher than marine deposits. Layers isolated vertically between confining beds and cut off from recharge sources may be more saline than underlying aquifers that outcrop in upland areas on the edge of the valley with more direct connection to regional recharge areas. The role of faulting is more ambiguous. In some areas, abrupt changes in salinity may be fault controlled but, more commonly, the faults serve as traps separating oil-bearing strata that are exempt from USDW regulations, from water-bearing strata that are not exempt.

  5. Atoll groundwater movement and its response to climatic and sea-level fluctuations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberle, Ferdinand; Swarzenski, Peter W.; Storlazzi, Curt

    2017-01-01

    Groundwater resources of low-lying atoll islands are threatened due to short-term and long-term changes in rainfall, wave climate, and sea level. A better understanding of how these forcings affect the limited groundwater resources was explored on Roi-Namur in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. As part of a 16-month study, a rarely recorded island-overwash event occurred and the island’s aquifer’s response was measured. The findings suggest that small-scale overwash events cause an increase in salinity of the freshwater lens that returns to pre-overwash conditions within one month. The overwash event is addressed in the context of climate-related local sea-level change, which suggests that overwash events and associated degradations in freshwater resources are likely to increase in severity in the future due to projected rises in sea level. Other forcings, such as severe rainfall events, were shown to have caused a sudden freshening of the aquifer, with salinity levels retuning to pre-rainfall levels within three months. Tidal forcing of the freshwater lens was observed in electrical resistivity profiles, high-resolution conductivity, groundwater-level well measurements and through submarine groundwater discharge calculations. Depth-specific geochemical pore water measurements further assessed and confirmed the distinct boundaries between fresh and saline water masses in the aquifer. The identification of the freshwater lens’ saline boundaries is essential for a quantitative evaluation of the aquifers freshwater resources and help understand how these resources may be impacted by climate change and anthropogenic activities.

  6. Atoll Groundwater Movement and Its Response to Climatic and Sea-Level Fluctuations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferdinand K. J. Oberle

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Groundwater resources of low-lying atoll islands are threatened due to short-term and long-term changes in rainfall, wave climate, and sea level. A better understanding of how these forcings affect the limited groundwater resources was explored on Roi-Namur in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. As part of a 16-month study, a rarely recorded island-overwash event occurred and the island’s aquifer’s response was measured. The findings suggest that small-scale overwash events cause an increase in salinity of the freshwater lens that returns to pre-overwash conditions within one month. The overwash event is addressed in the context of climate-related local sea-level change, which suggests that overwash events and associated degradations in freshwater resources are likely to increase in severity in the future due to projected rises in sea level. Other forcings, such as severe rainfall events, were shown to have caused a sudden freshening of the aquifer, with salinity levels retuning to pre-rainfall levels within three months. Tidal forcing of the freshwater lens was observed in electrical resistivity profiles, high-resolution conductivity, groundwater-level well measurements and through submarine groundwater discharge calculations. Depth-specific geochemical pore water measurements further assessed and confirmed the distinct boundaries between fresh and saline water masses in the aquifer. The identification of the freshwater lens’ saline boundaries is essential for a quantitative evaluation of the aquifers freshwater resources and help understand how these resources may be impacted by climate change and anthropogenic activities.

  7. Coastal groundwater salinization: Focus on the vertical variability in a multi-layered aquifer through a multi-isotope fingerprinting (Roussillon Basin, France)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Petelet-Giraud, Emmanuelle, E-mail: e.petelet@brgm.fr [BRGM, Avenue C. Guillemin, BP 36009, 45060 Orléans Cedex 02 (France); Négrel, Philippe [BRGM, Avenue C. Guillemin, BP 36009, 45060 Orléans Cedex 02 (France); Aunay, Bertrand [BRGM, Réunion Agency, 5, rue Sainte-Anne, CS 51016, 97404 Saint Denis Cedex (France); Ladouche, Bernard; Bailly-Comte, Vincent [BRGM Montpellier Agency, 1039, rue de Pinville, 34000 Montpellier (France); Guerrot, Catherine; Flehoc, Christine [BRGM, Avenue C. Guillemin, BP 36009, 45060 Orléans Cedex 02 (France); Pezard, Philippe; Lofi, Johanna [Géosciences Montpellier, UMR 5243, Université de Montpellier, cc069, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05 (France); Dörfliger, Nathalie [BRGM, Avenue C. Guillemin, BP 36009, 45060 Orléans Cedex 02 (France)

    2016-10-01

    ), we discuss the possible future evolution of this aquifer system under global change, as well as the potential management strategies needed to preserve quantitatively and qualitatively this water resource. - Highlights: • Groundwater salinization in a Mediterranean costal aquifer • Multilevel investigation in a multi-layered aquifer with a Westbay (Nova Metrix LLC) • Chemical and multi-isotope fingerprinting of salinization sources and processes • No evidence of present-day seawater intrusion along the vertical profile of BAR1 • Coupling geochemistry and models for a sustainable preservation of coastal aquifer.

  8. Utilization of saline water and land: Reclaiming lost resources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naqvi, Mujtaba

    2001-01-01

    There is an abundance of saline water on the globe. Large tracts of land are arid and/or salt-affected, and a large number of plant species are known to be salt-tolerant. It would seem obvious that salt tolerant plants (halophytes) have a role in utilizing the two wasted resources, saline water and wastelands. We will briefly describe how these resources can be fruitfully utilized and how the IAEA has helped several countries to demonstrate the possibility of cultivating salt tolerant plant species on arid saline wastelands for economic and environmental benefit. After some brief introductory remarks we will discuss the results of the project

  9. Review: Groundwater resources and related environmental issues in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Aibing; Zhang, Yilong; Zhang, Eryong; Li, Zhenghong; Yu, Juan; Wang, Huang; Yang, Jianfeng; Wang, Yao

    2018-05-01

    As an important component of water resources, groundwater plays a crucial role in water utilization in China and an irreplaceable role in supporting economic and social development, especially in the northern arid and semi-arid plains and basin areas, which are densely populated and relatively short of surface-water resources. This paper comprehensively reviews and discusses the regional hydrogeological conditions, the temporal and spatial distribution of groundwater, the groundwater quality, and the actuality of groundwater exploitation and utilization in China. Meanwhile, aiming at the environmental problems induced by overexploitation to meet the sharply increasing water demand, this paper puts forward the major tasks for the next few years in terms of groundwater exploitation control, conservation and management.

  10. Understanding socio-groundwater systems: framework, toolbox, and stakeholders’ efforts for analysis and monitoring groundwater resources

    OpenAIRE

    López Maldonado, Yolanda Cristina

    2018-01-01

    Groundwater, the predominant accessible reservoir of freshwater storage on Earth, plays an important role as a human-natural life sustaining resource. In recent decades there has been an increasing concern that human activities are placing too much pressure on the resource, affecting the health of the ecosystem. However, because groundwater it is out of sight, its monitoring on both global and local scales is challenging. In the field of groundwater monitoring, modelling tools have been devel...

  11. Geochemical evolution of groundwater salinity at basin scale: a case study from Datong basin, Northern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ya; Wang, Yanxin

    2014-05-01

    A hydrogeochemical investigation using integrated methods of stable isotopes ((18)O, (2)H), (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios, Cl/Br ratios, chloride-mass balance, mass balance and hydrogeochemical modeling was conducted to interpret the geochemical evolution of groundwater salinity in Datong basin, northern China. The δ(2)H, δ(18)O ratios in precipitation exhibited a local meteoric water line of δ(2)H = 6.4 δ(18)O -5 (R(2) = 0.94), while those in groundwater suggested their meteoric origin in a historically colder climatic regime with a speculated recharge rate of less than 20.5 mm overall per year, in addition to recharge from a component of deep residual ancient lake water enriched with Br. According to the Sr isotope binary mixing model, the mixing of recharges from the Shentou karst springs (24%), the western margins (11%) and the eastern margins (65%) accounts for the groundwater from the deep aquifers of the down-gradient parts in the central basin is a possible mixing mechanism. In Datong, hydrolysis of silicate minerals is the most important hydrogeochemical process responsible for groundwater chemistry, in addition to dissolution of carbonate and evaporites. In the recharge areas, silicate chemical weathering is typically at the bisiallitization stage, while that in the central basin is mostly at the monosiallitization stage with limited evidence of being in equilibrium with gibbsite. Na exchange with bound Ca, Mg prevails at basin scale, and intensifies with groundwater salinity, while Ca, Mg exchange with bound Na locally occurs in the east pluvial and alluvial plains. Although groundwater salinity increases with the progress of water-rock/sediment interactions along the flow path, as a result of carbonate solubility control and continuous evapotranspiration, Na-HCO3 and Na-Cl-SO4 types of water are usually characterized respectively in the deep and the shallow aquifers of an inland basin with a silicate terrain in an arid climatic regime.

  12. A Multi-Methodology for improving Adelaide's Groundwater Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batelaan, Okke; Banks, Eddie; Batlle-Aguilar, Jordi; Breciani, Etienne; Cook, Peter; Cranswick, Roger; Smith, Stan; Turnadge, Chris; Partington, Daniel; Post, Vincent; Pool Ramirez, Maria; Werner, Adrian; Xie, Yueqing; Yang, Yuting

    2015-04-01

    Groundwater is a strategic and vital resource in South Australia playing a crucial role in sustaining a healthy environment, as well as supporting industries and economic development. In the Adelaide metropolitan region ten different aquifer units have been identified, extending to more than 500 m below sea level. Although salinity within most of these aquifers is variable, water suitable for commercial, irrigation and/or potable use is predominantly found in the deeper Tertiary aquifers. Groundwater currently contributes only 9000 ML/yr of Adelaide's total water consumption of 216,000 ML, while in the Northern Adelaide Plains 17000 ML/yr is used. However, major industries, market gardeners, golf courses, and local councils are highly dependent on this resource. Despite recent rapid expansion in managed aquifer recharge, and the potential for increased extraction of groundwater, particularly for the commercial and irrigation supplies, little is known about the sources and ages of Adelaide's groundwater. The aim of this study is therefore to provide a robust conceptualisation of Adelaide's groundwater system. The study focuses on three important knowledge gaps: 1. Does groundwater flow from the Adelaide Hills into the sedimentary aquifers on the plains? 2. What is the potential for encroachment of seawater if groundwater extraction increases? 3. How isolated are the different aquifers, or does water leak from one to the other? A multi-tool approach has been used to improve the conceptual understanding of groundwater flow processes; including the installation of new groundwater monitoring wells from the hills to the coast, an extensive groundwater sampling campaign of new and existing groundwater wells for chemistry and environmental tracers analysis, and development of a regional scale numerical model rigorously tested under different scenario conditions. The model allows quantification of otherwise hardly quantifiable quantities such as flow across fault zones and

  13. Assessment of groundwater salinization mechanisms in Santiago Island - Cabo Verde: An environmental isotopic approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carreira, P.M.; Nunes, D.; Marques, J.M.; Pina, A.; Mota Gomes, A.; Almeida, E.; Goncalves, R.; Monteiro Santos, F.

    2007-01-01

    Two sampling campaigns were carried out at Santiago Island - Cabo Verde under the scope of an isotopic and geochemical research study. An evaluation of the groundwater systems was carried out through the application of environmental isotopes and geochemical data in order to answer questions such as: origin and mechanisms of groundwater recharge; relation between the hydrochemical evolution of the groundwater systems with the geological matrix (minerals dissolution) or mixture with seawater and aerosol marine influence; identification of seawater intrusion mechanisms and, determination of the apparent groundwater 'age'. The results obtained so far are not conclusive on the identification of the process responsible for the increase of salinity. In general, all the data obtained seems to indicate that the waters have the same isotopic history but different geochemical evolution, which depends on the weathering and permeability of the rocks. (author)

  14. The Effect Of Land Cover/Land Use On Groundwater Resources In Southern Egypt (Luxor Area): Remote Sensing And Field Studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faid, A.M.; Hinz, E.A.; Montgomery, H.

    2003-01-01

    The impact of land cover/land use on groundwater can be critical. Land cover / land use maps give an early warning for planners and developers to protect groundwater resources from depletion and preserve its sustain ability. These land cover / land use maps can be used for the planning of groundwater development to prevent the deterioration of the aquifer. The Research Institute for Groundwater of Egypt (RIGW) has carried out hydrogeological studies in 1990 to evaluate the potentiality of groundwater in Luxor area in southern Egypt close to the Nile valley. The region is characterized by a rapid and continuous increase in land reclamation and development on the fringes which surround the already heavily cultivated land within the Nile valley. This presented a need for continuous monitoring and information updating over a vast region in a short time and at a reasonable cost. This study illustrates how remote sensing techniques can be effectively used for monitoring changes in land cover / land use in an effort to aid groundwater management. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data collected in 1984 and 2000 were processed and analyzed over the study area to produce land cover/land use maps. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) technique is used for Landsat TM images of to quantify areas which are covered by vegetation. Results indicated significant increase in cultivated areas. Remote sensing results are compared with iso-piezo metric maps and iso-salinity maps that were produced in 1984 and 2000. Comparison of these maps indicates groundwater depletion and salinity increase from 1984 to 2000. We relate this to the increase of the area being cultivated

  15. Rational Exploitation and Utilizing of Groundwater in Jiangsu Coastal Area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, B.; Lin, X.

    2017-12-01

    Jiangsu coastal area is located in the southeast coast of China, where is a new industrial base and an important coastal and Land Resources Development Zone of China. In the areas with strong human exploitation activities, regional groundwater evolution is obviously affected by human activities. In order to solve the environmental geological problems caused by groundwater exploitation fundamentally, we must find out the forming conditions of regional groundwater hydrodynamic field, and the impact of human activities on groundwater hydrodynamic field evolution and hydrogeochemical evolition. Based on these results, scientific management and reasonable exploitation of the regional groundwater resources can be provided for the utilization. Taking the coastal area of Jiangsu as the research area, we investigate and analyze of the regional hydrogeological conditions. The numerical simulation model of groundwater flow was established according to the water power, chemical and isotopic methods, the conditions of water flow and the influence of hydrodynamic field on the water chemical field. We predict the evolution of regional groundwater dynamics under the influence of human activities and climate change and evaluate the influence of groundwater dynamic field evolution on the environmental geological problems caused by groundwater exploitation under various conditions. We get the following conclusions: Three groundwater exploitation optimal schemes were established. The groundwater salinization was taken as the primary control condition. The substitution model was proposed to model groundwater exploitation and water level changes by BP network method.Then genetic algorithm was used to solve the optimization solution. Three groundwater exploitation optimal schemes were submit to local water resource management. The first sheme was used to solve the groundwater salinization problem. The second sheme focused on dual water supply. The third sheme concerned on emergency water

  16. Method and Mchievement of Survey and Evaluation of Groundwater Resources of Guangzhou City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, J.

    2017-12-01

    Based on the documents and achievements relevant to hydrogeological surveying and mapping of 1:100000, hydrogeological drilling, pumping test and dynamic monitoring of groundwater level in Guangzhou, considering the hydrogeological conditions of Guangzhou and combining the advanced technologies such as remote sensing, the survey and evaluation of the volume of the groundwater resources of Guangzhou was carried out in plain and mountain areas separately. The recharge method was used to evaluate the volume of groundwater resources in plain areas, meanwhile, the output volume and the storage change volume of groundwater were calculated and the volume of groundwater resources was corrected by water balance analysis; while the discharge method was used to evaluated the volume of groundwater resources in mountain areas. The result of survey and evaluation indicates that: the volume of the natural groundwater resources in Guangzhou City is 1.83 billion m3 of which the groundwater replenishment quantity in plain areas is 510,045,000 m3, with a total output of 509,729,000 m3, an absolute balance difference of 316,000 m3 and a relative balance difference of 0.062%; the volume of groundwater resources in mountain areas is 1,358,208,000 m3 including the river basic flow is 965,054,000 m3; the repetitive counted volume of groundwater resources in both plain areas and mountain areas is 38,839,000 m3. This work was realized by refined means for the first time to entirely find out the volume of groundwater resources of Guangzhou City and the law of their distribution so as to lay an important foundation for the protection and reasonable development and exploration of the groundwater resources of Guangzhou City.

  17. Potential effects of alterations to the hydrologic system on the distribution of salinity in the Biscayne aquifer in Broward County, Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Joseph D.; Sifuentes, Dorothy F.; White, Jeremy T.

    2016-03-15

    To address concerns about the effects of water-resource management practices and rising sea level on saltwater intrusion, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division, initiated a study to examine causes of saltwater intrusion and predict the effects of future alterations to the hydrologic system on salinity distribution in eastern Broward County, Florida. A three-dimensional, variable-density solute-transport model was calibrated to conditions from 1970 to 2012, the period for which data are most complete and reliable, and was used to simulate historical conditions from 1950 to 2012. These types of models are typically difficult to calibrate by matching to observed groundwater salinities because of spatial variability in aquifer properties that are unknown, and natural and anthropogenic processes that are complex and unknown; therefore, the primary goal was to reproduce major trends and locally generalized distributions of salinity in the Biscayne aquifer. The methods used in this study are relatively new, and results will provide transferable techniques for protecting groundwater resources and maximizing groundwater availability in coastal areas. The model was used to (1) evaluate the sensitivity of the salinity distribution in groundwater to sea-level rise and groundwater pumping, and (2) simulate the potential effects of increases in pumping, variable rates of sea-level rise, movement of a salinity control structure, and use of drainage recharge wells on the future distribution of salinity in the aquifer.

  18. Spatiotemporal Assessment of Groundwater Resources in the South Platte Basin, Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruybal, C. J.; McCray, J. E.; Hogue, T. S.

    2015-12-01

    The South Platte Basin is one of the most economically diverse and fastest growing basins in Colorado. Strong competition for water resources in an over-appropriated system brings challenges to meeting future water demands. Balancing the conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater from the South Platte alluvial aquifer and the Denver Basin aquifer system is critical for meeting future demands. Over the past decade, energy development in the basin has added to the competition for water resources, highlighting the need to advance our understanding of the availability and sustainability of groundwater resources. Current work includes evaluating groundwater storage changes and recharge regimes throughout the South Platte Basin under competing uses, e.g. agriculture, oil and gas, urban, recreational, and environmental. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites in conjunction with existing groundwater data is used to evaluate spatiotemporal variability in groundwater storage and identify areas of high water stress. Spatiotemporal data will also be utilized to develop a high resolution groundwater model of the region. Results will ultimately help stakeholders in the South Platte Basin better understand groundwater resource challenges and contribute to Colorado's strategic future water planning.

  19. 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

  20. Limits to the availability of groundwater in Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edmunds, W. Mike

    2012-06-01

    shown, from numerous studies, to be almost entirely non-renewable, 'fossil' water, recharged under wetter early Holocene or late Pleistocene climates, prior to onset of a more arid climate around 4500 years BP (Edmunds et al 2004). Small amounts of modern recharge (for example in the Atlas Mountains or Tibesti) are insufficient to have an impact on the drawdown of distant well fields. It is critical, therefore, to base resource estimates for any development on knowledge of the locally renewable amounts from rainfall and to consider mining palaeo-reserves only as a last resort. Hydrogeological techniques are available to quantify modern recharge (Scanlon and Cook 2002, Scanlon et al 2006) and rates can vary widely according to rock type and landscape; reliance on modelled estimates alone could be misleading. Water quality is also a limiting factor in quantifying usable fresh groundwater storage. In addition to the regional or local problems caused by fluoride, in areas of East and West Africa (MacDonald et al 2012), salinity, above all, will restrict the total usable storage for domestic use and food production, most notably in semi-arid or arid areas. Groundwater salinity arises from various sources, including lithologies containing evaporite minerals, residual sea water (especially in continental coastal margins) and evapotranspiration. As a general rule, salinity increases with depth (older waters tend to more saline), but an additional problem arises where salinity has built up due to aridification over several millennia. Playas and sebkhats are surface expressions of this salinity accumulation from surface water or groundwater discharge, but clearance of native vegetation also increases recharge and leads to salinity increase (George et al 1997). Near-surface salt accumulation may be drawn down into cones of depression in areas of development. One of the largest artesian aquifers, the Continental Intercalaire of Algeria and Tunisia, has groundwater discharge with a

  1. Radiocarbon dating of groundwater in tertiary sediments of the eastern Murray Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drury, L.W.; Calf, G.E.

    1984-01-01

    The Tertiary sediments located in the eastern part of the Murray Basin contain one of the most important low salinity groundwater resources in New South Wales. It is imperative that the hydrogeological environment in which the groundwater occurs be thoroughly understood to allow adequate management of the resource. A radiocarbon dating project was carried out on 37 groundwater samples from bores screened in these unconsolidated sediments. The results indicate water ages in the range 'modern' to 15 800 years. Groundwater recharge areas are indicated and rates of groundwater recharge and movement determined. The latter shows close correlation with velocity values quantitatively determined by Darcy's law

  2. Radiocarbon dating of groundwater in Tertiary sediments of the eastern Murray Basin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drury, L.W. (Water Resources Commission of New South Wales, Sydney (Australia)); Calf, G.E. (Australian Atomic Energy Commission Research Establishment, Lucas Heights. Isotope Div.); Dharmasiri, J.K. (Colombo Univ. (Sri Lanka))

    1984-01-01

    The Tertiary sediments located in the eastern part of the Murray Basin contain one of the most important low salinity groundwater resources in New South Wales. It is imperative that the hydrogeological environment in which the groundwater occurs be thoroughly understood to allow adequate management of the resource. A radiocarbon dating project was carried out on 37 groundwater samples from bores screened in these unconsolidated sediments. The results indicate water ages in the range 'modern' to 15 800 years. Groundwater recharge areas are indicated and rates of groundwater recharge and movement determined. The latter shows close correlation with velocity values quantitatively determined by Darcy's law.

  3. Satellite data analysis for identification of groundwater salinization effects on coastal forest for monitoring purposes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Barbarella

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available In the phreatic aquifer below the San Vitale pinewood (Ravenna, Italy, natural and anthropogenic land subsidence, the low topography and the artificial drainage system have led to widespread saltwater intrusion. Since changes in the groundwater concentration induce variations in the vegetation properties, recognizable by different spectral bands, a comparison between satellite images, ASTER and Worldview-2, was made using the NDVI. The aim was to identify the portions of pinewood affected by salinization through a procedure that could reduce the expensive and time consuming ground monitoring campaigns. Moreover, the Worldview-2 high resolutions were used to investigate the Thermophilic Deciduous Forest (TDF spectral behaviour without the influence of the allochthonous Pinus pinea species that is scattered throughout the pinewood. The NDVI, calculated with traditional bands, identified the same stressed areas using both satellite data. Instead, the new Red-Edge band of the Worldview-2 image allowed a greater correlation between NDVI and groundwater salinity.

  4. Physical hydrogeology and environmental isotopes to constrain the age, origins, and stability of a low-salinity groundwater lens formed by periodic river recharge: Murray Basin, Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartwright, Ian; Weaver, Tamie R.; Simmons, Craig T.; Fifield, L. Keith; Lawrence, Charles R.; Chisari, Robert; Varley, Simon

    2010-01-01

    SummaryA low-salinity (total dissolved solids, TDS, Australia. Hydraulic heads, surface water elevations, δ 18O values, major ion geochemistry, 14C activities, and 3H concentrations show that the lens is recharged from the Murray River largely through the riverbank with limited recharge through the floodplain. Recharge of the lens occurs mainly at high river levels and the low-salinity groundwater forms baseflow to some river reaches during times of low river levels. Within the lens, flow through the shallow Channel Sands and deeper Parilla Sands aquifers is sub-horizontal. While the Blanchetown Clay locally separates the Channel Sands and the Parilla Sands, the occurrence of recently recharged low-salinity groundwater below the Blanchetown Clay suggests that there is considerable leakage through this unit, implying that it is not an efficient aquitard. The lateral margin of the lens with the regional groundwater (TDS >25,000 mg/L) is marked by a hectometer to kilometer scale transition in TDS concentrations that is not stratigraphically controlled. Rather this boundary represents a mixing zone with the regional groundwater, the position of which is controlled by the rate of recharge from the river. The lens is part of an active and dynamic hydrogeological system that responds over years to decades to changes in river levels. The lens has shrunk during the drought of the late 1990s to the mid 2000s, and it will continue to shrink unless regular high flows in the Murray River are re-established. Over longer timescales, the rise of the regional water table due to land clearing will increase the hydraulic gradient between the regional groundwater and the groundwater in the lens, which will also cause it to degrade. Replacement of low-salinity groundwater in the lens with saline groundwater will ultimately increase the salinity of the Murray River reducing its utility for water supply and impacting riverine ecosystems.

  5. Groundwater resources of Mosteiros basin, island of Fogo, Cape Verde, West Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilweil, Victor M.; Gingerich, Stephen B.; Plummer, Niel; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.

    2010-01-01

    Groundwater resources in Cape Verde provide water for agriculture, industry, and human consumption. These resources are limited and susceptible to contamination. Additional groundwater resources are needed for continued agricultural development, particularly during times of drought, but increased use and (or) climatic change may have adverse effects on the quantity and quality of freshwater available. In volcanic island aquifers such as those of Cape Verde, a lens of fresh groundwater typically ?floats? upon a layer of brackish water at the freshwater/saltwater boundary, and increased pumping may cause salt water intrusion or other contamination. A recent U.S. Geological Survey study assessed baseline groundwater conditions in watersheds on three islands of Cape Verde to provide the scientific basis for sustainably developing water resources and minimizing future groundwater depletion and contamination.

  6. Hydrochemical and multivariate analysis of groundwater quality in the northwest of Sinai, Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Shahat, M F; Sadek, M A; Salem, W M; Embaby, A A; Mohamed, F A

    2017-08-01

    The northwestern coast of Sinai is home to many economic activities and development programs, thus evaluation of the potentiality and vulnerability of water resources is important. The present work has been conducted on the groundwater resources of this area for describing the major features of groundwater quality and the principal factors that control salinity evolution. The major ionic content of 39 groundwater samples collected from the Quaternary aquifer shows high coefficients of variation reflecting asymmetry of aquifer recharge. The groundwater samples have been classified into four clusters (using hierarchical cluster analysis), these match the variety of total dissolvable solids, water types and ionic orders. The principal component analysis combined the ionic parameters of the studied groundwater samples into two principal components. The first represents about 56% of the whole sample variance reflecting a salinization due to evaporation, leaching, dissolution of marine salts and/or seawater intrusion. The second represents about 15.8% reflecting dilution with rain water and the El-Salam Canal. Most groundwater samples were not suitable for human consumption and about 41% are suitable for irrigation. However, all groundwater samples are suitable for cattle, about 69% and 15% are suitable for horses and poultry, respectively.

  7. Salinity and resource management in the Hunter Valley

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Creelman, R.A.; Cooke, R.; Simons, M. [RA Creelman & Associates (Australia)

    1995-08-01

    If excess water salinity is to be managed in the Hunter Valley, its causes and behaviour must be understood. Although Hunter Valley hydrology, hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry require further study, there is now enough information available to begin the development of both temporal and spatial models as valley management tools. Currently the Department of Water Resources is developing a model known as Integrated Water Quality and Quantity Model (IQQM). IQQM which includes a salinity module is essentially a surface water simulation model. It wll enable testing of alternate management and operation policies such as the salinity property rights trading scheme recently introduced by the EPA to manage salt release from coal mines and power stations. An overview is presented of the progress made to date on the salinity module for IQQM, and an outline is given of the geological and hydrogeochemical concepts that have been assembled to support the salinity module of IQQM. 17 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

  8. A multi-method approach for groundwater resource assessment in coastal carbonate (karst) aquifers: the case study of Sierra Almijara (southern Spain)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andreo, B.; Barberá, J. A.; Mudarra, M.; Marín, A. I.; García-Orellana, J.; Rodellas, V.; Pérez, I.

    2018-02-01

    Understanding the transference of water resources within hydrogeological systems, particularly in coastal aquifers, in which groundwater discharge may occur through multiple pathways (through springs, into rivers and streams, towards the sea, etc.), is crucial for sustainable groundwater use. This research aims to demonstrate the usefulness of the application of conventional recharge assessment methods coupled to isotopic techniques for accurately quantifying the hydrogeological balance and submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) from coastal carbonate aquifers. Sierra Almijara (Southern Spain), a carbonate aquifer formed of Triassic marbles, is considered as representative of Mediterranean coastal karst formations. The use of a multi-method approach has permitted the computation of a wide range of groundwater infiltration rates (17-60%) by means of direct application of hydrometeorological methods (Thornthwaite and Kessler) and spatially distributed information (modified APLIS method). A spatially weighted recharge rate of 42% results from the most coherent information on physiographic and hydrogeological characteristics of the studied system. Natural aquifer discharge and groundwater abstraction have been volumetrically quantified, based on flow and water-level data, while the relevance of SGD was estimated from the spatial analysis of salinity, 222Rn and the short-lived radium isotope 224Ra in coastal seawater. The total mean aquifer discharge (44.9-45.9 hm3 year-1) is in agreement with the average recharged groundwater (44.7 hm3 year-1), given that the system is volumetrically equilibrated during the study period. Besides the groundwater resources assessment, the methodological aspects of this research may be interesting for groundwater management and protection strategies in coastal areas, particularly karst environments.

  9. Long-term detection and hydrochemistry of groundwater resources in Egypt: Case study of Siwa Oasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anwar A. Aly

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Water, it is said, will be the oil of the twenty-first century. Successful water management will be the key to future economic growth and social wealth in both developed and developing countries. Due to the continuous agricultural expansion, urban development, and increased demands on limited water supplies, Egypt is compelled to look for unconventional water resources. One of the most important sources is groundwater in the western desert of Egypt. More water abstraction is currently taking place raising the dangers of overexploitation and deterioration of water quality in Siwa Oasis located in Egypt western desert. The main objectives of this study are to monitor the quality of the Siwa Oasis groundwater over ten years. The present paper presents the results of this investigation and the future outlook for the situation of the limited water resources of the oasis. The data showed spatial differences between water qualities obtained from different locations within the Oasis. It was also observed that there are temporal changes and that water quality is deteriorating in alarming rate over time. Most studied water samples were considered unsuitable for irrigation due to salinity hazards. The reason that may contribute to speeding up groundwater quality deterioration is the unsafe ground water mining on the deep sandstone aquifers which causes the decreases of the fresh water vertical movement from the deep sandstone aquifer to the surface limestone aquifer.

  10. Geochemical tracing and hydrogeochemical modelling of water-rock interactions during salinization of alluvial groundwater (Upper Rhine Valley, France)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lucas, Y., E-mail: yann.lucas@eost.u-strasbg.fr [Universite de Strasbourg et CNRS, Laboratoire d' Hydrologie et de Geochimie de Strasbourg, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, 1, rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Schmitt, A.D., E-mail: anne-desiree.schmitt@univ-fcomte.fr [Universite de Strasbourg et CNRS, Laboratoire d' Hydrologie et de Geochimie de Strasbourg, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, 1, rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France)] [Universite de Franche-Comte et CNRS-UMR 6249, Chrono-Environnement, 16, Route de Gray, 25030 Besancon Cedex (France); Chabaux, F., E-mail: francois.chabaux@eost.u-strasbg.fr [Universite de Strasbourg et CNRS, Laboratoire d' Hydrologie et de Geochimie de Strasbourg, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, 1, rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Clement, A.; Fritz, B. [Universite de Strasbourg et CNRS, Laboratoire d' Hydrologie et de Geochimie de Strasbourg, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, 1, rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Elsass, Ph. [BRGM, GEODERIS, 1, rue Claude Chappe, 57070 Metz (France); Durand, S. [Universite de Strasbourg et CNRS, Laboratoire d' Hydrologie et de Geochimie de Strasbourg, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, 1, rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France)

    2010-11-15

    Research highlights: {yields} Major and trace elements along with strontium and uranium isotopic ratios show that groundwater geochemical characteristics along the saline plumes cannot reflect a conservative mixing. {yields} A coupled hydrogeochemical model demonstrates that cationic exchange between alkalis from polluted waters and alkaline-earth elements from montmorillonite present in the host rock of the aquifer is the primary process. {yields} The model requires only a small amount of montmorillonite. {yields} It is necessary to consider the pollution history to explain the important chloride, sodium and calcium concentration modifications. {yields} The model shows that the rapidity of the cationic exchange reactions insures a reversibility of the cation fixation on clays in the aquifer. - Abstract: In the southern Upper Rhine Valley, groundwater has undergone intensive saline pollution caused by the infiltration of mining brines, a consequence of potash extraction carried out during the 20th century. Major and trace elements along with Sr and U isotopic ratios show that groundwater geochemical characteristics along the saline plumes cannot reflect conservative mixing between saline waters resulting from the dissolution of waste heaps and one or more unpolluted end-members. The results imply the occurrence of interactions between host rocks and polluted waters, and they suggest that cationic exchange mechanisms are the primary controlling process. A coupled hydrogeochemical model has been developed with the numerical code KIRMAT, which demonstrates that cationic exchange between alkalis from polluted waters and alkaline-earth elements from montmorillonite present in the host rock of the aquifer is the primary process controlling the geochemical evolution of the groundwater. The model requires only a small amount of montmorillonite (between 0.75% and 2.25%), which is in agreement with the observed mineralogical composition of the aquifer. The model also proves

  11. 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

  12. On the origins of hypersaline groundwater in the Nile Delta Aquifer

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Engelen, Joeri; Oude Essink, Gualbert H. P.; Kooi, Henk; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

    2017-04-01

    The fresh groundwater resources in the Nile Delta, Egypt, are of eminent socio-economic importance. These resources are under major stress due to population growth, the anticipated sea level rise and increased groundwater extraction rates, making fresh water availability the most challenging issue in this area. Up till now, numerous groundwater studies mainly focused on sea water intrusion on the top 100m of the groundwater system and assumed salinities not exceeding that of Mediterranean sea water, as there was no knowledge on groundwater in the deeper coastal parts of the Quaternary Nile Delta aquifer (that ranges up to 1000m depth). Recently, however, the Egyptian Research Institute for Groundwater (RIGW) collected salinity measurements and found a widespread occurrence of "hypersaline" groundwater: groundwater with salinities largely exceeding that of sea water at 600m depth (Nofal et al., 2015). This hypersaline groundwater greatly influences flow patterns and the fresh water potential of the aquifer. This research focuses on the origins of the hypersaline groundwater and the possible processes causing its transport. We consider all relevant salinization processes in the Nile Delta aquifer, over a time domain of up to 2.5 million years, which is the time span in which the aquifer got deposited. The following hypotheses were investigated with a combination of analytical solutions and numerical modelling: upward salt transport due to a) molecular diffusion, b) thermal buoyancy, c) consolidation-induced advection and dispersion, or downward transport due to d) composition buoyancy (salt inversion). We conclude that hypotheses a) and b) can be rejected, but c) and d) are both possible with the available information. An enhanced chemical analysis is suggested for further research, to determine the origins of this hypersaline water. This information in combination with the conclusions drawn in this research will give more insight in the potential amount of non

  13. Response to recharge variation of thin rainwater lenses and their mixing zone with underlying saline groundwater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Eeman

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available In coastal zones with saline groundwater, fresh groundwater lenses may form due to infiltration of rain water. The thickness of both the lens and the mixing zone, determines fresh water availability for plant growth. Due to recharge variation, the thickness of the lens and the mixing zone are not constant, which may adversely affect agricultural and natural vegetation if saline water reaches the root zone during the growing season. In this paper, we study the response of thin lenses and their mixing zone to variation of recharge. The recharge is varied using sinusoids with a range of amplitudes and frequencies. We vary lens characteristics by varying the Rayleigh number and Mass flux ratio of saline and fresh water, as these dominantly influence the thickness of thin lenses and their mixing zone. Numerical results show a linear relation between the normalised lens volume and the main lens and recharge characteristics, enabling an empirical approximation of the variation of lens thickness. Increase of the recharge amplitude causes increase and the increase of recharge frequency causes a decrease in the variation of lens thickness. The average lens thickness is not significantly influenced by these variations in recharge, contrary to the mixing zone thickness. The mixing zone thickness is compared to that of a Fickian mixing regime. A simple relation between the travelled distance of the centre of the mixing zone position due to variations in recharge and the mixing zone thickness is shown to be valid for both a sinusoidal recharge variation and actual records of daily recharge data. Starting from a step response function, convolution can be used to determine the effect of variable recharge in time. For a sinusoidal curve, we can determine delay of lens movement compared to the recharge curve as well as the lens amplitude, derived from the convolution integral. Together the proposed equations provide us with a first order approximation of lens

  14. Groundwater System of Sundarbans (Basanti), West Bengal, India

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kopmann, Moritz; Binning, Philip John; Bregnhøj, Henrik

    2018-01-01

    In Basanti, a rural block in the Sundarbans, West Bengal, the water availability is vital for its inhabitants. Groundwater levels are decreasing, and a proper understanding of key factors influencing the water resource is required. In the following, a social review of Basanti is given followed...... by a geologic and hydrostratigraphic analysis. The main hydrologic flows, a water balance, and the trend of salinity in the groundwater are presented. Finally, available long- and short-term drawdown data of South 24 Parganas and Basanti to determine groundwater level and annual recharge trends. The assessment...

  15. Coupling Agent-Based and Groundwater Modeling to Explore Demand Management Strategies for Shared Resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Amin, S.

    2015-12-01

    Municipal water demands in growing population centers in the arid southwest US are typically met through increased groundwater withdrawals. Hydro-climatic uncertainties attributed to climate change and land use conversions may also alter demands and impact the replenishment of groundwater supply. Groundwater aquifers are not necessarily confined within municipal and management boundaries, and multiple diverse agencies may manage a shared resource in a decentralized approach, based on individual concerns and resources. The interactions among water managers, consumers, and the environment influence the performance of local management strategies and regional groundwater resources. This research couples an agent-based modeling (ABM) framework and a groundwater model to analyze the effects of different management approaches on shared groundwater resources. The ABM captures the dynamic interactions between household-level consumers and policy makers to simulate water demands under climate change and population growth uncertainties. The groundwater model is used to analyze the relative effects of management approaches on reducing demands and replenishing groundwater resources. The framework is applied for municipalities located in the Verde River Basin, Arizona that withdraw groundwater from the Verde Formation-Basin Fill-Carbonate aquifer system. Insights gained through this simulation study can be used to guide groundwater policy-making under changing hydro-climatic scenarios for a long-term planning horizon.

  16. Challenges in groundwater resource management in coastal aquifers of East Africa: Investigations and lessons learnt in the Comoros Islands, Kenya and Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Christophe Comte

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Study region: Coastal areas of Kenya (Kilifi County, Tanzania (Kilwa district and Comoros (Ngazidja island, East Africa. Study focus: Research aimed to understand the physical and societal drivers of groundwater accessibility and identify critical aspects of groundwater access and knowledge gaps that require further monitoring and research. Interdisciplinary societal, environmental and hydrogeological investigations were consistently undertaken in the three areas considered as exemplars of the diversity of the coastal fringes of the wider region. This paper focuses on the hydrogeological outcomes of the research, framed within the principal socio-environmental issues identified. New hydrological insights: Results confirm the fundamental importance of coastal groundwater resources for the development of the region and the urgent need to match groundwater development with demographic and economic growth. Hydrogeological knowledge is fragmented, groundwater lacks a long-term monitoring infrastructure and information transfer from stakeholders to users is limited. Current trends in demography, climate, sea-level and land-use are further threatening freshwater availability. Despite possessing high-productivity aquifers, water quality from wells and boreholes is generally impacted by saltwater intrusion. Shallow large-diameter wells, following the traditional model of these areas, consistently prove to be less saline and more durable than deeper small-diameter boreholes. However, promoting the use of large numbers of shallow wells poses a significant challenge for governance, requiring coherent management of the resource at local and national scales and the engagement of local communities. Keywords: Groundwater, Coastal aquifer, Eastern Africa, Environmental change, Governance, Community engagement

  17. Long-term changes in pond permanence, size, and salinity in Prairie Pothole Region wetlands: The role of groundwater-pond interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaBaugh, James W.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Mushet, David M.; Neff, Brian; Nelson, Richard D.; Euliss, Ned H.

    2018-01-01

    Study RegionCottonwood Lake area wetlands, North Dakota, U.S.A.Study FocusFluctuations in pond permanence, size, and salinity are key features of prairie-pothole wetlands that provide a variety of wetland habitats for waterfowl in the northern prairie of North America. Observation of water-level and salinity fluctuations in a semi-permanent wetland pond over a 20-year period, included periods when the wetland occasionally was dry, as well as wetter years when the pond depth and surface extent doubled while volume increased 10 times.New hydrological insights for the study regionCompared to all other measured budget components, groundwater flow into the pond often contributed the least water (8–28 percent) but the largest amount (>90 percent) of specific solutes to the water and solute budgets of the pond. In drier years flow from the pond into groundwater represented > 10 percent of water loss, and in 1992 was approximately equal to evapotranspiration loss. Also during the drier years, export of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfate by flow from the pond to groundwater was substantial compared with previous or subsequent years, a process that would have been undetected if groundwater flux had been calculated as a net value. Independent quantification of water and solute gains and losses were essential to understand controls on water-level and salinity fluctuations in the pond in response to variable climate conditions.

  18. Investigation on the Sources of Recharge and Salinity in Deep Groundwater System Underlying a Coastal City of Bangladesh by Combined Geochemical and Isotopic Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, M.; Tokunaga, T.

    2017-12-01

    The Khulna city, situated in the southwestern coastal Bangladesh, has been abstracting deep groundwater (DGW, >150 m below ground level, bgl) since 1970s due to the prevalence of salinity, iron, and arsenic in shallow groundwater (SGW, groundwater management and ensuring long-term freshwater supply for the Khulna city, Bangladesh.

  19. hydrochemical evolution of groundwater in jimeta- yola area ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DJFLEX

    development of groundwater resources for water supply ... water business has led to the proliferation of shallow ... Areas liable to flooding ...... by salinization process of the aquifer which act ..... Malaysia. Environmental Geology 56(8): 1721-. 1732. Barcelona, M. J., Gibb, J. P., Helfrich, .... World Health Organization, 1993.

  20. Issues of Sustainability of Coastal Groundwater Resources: Benin, West Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew D. Mullen

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available The largest city in Benin, West Africa (Cotonou, is reliant upon groundwater for its public water supply. This groundwater is derived from the Godomey well field which is located approximately 5 Km north of the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and in close proximity to Lake Nokoue—a shallow lake containing water with elevated concentration of chloride and other elements. Historical data indicate increased chloride concentration in a number of wells nearest to the lake, with unknown contribution from groundwater encroachment from the coastal area. Hence, there is substantial interest in better characterizing this groundwater system for the purpose of determining appropriate management practices and degree of sustainability. Among the efforts attempted to date are a series of numerical models ranging from assessment of flow to a recent effort to include density-dependent transport from the lake. In addition, substantial field characterization has been pursued including assessment of shallow water chemistry along the region of the coastal lagoon and border of the lake, characterization of hydraulic response to pumpage in the aquifer system, estimation of the distribution of electrical resistivity with depth along the coastal lagoons, and installation of multi-level piezometers at seven locations in the lake. When integrated across methods, these numerical and field results indicate that the lake remains a primary concern in terms of a source of salinity in the aquifer. Further, the coastal region appears to be more complex than previously suggested and may represent a future source of salt-water encroachment as suggested by current presence of saline waters at relatively shallow depths along the coast. Finally, hydraulic testing suggests that both natural and pumping-based fluctuations in water levels are present in this system. Substantial additional characterization and modeling efforts may provide a significantly greater understanding of the

  1. Groundwater resources in Uruguay: Importance and present use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montano J; Gagliardi, S; Montano, M.

    2005-01-01

    Traditionally the use of the water resources in Uruguay was based on the exploitation of surface waters due to the great density of the hydrographic network. The intensive use of the groundwater resources began after 1950, mainly for supplying small towns the country, nowadays this practice covers the 70% of the country. Basically, this evolution was a consequence of the lower cost of the groundwater, its availability and good quality. Since 1980 the use of the groundwater has been intensified even more, mainly with the purpose of satisfying different demands like vegetable plantation irrigation either in the open air or in the entrance of cholera to the country during the 1990 decade trough a program for supplying water to small communities in the frontier area. In addition, it is marked out the use of thermal and flowing aquifers belonging to the Guarani Aquifer System as water suppliers for thermal spas and hotels in a reduced area, eventhough having a great hydric potencial whose exploitation yields one of the major foreing currency entrance because of regional tourism. Moreover, it can be stated that Uruguay do not present an important groundwater weath because of regional tourism. Moreover, it can be stated that Uruguay do not present an important groundwater weath because the 65% of its aquifers are fisurated and the others are pourous with diverse potentiality.

  2. Numerical Study of Groundwater Flow and Salinity Distribution Cycling Controlled by Seawater/Freshwater Interaction in Karst Aquifer Using SEAWAT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Z.; Hu, B.

    2017-12-01

    The interest to predict seawater intrusion and salinity distribution in Woodville Karst Plain (WKP) has increased due to the huge challenge on quality of drinkable water and serious environmental problems. Seawater intrudes into the conduit system from submarine karst caves at Spring Creek Spring due to density difference and sea level rising, nowadays the low salinity has been detected at Wakulla Spring which is 18 km from coastal line. The groundwater discharge at two major springs and salinity distribution in this area is controlled by the seawater/freshwater interaction under different rainfall conditions: during low rainfall periods, seawater flow into the submarine spring through karst windows, then the salinity rising at the submarine spring leads to seawater further intrudes into conduit system; during high rainfall periods, seawater is pushed out by fresh water discharge at submarine spring. The previous numerical studies of WKP mainly focused on the density independent transport modeling and seawater/freshwater discharge at major karst springs, in this study, a SEAWAT model has been developed to fully investigate the salinity distribution in the WKP under repeating phases of low rainfall and high rainfall periods, the conduit system was simulated as porous media with high conductivity and porosity. The precipitation, salinity and discharge at springs were used to calibrate the model. The results showed that the salinity distribution in porous media and conduit system is controlled by the rainfall change, in general, the salinity distribution inland under low rainfall conditions is much higher and wider than the high rainfall conditions. The results propose a prediction on the environmental problem caused by seawater intrusion in karst coastal aquifer, in addition, provide a visual and scientific basis for future groundwater remediation.

  3. Impact of coastal forcing and groundwater recharge on the growth of a fresh groundwater lens in a mega-scale beach nourishment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huizer, Sebastian; Radermacher, Max; de Vries, Sierd; Oude Essink, Gualbert H. P.; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

    2018-02-01

    For a large beach nourishment called the Sand Engine - constructed in 2011 at the Dutch coast - we have examined the impact of coastal forcing (i.e. natural processes that drive coastal hydro- and morphodynamics) and groundwater recharge on the growth of a fresh groundwater lens between 2011 and 2016. Measurements of the morphological change and the tidal dynamics at the study site were incorporated in a calibrated three-dimensional and variable-density groundwater model of the study area. Simulations with this model showed that the detailed incorporation of both the local hydro- and morphodynamics and the actual recharge rate can result in a reliable reconstruction of the growth in fresh groundwater resources. In contrast, the neglect of tidal dynamics, land-surface inundations, and morphological changes in model simulations can result in considerable overestimations of the volume of fresh groundwater. In particular, wave runup and coinciding coastal erosion during storm surges limit the growth in fresh groundwater resources in dynamic coastal environments, and should be considered at potential nourishment sites to delineate the area that is vulnerable to salinization.

  4. Resistivity-Chemistry Integrated Approaches for Investigating Groundwater Salinity of Water Supply and Agricultural Activity at Island Coastal Area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baharuddin, M. F. T.; Masirin, M. I. M.; Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Azman, M. A. A.; Madun, A.

    2018-04-01

    Groundwater suitability for water supply and agriculture in an island coastal area may easily be influenced by seawater intrusion. The aim of this study was to investigate seawater intrusion to the suitability of the groundwater for water supply and oil palm cultivation on Carey Island in Malaysia. This is the first study that used integrated method of geo-electrical resistivity and hydrogeochemical methods to investigate seawater intrusion to the suitability of groundwater for water supply and oil palm cultivation at two different surface elevation and land cover. The relationship between earth resistivity, total dissolved solids and earth conductivity was derived with water type classifications and crop suitability classification according to salinity, used to identify water types and also oil palm tolerance to salinity. Results from the contour resistivity and conductivity maps showed that the area facing severe coastal erosion (east area) exhibited unsuitable groundwater condition for water supply and oil palm at the unconfined aquifer thickness of 7.8 m and 14.1 m, respectively. Comparing to the area that are still intact with mangrove (west area), at the same depth, groundwater condition exhibits suitable usage for both socioeconomic activities. Different characteristics of surface elevation and land cover are paramount factors influencing saltwater distribution at the west and east area. By the end of the twenty-first century there will no longer be suitable water for supply and oil palm plantation based on the local sea-level rise prediction and Ghyben–Herzberg assumption (sharp interface), focusing on the severe erosion area of the study site.

  5. Anthropization of groundwater resources in the Mediterranean region: processes and challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leduc, Christian; Pulido-Bosch, Antonio; Remini, Boualem

    2017-09-01

    A comprehensive overview is provided of processes and challenges related to Mediterranean groundwater resources and associated changes in recent decades. While most studies are focused thematically and/or geographically, this paper addresses different stages of groundwater exploitation in the region and their consequences. Examples emphasize the complex interactions between the physical and social dimensions of uses and evolution of groundwater. In natural conditions, Mediterranean groundwater resources represent a wide range of hydrogeological contexts, recharge conditions and rates of exploitation. They have been actively exploited for millennia but their pseudo-natural regimes have been considerably modified in the last 50 years, especially to satisfy agricultural demand (80% of total water consumption in North Africa), as well as for tourism and coastal cities. Climate variability affects groundwater dynamics but the various forms of anthropization are more important drivers of hydrological change, including changes in land use and vegetation, hydraulic works, and intense pumpings. These changes affect both the quantity and quality of groundwater at different scales, and modify the nature of hydrogeological processes, their location, timing, and intensity. The frequent cases of drastic overexploitation illustrate the fragility of Mediterranean groundwater resources and the limits of present forms of management. There is no easy way to maintain or recover sustainability, which is often threatened by short-term interests. To achieve this goal, a significant improvement in hydrogeological knowledge and closer collaboration between the various disciplines of water sciences are indispensable.

  6. Evaluation of the fast orthogonal search method for forecasting chloride levels in the Deltona groundwater supply (Florida, USA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Jaat, Majda; Hulley, Michael; Tétreault, Michel

    2018-02-01

    Despite the broad impact and importance of saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers, little research has been directed towards forecasting saltwater intrusion in areas where the source of saltwater is uncertain. Saline contamination in inland groundwater supplies is a concern for numerous communities in the southern US including the city of Deltona, Florida. Furthermore, conventional numerical tools for forecasting saltwater contamination are heavily dependent on reliable characterization of the physical characteristics of underlying aquifers, information that is often absent or challenging to obtain. To overcome these limitations, a reliable alternative data-driven model for forecasting salinity in a groundwater supply was developed for Deltona using the fast orthogonal search (FOS) method. FOS was applied on monthly water-demand data and corresponding chloride concentrations at water supply wells. Groundwater salinity measurements from Deltona water supply wells were applied to evaluate the forecasting capability and accuracy of the FOS model. Accurate and reliable groundwater salinity forecasting is necessary to support effective and sustainable coastal-water resource planning and management. The available (27) water supply wells for Deltona were randomly split into three test groups for the purposes of FOS model development and performance assessment. Based on four performance indices (RMSE, RSR, NSEC, and R), the FOS model proved to be a reliable and robust forecaster of groundwater salinity. FOS is relatively inexpensive to apply, is not based on rigorous physical characterization of the water supply aquifer, and yields reliable estimates of groundwater salinity in active water supply wells.

  7. Environmental isotope studies related to groundwater flow and saline encroachment in the chalk aquifer of Lincolnshire, England

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lloyd, J.W.; Howard, K.W.F.

    1978-01-01

    The isotopes of tritium and carbon are used to study part of the North Lincolnshire Chalk aquifer in England. The tritium data support the view that the aquifer is a thin fissure system and indicate that some changes in flow direction have occurred due to recent abstraction. The data are also consistent with other chemical data in elucidating groundwater entering the Chalk from deeper aquifers. Carbon isotopes are used to distinguish between saline water bodies and suggest that saline water was entrapped within the aquifer in the Eemian and Flandrian stages of the Pleistocene. (orig.) [de

  8. Integrated groundwater resource management in Indus Basin using satellite gravimetry and physical modeling tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Naveed; Hossain, Faisal; Lee, Hyongki; Akhter, Gulraiz

    2017-03-01

    Reliable and frequent information on groundwater behavior and dynamics is very important for effective groundwater resource management at appropriate spatial scales. This information is rarely available in developing countries and thus poses a challenge for groundwater managers. The in situ data and groundwater modeling tools are limited in their ability to cover large domains. Remote sensing technology can now be used to continuously collect information on hydrological cycle in a cost-effective way. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a remote sensing integrated physical modeling approach for groundwater management in Indus Basin. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Satellite (GRACE)-based gravity anomalies from 2003 to 2010 were processed to generate monthly groundwater storage changes using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model. The groundwater storage is the key parameter of interest for groundwater resource management. The spatial and temporal patterns in groundwater storage (GWS) are useful for devising the appropriate groundwater management strategies. GRACE-estimated GWS information with large-scale coverage is valuable for basin-scale monitoring and decision making. This frequently available information is found useful for the identification of groundwater recharge areas, groundwater storage depletion, and pinpointing of the areas where groundwater sustainability is at risk. The GWS anomalies were found to favorably agree with groundwater model simulations from Visual MODFLOW and in situ data. Mostly, a moderate to severe GWS depletion is observed causing a vulnerable situation to the sustainability of this groundwater resource. For the sustainable groundwater management, the region needs to implement groundwater policies and adopt water conservation techniques.

  9. Chromium, Nickel and Manganese in the Groundwater Resources of Asadabad Plain, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azadeh Ghobadi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: Heavy metals are one of the most important environmental pollutants which agricultural and industrial activities and urban development increased their entry rate to the underground resources. This study aimed to investigate the concentration of chromium, nickel and manganese in groundwater resources in Asadabad plain. Materials & Methods: Sampling of groundwater done in 2015 autumn. In this study, according to the Cochran’s sample size formula, tote formula, totally 60 samples of groundwater of Asadabad plain were collected from 20 wells and after preparation stage with atomic device, elements concentration of samples is read. To analysis of data SPSS 19 with significant level of 0.50 is used. Results: The concentration average of Chromium, Nickel and Manganese equal to 0.044¬ ±0.016, 70.42±10.83 and 2.64±0.83 ppb. The comparison results of the concentration average of elements based on WHO and ISIRI standard shows the concentration average of elements is lower than standard level. Conclusions: Currently the groundwater resources of Asadabad plain are not polluted with heavy metals, but long-term excessive use of agricultural inputs and construction of polluting industries can cause a threat to groundwater resources in this area.

  10. Evidence for Upward Flow of Saline Water from Depth into the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer in Southeastern Arkansas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, D.; Paul, J.

    2017-12-01

    Groundwater salinization is occurring in the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial (MRVA) aquifer in southeastern Arkansas (SE AR). Water samples from the MRVA aquifer in Chicot and Desha counties have yielded elevated Cl-concentrations with some as high as 1,639 mg/L. Considering that the MRVA aquifer is the principle source of irrigation water for the agricultural economy of SE AR, salinization needs to be addressed to ensure the sustainability of crop, groundwater, and soil resources in the area. The origin of elevated salinity in MRVA aquifer was investigated using spatial and factor analysis of historical water quality data, and sampling and tracer analysis of groundwater from irrigation, municipal, and flowing industrial wells in SE AR. Spatial analysis of Cl- data in relation to soil type, geomorphic features and sand-blow density indicate that the Cl- anomalies are more closely related to the sand-blow density than soil data, suggesting an underlying tectonic control for the distribution of salinity. Factor analysis of historical geochemical data from the MRVA and underlying Sparta aquifer shows dilute and saline groups, with saline groups weighted positively with Cl- or Na+ and Cl-. Tracer data suggest a component of evaporatively evolved crustal water of pre-modern age has mixed with younger, fresher meteoric sources in SE AR to create the saline conditions in the MRVA aquifer. Stable hydrogen and oxygen values of waters sampled from the Tertiary Sparta and MRVA aquifers deviate from the global and local meteoric water lines along an evaporative trend (slope=4.4) and mixing line with Eocene Wilcox Group groundwaters. Ca2+ and Cl- contents vary with Br- along mixing trends between dilute MRVA water and Jurassic Smackover Formation pore fluids in southern AR. Increasing Cl- content with C-14 age in MRVA aquifer groundwater suggests that the older waters are more saline. Helium isotope ratios decrease with He gas content for more saline water, consistent with

  11. Economic, social and resource management factors influencing groundwater trade: Evidence from Victoria, Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Bruce; Webb, John; Stott, Kerry; Cheng, Xiang; Wilkinson, Roger; Cossens, Brendan

    2017-07-01

    In Victoria, Australia, most groundwater resources are now fully allocated and opportunities for new groundwater development can only occur through trading of license entitlements. Groundwater usage has rarely exceeded 50% of the available licensed volume, even in the 2008/9 drought year, and 50 to 70% of individual license holders use less than 5% of their allocation each year. However, little groundwater trading is occurring at present. Interviews were conducted with groundwater license holders and water brokers to investigate why the Victorian groundwater trade market is underdeveloped. Responses show there is a complex mix of social, economic, institutional and technical reasons. Barriers to trade are influenced by the circumstances of each groundwater user, administrative process and resource management rules. Water brokers deal with few trades at low margins and noted unrealistic selling prices and administrative difficulties. Irrigators who have successfully traded identify that there are few participants in trading, technical appraisals are expensive and administrative requirements and fees are burdensome, especially when compared to surface water trading. Opportunities to facilitate trade include groundwater management plan refinement and improved information provision. Simplifying transaction processes and costs, demonstrating good resource stewardship and preventing third party impacts from trade could address some concerns raised by market participants. There are, however, numerous individual circumstances that inhibit groundwater trading, so it is unlikely that policy and process changes alone could increase usage rates without greater demand for groundwater or more favourable farming economic circumstances.

  12. Application of natural resource valuation concepts for development of sustainable remediation plans for groundwater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connor, John A; Paquette, Shawn; McHugh, Thomas; Gie, Elaine; Hemingway, Mark; Bianchi, Gino

    2017-12-15

    This paper explores the application of natural resource assessment and valuation procedures as a tool for developing groundwater remediation strategies that achieve the objectives for health and environmental protection, in balance with considerations of economic viability and conservation of natural resources. The natural resource assessment process, as applied under U.S. and international guidelines, entails characterization of groundwater contamination in terms of the pre-existing beneficial services of the impacted resource, the loss of these services caused by the contamination, and the measures and associated costs necessary to restore or replace the lost services. Under many regulatory programs, groundwater remediation objectives assume that the impacted groundwater may be used as a primary source of drinking water in the future, even if not presently in use. In combination with a regulatory preference for removal or treatment technologies, this assumed exposure, while protective of human health, can drive the remedy selection process toward remedies that may not be protective of the groundwater resource itself or of the other natural resources (energy, materials, chemicals, etc.) that may be consumed in the remediation effort. To achieve the same health and environmental protection goals under a sustainable remediation framework, natural resource assessment methods can be applied to restore the lost services and preserve the intact services of the groundwater so as to protect both current and future users of that resource. In this paper, we provide practical guidelines for use of natural resource assessment procedures in the remedy selection process and present a case study demonstrating the use of these protocols for development of sustainable remediation strategies. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Environmental isotope study related to groundwater age, flow system and saline water origin in Quaternary aquifers of North China Plain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Zhigan; Payne, B.R.

    1988-01-01

    An isotopic hydrology section across the North China Plain has been studied to investigate problems of groundwater age, flow system and saline water origin in a semi-arid pre-mountain artesian basin. Two local and one regional flow system along the section have been recognized. Turnover time of water for alluvial fan, shallow and regional systems are estimated to be the order of 10 2 , 10 3 , and 10 4 years respectively. Specific flow rates for the three systems have been calculated. Only less than 5 percent of flow from alluvial fan is drained by the regional flow system and the rest, in natural conditions, discharges at surface in the front edge of an alluvial fan and forms a groundwater discharge belt at a good distance away from the mountain foot. Developed in the alluvial plain and coastal plain areas the shallow flow system embraces a series of small local systems. Groundwater in these systems appears to be the salt carrier during continental salinization. It washes salt out of the recharge area and deep-occurred strata by circulating and carries it up to the surface in lowland areas. Consequently, in parallel with salinization at surface a desalinization process occurs at depth, which provides an additional explanation for the existing thick deep fresh water zone in most arid and semi-arid regions, where continental salting process is in progress. (author). 6 refs, 8 figs, 4 tabs

  14. 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.

  15. Features of acid-saline systems of Southern Australia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dickson, Bruce L.; Giblin, Angela M.

    2009-01-01

    The discovery of layered, SO 4 -rich sediments on the Meridiani Planum on Mars has focused attention on understanding the formation of acid-saline lakes. Many salt lakes have formed in southern Australia where regional groundwaters are characterized by acidity and high salinity and show features that might be expected in the Meridiani sediments. Many (but not all) of the acid-saline Australian groundwaters are found where underlying Tertiary sediments are sulfide-rich. When waters from the formations come to the surface or interact with oxidised meteoric water, acid groundwaters result. In this paper examples of such waters around Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, and Lake Dey-Dey, South Australia, are reviewed. The acid-saline groundwaters typically have dissolved solids of 30-60 g/L and pH commonly 4 and MgSO 4 ) or differential separation of elements with differing solubility (K, Na, Ti, Cr). Thus, it is considered unlikely that groundwaters or evaporative salt-lake systems, as found on earth, were involved. Instead, these features point to a water-poor system with local alteration and very little mobilization of elements

  16. Rainwater lens dynamics and mixing between infiltrating rainwater and upward saline groundwater seepage beneath a tile-drained agricultural field

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Louw, de P.G.B.; Eeman, S.; Oude Essink, G.H.P.; Vermue, E.; Post, V.E.A.

    2013-01-01

    Thin rainwater lenses (RW-lenses) near the land surface are often the only source of freshwater in agricultural areas with regionally-extensive brackish to saline groundwater. The seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of these lenses are poorly known. Here this knowledge gap is addressed by

  17. Ground-water contamination and legal controls in Michigan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deutsch, Morris

    1963-01-01

    The great importance of the fresh ground-water resources of Michigan is evident because 90 percent of the rural and about 70 percent of the total population of the State exclusive of the Detroit metropolitan area are supplied from underground sources. The water-supply and public-health problems that have been caused by some cases of ground-water contamination in the State illustrate the necessity of protecting this vital resource.Manmade and natural contaminants, including many types of chemical and organic matter, have entered many of the numerous aquifers of the State. Aquifers have been contaminated by waste-laden liquids percolating from the surface or from the zone of aeration and by direct injection to the aquifer itself. Industrial and domestic wastes, septic tanks, leaking sewers, flood waters or other poor quality surface waters, mine waters, solids stored or spread at the surface, and even airborne wastes all have been sources of ground-water contamination in Michigan. In addition, naturally occurring saline waters have been induced into other aquifers by overpumping or unrestricted flow from artesian wells, possibly by dewatering operations, and by the deepening of surface stream channels. Vertical migration of saline waters through open holes from formations underlying various important aquifers also has spoiled some of the fresh ground waters in the State. In spite of the contamination that has occurred, however, the total amount of ground water that has been spoiled is only a small part of the total resource. Neither is the contamination so widespread as that of the surface streams of Michigan.Overall legal authority to control most types of ground-water contamination in the State has been assigned by the Michigan Legislature to the Water Resources Commission, although the Department of Conservation and the Health Department also exercise important water-pollution control functions. The Michigan Supreme Court, in an important case upholding the power

  18. Quantifying anthropogenic contributions to century-scale groundwater salinity changes, San Joaquin Valley, California, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Jeffrey; Jurgens, Bryant; Fram, Miranda S.

    2018-01-01

    Total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations in groundwater tapped for beneficial uses (drinking water, irrigation, freshwater industrial) have increased on average by about 100 mg/L over the last 100 years in the San Joaquin Valley, California (SJV). During this period land use in the SJV changed from natural vegetation and dryland agriculture to dominantly irrigated agriculture with growing urban areas. Century-scale salinity trends were evaluated by comparing TDS concentrations and major ion compositions of groundwater from wells sampled in 1910 (Historic) to data from wells sampled in 1993-2015 (Modern). TDS concentrations in subregions of the SJV, the southern (SSJV), western (WSJV), northeastern (NESJV), and southeastern (SESJV) were calculated using a cell-declustering method. TDS concentrations increased in all regions, with the greatest increases found in the SSJV and SESJV. Evaluation of the Modern data from the NESJV and SESJV found higher TDS concentrations in recently recharged (post-1950) groundwater from shallow (soil amendments combined. Bicarbonate showed the greatest increase among major ions, resulting from enhanced silicate weathering due to recharge of irrigation water enriched in CO2 during the growing season. The results of this study demonstrate that large anthropogenic changes to the hydrologic regime, like massive development of irrigated agriculture in semi-arid areas like the SJV, can cause large changes in groundwater quality on a regional scale.

  19. Transitioning Groundwater from an Extractive Resource to a Managed Water Storage Resource: Geology and Recharge in Sedimentary Basins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maples, S.; Fogg, G. E.; Maxwell, R. M.; Liu, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Civilizations have typically obtained water from natural and constructed surface-water resources throughout most of human history. Only during the last 50-70 years has a significant quantity of water for humans been obtained through pumping from wells. During this short time, alarming levels of groundwater depletion have been observed worldwide, especially in some semi-arid and arid regions that rely heavily on groundwater pumping from clastic sedimentary basins. In order to reverse the negative effects of over-exploitation of groundwater resources, we must transition from treating groundwater mainly as an extractive resource to one in which recharge and subsurface storage are pursued more aggressively. However, this remains a challenge because unlike surface-water reservoirs which are typically replenished over annual timescales, the complex geologic architecture of clastic sedimentary basins impedes natural groundwater recharge rates resulting in decadal or longer timescales for aquifer replenishment. In parts of California's Central Valley alluvial aquifer system, groundwater pumping has outpaced natural groundwater recharge for decades. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has been promoted to offset continued groundwater overdraft, but MAR to the confined aquifer system remains a challenge because multiple laterally-extensive silt and clay aquitards limit recharge rates in most locations. Here, we simulate the dynamics of MAR and identify potential recharge pathways in this system using a novel combination of (1) a high-resolution model of the subsurface geologic heterogeneity and (2) a physically-based model of variably-saturated, three-dimensional water flow. Unlike most groundwater models, which have coarse spatial resolution that obscures the detailed subsurface geologic architecture of these systems, our high-resolution model can pinpoint specific geologic features and locations that have the potential to `short-circuit' aquitards and provide orders

  20. 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)

  1. Application of groundwater sustainability indicators to the Upper Pliocene aquifer in Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngo, T. M.; Lee, J.; Lee, H.; Woo, N. C.

    2013-12-01

    Groundwater plays an importance role for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses in Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam. This study is objected to evaluate the sustainability of groundwater by using groundwater sustainability indicators (GWSIs) defined by UNESCO/IAEA/IAH Working Group on Groundwater Indicators at aquifer scale (the Upper Pliocene aquifer). There are four main indicators selected and one new indicator designed for the particular characteristic of Ho Chi Minh city which is under influence of by saline-water intrusion. The results indicated groundwater of the Upper Pliocene aquifer, the main groundwater supply source, is generally in the unsustainable state. The abstraction of groundwater, which was much greater than its capability, is probably causing the serious state of annual groundwater depletion and saline-water intrusion. The GWSIs, which expressed in such a simple way but scientifically-based and policy-relevant, proved its usefulness in evaluating the sustainability of groundwater at the aquifer scale in Ho Chi Minh city, and subsequently should be incorporated in water resource management practices.

  2. Modelling the distribution of tritium in groundwater across South Africa to assess the vulnerability and sustainability of groundwater resources in response to climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Rooyen, Jared; Miller, Jodie; Watson, Andrew; Butler, Mike

    2017-04-01

    Groundwater is critical for sustaining human populations, especially in semi-arid to arid areas, where surface water availability is low. Shallow groundwater is usually abstracted for this purpose because it is the easiest to access and assumed to be renewable and regularly recharged by precipitation. Renewable, regularly recharged groundwater is also called modern groundwater, ie groundwater that has recently been in contact with the atmosphere. Tritium can be used to determine whether or not a groundwater resource is modern because the half-life of tritium is only 12.36 years and tritium is dominantly produced in the upper atmosphere and not in the rock mass. For this reason, groundwater with detectable tritium activities likely has a residence age of less than 50 years. In this study, tritium activities in 277 boreholes distributed across South Africa were used to develop a national model for tritium activity in groundwater in order to establish the extent of modern groundwater across South Africa. The tritium model was combined with modelled depth to water using 3079 measured static water levels obtained from the National Groundwater Archive and validated against a separate set of 40 tritium activities along the west coast of South Africa. The model showed good agreement with the distribution of rainfall which has been previously documented across the globe (Gleeson et al., 2015), although the arid Karoo basin in south west South Africa shows higher than expected tritium levels given the very low regional precipitation levels. To assess the vulnerability of groundwater to degradation in quality and quantity, the tritium model was incorporated into a multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) model which incorporated other indicators of groundwater stress including mean annual precipitation, mean annual surface temperature, electrical conductivity (as a proxy for groundwater salinization), potential evaporation, population density and cultivated land usage. The MCE model

  3. Determining the Appropriate Economic Strategy to Conserve Groundwater Resources in Qazvin Plain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abozar Parhizkari

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Qazvin plain is one of the capable plains in Iran to produce of agricultural goods. Unfortunately, due to inordinate shafts digging and irregular use of groundwater the level of groundwater has been decreased during two last decades so that water balance is negative now. To conserve the groundwater resources in this plain, strategies and appropriate policies are needed and this requires a better understanding of farmers’ behavior. Therefore, in the present study in order to investigate farmers' behavior in using of groundwater and determine appropriate strategies to conserve of groundwater resources in Qazvin plain, positive mathematical programming and production function with constant elasticity of substitution were used. The investigated strategies included increase in water price, decrease in water availability and deficit irrigation strategy and were investigated under various scenarios. The required data were registered information related to 2011-2012 collected from relevant departments in Qazvin province. The model was solved using GAMS 23/9 software. The results showed that all the investigated strategies led to water saving however the average gross profit changes decreased by 3.13, 8.61 and 5.54 percent with increasing water price, decrease in water availability and deficit irrigation, respectively. Finally, considering the less reduction in average gross profit, the irrigation water pricing and then deficit irrigation strategies were proposed to conserve groundwater resources in Qazvin plain.

  4. Geochemical behavior of Cs, Sr, Tc, Np, and U in saline groundwaters: Sorption experiments on shales and their clay mineral components: Progress report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, R.E.; Arnold, W.D.; Ho, P.C.; Case, F.I.; O'Kelley, G.D.

    1987-11-01

    The Sedimentary Rock Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is investigating shale to determine its potential suitability as a host rock for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW). In support of this program, preliminary studies were carried out on sorption of cesium, strontium, technetium, neptunium, and uranium onto Chattanooga (Upper Dowelltown), Pierre, Green River Formation, Nolichucky, and Pumpkin Valley Shales under oxic conditions (air present). Three simulated groundwaters were used. One of the groundwaters was a synthetic brine made up to simulate highly saline groundwaters in the Pumpkin Valley Shale. The second was a 100/1 dilution of this groundwater and the third was 0.03 M NaHCO 3 . Moderate to significant sorption was observed under most conditions for all of the tested radionuclides except technetium. Moderate technetium sorption occurred on Upper Dowelltown Shale, and although technetium sorption was low on the other shales, it was higher than expected for Tc(VII), present as the anion TcO 4 - . Little sorption of strontium onto the shales was observed from the concentrated saline groundwater. These data can be used in a generic fashion to help assess the sorption characteristics of shales in support of a national survey. 10 refs., 4 figs., 23 tabs

  5. Real-Time Management of Groundwater Resources Based on Wireless Sensors Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qingguo Zhou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Groundwater plays a vital role in the arid inland river basins, in which the groundwater management is critical to the sustainable development of area economy and ecology. Traditional sustainable management approaches are to analyze different scenarios subject to assumptions or to construct simulation–optimization models to obtain optimal strategy. However, groundwater system is time-varying due to exogenous inputs. In this sense, the groundwater management based on static data is relatively outdated. As part of the Heihe River Basin (HRB, which is a typical arid river basin in Northwestern China, the Daman irrigation district was selected as the study area in this paper. First, a simulation–optimization model was constructed to optimize the pumping rates of the study area according to the groundwater level constraints. Three different groundwater level constraints were assigned to explore sustainable strategies for groundwater resources. The results indicated that the simulation–optimization model was capable of identifying the optimal pumping yields and satisfy the given constraints. Second, the simulation–optimization model was integrated with wireless sensors network (WSN technology to provide real-time features for the management. The results showed time-varying feature for the groundwater management, which was capable of updating observations, constraints, and decision variables in real time. Furthermore, a web-based platform was developed to facilitate the decision-making process. This study combined simulation and optimization model with WSN techniques and meanwhile attempted to real-time monitor and manage the scarce groundwater resource, which could be used to support the decision-making related to sustainable management.

  6. 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

  7. Arsenic, manganese and aluminum contamination in groundwater resources of Western Amazonia (Peru).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Meyer, Caroline M C; Rodríguez, Juan M; Carpio, Edward A; García, Pilar A; Stengel, Caroline; Berg, Michael

    2017-12-31

    This paper presents a first integrated survey on the occurrence and distribution of geogenic contaminants in groundwater resources of Western Amazonia in Peru. An increasing number of groundwater wells have been constructed for drinking water purposes in the last decades; however, the chemical quality of the groundwater resources in the Amazon region is poorly studied. We collected groundwater from the regions of Iquitos and Pucallpa to analyze the hydrochemical characteristics, including trace elements. The source aquifer of each well was determined by interpretation of the available geological information, which identified four different aquifer types with distinct hydrochemical properties. The majority of the wells in two of the aquifer types tap groundwater enriched in aluminum, arsenic, or manganese at levels harmful to human health. Holocene alluvial aquifers along the main Amazon tributaries with anoxic, near pH-neutral groundwater contained high concentrations of arsenic (up to 700μg/L) and manganese (up to 4mg/L). Around Iquitos, the acidic groundwater (4.2≤pH≤5.5) from unconfined aquifers composed of pure sand had dissolved aluminum concentrations of up to 3.3mg/L. Groundwater from older or deeper aquifers generally was of good chemical quality. The high concentrations of toxic elements highlight the urgent need to assess the groundwater quality throughout Western Amazonia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Irrigated agriculture and groundwater resources - towards an integrated vision and sustainable relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Stephen; Garduño, Héctor

    2013-01-01

    Globally, irrigated agriculture is the largest abstractor, and predominant consumer, of groundwater resources, with large groundwater-dependent agro-economies now having widely evolved especially in Asia. Such use is also causing resource depletion and degradation in more arid and drought-prone regions. In addition crop cultivation practices on irrigated land exert a major influence on groundwater recharge. The interrelationship is such that cross-sector action is required to agree more sustainable land and water management policies, and this paper presents an integrated vision of the challenges in this regard. It is recognised that 'institutional arrangements' are critical to the local implementation of management policies, although the focus here is limited to the conceptual understanding needed for formulation of an integrated policy and some practical interventions required to promote more sustainable groundwater irrigation.

  9. Re-thinking the unimpeded tube-well growth under the depleting groundwater resources in the Punjab, Pakistan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watto, Muhammad Arif; Mugera, Amin W.; Kingwell, Ross; Saqab, Muhammad Mudasar

    2018-04-01

    Groundwater resources are crucial in sustaining agro-ecosystems and ensuring food security in many parts of the world, including Pakistan. However, the sustainability of groundwater resources is subject to a number of challenges, including over-extraction, deterioration in quality, and vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and population growth. Given the current state of groundwater resources in Pakistan, policymakers seek to manage groundwater resources by limiting groundwater extraction. To achieve this goal on a national scale, it is important to understand the determinants of the decisions made by local farmers in respect of tube-well adoption. This study investigates smallholder farmers' decisions to adopt tube-well technology in the face of dwindling groundwater resources and falling water tables. Analysis is based on a cross-sectional survey of 200 rural households from the arid to semi-arid predominantly groundwater-irrigated plains of the Punjab province, Pakistan. It is found that farmers will adopt tube-well technology in pursuit of reliable irrigation water supplies to hedge against production risks but not against the risk associated with unfavourable extreme events (downside risk) such as total crop failure. This suggests that the adoption decision is influenced by the expected long-term rather than the short-term benefits. This paper draws attention to the need to regulate groundwater resource exploitation by requiring the use of tube-well technology to be accompanied by irrigation water-efficient techniques and technologies.

  10. Groundwater resources of Ribeira Fajã basin, island of São Nicolau, Cape Verde, West Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilweil, Victor M.; Gingerich, Stephen B.; Plummer, Niel; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.

    2010-01-01

    Groundwater resources in Cape Verde provide water for agriculture, industry, and human consumption. These resources are limited and susceptible to contamination. Additional groundwater resources are needed for continued agricultural development, particularly during times of drought, but increased use and (or) climatic change may have adverse effects on the quantity and quality of freshwater available. In volcanic island aquifers such as those of Cape Verde, a lens of fresh groundwater typically ?floats? upon a layer of brackish water at the freshwater/saltwater boundary, and increased pumping may cause salt water intrusion or other contamination. A recent U.S. Geological Survey study assessed baseline groundwater conditions in watersheds on three islands of Cape Verde to provide the scientific basis for sustainably developing water resources and minimizing future groundwater depletion and contamination.

  11. Application of Isotope Techniques in the Assessment of Groundwater Resource in Water Resources Region 10, Philippines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Racadio, Charles Darwin T.; Mendoza, Norman DS.; Castañeda, Soledad S.; Abaño, Susan P.; Rongavilla, Luis S.; Castro, Joey

    2015-01-01

    Groundwater has been the primary source of drinking water of about 50% of the people in the Philippines and the numbers continue to rise. However, data and information on groundwater resources are generally spasmodic or sparse in the country. A specific remedy to address this gap is the use of isotope hydrological techniques. A pilot project utilizing this technique was done in Water Resources Region X with the aim of demonstrating the effectiveness and efficiency of these approach in groundwater resources assessment. When optimized, the technique will be replicated in other areas of the country. Groundwater samples from springs deep wells hand pumps and dug wells and river water were collected within the study area from September 2012 to June 2014. Monthly integrated precipitation samples were also collected at different points within the study area from October 2012 to March 2015. Samples were analyzed for stable isotope (δ”2H and δ”1”8O) using Laser Water Isotope Analyzer and tritium for groundwater dating. Results showed that aquifers in the study area are recharged by infiltrated rain during the heavy rainfall moths (May to November for Cagayan-Tagaloan Basin, and December to April for Agusan Basin). Water in Agusan Basin is isotopically enriched compared with the water in Cagayan-Tagaloan Basin. There appears to be interaction between shallow unconfined aquifer and deep semi-confined aquifer in Cagayan de Oro City. Shallow aquifers appear to be recharged by local precipitation. Groundwater in the study area is of Ca-Mg-HCO 3 type, which is characteristic of dynamic water with short residence time. Tritium-helium aging puts the water at ages between 18 to 72 years. Recharged rates of 422 to 625 mm/year were calculated for Cagayan de Oro City.(author)

  12. Ground-water resources of the Laura area, Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamlin, S.N.; Anthony, S.S.

    1987-01-01

    The water system that supplies the heavily populated Dalap-Uliga-Darrit (DUD) area of Majuro atoll, Marshall Island, relies almost entirely upon airstrip catchment of rain water. Droughts cause severe water supply problems and water rationing is required, even during periods of normal rainfall. The Laura area contains a substantial lens of fresh groundwater that could be developed for export to the DUD area 30 mi to the east. Study of the groundwater resource at Laura involved a survey of existing wells, installation of monitoring wells and test holes, compilation of continuous records of rainfall and water level fluctuations, and collection of water quality data. Test hole data permitted the definition of three geohydrologic units which correlate well with similar units in Bikini and Enewetak atolls. The units consist of two layers of unconsolidated reef and lagoon sediments resting on a dense, highly permeable limestone. The potable water zone, or freshwater nucleus, of the lens is contained mostly within the unconsolidated layers, which are much less permeable than the basal limestone. Recharge to the Laura freshwater lens is estimated to be 1.8 mil gal/day, based on an average annual rainfall of 140 in. Sustainable yield is estimated to be about 400,000 gal/day. Shallow skimming wells or infiltration galleries similar to those used on Kwajalein atoll would be appropriate to develop the freshwater lens. The impact of development on the lens can be determined by monitoring the salinity in developed water and in a network of monitor wells. (Author 's abstract)

  13. Modelling the salinization of a coastal lagoon-aquifer system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colombani, N.; Mastrocicco, M.

    2017-08-01

    In this study, a coastal area constituted by alternations of saline-brackish lagoons and freshwater bodies was studied and modelled to understand the hydrological processes occurring between the lagoons, the groundwater system of the Po River Delta (Italy) and the Adriatic Sea. The contribution of both evaporation and anthropogenic factors on groundwater salinization was assessed by means of soil, groundwater and surface water monitoring. Highresolution multi-level samplers were used to capture salinity gradients within the aquifer and surface water bodies. Data were employed to calibrate a density-dependent numerical transport model implemented with SEAWAT code along a transect perpendicular to the coast line. The results show that the lagoon is hydraulically well connected with the aquifer, which provides the major source of salinity because of the upcoming of paleo-seawater from the aquitard laying at the base of the unconfined aquifer. On the contrary, the seawater (diluted by the freshwater river outflow) creates only a limited saltwater wedge. The increase in groundwater salinity could be of serious concern, especially for the pinewood located in the dune near the coast, sensitive to salinity increases. This case study represents an interesting paradigm for other similar environmental setting, where the assumption of classical aquifer salinization from a saltwater wedge intruding from the sea is often not representative of the actual aquifer’s salinization mechanisms.

  14. Potential impacts on groundwater resources of deep CO2 storage: natural analogues for assessing potential chemical effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lions, J.; Gale, I.; May, F.; Nygaard, E.; Ruetters, H.; Beaubien, S.; Sohrabi, M.; Hatzignatiou, D. G.; CO2GeoNet Members involved in the present study Team

    2011-12-01

    Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) is considered as one of the promising options for reducing atmospheric emissions of CO2 related to human activities. One of the main concerns associated with the geological storage of CO2 is that the CO2 may leak from the intended storage formation, migrate to the near-surface environment and, eventually, escape from the ground. This is a concern because such leakage may affect aquifers overlying the storage site and containing freshwater that may be used for drinking, industry and agriculture. The IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG) recently commissioned the CO2GeoNet Association to undertake a review of published and unpublished literature on this topic with the aim of summarizing 'state of the art' knowledge and identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities in this field. Work carried out by various CO2GeoNet members was also used in this study. This study identifies possible areas of conflict by combining available datasets to map the global and regional superposition of deep saline formations (DSF) suitable for CO2 storage and overlying fresh groundwater resources. A scenario classification is developed for the various geological settings where conflict could occur. The study proposes two approaches to address the potential impact mechanisms of CO2 storage projects on the hydrodynamics and chemistry of shallow groundwater. The first classifies and synthesizes changes of water quality observed in natural/industrial analogues and in laboratory experiments. The second reviews hydrodynamic and geochemical models, including coupled multiphase flow and reactive transport. Various models are discussed in terms of their advantages and limitations, with conclusions on possible impacts on groundwater resources. Possible mitigation options to stop or control CO2 leakage are assessed. The effect of CO2 pressure in the host DSF and the potential effects on shallow aquifers are also examined. The study provides a review of

  15. Consequences of Groundwater Development on Water Resources of Hawai`i

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rotzoll, K.; Izuka, S. K.; El-Kadi, A. I.

    2017-12-01

    The availability of fresh groundwater for human use is limited by whether the impacts of withdrawals are deemed acceptable by community stakeholders and water-resource managers. Quantifying the island-wide hydrologic impacts of withdrawal—saltwater intrusion, water-table decline, and reduction of groundwater discharge to streams, nearshore environments and downgradient groundwater bodies—is thus a key step for assessing fresh groundwater availability in Hawai`i. Groundwater-flow models of the individual islands of Kaua`i, O`ahu, and Maui were constructed using MODFLOW 2005 with the Seawater-Intrusion Package (SWI2). Consistent model construction among the islands, calibration, and analysis were streamlined using Python scripts. Results of simulating historical withdrawals from Hawai`i's volcanic aquifers show that the types and magnitudes of impacts that can limit fresh groundwater availability vary among each islands' unique hydrogeologic settings. In high-permeability freshwater-lens aquifers, saltwater intrusion and reductions in coastal groundwater discharge are the principal consequences of withdrawals that can limit groundwater availability. In dike-impounded groundwater and thickly saturated low-permeability aquifers, reduced groundwater discharge to streams, water-table decline, or reduced flows to adjacent freshwater-lens aquifers can limit fresh groundwater availability. The numerical models are used to quantify and delineate the spatial distribution of these impacts for the three islands. The models were also used to examine how anticipated changes in groundwater recharge and withdrawals will affect fresh groundwater availability in the future.

  16. Groundwater resources in Southern and Eastern Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    Water shortage, water quality, and the protection of investments in water supply, are of continuing concern to countries in Africa. As more countries join those already short of water, sound management of groundwater resources becomes more critical. Isotope techniques provide information that is unobtainable by other means and help to achieve a better understanding of mechanisms and processes through which water resources can be managed. The International Atomic Energy Agency is sponsoring a regional technical co-operation project addressing practical issues related to water resources assessment and development in Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The project also seeks to strengthen isotope hydrology capacity in the sub-region. (IAEA)

  17. Hydro-environmental management of groundwater resources: A fuzzy-based multi-objective compromise approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alizadeh, Mohammad Reza; Nikoo, Mohammad Reza; Rakhshandehroo, Gholam Reza

    2017-08-01

    Sustainable management of water resources necessitates close attention to social, economic and environmental aspects such as water quality and quantity concerns and potential conflicts. This study presents a new fuzzy-based multi-objective compromise methodology to determine the socio-optimal and sustainable policies for hydro-environmental management of groundwater resources, which simultaneously considers the conflicts and negotiation of involved stakeholders, uncertainties in decision makers' preferences, existing uncertainties in the groundwater parameters and groundwater quality and quantity issues. The fuzzy multi-objective simulation-optimization model is developed based on qualitative and quantitative groundwater simulation model (MODFLOW and MT3D), multi-objective optimization model (NSGA-II), Monte Carlo analysis and Fuzzy Transformation Method (FTM). Best compromise solutions (best management policies) on trade-off curves are determined using four different Fuzzy Social Choice (FSC) methods. Finally, a unanimity fallback bargaining method is utilized to suggest the most preferred FSC method. Kavar-Maharloo aquifer system in Fars, Iran, as a typical multi-stakeholder multi-objective real-world problem is considered to verify the proposed methodology. Results showed an effective performance of the framework for determining the most sustainable allocation policy in groundwater resource management.

  18. A new concept of irrigation response units for effective management of surface and groundwater resources: a case study from the multi-country Fergana Valley, Central Asia

    KAUST Repository

    Awan, Usman Khalid

    2016-09-09

    When estimating canal water supplies for large-scale irrigation schemes and especially in arid regions worldwide, the impact of all factors affecting the gross irrigation requirements (GIR) are not properly accounted for, which results in inefficient use of precious freshwater resources. This research shows that the concept of irrigation response units (IRU)—areas having unique combinations of factors effecting the GIR—allows for more precise estimates of GIR. An overlay analysis of soil texture and salinity, depth and salinity of groundwater, cropping patterns and irrigation methods was performed in a GIS environment, which yielded a total of 17 IRUs combinations of the Oktepa Zilol Chashmasi water consumers’ association in multi-country Fergana Valley, Central Asia. Groundwater contribution, leaching requirements, losses in the irrigation system through field application and conveyance and effective rainfall were included in GIR estimates. The GIR varied significantly among IRUs [average of 851 mm (±143 mm)] with a maximum (1051 mm) in IRU-12 and a minimum (629 mm) in IRUs-15, 16. Owing to varying groundwater levels in each IRU, the groundwater contribution played a key role in the estimation of the GIR. The maximum groundwater contribution occurred in IRUs dominated by cotton–fallow rotations as evidenced by an average value of 159 mm but a maximum of 254 mm and a minimum of 97 mm. Percolation losses depended on irrigation methods for different crops in their respective IRUs. The novel approach can guide water managers in this and similar regions to increase the accuracy of irrigation demands based on all the factor effecting the GIR. © 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

  19. Combining geochemical tracers with geophysical tools to study groundwater quality in Mesilla Bolson of the semi-arid Rio Grande watershed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, L.; Hiebing, M.; Garcia, S.; Szynkiewicz, A.; Doser, D. I.

    2017-12-01

    Mesilla Bolson is an important alluvial aquifer system of the semi-arid Rio Grande watershed in southern New Mexico and West Texas. It is one of the two major groundwater sources for the City of El Paso in Texas and provides about 30% of the region's domestic groundwater needs. Groundwater from Mesilla Bolson is also extensively used for agriculture irrigation in this region. However, high concentrations of total dissolved solids in some areas of this region significantly impact groundwater quality for the Rio Grande alluvial aquifer. For example, an increase in groundwater salinity is generally observed from north to south within the aquifer. Some previous researchers have suggested this salinity change is due to 1) runoff and recharge from agricultural activity; 2) natural upwelling of deeper brackish groundwater; and 3) water-rock interactions in the aquifer. To better study how agricultural and municipal practices contribute to increasing salinity, we sampled 50 wells of the Mesilla Bolson in 2015-2016 for uranium (234U/238U), strontium (87Sr/86Sr), boron (d11B), and sulfur (d34S) isotope compositions to characterize major salinity sources of groundwater. In addition, we applied a geophysical gravity survey to determine the possible influences of faults and other subsurface structures on groundwater quality in this region. Our multi-isotope results suggest that the groundwater resources of this alluvial aquifer have been already impacted by human activities and groundwater recharge to the alluvial aquifer is affected by surface processes such as i) the return flows from the Rio Grande surface water used for irrigation, ii) municipal discharges, and iii) irrigation with the reclaimed city water. However, natural upwelling is also probably responsible for the salinity increase near some fault areas, primarily due to water-rock interactions such as dissolution of evaporites within the deeper basin. In some areas of the Mesilla Bolson, fault systems act as conduits

  20. Modeling Effects of Groundwater Basin Closure, and Reversal of Closure, on Groundwater Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauloo, R.; Guo, Z.; Fogg, G. E.

    2017-12-01

    Population growth, the expansion of agriculture, and climate uncertainties have accelerated groundwater pumping and overdraft in aquifers worldwide. In many agricultural basins, a water budget may be stable or not in overdraft, yet disconnected ground and surface water bodies can contribute to the formation of a "closed" basin, where water principally exits the basin as evapotranspiration. Although decreasing water quality associated with increases in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) have been documented in aquifers across the United States in the past half century, connections between water quality declines and significant changes in hydrologic budgets leading to closed basin formation remain poorly understood. Preliminary results from an analysis with a regional-scale mixing model of the Tulare Lake Basin in California indicate that groundwater salinization resulting from open to closed basin conversion can operate on a decades-to-century long time scale. The only way to reverse groundwater salinization caused by basin closure is to refill the basin and change the hydrologic budget sufficiently for natural groundwater discharge to resume. 3D flow and transport modeling, including the effects of heterogeneity based on a hydrostratigraphic facies model, is used to explore rates and time scales of groundwater salinization and its reversal under different water and land management scenarios. The modeling is also used to ascertain the extent to which local and regional heterogeneity need to be included in order to appropriately upscale the advection-dispersion equation in a basin scale groundwater quality management model. Results imply that persistent managed aquifer recharge may slow groundwater salinization, and complete reversal may be possible at sufficiently high water tables.

  1. Forecasting the Depletion of Transboundary Groundwater Resources in Hyper-Arid Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazzoni, A.; Heggy, E.

    2014-12-01

    The increase in awareness about the overexploitation of transboundary groundwater resources in hyper-arid environments that occurred in the last decades has highlighted the need to better map, monitor and manage these resources. Climate change, economic and population growth are driving forces that put more pressure on these fragile but fundamental resources. The aim of our approach is to address the question of whether or not groundwater resources, especially non-renewable, could serve as "backstop" water resource during water shortage periods that would probably affect the drylands in the upcoming 100 years. The high dependence of arid regions on these resources requires prudent management to be able to preserve their fossil aquifers and exploit them in a more sustainable way. We use the NetLogo environment with the FAO Aquastat Database to evaluate if the actual trends of extraction, consumption and use of non-renewable groundwater resources would remain feasible with the future climate change impacts and the population growth scenarios. The case studies selected are three: the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, shared between Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Chad; the North Western Sahara Aquifer System, with Algeria, Tunisia and Libya and the Umm Radhuma Dammam Aquifer, in its central part, shared between Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. The reason these three fossil aquifers were selected are manifold. First, they represent properly transboundary non-renewable groundwater resources, with all the implications that derive from this, i.e. the necessity of scientific and socio-political cooperation among riparians, the importance of monitoring the status of shared resources and the need to elaborate a shared management policy. Furthermore, each country is characterized by hyper-arid climatic conditions, which will be exacerbated in the next century by climate change and lead to probable severe water shortage periods. Together with climate change, the rate of population

  2. Groundwater resources of Ribeira Paúl basin, island of Santo Antão, Cape Verde, West Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilweil, Victor M.; Gingerich, Stephen B.; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.

    2010-01-01

    Groundwater resources in Cape Verde provide water for agriculture, industry, and human consumption. These resources are limited and susceptible to contamination. Additional groundwater resources are needed for continued agricultural development, particularly during times of drought, but increased use and (or) climatic change may have adverse effects on the quantity and quality of freshwater available. In volcanic island aquifers such as those of Cape Verde, a lens of fresh groundwater typically ?floats? upon a layer of brackish water at the freshwater/saltwater boundary, and increased pumping may cause salt water intrusion or other contamination. A recent U.S. Geological Survey study assessed baseline groundwater conditions in watersheds on three islands of Cape Verde to provide the scientific basis for sustainably developing water resources and minimizing future groundwater depletion and contamination.

  3. Groundwater resource exploration in Salem district, Tamil Nadu using GIS and remote sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maheswaran, G.; Selvarani, A. Geetha; Elangovan, K.

    2016-03-01

    Since last decade, the value per barrel of potable groundwater has outpaced the value of a barrel of oil in many areas of the world. Hence, proper assessment of groundwater potential and management practices are the needs of the day. Establishing relationship between remote sensing data and hydrologic phenomenon can maximize the efficiency of water resources development projects. Present study focuses on groundwater potential assessment in Salem district, Tamil Nadu to investigate groundwater resource potential. At the same, all thematic layers important from ground water occurrence and movement point of view were digitized and integrated in the GIS environment. The weights of different parameters/themes were computed using weighed index overlay analysis (WIOA), analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic technique. Through this integrated GIS analysis, groundwater prospect map of the study area was prepared qualitatively. Field verification at observation wells was used to verify identified potential zones and depth of water measured at observation wells. Generated map from weighed overlay using AHP performed very well in predicting the groundwater surface and hence this methodology proves to be a promising tool for future.

  4. Research Project on CO2 Geological Storage and Groundwater Resources: Water Quality Effects Caused by CO2 Intrusion into Shallow Groundwater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birkholzer, Jens; Apps, John; Zheng, Liange; Zhang, Yingqi; Xu, Tianfu; Tsang, Chin-Fu

    2008-10-01

    One promising approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is injecting CO{sub 2} into suitable geologic formations, typically depleted oil/gas reservoirs or saline formations at depth larger than 800 m. Proper site selection and management of CO{sub 2} storage projects will ensure that the risks to human health and the environment are low. However, a risk remains that CO{sub 2} could migrate from a deep storage formation, e.g. via local high-permeability pathways such as permeable faults or degraded wells, and arrive in shallow groundwater resources. The ingress of CO{sub 2} is by itself not typically a concern to the water quality of an underground source of drinking water (USDW), but it will change the geochemical conditions in the aquifer and will cause secondary effects mainly induced by changes in pH, in particular the mobilization of hazardous inorganic constituents present in the aquifer minerals. Identification and assessment of these potential effects is necessary to analyze risks associated with geologic sequestration of CO{sub 2}. This report describes a systematic evaluation of the possible water quality changes in response to CO{sub 2} intrusion into aquifers currently used as sources of potable water in the United States. Our goal was to develop a general understanding of the potential vulnerability of United States potable groundwater resources in the event of CO{sub 2} leakage. This goal was achieved in two main tasks, the first to develop a comprehensive geochemical model representing typical conditions in many freshwater aquifers (Section 3), the second to conduct a systematic reactive-transport modeling study to quantify the effect of CO{sub 2} intrusion into shallow aquifers (Section 4). Via reactive-transport modeling, the amount of hazardous constituents potentially mobilized by the ingress of CO{sub 2} was determined, the fate and migration of these constituents in the groundwater was predicted, and the likelihood that drinking water

  5. Investigation of Pb, Cd, Cu and Mg Concentrations in Groundwater Resources of Razan Plain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sobhan Ardakani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Iran is located in the dry and semi dry regions, thus almost 90% of the required fresh water is exploited from groundwater resources. Due to the increasing pol-lution of water resources, the purpose of this study was evaluation of Pb, Cd, Cu and Mg concentrations in groundwater resources of Razan Plain and preparing the zoning map using GIS. Materials & Methods: Groundwater samples were collected from 20 selected stations during two seasons in 2012. The samples were filtered (0.45 ?m and maintained cool in polyethyl-ene bottles. The samples were taken for the analysis of cations, the former was acidified with HNO3 to pH lower than 2. Minor elements were determined using ICP-OES. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistical package. Also, Kriging Method was used to prepare spatial distribution maps of elements in groundwater samples. Results: The results showed that the mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu and Mg in the groundwater samples during the spring were 5.60±0.66, 0.21±0.04, 32.10±2.21 and 6990.0±302.10 ppb, respectively, and the mean concentrations of these elements in the groundwater samples in the summer were 4.86±0.46, 0.30±0.08, 25.55±3.63 and 3654.05±215.65 ppb, respectively. Comparing the mean concentrations of the evaluated metals with WHO permissible limits showed a significant difference (p<0.05. Thus, the mean concentrations of the metals were significantly lower than the permissible limits. Conclusion: Although the groundwater resources of Razan Plain are not currently polluted with heavy metals, long-term excessive use of agricultural inputs and establishment of pollut-ing industries, can pose a threat to groundwater resources of this area. (Sci J Hamadan Univ Med Sci 2015; 21(4:319-329

  6. Proceedings of the fifth international groundwater conference on the assessment and management of groundwater resources in hard rock systems with special reference to basaltic terrain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thangarajan, M.; Mayilswami, C.; Kulkarni, P.S.; Singh, V.P.

    2012-01-01

    Groundwater resources in hard rock regions with limited renewable potential have to be managed judiciously to ensure adequate supplies of dependable quantity and quality. It is a natural resource with economic, strategic and environmental value, which is under stress both due to changing climatic and anthropogenic factors. Therefore the management strategies need to be aimed at sustenance of this limited resource. In India, and also elsewhere in the world major parts of the semi-arid regions are characterized by hard rocks and it is of vital importance to understand the nature of the aquifer systems and its current stress conditions. Though the achievements through scientific development in exploration and exploitation are commendable, it has adversely affected the hard rock aquifer system, both in terms of quantity and quality; which is of major concern today. In order to reverse the situation, better management strategy of groundwater resources needs to be devised for prevention of further degradation of quality and meeting out the future demand of quantity. This necessitates: understanding the flow mechanism, evaluating the potential and evolving optimal utilization schemes, and assessing and monitoring quality in the changing scenario of anthropogenically induced agricultural, urban, industrial and climatic change. The groundwater flow mechanism through fractures in hard rocks is yet to be fully understood in terms of fracture geometry and its relation to groundwater flow. The characterization of flow geometry in basaltic aquifer is yet to be fully explored. Groundwater pollution due to anthropogenic factors is very slow process with long-term impacts on carbon cycle and global climatic change on one hand and quality on the other. It is generally recognized that the prevention of groundwater pollution is cheaper than its remedial measures in the long run. Furthermore, because of the nature of groundwater flow and the complexity and management uncertainty of

  7. Long-term changes in pond permanence, size, and salinity in Prairie Pothole Region wetlands: The role of groundwater-pond interaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James W. LaBaugh

    2018-06-01

    New hydrological insights for the study region: Compared to all other measured budget components, groundwater flow into the pond often contributed the least water (8–28 percent but the largest amount (>90 percent of specific solutes to the water and solute budgets of the pond. In drier years flow from the pond into groundwater represented > 10 percent of water loss, and in 1992 was approximately equal to evapotranspiration loss. Also during the drier years, export of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfate by flow from the pond to groundwater was substantial compared with previous or subsequent years, a process that would have been undetected if groundwater flux had been calculated as a net value. Independent quantification of water and solute gains and losses were essential to understand controls on water-level and salinity fluctuations in the pond in response to variable climate conditions.

  8. Stable isotope and groundwater flow dynamics of agricultural irrigation recharge into groundwater resources of the Central Valley, California

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davisson, M.L.; Criss, R.E.

    1995-01-01

    Intensive agricultural irrigation and overdraft of groundwater in the Central Valley of California profoundly affect the regional quality and availability of shallow groundwater resources. In the natural state, the δ 18 O values of groundwater were relatively homogeneous (mostly -7.0 ± 0.5 per-thousand), reflecting local meteoric recharge that slowly (1-3m/yr) flowed toward the valley axis. Today, on the west side of the valley, the isotope distribution is dominated by high 18 O enclosures formed by recharge of evaporated irrigation waters, while the east side has bands of low 18 O groundwater indicating induced recharge from rivers draining the Sierra Nevada mountains. Changes in δ 18 O values caused by the agricultural recharge strongly correlate with elevated nitrate concentrations (5 to >100 mg/L) that form pervasive, non-point source pollutants. Small, west-side cities dependent solely on groundwater resources have experienced increases of >1.0 mg/L per year of nitrate for 10-30 years. The resultant high nitrates threaten the economical use of the groundwater for domestic purposes, and have forced some well shut-downs. Furthermore, since >80% of modern recharge is now derived from agricultural irrigation, and because modern recharge rates are ∼10 times those of the natural state, agricultural land retirement by urbanization will severely curtail the current safe-yields and promote overdraft pumping. Such overdrafting has occurred in the Sacramento metropolitan area for ∼40 years, creating cones of depression ∼25m deep. Today, groundwater withdrawal in Sacramento is approximately matched by infiltration of low 18 O water (-11.0 per-thousand) away from the Sacramento and American Rivers, which is estimated to occur at 100-300m/year from the sharp 18 O gradients in our groundwater isotope map

  9. Hydrogeochemistry of deep groundwaters in the central part of the Fennoscandian Shields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blomqvist, R.

    1999-01-01

    Saline groundwaters are frequent in the central part of the Fennoscandian Shield. The results indicate large variations in groundwater chemistry and in the spatial distribution of saline groundwaters. The depths of the fresh/saline groundwater boundaries vary considerably but generally the boundary is located at 300-600 m. In some cases fresh bicarbonate groundwaters are encountered throughout the drill hole. More commonly, however, bicarbonate waters occur only as an upper layer, up to a few hundred metres in extent, overlying chloride waters of varying salinity. In coastal areas saline groundwaters are frequently found much closer to ground surface. Long-term water-rock interaction and incursions of present/ancient sea water are considered the main processes affecting the evolution of the saline groundwater bodies, while isolation from the surface-close hydrological cycle seems to be a prerequisite for the preservation of these waters. Ancient preferential leaching of low-Rb/Sr minerals (most likely plagioclase) and/or fluid inclusions are the main contribution for dissolved solids in water-rock interaction. The strontium isotope results imply that saline groundwaters in crystalline rocks do not evolve as isolated small pockets with a restricted volume of rock but may constitute more open systems in which lateral hydrogeochemical interaction extends over distances of at least hundreds of metres. One potential mechanism for formation of young calcites is related to glacial rebound where release of stress and increase in temperature in fractures make the groundwaters oversaturated with respect to calcite. Δ 18 depleted groundwaters have been observed from several sampling sites in Finland, indicative of glacial meltwater intrusion in the bedrock. As saline waters have been documented to have long residence times and are not associated with active meteoric water circulation, bedrock suites hosted by saline groundwaters could be considered as potential repository

  10. A regional analysis of groundwater flow and salinity distribution in the Aespoe area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svensson, Urban

    1997-05-01

    A regional groundwater model of the Aespoe area has been formulated and applied. The model is three-dimensional, based on a grid of 100x100x36 cells and covers an area of 10x10 km 2 and a depth of 3 km. Equations are solved for the Darcy velocities and the salinity distribution, gravitational effects are thus fully accounted for. The model is used to simulate the general hydrology of the area as well as the influence of the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL). A specific task of the study is to evaluate relevant boundary conditions for the site-model and to show how these are influenced by Aespoe HRL. Studies of the stochastic conductivity field and the effect of density stratification are also reported. The general conclusion of the study is that the model provides a realistic and consistent picture of the area studied. Main arguments for this statement are: The formulation of the model is based on relevant conservation laws and embodies all physical processes believed to be important for the problem considered. The importance of gravitational forces is emphasised. A high resolution grid, which resolves topographical features and at the same time can simulate the effect of the HRL is used. Transmissivities and conductivities used in the model are based on field data. The model has been calibrated, using measured groundwater levels and salinity distributions with good results. A range of sensitivity studies has been carried out. These demonstrate that the model responds to variations in input data, for example the conductivity field in a realistic way. The model can thus be used to generate boundary conditions for a site scale model. The basic objective, to account for the regional influence in a site model, can hence be achieved. 7 refs, 32 figs

  11. Application of isotope techniques to investigate groundwater pollution in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shivanna, K.; Navada, S.V.; Kulkarni, K.M.; Sinha, U.K.; Sharma, S.

    1998-01-01

    Environmental isotopes ( 2 H, 18 O, 34 S, 3 H, and 14 C) techniques have been used along with hydrogeology and hydrochemistry to investigate: (a). the source of salinity and origin of sulphate in groundwaters of coastal Orissa, Orissa State, India and (b) to study the source of salinity in deep saline groundwaters of charnockite terrain at Kokkilimedu, South of Chennai, India. In the first case, as a part of large drinking water supply project, thousands of hand pumps were installed from 1985. Many of them became quickly unacceptable for potable supply due to salinity, increased iron and sulphate contents of the groundwater. In this alluvial, multiaquifer system, fresh, brackish and saline groundwaters occur in a rather complicated fashion. The conditions change from phreatic to confined flowing type with increasing depth. The results of the isotope geochemical investigation indicate that the shallow groundwater (depth/<50m) is fresh and modern. Groundwater salinity in intermediate aquifer (50 - 100m) is due to the Flandrian transgression during Holocene period. Fresh and modern deep groundwater forms a well developed aquifer which receives recharge through weathered basement rock. The saline groundwater found below the fresh deep aquifer have marine water entrapped during late Pleistocene. The source of high sulphate in the groundwater is of marine origin. In the second case, under the host rock characterization programme, the charnockite rock formation at Kokkilimedu, Kalpakkam was evaluated to assess its suitability as host medium for location of a geological repository for high level radioactive waste. Four deep boreholes were drilled in this area, the depth varying from 200 to 618 m. In these boreholes, large variations in groundwater salinity were observed over a distance of only a few hundred meters and no regional pattern could be identified. The results of the isotope investigation show that there are two different sources of salinity in this area. Among

  12. Estimating the Impact of Drought on Groundwater Resources of the Marshall Islands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brandon L. Barkey

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Groundwater resources of small coral islands are threatened due to short-term and long-term changes in climate. A significant short-term threat is El Niño events, which typically induce a severe months-long drought for many atoll nations in the western and central Pacific regions that exhausts rainwater supply and necessitates the use of groundwater. This study quantifies fresh groundwater resources under both average rainfall and drought conditions for the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI, a nation composed solely of atolls and which is severely impacted by El Niño droughts. The atoll island algebraic model is used to estimate the thickness of the freshwater lens for 680 inhabited and uninhabited islands of the RMI, with a focus on the severe 1998 drought. The model accounts for precipitation, island width, hydraulic conductivity of the upper Holocene-age sand aquifer, the depth to the contact between the Holocene aquifer and the lower Pleistocene-age limestone aquifer, and the presence of a reef flat plate underlying the ocean side of the island. Model results are tested for islands that have fresh groundwater data. Results highlight the fragility of groundwater resources for the nation. Average lens thickness during typical seasonal rainfall is approximately 4 m, with only 30% of the islands maintaining a lens thicker than 4.5% and 55% of the islands with a lens less than 2.5 m thick. Thicker lenses typically occur for larger islands, islands located on the leeward side of an atoll due to lower hydraulic conductivity, and islands located in the southern region of the RMI due to higher rainfall rates. During drought, groundwater on small islands (<300 m in width is completely depleted. Over half (54% of the islands are classified as “Highly Vulnerable” to drought. Results provide valuable information for RMI water resources planners, particularly during the current 2016 El Niño drought, and similar methods can be used to quantify

  13. Identification of saline water intrusion in part of Cauvery deltaic region, Tamil Nadu, Southern India: using GIS and VES methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnanachandrasamy, G.; Ramkumar, T.; Venkatramanan, S.; Chung, S. Y.; Vasudevan, S.

    2016-06-01

    We use electrical resistivity data arrayed in a 2715 km2 region with 30 locations to identify the saline water intrusion zone in part of Cauvery deltaic region, offshore Eastern India. From this dataset we are able to derive information on groundwater quality, thickness of aquifer zone, structural and stratigraphic conditions relevant to groundwater conditions, and permeability of aquifer systems. A total of 30 vertical electrode soundings (VES) were carried out by Schlumberger electrode arrangement to indicate complete lithology of this region using curve matching techniques. The electrical soundings exhibited that H and HK type curves were suitable for 16 shallow locations, and QH, KQ, K, KH, QQ, and HA curves were fit for other location. Low resistivity values suggested that saline water intrusion occurred in this region. According to final GIS map, most of the region was severely affected by seawater intrusion due to the use of over-exploitation of groundwater.The deteriorated groundwater resources in this coastal region should raise environmental and health concerns.

  14. On the Sources of Salinity in Groundwater under Plain Areas. Insights from {delta}{sup 18}O, {delta}{sup 2}H and Hydrochemistry in the Azul River Basin, Argentina

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zabala, M. E.; Varni, M.; Weinzettel, P. [Instituto de Hidrologia de llanuras, Azul (Argentina); Manzano, M. [Technical University of Cartagena (Spain)

    2013-07-15

    The Azul River basin, with some 6200 km{sup 2}, is located in the plains of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The Azul River flows along 160 km from the Tandilia Range, in the SW, to the Channel 11, in the NE. Average annual precipitation is 1005 mm (1988-2000); mean reference evapotranspiration is 1090 mm. The geology consists of Miocene to recent sediments, mostly sands and silts with some clay and calcrete layers, overlying crystalline rocks and marine sediments. The water table is shallow and groundwater in the aquifer upper 30 m displays an increasing salinity from SW to NE. The previous hypothesis to explain the salinity was infiltration of evapo-concentrated surface water, as the small soil slope in the northern basin (< 0.2%) induces rainfall accumulation in lowlands, where water evaporates prior to infiltration. But recent chemical and isotopic data reveal two salinity sources: evaporation of recent recharge water, and mixing with old saline groundwater of yet unknown origin. (author)

  15. Groundwater resources monitoring and population displacement in northern Uganda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chalikakis, K.; Hammache, Y.; Nawa, A.; Slinski, K.; Petropoulos, G.; Muteesasira, A.

    2009-04-01

    Northern Uganda has been devastated by more than 20 years of open conflict by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) and the Government of Uganda. This war has been marked by extreme violence against civilians, who had been gathered in protected IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps. At the height of the displacement in 2007, the UN office for coordination of humanitarian affairs, estimated that nearly 2.5 million people were interned into approximately 220 camps throughout Northern Uganda. With the improved security since mid-2006, the people displaced by the conflict in Northern Uganda started to move out of the overcrowded camps and return either to their villages/parishes of origin or to resettlement/transit sites. However, basic water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure in the return areas or any new settlements sites are minimal. People returning to their villages of origin encounter a situation where in many cases there is no access to safe water. Since 1998 ACF (Action Against Hunger, part of the Action Contre la Faim International Network) activities have been concentrated in the Acholi and Lango regions of Northern Uganda. ACF's WASH (Water, sanitation and hygiene) department interventions concern sanitation infrastructure, hygiene education and promotion as well as water points implementation. To ensure safe water access, actions are focused in borehole construction and traditional spring rehabilitation, also called "protected" springs. These activities follow the guidelines as set forth by the international WASH cluster, led by UNICEF. A three year project (2008-2010) is being implemented by ACF, to monitor the available groundwater resources in Northern Uganda. The main objectives are: 1. to monitor the groundwater quality from existing water points during different hydrological seasons, 2. to identify, if any, potential risks of contamination from population concentrations and displacement, lack of basic infrastructure and land use, and finally 3. to

  16. Composite Analysis of Landuse and Groundwater Resources of Rod-Kohi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arshad Ashraf

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Rod-kohi system of irrigation is often generally referred to as flood irrigation or spate irrigation system in which floods of the hill torrents are diverted into plain area for irrigation purpose. In rod-kohi region where uncertainty exists in flood water availability for irrigation use, groundwater is a valuable resource used mainly as supplement source of irrigation. The region, being rich in natural resources, is remained far behind in terms of data availability and data quality, the situation that has affected incredibly the needs of future planning and development. In the present study, major landuse/landcover classes of the region were identified and delineated using Landsat ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus image data and related with groundwater potential for interactive analysis in GIS (Geographic Information System. The potential groundwater zones were delineated and assessed on the basis of aquifer characteristics in the region. Rangeland and exposed rocks were identified over 70% of the rod-kohi region i.e. total area about 42 Mha (Million hectares. Share of cropped area and bare soil or culturable waste was about 3.5 and 15.4%, respectively. High and medium potential of groundwater were estimated in about 2.3 Mha out of which 60% exist under bare soil, 16% under cropped area and the rest underneath other landuse classes. High efficiency irrigation techniques like drip and rain-gun system need to be adopted in areas having substantial groundwater potential in order to sustain agriculture production. The study would provide base for detail investigation

  17. Modeling groundwater quality in an arid agricultural environment in the face of an uncertain climate: the case of Mewat District, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, M. C.; Ward, A. S.; Muste, M.

    2014-12-01

    The salinization of groundwater resources is a widespread problem in arid agricultural environments. In Mewat District (Haryana, India), groundwater salinity has rendered much of the accessible supply unfit for human consumption or agriculture. Historically, this closed basin retained fresh pockets of water at the foothills of the Aravalli Hills, where monsoonal precipitation runoff from the mountains was recharged through infiltration or facilitated by man-made structures. To date, an increasing number of pumps supply the region with fresh water for consumption and agriculture leading to shrinking the freshwater zone at an accelerated pace. The potential for increased human consumption corroborated with the effects of climate change bring uncertainty about the future of water security for the Mewat communities, most of them critically bound to the existence of local water. This study addresses the sustainability of the freshwater supply under a range of land interventions and climate scenarios, using a 2-D groundwater flow and transport model. Our results quantify potential futures for this arid, groundwater-dependent location, using numerical groundwater modeling to quantify interactions between human water use, infrastructure, and climate. Outcomes of this modeling study will inform an NGO active in the area on sustainable management of groundwater resources.

  18. Global depletion of groundwater resources

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wada, Y.; Beek, L.P.H. van; van Kempen, C.M.; Reckman, J.W.T.M.; Vasak, S.; Bierkens, M.F.P.

    2010-01-01

    In regions with frequent water stress and large aquifer systems groundwater is often used as an additional water source. If groundwater abstraction exceeds the natural groundwater recharge for extensive areas and long times, overexploitation or persistent groundwater depletion occurs. Here we

  19. Modelling saline intrusion for repository performance assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackson, C.P.

    1989-04-01

    UK Nirex Ltd are currently considering the possibility of disposal of radioactive waste by burial in deep underground repositories. The natural pathway for radionuclides from such a repository to return to Man's immediate environment (the biosphere) is via groundwater. Thus analyses of the groundwater flow in the neighbourhood of a possible repository, and consequent radionuclide transport form an important part of a performance assessment for a repository. Some of the areas in the UK that might be considered as possible locations for a repository are near the coast. If a repository is located in a coastal region seawater may intrude into the groundwater flow system. As seawater is denser than fresh water buoyancy forces acting on the intruding saline water may have significant effects on the groundwater flow system, and consequently on the time for radionuclides to return to the biosphere. Further, the chemistry of the repository near-field may be strongly influenced by the salinity of the groundwater. It is therefore important for Nirex to have a capability for reliably modelling saline intrusion to an appropriate degree of accuracy in order to make performance assessments for a repository in a coastal region. This report describes work undertaken in the Nirex Research programme to provide such a capability. (author)

  20. Simulation of Groundwater-Level and Salinity Changes in the Eastern Shore, Virginia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanford, Ward E.; Pope, Jason P.; Nelms, David L.

    2009-01-01

    Groundwater-level and salinity changes have been simulated with a groundwater model developed and calibrated for the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The Eastern Shore is the southern part of the Delmarva Peninsula that is occupied by Accomack and Northampton Counties in Virginia. Groundwater is the sole source of freshwater to the Eastern Shore, and demands for water have been increasing from domestic, industrial, agricultural, and public-supply sectors of the economy. Thus, it is important that the groundwater supply be protected from overextraction and seawater intrusion. The best way for water managers to use all of the information available is usually to compile this information into a numerical model that can simulate the response of the system to current and future stresses. A detailed description of the geology, hydrogeology, and historical groundwater extractions was compiled and entered into the numerical model. The hydrogeologic framework is composed of a surficial aquifer under unconfined conditions, a set of three aquifers and associated overlying confining units under confined conditions (the upper, middle, and lower Yorktown-Eastover Formation), and an underlying confining unit (the St. Marys Formation). An estimate of the location and depths of two major paleochannels was also included in the framework of the model. Total withdrawals from industrial, commercial, public-supply, and some agricultural wells were compiled from the period 1900 through 2003. Reported pumpage from these sources increased dramatically during the 1960s and 70s, up to currently about 4 million gallons per day. Domestic withdrawals were estimated on the basis of population census districts and were assigned spatially to the model on the assumption that domestic users are located close to roads. A numerical model was created using the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) code SEAWAT to simulate both water levels and concentrations of chloride (representing salinity). The model was

  1. Quantifying effects of humans and climate on groundwater resources of Hawaii through sharp-interface modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rotzoll, K.; Izuka, S. K.; Nishikawa, T.; Fienen, M. N.; El-Kadi, A. I.

    2016-12-01

    Some of the volcanic-rock aquifers of the islands of Hawaii are substantially developed, leading to concerns related to the effects of groundwater withdrawals on saltwater intrusion and stream base-flow reduction. A numerical modeling analysis using recent available information (e.g., recharge, withdrawals, hydrogeologic framework, and conceptual models of groundwater flow) advances current understanding of groundwater flow and provides insight into the effects of human activity and climate change on Hawaii's water resources. Three island-wide groundwater-flow models (Kauai, Oahu, and Maui) were constructed using MODFLOW 2005 coupled with the Seawater-Intrusion Package (SWI2), which simulates the transition between saltwater and freshwater in the aquifer as a sharp interface. This approach allowed coarse vertical discretization (maximum of two layers) without ignoring the freshwater-saltwater system at the regional scale. Model construction (FloPy3), parameter estimation (PEST), and analysis of results were streamlined using Python scripts. Model simulations included pre-development (1870) and recent (average of 2001-10) scenarios for each island. Additionally, scenarios for future withdrawals and climate change were simulated for Oahu. We present our streamlined approach and results showing estimated effects of human activity on the groundwater resource by quantifying decline in water levels, rise of the freshwater-saltwater interface, and reduction in stream base flow. Water-resource managers can use this information to evaluate consequences of groundwater development that can constrain future groundwater availability.

  2. Assessment of groundwater quality using geographical information system (GIS), at north-east Cairo, Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Shahat, M F; Sadek, M A; Mostafa, W M; Hagagg, K H

    2016-04-01

    The present investigation has been conducted to delineate the hydrogeochemical and environmental factors that control the water quality of the groundwater resources in the north-east of Cairo. A complementary approach based on hydrogeochemistry and a geographical information system (GIS) based protectability index has been employed for conducting this work. The results from the chemical analysis revealed that the groundwater of the Quaternary aquifer is less saline than that of the Miocene aquifer and the main factors that control the groundwater salinity in the studied area are primarily related to the genesis of the original recharging water modified after by leaching, dissolution, cation exchange, and fertilizer leachate. The computed groundwater quality index (WQI) falls into two categories: fair for almost all the Miocene groundwater samples, while the Quaternary groundwater samples are all have a good quality. The retarded flow and non-replenishment of the Miocene aquifer compared to the renewable active recharge of the Quaternary aquifer can explain this variation of WQI. The index and overlay approach exemplified by the DUPIT index has been used to investigate the protectability of the study aquifers against diffuse pollutants. Three categories (highly protectable less vulnerable, moderately protectable moderately vulnerable and less protectable highly vulnerable) have been determined and areally mapped.

  3. Groundwater sustainability and groundwater/surface-water interaction in arid Dunhuang Basin, northwest China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Jingjing; Ma, Rui; Hu, Yalu; Sun, Ziyong; Wang, Yanxin; McCarter, Colin P. R.

    2018-03-01

    The Dunhuang Basin, a typical inland basin in northwestern China, suffers a net loss of groundwater and the occasional disappearance of the Crescent Lake. Within this region, the groundwater/surface-water interactions are important for the sustainability of the groundwater resources. A three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was established and calibrated using MODFLOW 2000, which was used to predict changes to these interactions once a water diversion project is completed. The simulated results indicate that introducing water from outside of the basin into the Shule and Danghe rivers could reverse the negative groundwater balance in the Basin. River-water/groundwater interactions control the groundwater hydrology, where river leakage to the groundwater in the Basin will increase from 3,114 × 104 m3/year in 2017 to 11,875 × 104 m3/year in 2021, and to 17,039 × 104 m3/year in 2036. In comparison, groundwater discharge to the rivers will decrease from 3277 × 104 m3/year in 2017 to 1857 × 104 m3/year in 2021, and to 510 × 104 m3/year by 2036; thus, the hydrology will switch from groundwater discharge to groundwater recharge after implementing the water diversion project. The simulation indicates that the increased net river infiltration due to the water diversion project will raise the water table and then effectively increasing the water level of the Crescent Lake, as the lake level is contiguous with the water table. However, the regional phreatic evaporation will be enhanced, which may intensify soil salinization in the Dunhuang Basin. These results can guide the water allocation scheme for the water diversion project to alleviate groundwater depletion and mitigate geo-environmental problem.

  4. Seasonal plant water uptake patterns in the saline southeast Everglades ecotone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewe, Sharon M L; Sternberg, Leonel da S L; Childers, Daniel L

    2007-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the seasonal water use patterns of dominant macrophytes coexisting in the coastal Everglades ecotone. We measured the stable isotope signatures in plant xylem water of Rhizophora mangle, Cladium jamaicense, and Sesuvium portulacastrum during the dry (DS) and wet (WS) seasons in the estuarine ecotone along Taylor River in Everglades National Park, FL, USA. Shallow soilwater and deeper groundwater salinity was also measured to extrapolate the salinity encountered by plants at their rooting zone. Average soil water oxygen isotope ratios (delta(18)O) was enriched (4.8 +/- 0.2 per thousand) in the DS relative to the WS (0.0 +/- 0.1 per thousand), but groundwater delta(18)O remained constant between seasons (DS: 2.2 +/- 0.4 per thousand; WS: 2.1 +/- 0.1 per thousand). There was an inversion in interstitial salinity patterns across the soil profile between seasons. In the DS, shallow water was euhaline [i.e., 43 practical salinity units (PSU)] while groundwater was less saline (18 PSU). In the WS, however, shallow water was fresh (i.e., 0 PSU) but groundwater remained brackish (14 PSU). All plants utilized 100% (shallow) freshwater during the WS, but in the DS R. mangle switched to a soil-groundwater mix (delta 55% groundwater) while C. jamaicense and S. portulacastrum continued to use euhaline shallow water. In the DS, based on delta(18)O data, the roots of R. mangle roots were exposed to salinities of 25.4 +/- 1.4 PSU, less saline than either C. jamaicense (39.1 +/- 2.2 PSU) or S. portulacastrum (38.6 +/- 2.5 PSU). Although the salinity tolerance of C. jamaicense is not known, it is unlikely that long-term exposure to high salinity is conducive to the persistence of this freshwater marsh sedge. This study increases our ecological understanding of how water uptake patterns of individual plants can contribute to ecosystem levels changes, not only in the southeast saline Everglades, but also in estuaries in general in response to

  5. A quantitative assessment of groundwater resources in the Middle East and North Africa region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lezzaik, Khalil; Milewski, Adam

    2018-02-01

    The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the world's most water-stressed region, with its countries constituting 12 of the 15 most water-stressed countries globally. Because of data paucity, comprehensive regional-scale assessments of groundwater resources in the MENA region have been lacking. The presented study addresses this issue by using a distributed ArcGIS model, parametrized with gridded data sets, to estimate groundwater storage reserves in the region based on generated aquifer saturated thickness and effective porosity estimates. Furthermore, monthly gravimetric datasets (GRACE) and land surface parameters (GLDAS) were used to quantify changes in groundwater storage between 2003 and 2014. Total groundwater reserves in the region were estimated at 1.28 × 106 cubic kilometers (km3) with an uncertainty range between 816,000 and 1.93 × 106 km3. Most of the reserves are located within large sedimentary basins in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia accounting for approximately 75% of the region's total freshwater reserves. Alternatively, small groundwater reserves were found in fractured Precambrian basement exposures. As for groundwater changes between 2003 and 2014, all MENA countries except for Morocco exhibited declines in groundwater storage. However, given the region's large groundwater reserves, groundwater changes between 2003 and 2014 are minimal and represent no immediate short-term threat to the MENA region, with some exceptions. Notwithstanding this, the study recommends the development of sustainable and efficient groundwater management policies to optimally utilize the region's groundwater resources, especially in the face of climate change, demographic expansion, and socio-economic development.

  6. 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.

  7. Extent and Distribution of Groundwater Resources in Parts of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The extent and distribution of groundwater resources in parts of Anambra State, Nigeria has been investigated. The results show that the study area is directly underlain by four different geological formations including, Alluvial Plain Sands, Ogwashi-Asaba Formation, Ameki/Nanka Sands and Imo Shale, with varying water ...

  8. Water management of the uranium production facility in Brazil (Caetite, BA): potential impacts over groundwater quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamego, Fernando; Santos, Robson Rodger; Silva, L. Ferreira da; Fernandes, Horst Monken

    2008-01-01

    The uranium unit of Caetite - in charge of all the 'yellow cake' produced in Brazil - is located in the semi-arid Northeast region at Bahia State. The geological uranium content of the ore is 3000 ppm, which is mainly associated with albite (NaAlSi 8 O 8 ), and its extraction is achieved by means of a Heap-Leach process. This process has a low water demand, which is supplied by a network of wells, but can contribute to change the groundwater quality and in some cases the extinguishing of wells was observed. The managing of liquid mining wastes formed by drainage waters from mine pit and solid waste piles is not enough to avoid unwarranted releases in the environment, which turn necessary the waste treatment through passing them into the industrial plant in order to reduce radionuclide concentrations. The groundwater is Na-HCO 3 type water and relative high concentration of Cl are observed in some groundwater. It seems that levels of uranium in groundwaters are mainly a consequence of the complexation of the metal by carbonates (or other anions) and not by any sort of the contamination of these waters by the drainage accumulated in the open pit. The speciation modelling allows identifying some areas where the replenishment of the aquifer is more active, but in general the recharge is a fast process run by direct infiltration. The stable isotope data (δ 2 H and δ 18 O) showed that evaporation plays a role during the infiltration, causing the groundwater salinization. These data discard the possibility that groundwater salinization was caused by discharge of deeper saline groundwater through faults associated to a regional groundwater flow system. The presence of an active shallow groundwater flow system offers better possibility for sustainable use of the groundwater resources in this semi-arid region of Brazil. (author)

  9. Groundwater resources: conservation and management: proceedings of the sixteenth national symposium on environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Puranik, V.D.; Ramachandran, T.V.; Saradhi, I.V.; Sahu, S.K.; Prathibha, P.

    2008-01-01

    The main theme of this volume is conservation and management of groundwater resources. The topics covered are groundwater for sustainable development, problems perspectives and challenges, monitoring and modeling of pollutants and their transport, waste management, environmental radioactivity and environmental awareness and biodiversity. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

  10. Potential effects of the Hawaii Geothermal Project on ground-water resources on the island of Hawaii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorey, M.L.; Colvard, E.M.

    1994-01-01

    In 1990, the State of Hawaii proposed the Hawaii Geothermal Project for the development of as much as 500 MW of electric power from the geothermal system in the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano. This report uses data from 31 wells and 8 springs to describe the properties of the ground-water system in and adjacent to the East Rift Zone. Potential effects of this project on ground-water resources are also discussed. Data show differences in ground-water chemistry and heads within the study area that appear to be related to mixing of waters of different origins and ground-water impoundment by volcanic dikes. East of Pahoa, the ground-water system within the rift is highly transmissive and receives abundant recharge from precipitation; therefore, the pumping of freshwater to support geothermal development in that part of the rift zone would have a minimal effect on ground-water levels. To the southwest of Pahoa, dike impoundment reduces the transmissivity of the ground-water system to such an extent that wells might not be capable of supplying sufficient fresh water to support geothermal operations. Contamination of ground-water resources by accidental release of geothermal fluids into shallow aquifers is possible because of corrosive conditions in the geothermal wells, potential well blowouts, and high ground-water velocities in parts of the region. Hydrologic monitoring of water level, temperature, and chemistry in observation wells should continue throughout development of geothermal resources for the Hawaii Geothermal Project for early detection of leakage and migration of geothermal fluids within the groundwater system.

  11. Regional scale groundwater resource assessment in the Australian outback - Geophysics is the only way.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munday, T. J.; Davis, A. C.; Gilfedder, M.; Annetts, D.

    2015-12-01

    Resource development, whether in agriculture, mining and/or energy, is set to have significant consequences for the groundwater resources of Australia in the short to medium term. These industry sectors are of significant economic value to the country and consequently their support remains a priority for State and Federal Governments alike. The scale of potential developments facilitated in large part by the Government Programs, like the West Australian (WA) Government's "Water for Food" program, and the South Australian's Government's PACE program, will result in an increase in infrastructure requirements, including access to water resources and Aboriginal lands to support these developments. However, the increased demand for water, particularly groundwater, is likely to be compromised by the limited information we have about these resources. This is particularly so for remote parts of the country which are targeted as primary development areas. There is a recognised need to expand this knowledge so that water availability is not a limiting factor to development. Governments of all persuasions have therefore adopted geophysical technologies, particularly airborne electromagnetics (AEM), as a basis for extending the hydrogeological knowledge of data poor areas. In WA, the State Government has employed regional-scale AEM surveys as a basis for defining groundwater resources to support mining, regional agricultural developments whilst aiming to safeguard regional population centres, and environmental assets. A similar approach is being employed in South Australia. These surveys are being used to underpin conceptual hydrogeological frameworks, define basin-scale hydrogeological models, delimit the extent of saltwater intrusion in coastal areas, and to determine the groundwater resource potential of remote alluvial systems aimed at supporting new, irrigation-based, agricultural developments in arid parts of the Australian outback. In the absence of conventional

  12. Effect of Underground Saline Water on the Growth Characteristic of Tamarix austromongolica in Halomorphic Soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwama, Kenji; Kobayashi, Koji; Kaneki, Ryoichi; Furukawa, Masayuki; Odani, Hiromichi

    It is important to evaluate the salt tolerance of native plants in order to utilize them for improving halomorphic soil in arid regions. Tamarix austromongolica, a dominant species in Inner Mongolia, China, has the property of salt absorption and expected soil desalinization. The effect of salt concentration in groundwater on the growth of stock diameter and shoot length were evaluated by cultivation experiments, growing the plants from cuttings for two years. Though the plants grew well in 1% salt concentration of groundwater, the evapotranspiration in the second year was reduced because of the growth of the root system. The growth of the plants and evapotranspiration were reduced with increasing groundwater salinity of 3 to 5%, but most plants did not die. In contrast, the plants which were supplied with groundwater of 7% salt concentration in the second year started to die in about a month, and two thirds of them died within five months. Thus the results showed that the tolerant limit of salinity of the plants in groundwater was 7%, and the growth was constrained with groundwater salinity of 3 to 5% concentration. The plants that survived with 7% salinity in the second year, however, were grown in groundwater salt concentration of 3% to 5% in the first year. This result indicated that saline stress might have changed the characteristic of salinity tolerance of the plant.

  13. Hydrogeochemical characterization and groundwater quality assessment in intruded coastal brine aquifers (Laizhou Bay, China).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaoying; Miao, Jinjie; Hu, Bill X; Liu, Hongwei; Zhang, Hanxiong; Ma, Zhen

    2017-09-01

    The aquifer in the coastal area of the Laizhou Bay is affected by salinization processes related to intense groundwater exploitation for brine resource and for agriculture irrigation during the last three decades. As a result, the dynamic balances among freshwater, brine, and seawater have been disturbed and the quality of groundwater has deteriorated. To fully understand the groundwater chemical distribution and evolution in the regional aquifers, hydrogeochemical and isotopic studies have been conducted based on the water samples from 102 observation wells. Groundwater levels and salinities in four monitoring wells are as well measured to inspect the general groundwater flow and chemical patterns and seasonal variations. Chemical components such as Na + , K + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Sr 2+ , Cl - , SO 4 2- , HCO 3 - , NO 3 - , F - , and TDS during the same period are analyzed to explore geochemical evolution, water-rock interactions, sources of salt, nitrate, and fluoride pollution in fresh, brackish, saline, and brine waters. The decreased water levels without typical seasonal variation in the southeast of the study area confirm an over-exploitation of groundwater. The hydrogeochemical characteristics indicate fresh-saline-brine-saline transition pattern from inland to coast where evaporation is a vital factor to control the chemical evolution. The cation exchange processes are occurred at fresh-saline interfaces of mixtures along the hydraulic gradient. Meanwhile, isotopic data indicate that the brine in aquifers was either originated from older meteoric water with mineral dissolution and evaporation or repeatedly evaporation of retained seawater with fresher water recharge and mixing in geological time. Groundwater suitability for drinking is further evaluated according to water quality standard of China. Results reveal high risks of nitrate and fluoride contamination. The elevated nitrate concentration of 560 mg/L, which as high as 28 times of the standard content

  14. Geologic and geophysical models for Osage County, Oklahoma, with implications for groundwater resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudson, Mark R.; Smith, David V.; Pantea, Michael P.; Becker, Carol J.

    2016-06-16

    This report summarizes a three-dimensional (3-D) geologic model that was constructed to provide a framework to investigate groundwater resources of the Osage Nation in northeastern Oklahoma. This report also presents an analysis of an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey that assessed the spatial variation of electrical resistivity to depths as great as 300 meters in the subsurface. The report and model provide support for a countywide assessment of groundwater resources, emphasizing the Upper Pennsylvanian rock units in the shallow subsurface of central and eastern Osage County having electrical resistivity properties that may indicate aquifers.

  15. Large scale mapping of groundwater resources using a highly integrated set of tools

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Verner; Auken, Esben; Christiansen, Anders Vest

    large areas with information from an optimum number of new investigation boreholes, existing boreholes, logs and water samples to get an integrated and detailed description of the groundwater resources and their vulnerability.Development of more time efficient and airborne geophysical data acquisition...... platforms (e.g. SkyTEM) have made large-scale mapping attractive and affordable in the planning and administration of groundwater resources. The handling and optimized use of huge amounts of geophysical data covering large areas has also required a comprehensive database, where data can easily be stored...

  16. The use of Time Domain Electromagnetic method and Continuous Vertical Electrical Sounding to map groundwater salinity in the Barotse sub-basin, Zambia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chongo, Mkhuzo; Wibroe, Johanne; Staal-Thomsen, K.

    2011-01-01

    -concentration of salts in interdune deposits, which were subsequently buried due to dune migration about 32 to 4 thousands of years ago or kilo annums (ka). The occurrence of saline groundwater could also possibly be linked to evaporation of a former Lake Paleo Makgadikgadi, an extensive endorheic lake system that once...

  17. Towards a theory of ecotone resilience: coastal vegetation on a salinity gradient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Jiang; Gao, Daozhou; DeAngelis, Donald L

    2012-08-01

    Ecotones represent locations where vegetation change is likely to occur as a result of climate and other environmental changes. Using a model of an ecotone vulnerable to such future changes, we estimated the resilience of the ecotone to disturbances. The specific ecotone is that between two different vegetation types, salinity-tolerant and salinity-intolerant, along a gradient in groundwater salinity. In the case studied, each vegetation type, through soil feedback loops, promoted local soil salinity levels that favor itself in competition with the other type. Bifurcation analysis was used to study the system of equations for the two vegetation types and soil salinity. Alternative stable equilibria, one for salinity-tolerant and one for salinity intolerant vegetation, were shown to exist over a region of the groundwater salinity gradient, bounded by two bifurcation points. This region was shown to depend sensitively on parameters such as the rate of upward infiltration of salinity from groundwater into the soil due to evaporation. We showed also that increasing diffusion rates of vegetation can lead to shrinkage of the range between the two bifurcation points. Sharp ecotones are typical of salt-tolerant vegetation (mangroves) near the coastline and salt-intolerant vegetation inland, even though the underlying elevation and groundwater salinity change very gradually. A disturbance such as an input of salinity to the soil from a storm surge could upset this stable boundary, leading to a regime shift of salinity-tolerant vegetation inland. We showed, however, that, for our model as least, a simple pulse disturbance would not be sufficient; the salinity would have to be held at a high level, as a 'press', for some time. The approach used here should be generalizable to study the resilience of a variety of ecotones to disturbances. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. A site scale analysis of groundwater flow and salinity distribution in the Aespoe area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svensson, Urban

    1997-10-01

    The objective of the study is to develop, calibrate and apply a numerical simulation model of the Aespoe area. An area of 1.8 x 1.8 km 2 , centred around the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL), gives the horizontal extent of the model. In the vertical direction the model follows the topography at the upper boundary and has a lower boundary at 1000 metres below sea level. The model is based on a mathematical model that includes equations for the Darcy velocities, mass conservation and salinity distribution. Gravitational effects are thus fully accounted for. A regional groundwater model was used to generate boundary conditions for vertical and bottom boundaries. Transmissivities of fracture zones and conductivities for the rock in between, as used in the model, are based on field data. An extensive calibration of the model is carried out, using data for natural conditions (i.e. prior to the construction of the Aespoe HRL), drawdowns from a pump test and data collected during the excavation of the tunnel. A satisfactory agreement with field data is obtained by the calibration. Main results from the model include vertical and horizontal sections of flow, salinity and hydraulic head distributions for natural conditions and for completed tunnel. A sensitivity study, where boundary conditions and material properties are modified, is also carried out. The model is also used to describe some characteristic features of the site like infiltration rates, flux statistics at a depth of 450 metres, salinity of inflows to the tunnel and flow and salinity distributions in fracture zones. The general conclusion of the study is that the model developed can simulate the conditions at Aespoe, both natural and with Aespoe HRL present, in a realistic manner

  19. The thermal impact of subsurface building structures on urban groundwater resources - A paradigmatic example.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epting, Jannis; Scheidler, Stefan; Affolter, Annette; Borer, Paul; Mueller, Matthias H; Egli, Lukas; García-Gil, Alejandro; Huggenberger, Peter

    2017-10-15

    Shallow subsurface thermal regimes in urban areas are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic activities, which include infrastructure development like underground traffic lines as well as industrial and residential subsurface buildings. In combination with the progressive use of shallow geothermal energy systems, this results in the so-called subsurface urban heat island effect. This article emphasizes the importance of considering the thermal impact of subsurface structures, which commonly is underestimated due to missing information and of reliable subsurface temperature data. Based on synthetic heat-transport models different settings of the urban environment were investigated, including: (1) hydraulic gradients and conductivities, which result in different groundwater flow velocities; (2) aquifer properties like groundwater thickness to aquitard and depth to water table; and (3) constructional features, such as building depths and thermal properties of building structures. Our results demonstrate that with rising groundwater flow velocities, the heat-load from building structures increase, whereas down-gradient groundwater temperatures decrease. Thermal impacts on subsurface resources therefore have to be related to the permeability of aquifers and hydraulic boundary conditions. In regard to the urban settings of Basel, Switzerland, flow velocities of around 1 md -1 delineate a marker where either down-gradient temperature deviations or heat-loads into the subsurface are more relevant. Furthermore, no direct thermal influence on groundwater resources should be expected for aquifers with groundwater thicknesses larger 10m and when the distance of the building structure to the groundwater table is higher than around 10m. We demonstrate that measuring temperature changes down-gradient of subsurface structures is insufficient overall to assess thermal impacts, particularly in urban areas. Moreover, in areas which are densely urbanized, and where groundwater flow

  20. Groundwater management in northern Iraq

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevanovic, Zoran; Iurkiewicz, Adrian

    2009-03-01

    Groundwater is vital and the sole resource in most of the studied region of northern Iraq. It has a significant role in agriculture, water supply and health, and the elimination of poverty in rural areas. Although Iraq is currently dramatically disturbed by complex political and socio-economic problems, in its northern part, i.e. the Kurdish-inhabited region, fast urbanization and economic expansion are visible everywhere. Monitoring and water management schemes are necessary to prevent aquifer over-exploitation in the region. Artificial recharge with temporary runoff water, construction of subsurface dams and several other aquifer management and regulation measures have been designed, and some implemented, in order to improve the water situation. Recommendations, presented to the local professionals and decision-makers in water management, include creation of Water Master Plans and Water User Associations, synchronization of drilling programmes, rehabilitation of the existing well fields, opening of new well fields, and the incorporation of new spring intakes in some areas with large groundwater reserves, as well as construction of numerous small-scale schemes for initial in situ water treatment where saline groundwater is present.

  1. The model for solubility of CO2 in saline groundwater with complex ions and the application on Erdos basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Lu; Yu Qingchun

    2014-01-01

    To obtain accurate solubility of CO 2 is one of problems that need solutions urgently in CO 2 sequestration within saline groundwater. However, there are few data published for solubility of CO 2 under geological sequestration conditions. In order to fill the gap of the experimental study, the solubility of CO 2 in five formations of Erdos Basin was explored in this research. Groundwater samples in five reservoirs were carried out through an observation well in the Erdos Basin. The chemical composition was determined and experiments measuring CO 2 solubility were carried out in the synthetic water samples. Krichevsky-Kasarnovsky equation was established to analyze the experimental data. The relationship between concentration of K + , Na + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ and the solubility of CO 2 was analyzed and an excellent liner fit was found, which quantifies the impact of ions on the solubility of cO 2 . Solubility data were compared to the model prediction over the temperature and pressure ranges of 318 ∼ 348 K and 8 ∼ 11 MPa. The average absolute deviation is 2.11%. The results can be used as a parameter for the evaluation of the CO 2 storage capacity in deep saline aquifer of Erdos Basin. (authors)

  2. Shallow rainwater lenses in deltaic areas with saline seepage

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Louw, de P.G.B.; Eeman, S.; Siemon, B.; `Voortman, B.R.; Gunnink, J.; Baaren, E.S.; Oude Essink, G.H.P.

    2011-01-01

    In deltaic areas with saline seepage, freshwater availability is often limited to shallow rainwater lenses lying on top of saline groundwater. Here we describe the characteristics and spatial variability of such lenses in areas with saline seepage and the mechanisms that control their occurrence and

  3. Shallow rainwater lenses in deltaic areas with saline seepage

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Louw, Perry G.B.; Eeman, Sara; Siemon, Bernhard; Voortman, Bernard R.; Gunnink, Jan; Van Baaren, Esther S.; Oude Essink, Gualbert

    2011-01-01

    In deltaic areas with saline seepage, fresh water availability is often limited to shallow rainwater lenses lying on top of saline groundwater. Here we describe the characteristics and spatial variability of such lenses in areas with saline seepage and the mechanisms that control their occurrence

  4. The onshore influence of offshore fresh groundwater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, Andrew C.; Werner, Adrian D.; Morgan, Leanne K.

    2018-06-01

    Freshwater contained within the submarine extensions of coastal aquifers is increasingly proposed as a freshwater source for coastal communities. However, the extent to which offshore freshwater supports onshore pumping is currently unknown on a global scale. This study provides the first attempt to examine the likely prevalence of situations where offshore freshwater influences onshore salinities, considering various sites from around the world. The groundwater conditions in twenty-seven confined and semi-confined coastal aquifers with plausible connections to inferred or observed offshore freshwater are explored. The investigation uses available onshore salinities and groundwater levels, and offshore salinity knowledge, in combination with analytical modelling, to develop simplified conceptual models of the study sites. Seven different conceptual models are proposed based on the freshwater-saltwater extent and insights gained from analytical modelling. We consider both present-day and pre-development conditions in assessing potential modern contributions to offshore fresh groundwater. Conceptual models also include interpretations of whether offshore freshwater is a significant factor influencing onshore salinities and well pumping sustainability. The results indicate that onshore water levels have declined between pre-development and present-day conditions in fourteen of the fifteen regions for which pre-development data are available. Estimates of the associated steady-state freshwater extents show the potential for considerable offshore fresh groundwater losses accompanying these declines. Both present-day and pre-development heads are insufficient to account for the observed offshore freshwater in all cases where adequate data exist. This suggests that paleo-freshwater and/or aquifer heterogeneities contribute significantly to offshore freshwater extent. Present-day heads indicate that active seawater intrusion (SWI) will eventually impact onshore pumping

  5. Resource evaluation and site selection for microalgae production systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maxwell, E.L.; Folger, A.G.; Hogg, S.E.

    1985-05-01

    Climate, land, and water resource requirements of microalgae production systems (MPS) were examined relative to construction costs, operating costs, and biomass productivity. The objective was the stratification of the southwestern United States into zones of relative suitability for MPS. Maps of climate (insolation, freeze-free period, precipitation, evaporation, thunderstorm days), land (use/cover, ownership, slope), and water (saline groundwater) resource parameters were obtained. These maps were transformed into digital overlays permitting the cell-by-cell compositing of selected resource parameters to form maps representing relative productivity, make-up water, climate suitability, land suitability, water suitability, and overall suitability. The Southwest was selected for this study because of its high levels of insolation, saline water resources, and large areas of relatively low valued land. The stratification maps cannot be used for the selection of specific sites because of their low resolution (12,455-acre cells). They can be used to guide future resource studies and site selection efforts, however, by limiting these efforts to the most suitable regions. Future efforts should concentrate on saline water resources, for which only limited data are currently available. 13 refs., 44 figs., 5 tabs.

  6. LASTRIG -A Multiple Parametric Method of Assessment of Salinization Vulnerability of a Coastal Aquifer in Pennar Delta, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kesireddy, K.; Mareddy, A.

    2007-05-01

    Coastal populations are critically dependent upon the coastal aquifers for their freshwater requirements. Excessive withdrawal of groundwater leads to saline incursion and the consequent degradation of quality and quantity of freshwater. The paper describes a multiple parametric method of assessment of vulnerability of the coastal aquifer in Pennar delta, south India, in the context of the hydrogeological, biophysical, geochemical and socioeconomic environments of the delta. Seven parameters, forming the acronym LASTRIG viz. landuse, aquifer type, soil depth, groundwater table, rainfall, soil infiltration and geomorphology are made use in the assessment, and involve the use of remote sensing, GIS and modeling tools. The parameters are weighted, and a suitable ranking system has been designed to quantify the degree of vulnerability of the aquifer for salinization. It has been found that zones with high vulnerability index correlate well with zones of high TDS and chloride contents of groundwater. This observation thus validates the geochemical basis of the proposed LASTRIG system. The new system has been found useful in the management of the groundwater resources of the delta region. It has been made use of identify the aquifer segments which are in danger of being degraded, to enable the decision- makers to design counter measures to avoid further deterioration in water quality. Where the groundwater has already been rendered non-potable because of saline incursion, the LASTRIG index could be made use to identify possible use of that water for drinking by cattle, and for growing of salt-tolerant vegetables (e.g. beetroot and lettuce), and trees (e.g. casuarinas obese, Prosopis juliflora)

  7. Airborne and ground-based transient electromagnetic mapping of groundwater salinity in the Machile–Zambezi Basin, southwestern Zambia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chongo, Mkhuzo; Vest Christiansen, Anders; Tembo, Alice

    2015-01-01

    The geological and morphological evolution of the Kalahari Basin of Southern Africa has given rise to a complex hydrogeological regime that is affected by water quality issues. Among these concerns is the occurrence of saline groundwater. Airborne and ground-based electromagnetic surveying...... of a low-resistivity (below 13 Ωm) valley that extends southwestwards into the Makgadikgadi salt pans. The electrical resistivity distribution is indicative of a full graben related to the Okavango–Linyati Fault system as a result of propagation of the East African Rift Valley System into Southern Africa...

  8. Water resources management strategies and its implications on hydrodynamic and hydrochemical changes of costal groundwater: Case of Grombalia shallow aquifer, NE Tunisia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lachaal, Fethi; Chekirbane, Anis; Chargui, Sameh; Sellami, Haykel; Tsujimura, Maki; Hezzi, Hmida; Faycel, Jelassi; Mlayah, Ammar

    2016-12-01

    Information on groundwater quantity as well as quality is required by water managers and decision-makers for defining a sustainable management strategy. This requires a comprehensive assessment of the surface water and groundwater resources. This paper provides an assessment of water resources management strategy in the Grombalia region (Northeast Tunisia) and its impact on quantity and quality evolution of groundwater resources based on an approach that combines (i) hydro-climatic data, (ii) field monitoring, (iii) historic piezometric records, and (iv) geochemical and stable isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) analyses. We apply this approach to identify the origin of the various water resources and outline how the actual water management impact the quantity and quality of the groundwater in the region. As consequence of poor water resources management, the shallow groundwater levels have been disrupted: a groundwater rise is observed in the centre and a piezometric drawdown is observed in the upstream regions. Groundwater quality degradation was registered especially in the centre and downstream zones.

  9. Evaluation of effects of changes in canal management and precipitation patterns on salinity in Biscayne Bay, Florida, using an integrated surface-water/groundwater model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohmann, Melinda A.; Swain, Eric D.; Wang, John D.; Dixon, Joann

    2012-01-01

    Biscayne National Park, located in Biscayne Bay in southeast Florida, is one of the largest marine parks in the country and sustains a large natural marine fishery where numerous threatened and endangered species reproduce. In recent years, the bay has experienced hypersaline conditions (salinity greater than 35 practical salinity units) of increasing magnitude and duration. Hypersalinity events were particularly pronounced during April to August 2004 in nearshore areas along the southern and middle parts of the bay. Prolonged hypersaline conditions can cause degradation of water quality and permanent damage to, or loss of, brackish nursery habitats for multiple species of fish and crustaceans as well as damage to certain types of seagrasses that are not tolerant of extreme changes in salinity. To evaluate the factors that contribute to hypersalinity events and to test the effects of possible changes in precipitation patterns and canal flows into Biscayne Bay on salinity in the bay, the U.S. Geological Survey constructed a coupled surface-water/groundwater numerical flow model. The model is designed to account for freshwater flows into Biscayne Bay through the canal system, leakage of salty bay water into the underlying Biscayne aquifer, discharge of fresh and salty groundwater from the Biscayne aquifer into the bay, direct effects of precipitation on bay salinity, indirect effects of precipitation on recharge to the Biscayne aquifer, direct effects of evapotranspiration (ET) on bay salinity, indirect effects of ET on recharge to the Biscayne aquifer, and maintenance of mass balance of both water and solute. The model was constructed using the Flow and Transport in a Linked Overland/Aquifer Density Dependent System (FTLOADDS) simulator, version 3.3, which couples the two-dimensional, surface-water flow and solute-transport simulator SWIFT2D with the density-dependent, groundwater flow an solute-transport simulator SEAWAT. The model was calibrated by a trial

  10. Using of pH as a tool to predict salinity of groundwater for irrigation purpose using artificial neural network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud Nasr

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Monitoring of groundwater quality is one of the important tools to provide adequate information about water management. In the present study, artificial neural network (ANN with a feed-forward back-propagation was designed to predict groundwater salinity, expressed by total dissolved solids (TDS, using pH as an input parameter. Groundwater samples were collected from a 36 m depth well located in the experimental farm of the City of Scientific Researches and Technological Applications (SRTA City, New Borg El-Arab City, Alexandria, Egypt. The network structure was 1–5–3–1 and used the default Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm for training. It was observed that, the best validation performance, based on the mean square error, was 14819 at epoch 0, and no major problems or over-fitting occurred with the training step. The simulated output tracked the measured data with a correlation coefficient (R-value of 0.64, 0.67 and 0.90 for training, validation and test, respectively. In this case, the network response was acceptable, and simulation could be used for entering new inputs.

  11. Using radon-222 to study coastal groundwater/surface-water interaction in the Crau coastal aquifer (southeastern France)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayer, Adriano; Nguyen, Bach Thao; Banton, Olivier

    2016-11-01

    Radon has been used to determine groundwater velocity and groundwater discharge into wetlands at the southern downstream boundary of the Crau aquifer, southeastern France. This aquifer constitutes an important high-quality freshwater resource exploited for agriculture, industry and human consumption. An increase in salinity occurs close to the sea, highlighting the need to investigate the water balance and groundwater behavior. Darcy velocity was estimated using radon activities in well waters according to the Hamada "single-well method" (involving comparison with radon in groundwater in the aquifer itself). Measurements done at three depths (7, 15 and 21 m) provided velocity ranging from a few mm/day to more than 20 cm/day, with highest velocities observed at the 15-m depth. Resulting hydraulic conductivities agree with the known geology. Waters showing high radon activity and high salinity were found near the presumed shoreline at 3,000 years BP, highlighting the presence of ancient saltwater. Radon activity has also been measured in canals, rivers and ponds, to trace groundwater discharges and evaluate water balance. A model of the radon spatial evolution explains the observed radon activities. Groundwater discharge to surface water is low in pond waters (4 % of total inputs) but significant in canals (55 l/m2/day).

  12. Salinization of aquifers at the regional scale by marine transgression: Time scales and processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armandine Les Landes, A.; Davy, P.; Aquilina, L.

    2014-12-01

    Saline fluids with moderate concentrations have been sampled and reported in the Armorican basement at the regional scale (northwestern France). The horizontal and vertical distributions of high chloride concentrations (60-1400mg/L) at the regional scale support the marine origin and provide constraints on the age of these saline fluids. The current distribution of fresh and "saline" groundwater at depth is the result mostly of processes occurring at geological timescales - seawater intrusion processes followed by fresh groundwater flushing -, and only slightly of recent anthropogenic activities. In this study, we focus on seawater intrusion mechanisms in continental aquifers. We argue that one of the most efficient processes in macrotidal environments is the gravity-driven downconing instability below coastal salinized rivers. 2-D numerical experiments have been used to quantify this process according to four main parameter types: (1) the groundwater system permeability, (2) the salinity degree of the river, (3) the river width and slope, and (4) the tidal amplitude. A general expression of the salinity inflow rates have been derived, which has been used to estimate groundwater salinization rates in Brittany, given the geomorphological and environmental characteristics (drainage basin area, river widths and slopes, tidal range, aquifer permeability). We found that downconing below coastal rivers entail very high saline rates, indicating that this process play a major role in the salinization of regional aquifers. This is also likely to be an issue in the context of climate change, where sea-level rise is expected.

  13. Influence of seawater intrusion on microbial communities in groundwater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unno, Tatsuya; Kim, Jungman; Kim, Yumi; Nguyen, Son G; Guevarra, Robin B; Kim, Gee Pyo; Lee, Ji-Hoon; Sadowsky, Michael J

    2015-11-01

    Groundwater is the sole source of potable water on Jeju Island in the Republic of (South) Korea. Groundwater is also used for irrigation and industrial purposes, and it is severely impacted by seawater intrusion in coastal areas. Consequently, monitoring the intrusion of seawater into groundwater on Jeju is very important for health and environmental reasons. A number of studies have used hydrological models to predict the deterioration of groundwater quality caused by seawater intrusion. However, there is conflicting evidence of intrusion due to complicated environmental influences on groundwater quality. Here we investigated the use of next generation sequencing (NGS)-based microbial community analysis as a way to monitor groundwater quality and detect seawater intrusion. Pristine groundwater, groundwater from three coastal areas, and seawater were compared. Analysis of the distribution of bacterial species clearly indicated that the high and low salinity groundwater differed significantly with respect to microbial composition. While members of the family Parvularculaceae were only identified in high salinity water samples, a greater percentage of the phylum Actinobacteria was predominantly observed in pristine groundwater. In addition, we identified 48 shared operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with seawater, among which the high salinity groundwater sample shared a greater number of bacterial species with seawater (6.7%). In contrast, other groundwater samples shared less than 0.5%. Our results suggest that NGS-based microbial community analysis of groundwater may be a useful tool for monitoring groundwater quality and detect seawater intrusion. This technology may also provide additional insights in understanding hydrological dynamics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Regional distribution of microbes in groundwater from Haestholmen, Kivetty, Olkiluoto and Romuvaara, Finland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haveman, S.A.; Nilsson, E.L.; Pedersen, K. [Goeteborg University (Sweden)

    2000-06-01

    Groundwater was sampled with the PAVE groundwater sampling system from eight boreholes at Haestholmen, Kivetty, Olkiluoto and Romuvaara, Finland, in 1998 and 1999, for investigation of microbial populations. The groundwater samples had a wide range of salinity and chemistry and contained 104-105 cells per ml, which is typical for subsurface groundwater. In preparing culture media, two approaches were used and compared. Natural, groundwater-based media were prepared from groundwater from the same section of each borehole tested, and synthetic media were prepared based on groundwater chemistry data. No significant difference was observed between the two types of media for brackish and saline groundwater. The groundwater to a depth of 750 m contained mainly sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), ironreducing bacteria (IRB) and heterotrophic acetogenic (HA) bacteria. Autotrophic acetogenic (AA) bacteria and methanogenic archaea were found in some samples. Iron-reducing and HA bacteria predominated in brackish groundwater from Haestholmen, with SRB present in smaller numbers. A different microbial population was found in deep saline groundwater from Haestholmen and Olkiluoto that consists of a large proportion of a saline or brine end member. No SRB or AA bacteria were cultured; instead, the microbial population consisted of HA bacteria and either IRB or methanogens. In Olkiluoto, SRB predominated in the brackish and saline groundwater at depths to about 500 m, while methanogens were found in deeper saline groundwater. Stable isotope data (C-13) indicated that the methanogens are part of an autotrophic population consuming dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and hydrogen and producing methane and organic carbon. This deep ecosystem may be independent of surface life processes. A high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository at 500 m depth in the Fennoscandian Shield will be inhabited by SRB, IRB and acetogens. Methanogens may also be present. These anaerobic micro

  15. Recent state report: Groundwater programmes of variable density

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fein, E.

    1991-12-01

    This report summarises basic facts and data that may be helpful in decisions about the development of a groundwater programme for the calculation of saline groundwater movements. Generally accepted requirements of a rapid groundwater programme for the assessment of flow mechanisms above salt domes are defined. It also describes the possibilities offered by similar programmes already in progress on a national and international basis and discusses state-of-the-art numerical methods and hardware in respect of speed and efficiency of the relevant computer programmes. The availability of a rapid groundwater programme would make it possible for model calculations in connection with long-term safety analyses to take account of the influence of salinity on groundwater movements in extended and complex model regions. (orig./DG) [de

  16. Salinity Trends in the Upper Colorado River Basin Upstream From the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit, Colorado, 1986-2003

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leib, Kenneth J.; Bauch, Nancy J.

    2008-01-01

    In 1974, the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act was passed into law. This law was enacted to address concerns regarding the salinity content of the Colorado River. The law authorized various construction projects in selected areas or 'units' of the Colorado River Basin intended to reduce the salinity load in the Colorado River. One such area was the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit in western Colorado. The U. S. Geological Survey has done extensive studies and research in the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit that provide information to aid the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in determining where salinity-control work may provide the best results, and to what extent salinity-control work was effective in reducing salinity concentrations and loads in the Colorado River. Previous studies have indicated that salinity concentrations and loads have been decreasing downstream from the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit, and that the decreases are likely the result of salinity control work in these areas. Several of these reports; however, also document decreasing salinity loads upstream from the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit. This finding was important because only a small amount of salinity-control work was being done in areas upstream from the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit at the time the findings were reported (late 1990?s). As a result of those previous findings, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey to investigate salinity trends in selected areas bracketing the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit and regions upstream from the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit. The results of the study indicate that salinity loads were decreasing upstream from the Grand Valley Salinity Control Unit from 1986 through 2003, but the rates of decrease have slowed during the last 10 years. The average rate of decrease in salinity load upstream from the Grand Valley

  17. Multi-modeling assessment of recent changes in groundwater resource: application to the semi-arid Haouz plain (Central Morocco)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fakir, Younes; Brahim, Berjamy; Page Michel, Le; Fathallah, Sghrer; Houda, Nassah; Lionel, Jarlan; Raki Salah, Er; Vincent, Simonneaux; Said, Khabba

    2015-04-01

    The Haouz plain (6000 km2) is a part of the Tensift basin located in the Central Morocco. The plain has a semi-arid climate (250 mm/y of rainfall) and is bordered in the south by the High-Atlas mountains. Because the plain is highly anthropized, the water resources face heavy demands from various competing sectors, including agriculture (over than 273000 ha of irrigated areas), water supply for more than 2 million inhabitants and about 2 millions of tourists annually. Consequently the groundwater is being depleted on a large area of the plain, with problems of water scarcity which pose serious threats to water supplies and to sustainable development. The groundwater in the Haouz plain was modeled previously by MODFLOW (USGS groundwater numerical modeling) with annual time steps. In the present study a multi-modeling approach is applied. The aim is to enhance the evaluation of the groundwater pumping for irrigation, one of the most difficult data to estimate, and to improve the water balance assessment. In this purpose, two other models were added: SAMIR (Satellite Estimation of Agricultural Water Demand) and WEAP (integrated water resources planning). The three models are implemented at a monthly time step and calibrated over the 2001-2011 period, corresponding to 120 time steps. This multi-modeling allows assessing the evolution of water resources both in time and space. The results show deep changes during the last years which affect generally the water resources and groundwater particularly. These changes are induced by a remarkable urbanism development, succession of droughts, intensive agriculture activities and weak management of irrigation and water resources. Some indicators of these changes are as follow: (i) the groundwater table decrease varies between 1 to 3m/year, (ii) the groundwater depletion during the last ten year is equivalent to 50% of the lost reserves during 40 years, (iii) the annual groundwater deficit is about 100 hm3, (iv) the renewable

  18. Environmental quality assessment of groundwater resources in Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Sultanate of Oman

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Kalbani, Mohammed Saif; Price, Martin F.; Ahmed, Mushtaque; Abahussain, Asma; O'Higgins, Timothy

    2017-11-01

    The research was conducted to assess the quality of groundwater resources of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman. 11 drinking water sources were sampled during summer and winter seasons during 2012-2013 to evaluate their physico-chemical quality indicators; and assess their suitability for drinking and other domestic purposes. Sample collection, handling and processing followed the standard methods recommended by APHA and analyzed in quality assured laboratories using appropriate analytical methods and instrumental techniques. The results show that the quality parameters in all drinking water resources are within the permissible limits set by Omani and WHO standards; and the drinking water quality index is good or medium in quality based on NFS-WQI classification criteria, indicating their suitability for human consumption. There is an indication of the presence of high nitrate concentrations in some groundwater wells, which require more investigations and monitoring program to be conducted on regular basis to ensure good quality water supply for the residents in the mountain. The trilinear Piper diagram shows that most of the drinking water resources of the study area fall in the field of calcium and bicarbonate type with some magnesium bicarbonate type indicating that most of the major ions are natural in origin due to the geology of the region. This study is a first step towards providing indicators on groundwater quality of this fragile mountain ecosystem, which will be the basis for future planning decisions on corrective demand management measures to protect groundwater resources of Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

  19. Combining ground-based and airborne EM through Artificial Neural Networks for modelling glacial till under saline groundwater conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gunnink, J.L.; Bosch, A.; Siemon, B.

    2012-01-01

    Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) methods supply data over large areas in a cost-effective way. We used ArtificialNeural Networks (ANN) to classify the geophysical signal into a meaningful geological parameter. By using examples of known relations between ground-based geophysical data (in this case...... electrical conductivity, EC, from electrical cone penetration tests) and geological parameters (presence of glacial till), we extracted learning rules that could be applied to map the presence of a glacial till using the EC profiles from the airborne EM data. The saline groundwater in the area was obscuring...

  20. Groundwater Modeling in Support of Water Resources Management and Planning under Complex Climate, Regulatory, and Economic Stresses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emin C. Dogrul

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Groundwater is an important resource that meets part or all of the water demand in many developed basins. Since it is an integral part of the hydrologic cycle, management of groundwater resources must consider not only the management of surface flows but also the variability in climate. In addition, agricultural and urban activities both affect the availability of water resources and are affected by it. Arguably, the Central Valley of the State of California, USA, can be considered a basin where all stresses that can possibly affect the management of groundwater resources seem to have come together: a vibrant economy that depends on water, a relatively dry climate, a disparity between water demand and availability both in time and space, heavily managed stream flows that are susceptible to water quality issues and sea level rise, degradation of aquifer conditions due to over-pumping, and degradation of the environment with multiple species becoming endangered. Over the past fifteen years, the California Department of Water Resources has developed and maintained the Integrated Water Flow Model (IWFM to aid in groundwater management and planning under complex, and often competing, requirements. This paper will describe features of IWFM as a generic modeling tool, and showcase several of its innovative applications within California.

  1. Groundwater Resource Assessment and Conceptualization in the Pilbara Region, Western Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas, Rodrigo; Commander, Philip; McFarlane, Don; Ali, Riasat; Dawes, Warrick; Barron, Olga; Hodgson, Geoff; Charles, Steve

    2018-05-01

    The Pilbara region is one of the most important mining hubs in Australia. It is also a region characterised by an extreme climate, featuring environmental assets of national significance, and considered a valued land by indigenous people. Given the arid conditions, surface water is scarce, shows large variability, and is an unreliable source of water for drinking and industrial/mining purposes. In such conditions, groundwater has become a strategic resource in the Pilbara region. To date, however, an integrated regional characterization and conceptualization of the occurrence of groundwater resources in this region were missing. This article addresses this gap by integrating disperse knowledge, collating available data on aquifer properties, by reviewing groundwater systems (aquifer types) present in the region and identifying their potential, and proposing conceptualizations for the occurrence and functioning of the groundwater systems identified. Results show that aquifers across the Pilbara Region vary substantially and can be classified in seven main types: coastal alluvial systems, concealed channel iron deposits, inland valley-fill aquifers, karstified dolomites, sandstone aquifers (West Canning Basin), Permian/Cenozoic Paleochannels, and Fractured Rock aquifers. Coastal alluvial systems show the greatest regional potential as water sources and are currently intensively utilised. Conceptually, the main recharge processes are infiltration of precipitation associated with cyclonic events and the interaction with streamflows during summer season, whereas the main discharge mechanisms correspond to evapotranspiration from riverine and coastal vegetation, discharge into the Indian Ocean, and dewatering of iron-ore bodies to facilitate mining activities. Important gaps in the knowledge relate to aquifer connectivity and accurate quantification of recharge/discharge mechanisms.

  2. Groundwater Modeling in Support of Water Resources Management and Planning under Complex Climate, Regulatory, and Economic Stresses

    OpenAIRE

    Emin C. Dogrul; Charles F. Brush; Tariq N. Kadir

    2016-01-01

    Groundwater is an important resource that meets part or all of the water demand in many developed basins. Since it is an integral part of the hydrologic cycle, management of groundwater resources must consider not only the management of surface flows but also the variability in climate. In addition, agricultural and urban activities both affect the availability of water resources and are affected by it. Arguably, the Central Valley of the State of California, USA, can be considered a basin wh...

  3. Shallow rainwater lenses in deltaic areas with saline seepage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. G. B. de Louw

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available In deltaic areas with saline seepage, freshwater availability is often limited to shallow rainwater lenses lying on top of saline groundwater. Here we describe the characteristics and spatial variability of such lenses in areas with saline seepage and the mechanisms that control their occurrence and size. Our findings are based on different types of field measurements and detailed numerical groundwater models applied in the south-western delta of the Netherlands. By combining the applied techniques we could extrapolate measurements at point scale (groundwater sampling, temperature and electrical soil conductivity (TEC-probe measurements, electrical cone penetration tests (ECPT to field scale (continuous vertical electrical soundings (CVES, electromagnetic survey with EM31, and even to regional scale using helicopter-borne electromagnetic measurements (HEM. The measurements show a gradual mixing zone between infiltrating fresh rainwater and upward flowing saline groundwater. The mixing zone is best characterized by the depth of the centre of the mixing zone Dmix, where the salinity is half that of seepage water, and the bottom of the mixing zone Bmix, with a salinity equal to that of the seepage water (Cl-conc. 10 to 16 g l−1. Dmix is found at very shallow depth in the confining top layer, on average at 1.7 m below ground level (b.g.l., while Bmix lies about 2.5 m b.g.l. The model results show that the constantly alternating upward and downward flow at low velocities in the confining layer is the main mechanism of mixing between rainwater and saline seepage and determines the position and extent of the mixing zone (Dmix and Bmix. Recharge, seepage flux, and drainage depth are the controlling factors.

  4. Significance of direct and indirect impacts of climate change on groundwater resources in the Olifants River basin: A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nkhonjera, German K.; Dinka, Megersa O.

    2017-11-01

    This paper considers the extent and usefulness of reviewing existing literature on the significance of direct and indirect impacts of climate change on groundwater resources with emphasis on examples from the Olifants River basin. Here, the existing literature were extensively reviewed, with discussions centred mainly on the impacts of climate change on groundwater resources and challenges in modelling climate change impacts on groundwater resources. Since in the hydrological cycle, the hydrological components such as evaporation, temperature, precipitation, and groundwater, are the major drivers of the present and future climate, a detailed discussion is done on the impact of climate change on these hydrological components to determine to what extent the hydrological cycle has already been affected as a result of climate change. The uncertainties, constraints and limitations in climate change research have also been reviewed. In addition to the research gaps discussed here, the emphasis on the need of extensive climate change research on the continent, especially as climate change impacts on groundwater, is discussed. Overall, the importance of conducting further research in climate change, understanding the significance of the impact of climate change on water resources such as groundwater, and taking actions to effectively meet the adaptation needs of the people, emerge as an important theme in this review.

  5. Quantifying effects of climate change on the snowmelt-dominated groundwater resources of northern New England

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dudley, Robert W.; Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Shanley, James B.; Mack, Thomas J.

    2010-01-01

    Recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) climate studies in New England have shown substantial evidence of hydrologic changes during the last 100 years, including trends toward earlier snowmelt runoff, decreasing occurrence of river ice, and decreasing winter snowpack. These studies are being expanded to include investigation of trends in groundwater levels and fluctuations. Groundwater is an important drinking-water source throughout northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont). The USGS is currently investigating whether or not groundwater recharge from snowmelt and precipitation exhibits historical trends. In addition to trend-testing, groundwater resources also will be analyzed by relating groundwater-level changes to the large year-to-year variability in weather conditions. Introduction The USGS has documented many seasonal climate-related changes in the northeastern United States that have occurred during the last 30 to 150 years. These changes include earlier snowmelt runoff in the late winter and early spring, decreasing duration of ice on rivers and lakes, decreasing ratio of snowfall to total precipitation, and denser and thinner late-winter snowpack. All of these changes are consistent with warming winter and spring air temperatures (Dudley and Hodgkins, 2002; Hodgkins and others, 2002; Huntington and others, 2004; Hodgkins and others, 2005; Hodgkins and Dudley, 2006a; Hodgkins and Dudley, 2006b). Climate-model projections for the Northeast indicate air-temperature warming, earlier snowmelt runoff, increases in annual evaporation, and decreased low streamflows (Hayhoe and others, 2007). The contribution and timing of spring snowmelt to groundwater recharge is particularly important to groundwater resources in the northeastern United States where aquifers typically consist of thin sediments overlying crystalline bedrock with relatively little storage capacity (Mack, 2009). Following spring recharge, groundwater slowly flows into streams throughout

  6. A Multiple-Iterated Dual Control Model for Groundwater Exploitation and Water Level Based on the Optimal Allocation Model of Water Resources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junqiu Liu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In order to mitigate environmental and ecological impacts resulting from groundwater overexploitation, we developed a multiple-iterated dual control model consisting of four modules for groundwater exploitation and water level. First, a water resources allocation model integrating calculation module of groundwater allowable withdrawal was built to predict future groundwater recharge and discharge. Then, the results were input into groundwater numerical model to simulate water levels. Groundwater exploitation was continuously optimized using the critical groundwater level as the feedback, and a groundwater multiple-iterated technique was applied to the feedback process. The proposed model was successfully applied to a typical region in Shenyang in northeast China. Results showed the groundwater numerical model was verified in simulating water levels, with a mean absolute error of 0.44 m, an average relative error of 1.33%, and a root-mean-square error of 0.46 m. The groundwater exploitation reduced from 290.33 million m3 to 116.76 million m3 and the average water level recovered from 34.27 m to 34.72 m in planning year. Finally, we proposed the strategies for water resources management in which the water levels should be controlled within the critical groundwater level. The developed model provides a promising approach for water resources allocation and sustainable groundwater management, especially for those regions with overexploited groundwater.

  7. Resource impact evaluation of in-situ uranium groundwater restoration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charbeneau, R.J.; Rohlich, G.A.

    1981-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of restoration on the groundwater following in-situ uranium solution mining in South Texas. Restoration is necessary in order to reduce the amounts of undesired chemical constituents left in solution after mining operations have ceased, and thus return the groundwater to a quality consistent with pre-mining use and potential use. Various restoration strategies have been proposed and are discussed. Of interest are the hydrologic, environmental, social, and economic impacts of these restoration alternatives. Much of the discussion concerning groundwater restoration is based on the use of an ammonium carbonate-bicarbonate leach solution in the mining process. This has been the principal leach solution used during the early period of mining in South Texas. Recently, because of apparent difficulties in restoring ammonium to proposed or required levels, many of the companies have changed to the use of other leach solutions. Because little is known about restoration with these other leach solutions they have not been specifically addressed in this report. Likewise, we have not addressed the question of the fate of heavy metals. Following a summary of the development of South Texas in-situ mining in Chapter Two, Chapter Three describes the surface and groundwater resources of the uranium mining district. Chapter Four addresses the economics of water use, and Chapter Five is concerned with regulation of the in-situ uranium industry in Texas. A discussion of groundwater restoration alternatives and impacts is presented in Chapter Six. Chapter Seven contains a summary and a discussion, and conclusions derived from this study. Two case histories are presented in Appendices A and B

  8. Groundwater and surface-water resources in the Bureau of Land Management Moab Master Leasing Plan area and adjacent areas, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah, and Mesa and Montrose Counties, Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masbruch, Melissa D.; Shope, Christopher L.

    2014-01-01

    , except within the lower aquifer system and areas in contact with the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation evaporites.There is limited information on the resource availability of brines and saline groundwater in the study area. Total dissolved-solids concentrations typically are high (greater than 35,000 milligrams per liter) in groundwater from, or in contact with, the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation. Total dissolved-solids concentrations also are high in groundwater samples collected from the lower aquifer system. Because the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation is considered a barrier to vertical groundwater flow, most of the brine and saline groundwater resources are restricted to the lower aquifer system.

  9. Resource competition model predicts zonation and increasing nutrient use efficiency along a wetland salinity gradient

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoolmaster, Donald; Stagg, Camille L.

    2018-01-01

    A trade-off between competitive ability and stress tolerance has been hypothesized and empirically supported to explain the zonation of species across stress gradients for a number of systems. Since stress often reduces plant productivity, one might expect a pattern of decreasing productivity across the zones of the stress gradient. However, this pattern is often not observed in coastal wetlands that show patterns of zonation along a salinity gradient. To address the potentially complex relationship between stress, zonation, and productivity in coastal wetlands, we developed a model of plant biomass as a function of resource competition and salinity stress. Analysis of the model confirms the conventional wisdom that a trade-off between competitive ability and stress tolerance is a necessary condition for zonation. It also suggests that a negative relationship between salinity and production can be overcome if (1) the supply of the limiting resource increases with greater salinity stress or (2) nutrient use efficiency increases with increasing salinity. We fit the equilibrium solution of the dynamic model to data from Louisiana coastal wetlands to test its ability to explain patterns of production across the landscape gradient and derive predictions that could be tested with independent data. We found support for a number of the model predictions, including patterns of decreasing competitive ability and increasing nutrient use efficiency across a gradient from freshwater to saline wetlands. In addition to providing a quantitative framework to support the mechanistic hypotheses of zonation, these results suggest that this simple model is a useful platform to further build upon, simulate and test mechanistic hypotheses of more complex patterns and phenomena in coastal wetlands.

  10. Appraisal of ground-water resources in the San Antonio Creek Valley, Santa Barbara County, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchinson, C.B.

    1980-01-01

    A nearly threefold increase in demand for water in the 154-square-mile San Antonio Creek valley in California during the period 1958-77 has increased the potential for overdraft on the ground-water basin. The hydrologic budget for this period showed a perennial yield of about 9,800 acre-feet per year and an annual ground-water discharge of about 11,400 acre-feet per year, comprising net pumpage of 7,100 acre-feet, phreatophyte evapotranspiration of 3,000 acre-feet, and base streamflow of 1 ,300 acre-feet. The base flow in San Antonio Creek could diminish to zero when net pumpage reaches 13,500 acre-feet per year. The environmentally sensitive marshland area of Barka Slough may then become stressed as water normally lost through evapotranspiration is captured by pumpage. The aquifer consists of alluvial valley fill that ranges in thickness from 0 to 3,500 feet. Ground water moves seaward from recharge areas along mountain fronts to a consolidated rock barrier about 5 miles east of the Pacific coast. Upwelling of ground water just east of the barrier has resulted in the 550-acre Barka Slough. Transmissivity of the aquifer ranges from 2,600 to 34,000 feet squared per day, with the lowest values occurring in the central part of the valley where the aquifer is thickest but probably finer grained. The salinity problems are increasing in the agricultural parts of the valley, which is east of the barrier. West of the barrier, stream and ground-water quality is poor, owing to seepage of saline water from the marine shale that underlies the area at shallow depths. A proposed basinwide monitoring program includes 17 water-level sites, 12 water-quality sampling sites, 3 streamflow measuring sites, and periodic infrared aerial photography of Barka Slough. A computer model of the ground-water flow system could be developed to assess the impact of various water-management alternatives. (USGS)

  11. Aquifers of Arkansas: protection, management, and hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater resources in Arkansas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kresse, Timothy M.; Hays, Phillip D.; Merriman, Katherine R.; Gillip, Jonathan A.; Fugitt, D. Todd; Spellman, Jane L.; Nottmeier, Anna M.; Westerman, Drew A.; Blackstock, Joshua M.; Battreal, James L.

    2014-01-01

    Sixteen aquifers in Arkansas that currently serve or have served as sources of water supply are described with respect to existing groundwater protection and management programs, geology, hydrologic characteristics, water use, water levels, deductive analysis, projections of hydrologic conditions, and water quality. State and Federal protection and management programs are described according to regulatory oversight, management strategies, and ambient groundwater-monitoring programs that currently (2013) are in place for assessing and protecting groundwater resources throughout the State.

  12. Gaining the necessary geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical understanding for additional brackish groundwater development, coastal San Diego, California, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danskin, Wesley R.

    2012-01-01

    Local water agencies and the United States Geological Survey are using a combination of techniques to better understand the scant freshwater resources and the much more abundant brackish resources in coastal San Diego, California, USA. Techniques include installation of multiple-depth monitoring well sites; geologic and paleontological analysis of drill cuttings; geophysical logging to identify formations and possible seawater intrusion; sampling of pore-water obtained from cores; analysis of chemical constituents including trace elements and isotopes; and use of scoping models including a three-dimensional geologic framework model, rainfall-runoff model, regional groundwater flow model, and coastal density-dependent groundwater flow model. Results show that most fresh groundwater was recharged during the last glacial period and that the coastal aquifer has had recurring intrusions of fresh and saline water. These intrusions disguise the source, flowpaths, and history of ground water near the coast. The flow system includes a freshwater lens resting on brackish water; a 100-meter-thick flowtube of freshwater discharging under brackish estuarine water and above highly saline water; and broad areas of fine-grained coastal sediment filled with fairly uniform brackish water. Stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen indicate the recharged water flows through many kilometers of fractured crystalline rock before entering the narrow coastal aquifer.

  13. Appraisal of groundwater resources of Ziarat valley using isotopic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, M.; Akram, W.; Tasneem, M.A.; Rafique, M.

    2009-07-01

    Study of water resources of Ziarat Valley was carried out to investigate groundwater recharge mechanism and effectiveness of delay action dams. Samples of precipitation (rain, snow), dam reservoirs and groundwater (dug wells, tube wells, karezes, springs) were periodically collected from different locations and analyzed for environmental isotopes (/sup 2/H, /sup 3/H, /sup 18/O, /sup 34/S). The data indicate that rainfall and snow samples show wide ranges of delta /sup 2/H and delta /sup 18/O. However, the mean values for these isotopes are -6.4% and -37% respectively. Mean tritium value of rain is 9TU. Delta /sup 2/H and delta /sup 18/O values of dam reservoirs range from -6.7 to +4.9% and -42 to +30% respectively. Average isotopic indices of all the karezes are close to each other. Mean delta /sup 18/O and delta /sup 2/H values of Sandaman Tangi, Faran Tangi and Quaid springs vary from -6.3 to -6% and -40 to -31%. Tritium concentration of Sandaman Tangi and Faran Tangi springs (7 TU) is less than Quaid spring (11TU). Ranges of mean delta /sup 18/O and delta /sup 2/H values of all the groundwater samples (wells, karezes, springs) are -6.6 to -2.2% and -40 to -16% respectively. Delta /sup 34/S values of dissolved sulphates in groundwater vary from -8.5 to -0.8%. In /sup 18/O vs. /sup 2/H plot, most of the groundwater samples lie close to LMWL indicating the meteoric origin. Reservoir water in Pechi Dam shows highly enriched isotopic values in summer due to evaporation. Such enriched values are not depicted by the groundwater in the wells and karezes downstream of the dam. This implies that there is no significant recharge from this dam. Similar is the case of Mana Dam. Vouch Ghouski Dam has some contribution towards groundwater recharge while Warchoom Dam is much effective and makes significant contribution. Results of tritium dating suggest that residence time of groundwater is quite short (only few years). (author)

  14. Electromagnetic exploration in high-salinity groundwater zones: case studies from volcanic and soft sedimentary sites in coastal Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Koichi; Kusano, Yukiko; Ochi, Ryota; Nishiyama, Nariaki; Tokunaga, Tomochika; Tanaka, Kazuhiro

    2017-01-01

    Estimating the spatial distribution of groundwater salinity in coastal plain regions is becoming increasingly important for site characterisation and the prediction of hydrogeological environmental conditions resulting from radioactive waste disposal and underground CO2 storage. In previous studies of the freshwater-saltwater interface, electromagnetic methods were used for sites characterised by unconsolidated deposits or Neocene soft sedimentary rocks. However, investigating the freshwater-saltwater interface in hard rock sites (e.g. igneous areas) is more complex, with the permeability of the rocks greatly influenced by fractures. In this study, we investigated the distribution of high-salinity groundwater at two volcanic rock sites and one sedimentary rock site, each characterised by different hydrogeological features. Our investigations included (1) applying the controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric (CSAMT) method and (2) conducting laboratory tests to measure the electrical properties of rock core samples. We interpreted the 2D resistivity sections by referring to previous data on geology and geochemistry of groundwater. At the Tokusa site, an area of inland volcanic rocks, low resistivity zones were detected along a fault running through volcanic rocks and shallow sediments. The results suggest that fluids rise through the Tokusa-Jifuku Fault to penetrate shallow sediments in a direction parallel to the river, and some fluids are diluted by rainwater. At the Oki site, a volcanic island on a continental shelf, four resistivity zones (in upward succession: low, high, low and high) were detected. The results suggest that these four zones were formed during a transgression-regression cycle caused by the last glacial period. At the Saijo site, located on a coastal plain composed of thick sediments, we observed a deep low resistivity zone, indicative of fossil seawater remnant from a transgression after the last glacial period. The current coastal

  15. Improved aquifer characterization and the optimization of the design of brackish groundwater desalination systems

    KAUST Repository

    Malivaa, Robert G.

    2011-07-01

    Many water scarce regions possess brackish-water resources that can be desalted to provide alternative water supplies. Brackish groundwater desalination by reverse osmosis (RO) is less expensive than seawater systems because of reduced energy and pretreatment requirements and lesser volumes of concentrate that require disposal. Development of brackish groundwater wellfields include the same hydraulic issues that affect conventional freshwater wellfields. Managing well interference and prevention of adverse impacts such as land subsidence are important concerns. RO systems are designed to treat water whose composition falls within a system-specific envelope of salinities and ion concentrations. A fundamental requirement for the design of brackish groundwater RO systems is prediction of the produced water chemistry at both the start of pumping and after 10-20 years of operation. Density-dependent solute-transport modeling is thus an integral component of the design of brackish groundwater RO systems. The accuracy of groundwater models is dependent upon the quality of the hydrogeological data upon which they are based. Key elements of the aquifer characterization are the determination of the three-dimensional distribution of salinity within the aquifer and the evaluation of aquifer heterogeneity with respect to hydraulic conductivity. It is necessary to know from where in a pumped aquifer (or aquifer zone) water is being produced and the contribution of vertical flow to the produced water. Unexpected, excessive vertical migration (up-coning) of waters that are more saline has adversely impacted some RO systems because the salinity of the water delivered to the system exceeded the system design parameters. Improved aquifer characterization is possible using advanced geophysical techniques, which can, in turn, lead to more accurate solute-transport models. Advanced borehole geophysical logs, such as nuclear magnetic resonance, were run as part of the exploratory test

  16. Effects of experimental parameters on the sorption of cesium, strontium, and uranium from saline groundwaters onto shales: Progress report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, R.E.; Arnold, W.D.; Case, F.I.; O'Kelley, G.D.

    1988-11-01

    This report concerns an extension of the first series of experiments on the sorption properties of shales and their clay mineral components reported earlier. Studies on the sorption of cesium and strontium were carried out on samples of Chattanooga (Upper Dowelltown), Pierre, Green River Formation, Nolichucky, and Pumpkin Valley Shales that had been heated to 120/degree/C in a 0.1-mol/L NaCl solution for periods up to several months and on samples of the same shales which had been heated to 250/degree/C in air for six months, to simulate limiting scenarios in a HLW repository. To investigate the kinetics of the sorption process in shale/groundwater systems, strontium sorption experiments were done on unheated Pierre, Green River Formation, Nolichucky, and Pumpkin Valley Shales in a diluted, saline groundwater and in 0.03-mol/L NaHCO 3 , for periods of 0.25 to 28 days. Cesium sorption kinetics tests were performed on the same shales in a concentrated brine for the same time periods. The effect of the water/rock (W/R) ratio on sorption for the same combinations of unheated shales, nuclides, and groundwaters used in the kinetics experiments was investigated for a range of W/R ratios of 3 to 20 mL/g. Because of the complexity of the shale/groundwater interaction, a series of tests was conducted on the effects of contact time and W/R ratio on the pH of a 0.03-mol/L NaHCO 3 simulated groundwater in contact with shales. 8 refs., 12 figs., 15 tabs

  17. Groundwater Resources Isotope Study of Eastern and Southeastern Areas of Jordan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Momani, M. R.

    2004-01-01

    Since Jordan depends on the groundwater resources especially for municipal use so, water resources studies and development takes priority on the national level. For this reason the environmental isotope technique and application contributed and supported the hydrological studies as a research tool confirmed some scientific facts including natural and environmental changes of water resources. The isotope analyses has been implemented for upper and deep aquifer systems in the eastern and southeastern areas of Jordan for Hamad, Sirhan, Azraq and Jafr basins. The analyses included the stable isotopes for 18 O, Deuterium ( 2 H) and 13 C also the radioactive isotopes for Tritium ( 3 H ) and 14 C in nineties of the last century until 2002 and this indicates the following: * The origin and mechanism of the nonrenewable groundwater recharge in the deep aquifer systems of (B2/A7) Campanian and Turonian age for Hamad and Azraq basins has been defined. This refers that the groundwater recharge existed within humid, cold and wet climatologic conditions which is completely different from the present climate where the groundwater age exceeds thirty thousand years. * Also this indicates that the stable isotopic composition of the upper aquifers in Hamad and Sirhan basins in Shallala and Rijam aquifers (B5/B4) of Eocene and Paleocene age lie on the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL) where the deuterium excess (d) is 10 %. Actually this water is not tritiated and the 14 C content in the groundwater is close to zero which is a strong indication of humid and wet climate where the age of the groundwater range between 20000 and exceeds 300000 years. In comparison this situation with the same aquifer in Jafr basin located in the southeastern part of Jordan, there are differences in the deuterium excess (d), Tritium and 14 C content which depends on the climatologic conditions existed during the recharge period. Also the isotopic signaure for the middle groundwater system (B2/A7) and the

  18. Modeling of Groundwater Resources Heavy Metals Concentration Using Soft Computing Methods: Application of Different Types of Artificial Neural Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meysam Alizamir

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, groundwater resources play a vital role as a source of drinking water in arid and semiarid regions and forecasting of pollutants content in these resources is very important. Therefore, this study aimed to compare two soft computing methods for modeling Cd, Pb and Zn concentration in groundwater resources of Asadabad Plain, Western Iran. The relative accuracy of several soft computing models, namely multi-layer perceptron (MLP and radial basis function (RBF for forecasting of heavy metals concentration have been investigated. In addition, Levenberg-Marquardt, gradient descent and conjugate gradient training algorithms were utilized for the MLP models. The ANN models for this study were developed using MATLAB R 2014 Software program. The MLP performs better than the other models for heavy metals concentration estimation. The simulation results revealed that MLP model was able to model heavy metals concentration in groundwater resources favorably. It generally is effectively utilized in environmental applications and in the water quality estimations. In addition, out of three algorithms, Levenberg-Marquardt was better than the others were. This study proposed soft computing modeling techniques for the prediction and estimation of heavy metals concentration in groundwater resources of Asadabad Plain. Based on collected data from the plain, MLP and RBF models were developed for each heavy metal. MLP can be utilized effectively in applications of prediction of heavy metals concentration in groundwater resources of Asadabad Plain.

  19. Computation of groundwater resources and recharge in Chithar River Basin, South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramani, T; Babu, Savithri; Elango, L

    2013-01-01

    Groundwater recharge and available groundwater resources in Chithar River basin, Tamil Nadu, India spread over an area of 1,722 km(2) have been estimated by considering various hydrological, geological, and hydrogeological parameters, such as rainfall infiltration, drainage, geomorphic units, land use, rock types, depth of weathered and fractured zones, nature of soil, water level fluctuation, saturated thickness of aquifer, and groundwater abstraction. The digital ground elevation models indicate that the regional slope of the basin is towards east. The Proterozoic (Post-Archaean) basement of the study area consists of quartzite, calc-granulite, crystalline limestone, charnockite, and biotite gneiss with or without garnet. Three major soil types were identified namely, black cotton, deep red, and red sandy soils. The rainfall intensity gradually decreases from west to east. Groundwater occurs under water table conditions in the weathered zone and fluctuates between 0 and 25 m. The water table gains maximum during January after northeast monsoon and attains low during October. Groundwater abstraction for domestic/stock and irrigational needs in Chithar River basin has been estimated as 148.84 MCM (million m(3)). Groundwater recharge due to monsoon rainfall infiltration has been estimated as 170.05 MCM based on the water level rise during monsoon period. It is also estimated as 173.9 MCM using rainfall infiltration factor. An amount of 53.8 MCM of water is contributed to groundwater from surface water bodies. Recharge of groundwater due to return flow from irrigation has been computed as 147.6 MCM. The static groundwater reserve in Chithar River basin is estimated as 466.66 MCM and the dynamic reserve is about 187.7 MCM. In the present scenario, the aquifer is under safe condition for extraction of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes. If the existing water bodies are maintained properly, the extraction rate can be increased in future about 10% to 15%.

  20. Water Resources and Groundwater in a Glaciated Andean Watershed (Cordillera Blanca, Peru)

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKenzie, J. M.; Gordon, R.; Baraer, M.; Lautz, L.; Mark, B. G.; Wigmore, O.; Chavez, D.; Aubry-Wake, C.

    2014-12-01

    It is estimated that almost 400 million people live in watersheds where glaciers provide at least 10% of the runoff, yet many questions remain regarding the impact of climate change and glacier recession on water resources derived from these high mountain watersheds. We present research from the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, an area with the highest density of glaciers in the tropics. While glacier meltwater buffers stream discharge throughout the range, groundwater is a major component of dry season runoff, contributing up to 50-70% of outflow in some tributaries. In order to predict future changes to water resources it is critical to understand how groundwater can offset future hydrologic stress by maintaining stream baseflow, including recharge mechanisms, subsurface pathways, storage, and net fluxes to rivers. We present a synthesis of results based on hydrologic modeling, drilling/piezometers, geophysics, and artificial and natural hydrologic tracers. Our findings show that 'pampas', low-relief mountain valleys, are critical for baseflow generation by storing groundwater on interannual timescales. Pampas have a total area of ~65 km2 and are comprised of unconsolidated glacial, talus, lacustrine and wetland (bofedales) deposits. The valleys commonly have buried talus aquifers that are overlain by low permeability, glaciolacustrine deposits. Glaciofluvial outwash deposits and small wetlands also act as unconfined aquifers. These groundwater systems appear to be primarily recharged by wet season precipitation, and at higher elevations also by glacial meltwater. Additionally a ubiquitous feature in the valleys are springs, often located at the base of talus deposits, which generate a large hydrologic flux within the hydrologic systems. While glaciers are the most visible and vulnerable component of the Andean waterscape, we argue that it is crucial to understand the complete mountain hydrologic cycle, including groundwater, in order to understand the ongoing

  1. Identifying the effects of human pressure on groundwater quality to support water management strategies in coastal regions: A multi-tracer and statistical approach (Bou-Areg region, Morocco)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Re, V., E-mail: re@unive.it [Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Calle Larga Santa Marta 2137, Dorsoduro, 40123 Venice (Italy); National Engineering School of Sfax (ENIS) - Laboratory of Radio-Analysis and Environment (LRAE) Sfax (Tunisia); Sacchi, E. [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Mas-Pla, J. [Grup de Geologia Aplicada i Ambiental (GAIA), Centre de Geologia i Cartografia Ambientals (GEOCAMB), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, 17071 Girona (Spain); Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), 17003 Girona (Spain); Menció, A. [Grup de Geologia Aplicada i Ambiental (GAIA), Centre de Geologia i Cartografia Ambientals (GEOCAMB), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, 17071 Girona (Spain); El Amrani, N. [Faculty of Sciences and techniques, University Hassan 1er, Settat (Morocco)

    2014-12-01

    Groundwater pollution from anthropogenic sources is a serious concern affecting several coastal aquifers worldwide. Increasing groundwater exploitation, coupled with point and non-point pollution sources, are the main anthropogenic impacts on coastal environments and are responsible for severe health and food security issues. Adequate management strategies to protect groundwater from contamination and overexploitation are of paramount importance, especially in arid prone regions, where coastal aquifers often represent the main freshwater resource to sustain human needs. The Bou-Areg Aquifer (Morocco) is a perfect example of a coastal aquifer constantly exposed to all the negative externalities associated with groundwater use for agricultural purposes, which lead to a general increase in aquifer salinization. In this study data on 61 water samples, collected in June and November 2010, were used to: (i) track groundwater composition changes related to the use of irrigation water from different sources, (ii) highlight seasonal variations to assess aquifer vulnerability, and (iii) present a reproducible example of multi-tracer approach for groundwater management in rural coastal areas. Hydrogeochemical results show that Bou-Areg groundwater is characterized by – high salinity, associated with a remarkable increase in bicarbonate content in the crop growing season, due to more intense biological activity in irrigated soils. The coupled multi-tracer and statistical analysis confirms the strong dependency on irrigation activities as well as a clear identification of the processes governing the aquifer’s hydrochemistry in the different seasons. Water Rock Interaction (WRI) dominates the composition of most of groundwater samples in the Low Irrigation season (L-IR) and Agricultural Return Flow (ARF) mainly affects groundwater salinization in the High Irrigation season (H-IR) in the same areas naturally affected by WRI. In the central part of the plain River Recharge (RR

  2. Identifying the effects of human pressure on groundwater quality to support water management strategies in coastal regions: A multi-tracer and statistical approach (Bou-Areg region, Morocco)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Re, V.; Sacchi, E.; Mas-Pla, J.; Menció, A.; El Amrani, N.

    2014-01-01

    Groundwater pollution from anthropogenic sources is a serious concern affecting several coastal aquifers worldwide. Increasing groundwater exploitation, coupled with point and non-point pollution sources, are the main anthropogenic impacts on coastal environments and are responsible for severe health and food security issues. Adequate management strategies to protect groundwater from contamination and overexploitation are of paramount importance, especially in arid prone regions, where coastal aquifers often represent the main freshwater resource to sustain human needs. The Bou-Areg Aquifer (Morocco) is a perfect example of a coastal aquifer constantly exposed to all the negative externalities associated with groundwater use for agricultural purposes, which lead to a general increase in aquifer salinization. In this study data on 61 water samples, collected in June and November 2010, were used to: (i) track groundwater composition changes related to the use of irrigation water from different sources, (ii) highlight seasonal variations to assess aquifer vulnerability, and (iii) present a reproducible example of multi-tracer approach for groundwater management in rural coastal areas. Hydrogeochemical results show that Bou-Areg groundwater is characterized by – high salinity, associated with a remarkable increase in bicarbonate content in the crop growing season, due to more intense biological activity in irrigated soils. The coupled multi-tracer and statistical analysis confirms the strong dependency on irrigation activities as well as a clear identification of the processes governing the aquifer’s hydrochemistry in the different seasons. Water Rock Interaction (WRI) dominates the composition of most of groundwater samples in the Low Irrigation season (L-IR) and Agricultural Return Flow (ARF) mainly affects groundwater salinization in the High Irrigation season (H-IR) in the same areas naturally affected by WRI. In the central part of the plain River Recharge (RR

  3. Regional assessment of groundwater resources (hydrogeological map of Younggwang area, Korea vol.8)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, S H; Kim, Y K; Hong, Y K; Cho, M J; Lee, D W; Bae, D J; Lee, C W; Kim, H C; Kim, S J; Park, S W; Lee, P K; Yum, B W; Moon, S H; Lee, S K; Lee, S R; Park, Y S; Lim, M T; Sung, K S; Park, I H; Ham, S Y; Kim, Y J; Woo, N C [Korea Institute of Geology Mining and Materials, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1997-12-01

    This study is objected to characterize groundwater resources, to assess groundwater contamination, and to produce hydrogeological and related thematic maps of the study area. The study area, Younggwang County, Chonnam Province, covers the area of 460 km{sup 2}. To accomplish the objectives various studies have been carried out including general and structural geology, GIS, hydrogeology, geophysics and hydrogeochemical analysis. Geophysical explorations, dipole-dipole resistivity, Schulumberger sounding and magnetic method, were executed for investigating geologic structure and determining test borehole sites. Some test boreholes such as, Honggok, Donggan, Weolsan and Seolmae hit aquifer structures. Geophysical logging, such as gamma ray, temperature, water conductivity, electrical resistivity, self-potential were also executed for petrological differentiation and in out flow of groundwater. The recharge rate of granitic region is more than the others, which derived by the analysis of 7 low-flow measurements in 10 small watersheds in the area. The recharge rate has been estimated at 7.2%(99.3 mm/year) in the vicinity. Well inventory of the area included 197 deep wells and 43 shallow wells. In addition, 10 stream samples and one spring were surveyed for water level, water temperature, pH, EC, TDS and the concentration of dissolved oxygen(DO). Regional groundwater pollution susceptibility was analyzed using GIS technique. A standard method, `DRASTIC` developed by US EPA, was applied to evaluate groundwater pollution potential and aquifer susceptibility. Resulting DRASTIC indices ranged from 52 to 141, and the Pesticide indices from 61 to 187. Seawater intrusion phenomena in Sangsari-Hasari are considered and evaluated by well inventory and the selected borehole`s electric conductivity(EC) logging. Seawater intrusion to the vulnerable coastal alluvium aquifers is generally depleted with time. The amount of potential groundwater resources in the study area is estimated

  4. The Maryland Coastal Plain Aquifer Information System: A GIS-based tool for assessing groundwater resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andreasen, David C.; Nardi, Mark R.; Staley, Andrew W.; Achmad, Grufron; Grace, John W.

    2016-01-01

    Groundwater is the source of drinking water for ∼1.4 million people in the Coastal Plain Province of Maryland (USA). In addition, groundwater is essential for commercial, industrial, and agricultural uses. Approximately 0.757 × 109 L d–1 (200 million gallons/d) were withdrawn in 2010. As a result of decades of withdrawals from the coastal plain confined aquifers, groundwater levels have declined by as much as 70 m (230 ft) from estimated prepumping levels. Other issues posing challenges to long-term groundwater sustainability include degraded water quality from both man-made and natural sources, reduced stream base flow, land subsidence, and changing recharge patterns (drought) caused by climate change. In Maryland, groundwater supply is managed primarily by the Maryland Department of the Environment, which seeks to balance reasonable use of the resource with long-term sustainability. The chief goal of groundwater management in Maryland is to ensure safe and adequate supplies for all current and future users through the implementation of appropriate usage, planning, and conservation policies. To assist in that effort, the geographic information system (GIS)–based Maryland Coastal Plain Aquifer Information System was developed as a tool to help water managers access and visualize groundwater data for use in the evaluation of groundwater allocation and use permits. The system, contained within an ESRI ArcMap desktop environment, includes both interpreted and basic data for 16 aquifers and 14 confining units. Data map layers include aquifer and ­confining unit layer surfaces, aquifer extents, borehole information, hydraulic properties, time-series groundwater-level data, well records, and geophysical and lithologic logs. The aquifer and confining unit layer surfaces were generated specifically for the GIS system. The system also contains select groundwater-quality data and map layers that quantify groundwater and surface-water withdrawals. The aquifer

  5. Simulation of groundwater flow and analysis of the effects of water-management options in the North Platte Natural Resources District, Nebraska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Steven M.; Flynn, Amanda T.; Vrabel, Joseph; Ryter, Derek W.

    2015-08-12

    The North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD) has been actively collecting data and studying groundwater resources because of concerns about the future availability of the highly inter-connected surface-water and groundwater resources. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the North Platte Natural Resources District, describes a groundwater-flow model of the North Platte River valley from Bridgeport, Nebraska, extending west to 6 miles into Wyoming. The model was built to improve the understanding of the interaction of surface-water and groundwater resources, and as an optimization tool, the model is able to analyze the effects of water-management options on the simulated stream base flow of the North Platte River. The groundwater system and related sources and sinks of water were simulated using a newton formulation of the U.S. Geological Survey modular three-dimensional groundwater model, referred to as MODFLOW–NWT, which provided an improved ability to solve nonlinear unconfined aquifer simulations with wetting and drying of cells. Using previously published aquifer-base-altitude contours in conjunction with newer test-hole and geophysical data, a new base-of-aquifer altitude map was generated because of the strong effect of the aquifer-base topography on groundwater-flow direction and magnitude. The largest inflow to groundwater is recharge originating from water leaking from canals, which is much larger than recharge originating from infiltration of precipitation. The largest component of groundwater discharge from the study area is to the North Platte River and its tributaries, with smaller amounts of discharge to evapotranspiration and groundwater withdrawals for irrigation. Recharge from infiltration of precipitation was estimated with a daily soil-water-balance model. Annual recharge from canal seepage was estimated using available records from the Bureau of Reclamation and then modified with canal

  6. Salinization and arsenic contamination of surface water in southwest Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayers, John C; George, Gregory; Fry, David; Benneyworth, Laura; Wilson, Carol; Auerbach, Leslie; Roy, Kushal; Karim, Md Rezaul; Akter, Farjana; Goodbred, Steven

    2017-09-11

    To identify the causes of salinization and arsenic contamination of surface water on an embanked island (i.e., polder) in the tidal delta plain of SW Bangladesh we collected and analyzed water samples in the dry (May) and wet (October) seasons in 2012-2013. Samples were collected from rice paddies (wet season), saltwater ponds used for brine shrimp aquaculture (dry season), freshwater ponds and tidal channels (both wet and dry season), and rainwater collectors. Continuous measurements of salinity from March 2012 to February 2013 show that tidal channel water increases from ~0.15 ppt in the wet season up to ~20 ppt in the dry season. On the polder, surface water exceeds the World Health Organization drinking water guideline of 10 μg As/L in 78% of shrimp ponds and 27% of rice paddies, raising concerns that produced shrimp and rice could have unsafe levels of As. Drinking water sources also often have unsafe As levels, with 83% of tubewell and 43% of freshwater pond samples having >10 μg As/L. Water compositions and field observations are consistent with shrimp pond water being sourced from tidal channels during the dry season, rather than the locally saline groundwater from tubewells. Irrigation water for rice paddies is also obtained from the tidal channels, but during the wet season when surface waters are fresh. Salts become concentrated in irrigation water through evaporation, with average salinity increasing from 0.43 ppt in the tidal channel source to 0.91 ppt in the rice paddies. Our observations suggest that the practice of seasonally alternating rice and shrimp farming in a field has a negligible effect on rice paddy water salinity. Also, shrimp ponds do not significantly affect the salinity of adjacent surface water bodies or subjacent groundwater because impermeable shallow surface deposits of silt and clay mostly isolate surface water bodies from each other and from the shallow groundwater aquifer. Bivariate plots of conservative element

  7. Groundwater contamination in relation with the increasing urbanization rate in Africa. Case of Cotonou and Porto Novo (Benin).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odeloui, Diane; Celle-Jeanton, Hélène; Huneau, Frédéric; Boukari, Moussa; Alassane, Abdelkarim; Garel, Emilie; Lavastre, Véronique; Bertrand, Guillaume

    2016-04-01

    More than one billion people in the world still have no access to sufficient resources in drinking water (United Nation, 2014). In particular, large cities in Africa have to face several problems: 1) population growth associated with the strongest urbanization rate increase (5% per year) of the world leading to a dramatic increase in good-quality water needs, 2) low levels of solid waste management and sanitation services, 3) insufficient or disconnected water supply services, 4) low knowledge of water resources availabilities. The situation in Benin is a relevant illustration of the problems that Africa has to face to. As many other coastal urban areas in Africa (Showers, 2002; Re et al., 2011), Cotonou and Porto Novo cities have seen a rapid increase of their population as these towns constitute a corridor of transit for the imports and the exports in the nearby countries. Hence, they are very attractive for job hunters, and constitute the administrative centers for the whole country. This rapid population growth amplifies the problem of water supply and may generate serious impacts on groundwater resources: depletion due to overexploitation, salinization due to seawater intrusion and pollution linked to human activities. In order to insure a safe water supply in the context of increasing urbanization and population in the coastal area of Cotonou and Porto Novo, the identification of the main sources of pollution is essential for the implementation of long-term water management procedures. Based on two field campaigns carried out in January-2012 (dry season) and August-2012 (rainy season), hydrochemical analysis have been realized on groundwater sampled from boreholes drilled in the CTA (Continental Terminal Aquifer) and wells dug in the QCA (Quaternary Coastal Aquifer) in order to investigate the origin of salinization and the present time extension of the nitrate contamination. Historical data have also been collected from previous studies in order to

  8. Saline water intrusion toward groundwater: Issues and its control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Purnama S

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, saline water pollution has been gaining its importance as the major issue around the world, especially in the urban coastal area. Saline water pollution has major impact on human life and livelihood. It ́s mainly a result from static fossil water and the dynamics of sea water intrusion. The problem of saline water pollution caused by seawater intrusion has been increasing since the beginning of urban population. The problem of sea water intrusion in the urban coastal area must be anticipated as soon as possible especially in the urban areas developed in coastal zones,. This review article aims to; (i analyze the distribution of saline water pollution on urban coastal area in Indonesia and (ii analyze some methods in controlling saline water pollution, especially due to seawater intrusion in urban coastal area. The strength and weakness of each method have been compared, including (a applying different pumping patterns, (b artificial recharge, (c extraction barrier, (d injection barrier and (e subsurface barrier. The best method has been selected considering its possible development in coastal areas of developing countries. The review is based considering the location of Semarang coastal area, Indonesia. The results have shown that artificial recharge and extraction barrier are the most suitable methods to be applied in the area.

  9. Study on protection and reclamation for the groundwater resources in Busan area

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sung, Ig-Hwan; Cho, Byong-Wook; Lee, Byung-Dae [Korea Institute of Geology Mining and Materials, Taejon (KR)

    1999-12-01

    This research was carried out to investigate the protection of contaminated groundwater and reclamation in the Pusan area. Groundwater Busan city is highly subjected to groundwater contamination due to its unfavorable geographical features; it is located in the estuaries of the Nakdong river, most of the urban area are composed of highlands, and the large population resides in the downhill. Heavy pumping and deterioration of groundwater are currently found to be significant compared to other major cities, resulting in shortage of water resources and contamination of groundwater. The first step of the research aims at investigating hydrogeological features which includes analysis of climate and hydrologic data, investigation of geology and structural pattern, acquisition of hydrological data, inspection of wells, measurement of groundwater level, analysis of water samples, investigation of groundwater contamination, isotope analysis, and monitoring water level by automated data logger to identify seawater intrusion. The second step is to simulate the two-dimensional flow model after construction of the database. Aside from this, abandoned wells were transformed into observation wells. An effort for remedy of contaminated groundwater was made and the water quality was constantly monitored to improve the deteriorated water to the drinking water. Kriging analysis and geostatistical analysis were carried out in order to verify the effect of seawater intrusion, showing that there is no clear evidence of seawater intrusion. Instead, it is clear that groundwater in the inland district was preferentially contaminated by pollutants originated from human activities. Based on the two-dimensional flow model, only 0.021 m{sup 3} may be allocated to each person a day from public wells for emergency. In order to ensure that protection and remediation of groundwater of the Busan area are able to accomplish, well-controlled management of aquifer systems needs to be maintained and

  10. A hydrological and geochemical survey of the groundwater resource of Favignana Island

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grillini, Marcello; De Cassan, Maurizio; Proposito, Marco

    2015-01-01

    Small islands suffer water shortage, and tourist pressure makes it even worse: Favignana island is the site that best represents such conditions, due to the contrast between the intense anthropization and the harsh nature of the terrains. The ENEA study hypothesized a solution in identifying the best areas where groundwater is abundant and presents the best conditions to take water samples for anthropic use. With hydrological measurements and chemical analyses, an area theoretically interesting has been identified in the eastern sector, where groundwater is better in quality and just a few meters deep below the ground. Westwards, instead, it is at a lower depth and saltier, due to its more intense contamination with seawater. Yet the amount of available groundwater is everywhere so poor that more intense water sampling is not recommended: people have always been living in good balance with nature, and they know how to manage the island's groundwater resource, fed by rare precipitations, as a supplement to the drinking water supply coming from Trapani [it

  11. Groundwater assessment in water resources management at Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soares, Sabrina M.V.; Marques, Joyce R.; Monteiro, Lucilena R.; Stellato, Thamiris B.; Silva, Tatiane B.S.C.; Faustino, Mainara G.; Silva, Douglas B. da; Cotrim, Marycel E.B.; Pires, Maria Aparecida F., E-mail: sabrinamoura@usp.br, E-mail: joyce.marques@usp.br, E-mail: luciremo@uol.com.br, E-mail: thamistellato@gmail.com, E-mail: tatianebscs@live.com, E-mail: mainarag@usp.br, E-mail: douglas.sbatista@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: mecotrim@ipen.br, E-mail: mapires@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2015-07-01

    To comply with the guidelines for environmental control and legal requirements, the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN/ CNEN - Brazil/ SP) performs the Environmental Monitoring Program for Chemical Stable Compounds (PMA-Q) since 2007, in attendance to the Term for the Adjustment of Conduct (TAC) signed between IPEN and the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). The PMA-Q program includes the assessment of the IPEN's wastewater released in water body, and the groundwater assessment, which is carried out in nine monitoring wells. In groundwater is analyzed, by ion chromatography, species regulated by CONAMA 396/08 [01] fluoride, chloride, nitrite-N, nitrate-N, sulfate, sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium and calcium, besides other parameters. Furthermore, based on legal requirements, each year the program is reviewed and improvement actions are planned and implemented. Therefore, the integrated monitoring of groundwater should provide information on the quality and dynamics of the aquifer compared to seasonal variations and anthropogenic effects. Thus, this study intends to evaluate the chemical features of the institute groundwater, evaluating the database of the monitoring program from 2011 to 2014, for the ions chloride, nitrate-N, sulfate, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and bicarbonate, using these information diagrams will be developed for the characterization of the wells. This assessment will be essential to support the control actions of environmental pollution and the management of water resources. Making possible the establishment of groundwater Quality Reference Figures (QRF), according to the CONAMA 396/08 [01] rating, in order to demonstrate that the activities developed at IPEN are not affecting on the aquifer features. (author)

  12. The hydrological and geochemical isolation of a freshwater bog within a saline fen in north-eastern Alberta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.J. Scarlett

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available In the oil sands development region near Fort McMurray, Alberta, wetlands cover ~62 % of the landscape, and ~95 % of these wetlands are peatlands. A saline fen was studied as a reference site for peatland reclamation. Despite highly saline conditions, a freshwater bog was observed in the path of local saline groundwater flow. The purpose of this study was to identify the hydrological controls that have allowed the development and persistence of a bog in this setting. The presence of bog vegetation and its dilute water chemistry suggest that saline groundwater from the fen rarely enters the bog, which functions predominantly as a groundwater recharge system. Chloride (Cl– and sodium (Na+ were the dominant ions in fen water, with concentrations averaging 5394 and 2307 mg L-1, respectively, while the concentrations in bog water were 5 and 4 mg L-1, respectively. These concentrations were reflected by salinity and electrical conductivity measurements, which in the fen averaged 9.3 ppt, and 15.8 mS cm-1, respectively, and in the bog averaged 0.1 ppt and 0.3 mS cm-1, respectively. A small ridge in the mineral substratum was found at the fen–bog margin, which created a persistent groundwater mound. Under the dry conditions experienced in early summer, groundwater flow was directed away from the bog at a rate of 14.6 mm day-1. The convex water table at the fen-bog margin impeded flow of saline water into the bog and instead directed it around the bog margin. However, the groundwater mound was eliminated during flooding in autumn, when the horizontal hydraulic gradient across the margin became negligible, suggesting the possibility of saline water ingress into the bog under these conditions.

  13. Hydromorphology of the Unconfined Groundwater in the South of Klaten District (Data Before Earthquake Mei 27th 2006

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Langgeng Wahyu Santosa

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available There are some characteristics and distributions of unconfined groundwater variation in the research area. Those are related to a system of water supply and consumptive use for drinking water. Variation of the groundwater characteristic depends on variation of morphology. Therefore, it is needed to delineate hydromorphology units of the regions as a base on groundwater resources management, especially for drinking water. The aims of the research are: (1 to study of the characteristic and distribution of unconfined groundwater variations base on landform units, (2 to study the factors that affect such variations, and (3 to establish the hydromorphology units of the regions for groundwater resources management, especially for drinking water. The method used in this research is landform approach and field survey. The sampling method is stratified sampling, based on landform as the analysis approach. Result of the research shows that there are some variations of groundwater characteristic at each landform. Landforms which have good groundwater characteristic are Hydromorphology Unit of Fluvio Volcanic Plain of Young Merapi (except Bayat region and Hydromorphology Unit of Volcanic Foot Plain of Young Merapi. At those units, there are good quality of groundwater, bicarbonate water (hydrochemical type I, having low electric conductivity, shallow of water table, low in fluctuation, and middle to fast class in aquifer permeability. Those units are the most potential unconfined groundwater resources management for drinking water. The units which have poor groundwater characteristic are Hidromorphology Unit in Bayat Region, including Undulating Alluvial Plain, Fluvio Volcanic Plain of Young Merapi, and Swamp Alluvial Plain. Generally, the groundwater quality is medium to poor, the hydrochemical type is Va (initiation process of connate water and type III (evaporate water, shallow up to medium of water table, and low to middle class of aquifer permeability

  14. Distribution and health risk assessment of natural fluoride of drinking groundwater resources of Isfahan, Iran, using GIS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghapour, Saba; Bina, Bijan; Tarrahi, Mohammad Javad; Amiri, Fahimeh; Ebrahimi, Afshin

    2018-02-13

    Fluoride (F) contamination in groundwater can be problematic to human health. This study evaluated the concentration of fluoride in groundwater resources of Isfahan Province, the central plateau of Iran, and its related health issues to the inhabitant populations. For this purpose, 573 drinking groundwater samples were analyzed in 2016 by using the spectrophotometric method. Non-carcinogenic health risks due to F exposure through consumption of drinking water were assessed using the US EPA method. In addition, the associated zoning maps of the obtained results were presented using geographic information system (GIS). The results indicated that F content in drinking water ranged from 0.02 to 2.8 mg/L. The F contents were less than 0.50 mg/L in 63% of the drinking groundwater samples, 0.51-1.5 mg/L in 33.15%, and higher than 1.5 mg/L in 3.85% (Iran and World Health Organization guidelines) of the drinking groundwater samples. The F levels in the west and the south groundwater resources of the study areas were lower than 0.5 mg/L, which is within the recommended values for controlling dental caries (0.50-1.0 mg/L). Therefore, these places require more attention and more research is needed to increase F intake for health benefit. The HQ index for children, teens and male and female adults had health hazards (HQ > 1) in 51, 17, 28, and 18 of samples, respectively. Groundwater resources having a risk of more than one were located in the counties of Nayin, Natanz, and Ardestan. So, in these areas, there are potential risks of dental fluorosis. The most vulnerable groups were children. The F levels must be reduced in this region to decrease endemic fluorosis.

  15. Modeling the impacts of dryland agricultural reclamation on groundwater resources in Northern Egypt using sparse data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Switzman, Harris; Coulibaly, Paulin; Adeel, Zafar

    2015-01-01

    Demand for freshwater in many dryland environments is exerting negative impacts on the quality and availability of groundwater resources, particularly in areas where demand is high due to irrigation or industrial water requirements to support dryland agricultural reclamation. Often however, information available to diagnose the drivers of groundwater degradation and assess management options through modeling is sparse, particularly in low and middle-income countries. This study presents an approach for generating transient groundwater model inputs to assess the long-term impacts of dryland agricultural land reclamation on groundwater resources in a highly data-sparse context. The approach was applied to the area of Wadi El Natrun in Northern Egypt, where dryland reclamation and the associated water use has been aggressive since the 1960s. Statistical distributions of water use information were constructed from a variety of sparse field and literature estimates and then combined with remote sensing data in spatio-temporal infilling model to produce the groundwater model inputs of well-pumping and surface recharge. An ensemble of groundwater model inputs were generated and used in a 3D groundwater flow (MODFLOW) of Wadi El Natrun's multi-layer aquifer system to analyze trends in water levels and water budgets over time. Validation of results against monitoring records, and model performance statistics demonstrated that despite the extremely sparse data, the approach used in this study was capable of simulating the cumulative impacts of agricultural land reclamation reasonably well. The uncertainty associated with the groundwater model itself was greater than that associated with the ensemble of well-pumping and surface recharge estimates. Water budget analysis of the groundwater model output revealed that groundwater recharge has not changed significantly over time, while pumping has. As a result of these trends, groundwater was estimated to be in a deficit of

  16. The mediating role of environmental emotions in transition from knowledge to sustainable use of groundwater resources in Iran's agriculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aliakbar Raeisi

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The excessive use of groundwater resources has created numerous environmental consequences in Iran. Many water experts believe that this crisis can be overcome by fostering sustainable environmental behavior in the utilization of groundwater resources and increasing the farmers' environmental knowledge, attitude and emotions. The objective of this study was to investigate transformation of environmental knowledge to sustainable use of groundwater resources through the analysis of the mediating role of environmental emotions in Iran's agriculture. This research was carried out via a survey technique within the category of descriptive-correlation and causal-relational research. All the wheat producing farmers of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, which is a clear example of critical conditions for groundwater resources in Iran (N=168,873, constituted the statistical population of the study of whom 384 participants were selected using a stratified random sampling method. The research instrument was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a panel of professionals in agricultural extension, education and water management. The reliability of the items of the questionnaire was also evaluated via a pilot study and Cronbach's alpha (0.70≤α≤0.84. The results of the causal analysis indicated that environmental knowledge (β=0.309 and environmental emotions (β=0.565 have the significant influence on sustainable environmental behavior in the utilization of groundwater among wheat farmers. Therefore, it can be said environmental emotions is an important mediating factor for potentially improving water stakeholders' sustainable environmental behavior. Keywords: Sustainable environmental behavior (SEB, Groundwater, Environmental knowledge (EK, Environmental emotions (EE, Causal analysis

  17. Nitrogen Recovered By Sorghum Plants As Affected By Saline Irrigation Water And Organic/Inorganic Resources Using 15N Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    ABOU-ELKHAIR, R.A.; EL-MOHTASEM, M.O.; SOLIMAN, S.M.; GALAL, Y.G.M.; ABD EL-LATIF, E.M.

    2009-01-01

    A pot experiment was conducted in the green house of Soil and Water Department, Nuclear Research Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Egypt, to follow up the effect of saline irrigation water, inorganic and organic fertilizers on sorghum growth and N fractions that recovered by plant organs. Two types of artificial water salinity were used; one has 3 dS m -1 salinity level with 4 and 8 SAR and the second one has 3 and 6 dS m -1 salinity levels with 6 SAR . Leucenae residue and chicken manure were applied as organic sources at rate of 2% v/v. Sorghum was fertilized with recommended doses of super phosphate and potassium sulfate at rate of 150 kg P and 50 kg K per feddan, respectively. Labelled ammonium sulfate with 5% 15 N atom excess was applied to sorghum at rate of 100 kg N fed -1 . Dry matter yield (stalks and roots) was negatively affected by increasing water salinity levels or SAR ratios. Similar trend was recorded with N uptake by either stalks or roots of sorghum plants. On the other hand, both the dry matter yield and N uptake were positively and significantly affected by incorporation of organic sources in comparison to the untreated control. In this regard, the dry matter yield and N uptake induced by incorporation of chicken manure was superior over those recorded with leucenae residues. It means, in general, that the incorporation of organic sources into the soil may maximize the plant ability to combat the hazards effects caused by irrigation with saline water. Nitrogen derived from fertilizer (% Ndff), soil (% Ndfs) and organic resources (% Ndfr) showed frequent trends as affected by water salinity and organic resources but in most cases, severe reduction of these values was recorded when plants were irrigated with saline water. In the same time, plants were more dependent on N derived from organic sources than those derived from mineral fertilizer. Superiority of one organic source over the other was related to water salinity levels and SAR ratios

  18. Paleoenvironmental and paleohydrochemical conditions of dolomite formation within a saline wetland in arid northwest Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mather, Caroline C.; Skrzypek, Grzegorz; Dogramaci, Shawan; Grierson, Pauline F.

    2018-04-01

    Groundwater dolocrete occurring within the Fortescue Marsh, a large inland wetland in the Pilbara region of northwest Australia, has been investigated to provide paleoenvironmental and paleohydrological records and further the understanding of low temperature dolomite formation in terrestrial settings over the Quaternary Period. Two major phases of groundwater dolocrete formation are apparent from the presence of two distinct units of dolocrete, based on differences in depth, δ18O values and mineral composition. Group 1 (G1) occurs at depth 20-65 m b.g.l. (below ground level) and contains stoichiometric dolomite with δ18O values of -4.02-0.71‰. Group 2 (G2) is shallower (0-23 m b.g.l.), occurring close to the current groundwater level, and contains Ca-rich dolomite ± secondary calcite with a comparatively lower range of δ18O values (-7.74 and -6.03‰). Modelled δ18O values of paleogroundwater from which older G1 dolomite precipitated indicated highly saline source water, which had similar stable oxygen isotope compositions to relatively old brine groundwater within the Marsh, developed under a different hydroclimatic regime. The higher δ18O values suggest highly evaporitic conditions occurred at the Marsh, which may have been a playa lake to saline mud flat environment. In contrast, G2 dolomite precipitated from comparatively fresher water, and modelled δ18O values suggested formation from mixing between inflowing fresher groundwater with saline-brine groundwater within the Marsh. The δ18O values of the calcite indicates formation from brackish to saline groundwater, which suggests this process may be associated with coeval gypsum dissolution. In contrast to the modern hydrology of the Marsh, which is surface water dependent and driven by a flood and drought regime, past conditions conducive to dolomite precipitation suggest a groundwater dependent system, where shallow groundwaters were influenced by intensive evaporation.

  19. Using isotope techniques to assess groundwater resources in the upper Jezireh region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kattan, Z.; Abou Zakhem, B.; Al-Charideh, A.; Kadkoy, N

    2008-07-01

    This work discuses in details the hydrochemical and environmental isotopes ( 2 H, 3 H, 13 C, 14 C, 18 O and 34 S) characteristics of groundwaters resources in the Palaeogene aquifer in the Upper Syrian Jezireh Region in order to evaluate these resources in terms of recharge zones and water ages in such an aquifer system that undergone during the last decades to intensive exploitation as a consequence of sever pumping in both Syria and Turkey. The results show that the main recharge zones for the Palaeogene aquifer exists in Turkey within lands of more than 700 m.a.s.l, and effectively coincide well with the exposure of the Karstified Nummulitic limestone in Mardin uplift. The chemical and isotopic behaviors of groundwaters, together with the radiometric 14 C ages reflect the existence of three different groundwater groups: (1) the fresh and cold water, percolating in short and shallow flow paths, such as the case of the major cold springs in Ras Al-Ain and Ain El-Arous areas and most wells located in the vicinity of the Syrian-Turkish borders, for which the main replenishment processes were occurred after the palaeoclimatic humid conditions of the Holocene period, placed between 4.5-6 ka BP; (2) the brackish and thermal waters containing certain amounts of H 2 S gas, that percolate in longer and deeper flow paths, for which the main replenishment processes were occurred during the palaeoclimatic humid conditions of the Pleistocene time, placed at 9-18 ka BP; (3) the brackish and admixed thermal groundwaters with intermediate 14 C ages, which seem to be formed as a result of mixing between the previous two groups. (Authors)

  20. Effluent salinity of pipe drains and tube-wells : a case study from the Indus plain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kelleners, T.J.

    2001-01-01

    Keywords: anisotropy, aquifer, desalinization, effluent salinity, groundwater, irrigation, salt-water upconing, soil salinity, stream-function, subsurface drainage

    Irrigated agriculture in arid and semi-arid zones often suffers from waterlogging and salinity problems.

  1. Development, evolution, and destruction of the saline mineral area of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, western Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.; Brownfield, Michael E.

    2015-01-01

    Halite and the sodium bicarbonate mineral nahcolite were deposited in Eocene-age saline Lake Uinta in the Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado. Variations in the areal extent of saline mineral deposition through time were studied using descriptions of core and outcrop. Saline minerals have been extensively leached by groundwater, and the original extent of saline deposition was determined from the distribution of empty vugs and collapse breccias. Because vugs and breccias strongly influence groundwater movement, determining where leaching has occurred is an important consideration for in-situ oil shale extraction methods currently being developed.

  2. Water sources accessed by arid zone riparian trees in highly saline environments, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costelloe, Justin F; Payne, Emily; Woodrow, Ian E; Irvine, Elizabeth C; Western, Andrew W; Leaney, Fred W

    2008-05-01

    The flow regimes of arid zone rivers are often highly variable, and shallow groundwater in the alluvial aquifers can be very saline, thus constraining the availability and quality of the major water sources available to riparian trees-soil water, shallow groundwater and stream water. We have identified water sources and strategies used by riparian trees in more highly saline and arid conditions than previously studied for riparian trees of arid zone rivers. Our research focused on the riparian species Eucalyptus coolabah, one of the major riparian trees of ephemeral arid zone rivers in Australia. The water sources available to this riparian tree were examined using delta(18)O isotope data from xylem, soil water, groundwater and surface water. Additionally, soil chloride and matric potential data were used to infer zones of water availability for root uptake. Despite the saline conditions, the trees used a mixture of soil water and groundwater sources, but they did not use surface water directly. The study identified three strategies used to cope with typically high groundwater and soil water salinities. Firstly, the trees preferentially grow in zones of most frequent flushing by infiltrating streamflow, such as the bank-tops of channels. Secondly, the trees limit water use by having low transpiration rates. Thirdly, the trees are able to extract water at very low osmotic potentials, with water uptake continuing at chloride concentrations of at least 20,000-30,000 mg L(-1).

  3. Effects of Projected Future Climate Change on Groundwater Recharge and Storage for Two Coastal Aquifers in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolb, C.

    2017-12-01

    Climate change is expected to pose a significant threat to water resources in the future. Guanacaste Province, located in northwestern Costa Rica, has a unique climate that is influenced by the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, as well as the Central Cordillera mountain range. Although the region experiences a marked rainy season between May and November, the hot, dry summers often stress water resources. Climate change projections suggest increased temperatures and reduced precipitation for the region, which will further stress water supplies. This study focuses on the effects of climate change on groundwater resources for two coastal aquifers, Potrero and Brasilito. The UZF model package coupled with the finite difference groundwater flow model MODFLOW were used to evaluate the effect of climate change on groundwater recharge and storage. A potential evapotranspiration model was used to estimate groundwater infiltration rates used in the MODFLOW model. Climate change projections for temperature, precipitation, and sea level rise were used to develop climate scenarios, which were compared to historical data. Preliminary results indicate that climate change could reduce future recharge, especially during the dry season. Additionally, the coastal aquifers are at increased risk of reduced storage and increased salinization due to the reductions in groundwater recharge and sea level rise. Climate change could also affect groundwater quality in the region, disrupting the ecosystem and impairing a primary source of drinking water.

  4. Hydrogeochemical interpretation of the groundwater at the Haestholmen site, Finland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nordstrom, D.K.

    1986-11-01

    This investigation forms a part of the research aimed at marking an assessment of the suitability of rapakivi granite at Haestholmen, an island off the southeastern coast of Finland, for the storage of reactor waste from the Loviisa nuclear power plant. The purpose of this study is to provide preliminary interpretations of the groundwater chemistry based on analyses of groundwater samples taken from several drillholes down to depths of 200 m, as well as other hydrogeological studies made on the site. Chemical analyses of grounfwaters at Haestholmen have demonstrated a fresh-water/saline-water interface at 60-150 m depth, depending on the distance from the coast. The main conclusions from this study are that (1) the saline water has a seawater origin, (2) the saline water is most likely old Baltic seawater from the early to middle Holocene, (3) this seawater has been chemically modified by at least four processes: calcite precipitation, fluorite dissolution and precipitation, Na-K-Mg-Ca cation exchange and sulfate reduction, (4) the saline groundwaters are not chemically uniform with depth and (5) the saline water chemistry reflects a structural control by the bedrock

  5. Submarine Ground Water Discharge and Fate Along the Coast of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai'i:Part 2, Spatial and Temporal Variations in Salinity, Radium-Isotope Activity, and Nutrient Concentrations in Coastal Waters, December 2003-April 2006

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knee, Karen; Street, Joseph; Grossman, Eric E.; Paytan, Adina

    2008-01-01

    The aquatic resources of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, including rocky shoreline, fishponds, and anchialine pools, provide habitat to numerous plant and animal species and offer recreational opportunities to local residents and tourists. A considerable amount of submarine groundwater discharge was known to occur in the park, and this discharge was suspected to influence the park's water quality. Thus, the goal of this study was to characterize spatial and temporal variations in the quality and quantity of groundwater discharge in the park. Samples were collected in December 2003, November 2005, and April 2006 from the coastal ocean, beach pits, three park observation wells, anchialine pools, fishponds, and Honokohau Harbor. The activities of two Ra isotopes commonly used as natural ground-water tracers (223Ra and 224Ra), salinity, and nutrient concentrations were measured. Fresh ground water composed a significant proportion (8-47 volume percent) of coastal-ocean water. This percentage varied widely between study sites, indicating significant spatial variation in submarine groundwater discharge at small (meter to kilometer) scales. Nitrate + nitrite, phosphate, and silica concentrations were significantly higher in nearshore coastal-ocean samples relative to samples collected 1 km or more offshore, and linear regression showed that most of this difference was due to fresh ground-water discharge. High-Ra-isotope-activity, higher-salinity springs were a secondary source of nutrients, particularly phosphate, at Honokohau Harbor and Aiopio Fishtrap. Salinity, Ra-isotope activity, and nutrient concentrations appeared to vary in response to the daily tidal cycle, although little seasonal variation was observed, indicating that submarine ground-water discharge may buffer the park's water quality against the severe seasonal changes that would occur in a system where freshwater inputs were dominated by rivers and runoff. Ra-isotope-activity ratios indicated

  6. Selection of spatial scale for assessing impacts of groundwater-based water supply on freshwater resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hybel, A-M; Godskesen, B; Rygaard, M

    2015-09-01

    Indicators of the impact on freshwater resources are becoming increasingly important in the evaluation of urban water systems. To reveal the importance of spatial resolution, we investigated how the choice of catchment scale influenced the freshwater impact assessment. Two different indicators were used in this study: the Withdrawal-To-Availability ratio (WTA) and the Water Stress Index (WSI). Results were calculated for three groundwater based Danish urban water supplies (Esbjerg, Aarhus, and Copenhagen). The assessment was carried out at three spatial levels: (1) the groundwater body level, (2) the river basin level, and (3) the regional level. The assessments showed that Copenhagen's water supply had the highest impact on the freshwater resource per cubic meter of water abstracted, with a WSI of 1.75 at Level 1. The WSI values were 1.64 for Aarhus's and 0.81 for Esbjerg's water supply. Spatial resolution was identified as a major factor determining the outcome of the impact assessment. For the three case studies, WTA and WSI were 27%-583% higher at Level 1 than impacts calculated for the regional scale. The results highlight that freshwater impact assessments based on regional data, rather than sub-river basin data, may dramatically underestimate the actual impact on the water resource. Furthermore, this study discusses the strengths and shortcomings of the applied indicator approaches. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates that although WSI has the highest environmental relevance, it also has the highest uncertainty, as it requires estimations of non-measurable environmental water requirements. Hence, the development of a methodology to obtain more site-specific and relevant estimations of environmental water requirements should be prioritized. Finally, the demarcation of the groundwater resource in aquifers remains a challenge for establishing a consistent method for benchmarking freshwater impacts caused by groundwater abstraction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier

  7. The groundwater circulation in the Finnsjoe area - the impact of density gradients. Part A, B, C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahlbom, K.; Svensson, U.

    1991-11-01

    Saline groundwater is found in many boreholes at the Finnsjoen site. The occurrences and depths to the saline water vary however greatly between different boreholes. This report presents a conceptual model which can explain most of these differences. The model is based on several assumptions. The background and relevance for using these assumptions are discussed and estimated depths to the interface between non-saline and saline groundwater, based on the conceptual model, are presented. (au)

  8. The long-term impacts of anthropogenic and natural processes on groundwater deterioration in a multilayered aquifer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheikhy Narany, Tahoora; Sefie, Anuar; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin

    2018-07-15

    In many regions around the world, there are issues associated with groundwater resources due to human and natural factors. However, the relation between these factors is difficult to determine due to the large number of parameters and complex processes required. In order to understand the relation between land use allocations, the intrinsic factors of the aquifer, climate change data and groundwater chemistry in the multilayered aquifer system in Malaysia's Northern Kelantan Basin, twenty-two years hydrogeochemical data set was used in this research. The groundwater salinisation in the intermediate aquifer, which mainly extends along the coastal line, was revealed through the hydrogeochemical investigation. Even so, there had been no significant trend detected on groundwater salinity from 1989 to 2011. In contrast to salinity, as seen from the nitrate contaminations there had been significantly increasing trends in the shallow aquifer, particularly in the central part of the study area. Additionally, a strong association between high nitrate values and the areas covered with palm oil cultivations and mixed agricultural have been detected by a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), which implies that the increasing nitrate concentrations are associated with nitrate loading from the application of N-fertilisers. From the process of groundwater salinisation in the intermediate aquifer, could be seen that it has a strong correlation the aquifer lithology, specifically marine sediments which are influenced by the ancient seawater trapped within the sediments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Analysis of Groundwater Resources Vulnerability from Agricultural Activities in the Large Irrigation District along the Yellow River

    OpenAIRE

    He, Bin; Oki, Taikan; Kanae, Shinjiro; Runkle, Benjamin; Liang, Xu; Zeng, Ayan; Hao, Fanghua

    2008-01-01

    Groundwater forms an important source of water supply in arid and semi-arid region. Optimum conjunctive utilization of surface and groundwater resources has become extremely important to fill the gap between water demand and supply. Hetao Irrigation District (HID) is the largest irrigation district along the Yellow River and its groundwater table is shallow. The project of Water Saving Reconstruction (WSR) has been conducted for the purpose of keeping the Yellow River free from drying up. The...

  10. Using environmental isotopes along with major hydro-geochemical compositions to assess deep groundwater formation and evolution in eastern coastal China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Naizheng; Gong, Jianshi; Yang, Guoqiang

    2018-01-01

    Hydrochemical analysis and environmental isotopic tracing are successfully applied to study groundwater evolution processes. Located in eastern China, the Jiangsu Coastal Plain is characterized by an extensively exploited deep groundwater system, and groundwater salinization has become the primary water environmental problem. This paper provides a case study on the use of a hydrochemical and environmental isotopic approach to assess possible mixing and evolution processes at Yoco Port, Jiangsu Province, China. Hydrochemical and isotopic patterns of deep groundwater allow one to distinguish different origins in deep water systems. HCO3- is the dominant anion in the freshwater samples, whereas Na+ and Cl- are the dominant major ions in the saline samples. According to δ18O, δ2H and 14C dating, the fresh water is derived from precipitation under a colder climate during the Glacial Maximum (Dali Glacial), while the saline groundwater is influenced by glacial-interglacial cycles during the Holocene Hypsithermal. The δ18O, δ2H and 3H data confirm that deep groundwater in some boreholes is mixed with overlying saline water. The deep groundwater reservoir can be divided into a saline water sector and a fresh water sector, and each show distinct hydrochemical and isotopic compositions. The saline groundwater found in the deep aquifer cannot be associated with present seawater intrusion. Since the Last Glacial Maximum in the Late Pleistocene, the deep groundwater flow system has evolved to its current status with the decrease in ice cover and the rising of sea level. However, the hydraulic connection is strengthened by continuous overexploitation, and deep groundwater is mixed with shallow groundwater at some points.

  11. Improving assessment of groundwater-resource sustainability with deterministic modelling: a case study of the semi-arid Musi sub-basin, South India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massuel, S.; George, B. A.; Venot, J.-P.; Bharati, L.; Acharya, S.

    2013-11-01

    Since the 1990s, Indian farmers, supported by the government, have partially shifted from surface-water to groundwater irrigation in response to the uncertainty in surface-water availability. Water-management authorities only slowly began to consider sustainable use of groundwater resources as a prime concern. Now, a reliable integration of groundwater resources for water-allocation planning is needed to prevent aquifer overexploitation. Within the 11,000-km2 Musi River sub-basin (South India), human interventions have dramatically impacted the hard-rock aquifers, with a water-table drop of 0.18 m/a over the period 1989-2004. A fully distributed numerical groundwater model was successfully implemented at catchment scale. The model allowed two distinct conceptualizations of groundwater availability to be quantified: one that was linked to easily quantified fluxes, and one that was more expressive of long-term sustainability by taking account of all sources and sinks. Simulations showed that the latter implied 13 % less available groundwater for exploitation than did the former. In turn, this has major implications for the existing water-allocation modelling framework used to guide decision makers and water-resources managers worldwide.

  12. Hydrochemical analysis of groundwater using multivariate statistical methods - The Volta region, Ghana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banoeng-Yakubo, B.; Yidana, S.M.; Nti, E.

    2009-01-01

    Q and R-mode multivariate statistical analyses were applied to groundwater chemical data from boreholes and wells in the northern section of the Volta region Ghana. The objective was to determine the processes that affect the hydrochemistry and the variation of these processes in space among the three main geological terrains: the Buem formation, Voltaian System and the Togo series that underlie the area. The analyses revealed three zones in the groundwater flow system: recharge, intermediate and discharge regions. All three zones are clearly different with respect to all the major chemical parameters, with concentrations increasing from the perceived recharge areas through the intermediate regions to the discharge areas. R-mode HCA and factor analysis (using varimax rotation and Kaiser Criterion) were then applied to determine the significant sources of variation in the hydrochemistry. This study finds that groundwater hydrochemistry in the area is controlled by the weathering of silicate and carbonate minerals, as well as the chemistry of infiltrating precipitation. This study finds that the ??D and ??18O data from the area fall along the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL). An equation of regression derived for the relationship between ??D and ??18O bears very close semblance to the equation which describes the GMWL. On the basis of this, groundwater in the study area is probably meteoric and fresh. The apparently low salinities and sodicities of the groundwater seem to support this interpretation. The suitability of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes is related to its source, which determines its constitution. A plot of the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and salinity (EC) data on a semilog axis, suggests that groundwater serves good irrigation quality in the area. Sixty percent (60%), 20% and 20% of the 67 data points used in this study fall within the medium salinity - low sodicity (C2-S1), low salinity -low sodicity (C1-S1) and high salinity - low

  13. Assessment of groundwater quality in the coastal area of Sindh province, Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alamgir, Aamir; Khan, Moazzam Ali; Schilling, Janpeter; Shaukat, S Shahid; Shahab, Shoaib

    2016-02-01

    Groundwater is a highly important resource, especially for human consumption and agricultural production. This study offers an assessment of groundwater quality in the coastal areas of Sindh province in Pakistan. Fifty-six samples of groundwater were taken at depths ranging from 30 to 50 m. Bacteriological and physico-chemical analyses were performed using the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. These were supplemented with expert interviews and observations to identify the usage of water and potential sources of pollution. The quality of the groundwater was found to be unsuitable for human consumption, despite being used for this purpose. The concentrations of sulfate and phosphate were well within the tolerance limits. Most critical were the high levels of organic and fecal pollution followed by turbidity and salinity. Metal concentrations (As, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were also determined, and Ni and Pb strongly exceeded health standards. The study stresses the need for significant improvements of the irrigation, sanitation, and sewage infrastructure.

  14. Improved water resource management for a highly complex environment using three-dimensional groundwater modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moeck, Christian; Affolter, Annette; Radny, Dirk; Dressmann, Horst; Auckenthaler, Adrian; Huggenberger, Peter; Schirmer, Mario

    2018-02-01

    A three-dimensional groundwater model was used to improve water resource management for a study area in north-west Switzerland, where drinking-water production is close to former landfills and industrial areas. To avoid drinking-water contamination, artificial groundwater recharge with surface water is used to create a hydraulic barrier between the contaminated sites and drinking-water extraction wells. The model was used for simulating existing and proposed water management strategies as a tool to ensure the utmost security for drinking water. A systematic evaluation of the flow direction between existing observation points using a developed three-point estimation method for a large number of scenarios was carried out. It is demonstrated that systematically applying the developed methodology helps to identify vulnerable locations which are sensitive to changing boundary conditions such as those arising from changes to artificial groundwater recharge rates. At these locations, additional investigations and protection are required. The presented integrated approach, using the groundwater flow direction between observation points, can be easily transferred to a variety of hydrological settings to systematically evaluate groundwater modelling scenarios.

  15. Geochemistry and arsenic behaviour in groundwater resources of the Pannonian Basin (Hungary and Romania)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rowland, Helen A.L., E-mail: helen.rowland@aquatrain.eu [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Duebendorf (Switzerland)] [Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Babes-Bolyai, Cluj Napoca (Romania); Omoregie, Enoma O. [School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences and Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester (United Kingdom); Millot, Romain [BRGM, Metrology Monitoring Analysis Department, Orleans (France); Jimenez, Cristina; Mertens, Jasmin [Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Babes-Bolyai, Cluj Napoca (Romania)] [Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics (IBP), ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Baciu, Calin [Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Babes-Bolyai, Cluj Napoca (Romania); Hug, Stephan J. [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Duebendorf (Switzerland); Berg, Michael, E-mail: michael.berg@eawag.ch [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Duebendorf (Switzerland)

    2011-01-15

    Graphical abstract: Elevated As levels in the Pannonian Basin are mainly present in very old (Palaeo) groundwater of methanogenic Pliocene/Quaternary aquifers, which is in contrast to Asian regions where arsenic-enriched groundwater is generally much younger. Display Omitted Research highlights: {yields} Arsenic originates from Late Pliocene/Quaternary aquifers and some very old waters. {yields} Arsenic levels are controlled by both mobilisation and retention mechanisms. {yields} Mobilisation is caused by biogeochemical reductive dissolution. {yields} Sufficient sulfate supply triggers arsenic retention in sulfide precipitates. {yields} Nearly 500,000 people are exposed to elevated arsenic in their drinking water. - Abstract: Groundwater resources in the Pannonian Basin (Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Serbia) are known to contain elevated naturally occurring As. Published estimates suggest nearly 500,000 people are exposed to levels greater than the EU maximum admissible concentration of 10 {mu}g/L in their drinking water, making it the largest area so affected in Europe. In this study, a variety of groundwaters were collected from Romania and Hungary to elucidate the general geochemistry and identify processes controlling As behaviour. Concentrations ranged from <0.5 to 240 {mu}g/L As(tot), with As predominantly in the reduced As(III) form. Using cluster analysis, four main groups of water were identified. Two groups (1 and 2) showed characteristics of water originating from reducing aquifers of the area with both groups having similar ranges of Fe concentrations, indicating that Fe-reduction occurs in both groups. However, As levels and other redox characteristics were very different. Group 1, indicative of waters dominated by methanogenesis contained high As levels (23-208 {mu}g/L, mean 123 {mu}g/L), with group 2 indicative of waters dominated by SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}reduction containing low As levels (<0.5-58 {mu}g/L, mean 11.5 {mu}g/L). The remaining two groups

  16. Biogeochemical cycling of arsenic in coastal salinized aquifers: Evidence from sulfur isotope study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kao, Yu-Hsuan; Wang, Sheng-Wei; Liu, Chen-Wuing; Wang, Pei-Ling; Wang, Chung-Ho; Maji, Sanjoy Kumar

    2011-01-01

    Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater, accompanied by critical salinization, occurs in the southwestern coastal area of Taiwan. Statistical analyses and geochemical calculations indicate that a possible source of aqueous arsenic is the reductive dissolution of As-bearing iron oxyhydroxides. There are few reports of the influence of sulfate-sulfide redox cycling on arsenic mobility in brackish groundwater. We evaluated the contribution of sulfate reduction and sulfide re-oxidation on As enrichment using δ 34 S [SO 4 ] and δ 18 O [SO 4 ] sulfur isotopic analyses of groundwater. Fifty-three groundwater samples were divided into groups of high-As content and salinized (Type A), low-As and non-salinized (Type B), and high-As and non-salinized (Type C) groundwaters, based on hydro-geochemical analysis. The relatively high enrichment of 34 S [SO 4 ] and 18 O [SO 4 ] present in Type A, caused by microbial-mediated reduction of sulfate, and high 18 O enrichment factor (ε [SO 4 -H 2 O] ), suggests that sulfur disproportionation is an important process during the reductive dissolution of As-containing iron oxyhydroxides. Limited co-precipitation of ion-sulfide increased the rate of As liberation under anaerobic conditions. In contrast to this, Type B and Type C groundwater samples showed high δ 18 O [SO 4 ] and low δ 34 S [SO 4 ] values under mildly reducing conditions. Base on 18 O mass balance calculations, the oxide sources of sulfate are from infiltrated atmospheric O 2 , caused by additional recharge of dissolved oxygen and sulfide re-oxidation. The anthropogenic influence of extensive pumping also promotes atmospheric oxygen entry into aquifers, altering redox conditions, and increasing the rate of As release into groundwater. - Highlights: → Seawater intrusion and elevated As are the main issues of groundwater in Taiwan. → Sulfur and oxygen isotopes of sulfate were analyzed to evaluate the As mobility. → Reductive dissolution of Fe minerals and

  17. Environmental isotope study of a groundwater supply project in the Kalahari of Gordonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verhagen, B.T.

    1984-01-01

    A feasibility study for a central fresh groundwater supply scheme in the Kalahari of the Gordonia district, South Africa, provided the opportunity to study fresh and saline water occurrences in detail with environmental isotopes. The isotopic and chemical signals show a clear contrast among groundwaters below a river bed, an extended fresh groundwater body and saline groundwaters in close proximity to the river. Carbon-14, tritium and stable-isotope data lead to a vertical rain recharge model rather than a regional flow mechanism for an understanding of the various water occurrences, their interrelationships and varied hydrochemistry. (author)

  18. Effects of groundwater withdrawals from the Hurricane Fault zone on discharge of saline water from Pah Tempe Springs, Washington County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Philip M.

    2018-04-10

    Pah Tempe Springs, located in Washington County, Utah, contribute about 95,000 tons of dissolved solids annually along a 1,500-foot gaining reach of the Virgin River. The river gains more than 10 cubic feet per second along the reach as thermal, saline springwater discharges from dozens of orifices located along the riverbed and above the river on both banks. The spring complex discharges from fractured Permian Toroweap Limestone where the river crosses the north-south trending Hurricane Fault. The Bureau of Reclamation Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program is evaluating the feasibility of capturing and desalinizing the discharge of Pah Tempe Springs to improve downstream water quality in the Virgin River. The most viable plan, identified by the Bureau of Reclamation in early studies, is to capture spring discharge by pumping thermal groundwater from within the Hurricane Fault footwall damage zone and to treat this water prior to returning it to the river.Three multiple-day interference tests were conducted between November 2013 and November 2014, wherein thermal groundwater was pumped from fractured carbonate rock in the fault damage zone at rates of up to 7 cubic feet per second. Pumping periods for these tests lasted approximately 66, 74, and 67 hours, respectively, and the tests occurred with controlled streamflows of approximately 2.0, 3.5, and 24.5 cubic feet per second, respectively, in the Virgin River upstream from the springs reach. Specific conductance, water temperature, and discharge were monitored continuously in the river (upstream and downstream of the springs reach) at selected individual springs, and in the pumping discharge during each of the tests. Water levels were monitored in three observation wells screened in the thermal system. Periodic stream and groundwater samples were analyzed for dissolved-solids concentration and the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen. Additional discrete measurements of field parameters (specific

  19. Groundwater geochemistry of Isla de Mona, Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wicks, C.M.; Troester, J.W.

    1998-01-01

    In this study, we explore the differences between the hydrogeochemical processes observed in a setting that is open to input from the land surface and in a setting that is closed with respect to input from the land surface. The closed setting was a water-filled passage in a cave. Samples of groundwater and of a solid that appeared to be suspended in the relatively fresh region of saline-freshwater mixing zone were collected. The solid was determined to be aragonite. Based on the analyses of the composition and saturation state of the groundwater, the mixing of fresh and saline water and precipitation of aragonite are the controlling geochemical processes in this mixing zone. We found no evidence of sulfate reduction. Thus, this mixing zone is similar to that observed in Caleta Xel Ha, Quintana Roo, also a system that is closed with respect to input from the land surface. The open setting was an unconfined aquifer underlying the coastal plain along which four hand-dug wells are located. Two wells are at the downgradient ends of inferred flowpaths and one is along a flowpath. The composition of the groundwater in the downgradient wells is sulfide-rich and brackish. In contrast, at the well located along a flow line, the groundwater is oxygenated and brackish. All groundwater is oversaturated with respect to calcite, aragonite, and dolomite. The composition is attributed to mixing of fresh and saline groundwater, CO2 outgassing, and sulfate reduction. This mixing zone is geochemically similar to that observed in blue holes and cenotes.

  20. Geochemistry and environmental isotope of groundwater from the upper Cretaceous aquifer of Orontes basin (Syria)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Charideh, A.

    2010-03-01

    Chemical and environmental isotopes have been used for studying the Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems in the Middle Orontes basin. The results indicate that the salinity of groundwater (0.2 to 2 g/l) reveals the dissolution of evaporate rocks is the main factor of high salinity especially in the Homes depression. The degree of salinity and its spaces distribution are basically related to the pattern of groundwater movement in the Upper cretaceous aquifer. The stable isotopes composition of groundwater in the Homes depression are more depleted by -2.5% and -17.0% for δ 18 O and δ 2 H respectively, than the groundwater from Hama elevation, suggested different origin and recharge time between this two groundwater groups. Estimates of their mean subsurface residence times have been constrained on the basis of 14 C D IC. The corrected ages of groundwater are recent and less to 10 thousand years in Hama uplift. However, the corrected age of groundwater in the Homs depression range between 10 to 25 thousand years indicate late Pleistocene recharge period. (author)

  1. Geophysical, geochemical and hydrological analyses of water-resource vulnerability to salinization: case of the Uburu-Okposi salt lakes and environs, southeast Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ukpai, S. N.; Okogbue, C. O.

    2017-11-01

    Until this study, the location and depth of the saline units in Uburu-Okposi salt lake areas and environs have been unknown. This study aimed at delineating the saline lithofacies and dispersal configurations to water bodies, using electrical geophysical methods such as constant separation traversing (CST) and vertical electrical sounding (VES). Results showed weathered zones that represent aquifers mostly at the fourth geoelectric layer: between upper layered aquitards and underlying aquitards at depths 30-140 m. Lateral distribution of resistivity variance was defined by the CST, whereas the VES tool, targeted at low-resistivity zones, detected isolated saline units with less than 10 ohm-m at depths generally >78 m. The saline lithofacies were suspected to link freshwater zones via shear zones, which steer saline water towards the salt lakes and influence the vulnerability of groundwater to salinization. The level of salinization was verified by water sampling and analysis, and results showed general alkaline water type with a mean pH of 7.66. Water pollution was indicated: mean total dissolved solids (TDS) 550 mg/l, electrical conductivity (EC) 510 μS/cm, salinity 1.1‰, Cl- 200 mg/l, N03 -35.5 mg/l, Na+ 19.6 mg/l and Ca2+ 79.3 mg/l. The salinity is controlled by NaCl salt, as deduced from correlation analysis using the software package Statistical Product for Service Solutions (SPSS). Generally, concentrations of dissolved ions in the water of the area are enhanced via mechanisms such as evaporation, dissociation of salts, precipitation run off and leaching of dissolved rock minerals.

  2. Quality of groundwater resources in Afghanistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayat, Ehsanullah; Baba, Alper

    2017-07-01

    Water is the main source of energy production and economy in Afghanistan where agriculture accounts for more than 50% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Access to safe drinking water is still a problem in the country, which has caused different health issues and even child mortality especially in rural areas. Groundwater is the main source of drinking water in the country. However, little knowledge is available about the quality of groundwater throughout the entire country, and its quality has not been investigated extensively yet like in other countries in the world. While most people think that consuming groundwater is a reliable and safe source of drinking water for health, the United Nations (UN) agencies report various kinds of waterborne diseases and even child mortalities due to drinking water quality in the country. In this article, significant geogenic and anthropogenic factors that play a vital role in groundwater contamination of the country are identified and explained. Different geogenic contaminations such as arsenic, fluoride, sulfate, and boron occur in several areas of Afghanistan that have a direct effect on human health. The water quality mapping for Afghanistan is completed for half of the country, which shows that groundwater is plagued by high levels of fluoride and arsenic in some areas. The water quality mapping of the other half of the country cannot be completed due to security concerns currently. Also, there are different kinds of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, and dysentery that can be seen in different parts of the country because of anthropogenic activities which continuously deteriorate groundwater.

  3. The origin of groundwater salinity in granitic rocks: identification and characterisation of chloride sources; Origine de la salinite des eaux souterraines en milieu granitique: identification et caracterisation des sources de chlorure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Savoye, S.

    1998-04-29

    Hydrogeological research in crystalline rocks, developed either in geothermics or in feasibility studies for geological disposal of radioactive waste, points out a wide range of chloride contents in associated groundwaters. The aim of this dissertation is to identify the possible origins of chloride in groundwaters within different geological conditions. The three possible chloride reservoirs (chloride-bearing minerals, fluid inclusions, micro-porosity) located in rock have been characterised by studying samples from eight granitic sites with different technical approaches (electronic microbeam, alkaline fusion, micro-thermometry, crush-leaching, diffusion experiment). Firstly, this allows the definition of a new typology of the sites, by considering not only hydrogeological features but also occurrence of salt-rich fluid inclusions with sedimentary origin. Secondly, the use of tracers (such as Cl/Br ratio, {delta}{sup 37}Cl) and mass balance calculations shows that the contribution of fluid inclusions trapped in quartz and chloride-bearing minerals cannot account for the high salinity of groundwater. In this case, the chloride origin could be of sedimentary type. Chloride would be stored in micro-porosity and in fluid inclusions trapped in carbonates. Thirdly, we have pointed out the importance of micro-porosity, acting more as a sieve and a buffer than as a source. Finally, we have shown that the low salinity of groundwaters has not always an internal origin. (author) 187 refs.

  4. Groundwater flow modelling at the Olkiluoto site, Finland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loefman, J.

    1996-01-01

    Preliminary site investigations for spent fuel disposal has been carried out at the Olkiluoto site, Finland. During the investigations high salt concentrations were measured in the groundwater samples deep in the bedrock. In this study, the groundwater flow is analyzed at Olkiluoto taking into account the effects of salinity. The transient simulations are performed by solving coupled and non-linear partial differential equations describing the flow and solute transport. A site-specific simulation model for flow and transport is developed on the basis of the field investigations. The simulations are carried out for a period that started when the highest hills at Olkiluoto rose above sea level. The simulation period continues until the present day. The results of the coupled simulations were strongly dependent on the poorly known initial salinity distribution in the solution domain. The DP approximation together with the EC approximation proved to be a useful complementary approach when simulating solute transport in a fractured rock mass. The simulations also confirm the assumption that the realistic simulation of groundwater flow at Olkiluoto requires taking into account the effects of salinity

  5. 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

  6. Site scale groundwater flow in Olkiluoto - complementary simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loefman, J.

    2000-06-01

    This work comprises of the complementary simulations to the previous groundwater flow analysis at the Olkiluoto site. The objective is to study the effects of flow porosity, conceptual model for solute transport, fracture zones, land uplift and initial conditions on the results. The numerical simulations are carried out up to 10000 years into the future employing the same modelling approach and site-specific flow and transport model as in the previous work except for the differences in the case descriptions. The result quantities considered are the salinity and the driving force in the vicinity of the repository. The salinity field and the driving force are sensitive to the flow porosity and the conceptual model for solute transport. Ten-fold flow porosity and the dual-porosity approach retard the transport of solutes in the bedrock resulting in brackish groundwater conditions at the repository at 10000 years A.P. (in the previous work the groundwater in the repository turned into fresh). The higher driving forces can be attributed to the higher concentration gradients resulting from the opposite effects of the land uplift, which pushes fresh water deeper and deeper into the bedrock, and the higher flow porosity and the dual-porosity model, which retard the transport of solutes. The cases computed (unrealistically) without fracture zones and postglacial land uplift show that they both have effect on the results and can not be ignored in the coupled and transient groundwater flow analyses. The salinity field and the driving force are also sensitive to the initial salinity field especially at the beginning during the first 500 years A.P. The sensitivity will, however, diminish as soon as fresh water dilutes brackish and saline water and decreases the concentration gradients. Fresh water conditions result in also a steady state for the driving force in the repository area. (orig.)

  7. Porewater salinity and the development of swelling pressure in bentonite-based buffer and backfill materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dixon, D.A. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (Canada)

    2000-06-01

    At the depths proposed for a nuclear fuel waste repository, it is likely that saline groundwater conditions will be encountered in the granitic rocks of Finland and Canada. The potential for saline groundwater to influence of the ability of bentonite-based buffer and backfilling materials to swell and thereby generate swelling pressure has been reviewed. Based on the data collected from existing literature, it would appear that porewater salinities as high as 100 g/l will not compromise the ability of confined, bentonite-based materials to develop a swelling pressure of at least 100 kPa on its confinement, provided the effective clay dry density (ECDD), exceeds approximately 0.9 Mg/m{sup 3}. At densities less than approximately 0.9 Mg/m{sup 3} the swelling pressure of bentonite-based materials may be reduced and become sensitive to salt concentration. The influence of porewater salinity on swelling pressure can be compared on the basis of the ECDD required to develop 100 kPa of swelling pressure. In order to generate 100 kPa of swelling pressure an ECDD of approximately 0.7 Mg/m{sup 3} is required to be present under fresh water or brackish porewater conditions. This density would need to be increased to approximately 0.9 Mg/m{sup 3} where the groundwater conditions were saline. The impact that groundwater salinity will have on density specifications for buffer and backfilling materials are discussed with reference to the nuclear fuel waste disposal concepts of Finland and Canada. (orig.)

  8. A Geology-Based Estimate of Connate Water Salinity Distribution

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-09-01

    poses serious environmental concerns if connate water is mobilized into shallow aquifers or surface water systems. Estimating the distribution of...groundwater flow and salinity transport near the Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) surrounding Lake Okeechobee in Florida . The simulations were conducted using the...on the geologic configuration at equilibrium, and the horizontal salinity distribution is strongly linked to aquifer connectivity because

  9. Development, Testing, and Application of a Coupled Hydrodynamic Surface-Water/Groundwater Model (FTLOADDS) with Heat and Salinity Transport in the Ten Thousand Islands/Picayune Strand Restoration Project Area, Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swain, Eric D.; Decker, Jeremy D.

    2009-01-01

    A numerical model application was developed for the coastal area inland of the Ten Thousand Islands (TTI) in southwestern Florida using the Flow and Transport in a Linked Overland/Aquifer Density-Dependent System (FTLOADDS) model. This model couples a two-dimensional dynamic surface-water model with a three-dimensional groundwater model, and has been applied to several locations in southern Florida. The model application solves equations for salt transport in groundwater and surface water, and also simulates surface-water temperature using a newly enhanced heat transport algorithm. One of the purposes of the TTI application is to simulate hydrologic factors that relate to habitat suitability for the West Indian Manatee. Both salinity and temperature have been shown to be important factors for manatee survival. The inland area of the TTI domain is the location of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project, which is designed to restore predevelopment hydrology through the filling and plugging of canals, construction of spreader channels, and the construction of levees and pump stations. The effects of these changes are simulated to determine their effects on manatee habitat. The TTI application utilizes a large amount of input data for both surface-water and groundwater flow simulations. These data include topography, frictional resistance, atmospheric data including rainfall and air temperature, aquifer properties, and boundary conditions for tidal levels, inflows, groundwater heads, and salinities. Calibration was achieved by adjusting the parameters having the largest uncertainty: surface-water inflows, the surface-water transport dispersion coefficient, and evapotranspiration. A sensitivity analysis did not indicate that further parameter changes would yield an overall improvement in simulation results. The agreement between field data from GPS-tracked manatees and TTI application results demonstrates that the model can predict the salinity and temperature

  10. Groundwater flow and solute transport at the Mourquong saline-water disposal basin, Murray Basin, southeastern Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Craig; Narayan, Kumar; Woods, Juliette; Herczeg, Andrew

    2002-03-01

    Saline groundwater and drainage effluent from irrigation are commonly stored in some 200 natural and artificial saline-water disposal basins throughout the Murray-Darling Basin of Australia. Their impact on underlying aquifers and the River Murray, one of Australia's major water supplies, is of serious concern. In one such scheme, saline groundwater is pumped into Lake Mourquong, a natural groundwater discharge complex. The disposal basin is hydrodynamically restricted by low-permeability lacustrine clays, but there are vulnerable areas in the southeast where the clay is apparently missing. The extent of vertical and lateral leakage of basin brines and the processes controlling their migration are examined using (1) analyses of chloride and stable isotopes of water (2H/1H and 18O/16O) to infer mixing between regional groundwater and lake water, and (2) the variable-density groundwater flow and solute-transport code SUTRA. Hydrochemical results indicate that evaporated disposal water has moved at least 100 m in an easterly direction and that there is negligible movement of brines in a southerly direction towards the River Murray. The model is used to consider various management scenarios. Salt-load movement to the River Murray was highest in a "worst-case" scenario with irrigation employed between the basin and the River Murray. Present-day operating conditions lead to little, if any, direct movement of brine from the basin into the river. Résumé. Les eaux souterraines salées et les effluents de drainage de l'irrigation sont stockés dans environ 200 bassins naturels ou artificiels destinés à retenir les eaux salines dans tout le bassin de Murray-Darling, en Australie. Leur impact sur les aquifères sous-jacents et sur la rivière Murray, l'une des principales ressources en eau d'Australie, constitue un problème grave. Dans une telle situation, les eaux souterraines salines sont pompées dans le lac Mourquong, complexe dans lequel les nappes se d

  11. Composite analysis of landuse and groundwater resources of rod-kohi region of pakistan using geoinformatics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashraf, A.; Mustafa, N.; Iqbal, M.B.

    2015-01-01

    Rod-kohi system of irrigation is often generally referred to as flood irrigation or spate irrigation system in which floods of the hill torrents are diverted into plain area for irrigation purpose. In rod-kohi region where uncertainty exists in flood water availability for irrigation use, groundwater is a valuable resource used mainly as supplement source of irrigation. The region, being rich in natural resources, is remained far behind in terms of data availability and data quality, the situation that has affected incredibly the needs of future planning and development. In the present study, major landuse/landcover classes of the region were identified and delineated using Landsat ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) image data and related with groundwater potential for interactive analysis in GIS (Geographic Information System). The potential groundwater zones were delineated and assessed on the basis of aquifer characteristics in the region. Rangeland and exposed rocks were identified over 70% of the rod-kohi region i.e. total area about 42 Mha (Million hectares). Share of cropped area and bare soil or culturable waste was about 3.5 and 15.4%, respectively. High and medium potential of groundwater were estimated in about 2.3 Mha out of which 60% exist under bare soil, 16% under cropped area and the rest underneath other landuse classes. High efficiency irrigation techniques like drip and rain-gun system need to be adopted in areas having substantial groundwater potential in order to sustain agriculture production. The study would provide base for detail investigation. (author)

  12. Overview of groundwater management approaches at salinisation risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polemio, Maurizio; Zuffianò, Livia Emanuela

    2013-04-01

    All natural waters contain dissolved minerals from interactions with atmospheric and soil gases, mixing with other solutions, and/or interactions with the biosphere and lithosphere. In many cases, these processes result in natural waters containing solute or salinity above concentrations recommended for a specified use, which creates significant social and economic problems. Groundwater salinisation can be caused by natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities. For the former case, we can distinguish terrestrial and marine phenomena. Approximately 16% of the total area of continental earth is potentially involved in groundwater salinisation. Seawater intrusion can be considered to be the primary phenomenon to be studied in terms of groundwater salinisation. Three schematic approaches to the protection of groundwater via salinisation mitigation and/or groundwater salinity improvement are described based on the classifications of the primary salinisation sources and focusing on the effect of seawater intrusion. The complexity of these approaches generally increases due to difficulties caused by groundwater quality and quantity degradation and increased demand for quality water. In order from the lowest to the highest complexity, these approaches are the engineering approach, the discharge management approach, and the water and land management approach. The engineering approach is realised on the local or detailed scale with the purpose of controlling the salinisation, optimising the well discharge with specific technical solutions and/or completing works to improve the quality and/or quantity of the discharged fresh groundwater. The discharge management approach encompasses at least an entire coastal aquifer and defines rules concerning groundwater utilisation and well discharge. The water and land management approach should be applied on the regional scale. Briefly, this approach becomes necessary when one or more need creates an overall framework of high

  13. Impact of Drought on Groundwater and Soil Moisture - A Geospatial Tool for Water Resource Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziolkowska, J. R.; Reyes, R.

    2016-12-01

    For many decades, recurring droughts in different regions in the US have been negatively impacting ecosystems and economic sectors. Oklahoma and Texas have been suffering from exceptional and extreme droughts in 2011-2014, with almost 95% of the state areas being affected (Drought Monitor, 2015). Accordingly, in 2011 alone, around 1.6 billion were lost in the agricultural sector alone as a result of drought in Oklahoma (Stotts 2011), and 7.6 billion in Texas agriculture (Fannin 2012). While surface water is among the instant indicators of drought conditions, it does not translate directly to groundwater resources that are the main source of irrigation water. Both surface water and groundwater are susceptible to drought, while groundwater depletion is a long-term process and might not show immediately. However, understanding groundwater availability is crucial for designing water management strategies and sustainable water use in the agricultural sector and other economic sectors. This paper presents an interactive geospatially weighted evaluation model and a tool at the same time to analyze groundwater resources that can be used for decision support in water management. The tool combines both groundwater and soil moisture changes in Oklahoma and Texas in 2003-2014, thus representing the most important indicators of agricultural and hydrological drought. The model allows for analyzing temporal and geospatial long-term drought at the county level. It can be expanded to other regions in the US and the world. The model has been validated with the Palmer Drought Index Severity Index to account for other indicators of meteorological drought. It can serve as a basis for an upcoming socio-economic and environmental analysis of drought events in the short and long-term in different geographic regions.

  14. Management of saline soils in Israel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rawitz, E.

    1983-01-01

    The main soil salinity problem in Israel is the danger of gradual salinization as a result of excessively efficient water management. Aquifer management is aimed at preventing flow of groundwater into the ocean, causing a creeping salinization at a rate of about 2 ppm per year. Successful efforts to improve irrigation efficiency brought with them the danger of salt accumulation in the soil. A ten-year monitoring programme carried out by the Irrigation Extension Service at 250 sampling sites showed that appreciable salt accumulation indeed occurred during the rainless irrigation season. However, where annual rainfall is more than about 350 mm this salt accumulation is adequately leached out of the root zone by the winter rains. Soil salinity in the autumn is typically two to three times that in the spring, a level which does not affect yields adversely. In the drier regions of the country long-term increasing soil salinity has been observed, and leaching is required. This is generally accomplished during the pre-irrigation given in the spring, whose size is determined by the rainfall amount of the preceding winter. The increasing need to utilize brackish groundwater and recycled sewage effluent requires special measures, which have so far been successful. In particular, drip irrigation with its high average soil-water potential regime and partial wetting of the soil volume has achieved high yields under adverse conditions. However, the long-term trend of water-quality deterioration is unavoidable under present conditions, and will eventually necessitate either major changes in agricultural patterns or the provision of desalinated water for dilution of the irrigation water. (author)

  15. Hydrochemical Characteristics and Formation of the Saline or Salty Springs in Eastern Sichuan Basin of China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, X.

    2017-12-01

    Saline or salty springs provide important information on the hydrogeochemical processes and hydrology within subsurface aquifers. More than 20 saline and salty springs occur in the core of anticlines in the eastern Sichuan Basin in southwestern China where the Lower and Middle Triassic carbonates outcrop. Water samples of 8 saline and salty springs (including one saline hot spring) were collected for analyses of the major and minor constituents, trace elements and stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. The TDS of the springs range from 4 to 83 g/L, and they are mainly of Cl-Na type. Sr, Ba and Li are the predominant trace elements. The δ2H and δ18O of the water samples indicate that they are of meteoric origin. The source of salinity of the springs originates from dissolution of minerals in the carbonates, including halite, gypsum, calcite and dolomite. The formation mechanism of the springs is that groundwater receives recharge from infiltration of precipitation, undergoes shallow or deep circulation in the core of the anticline and incongruent dissolution of the salt-bearing carbonates occurs, and emerges in the river valley in the form of springs with relatively high TDS. The 8 springs can be classified into 4 springs of shallow groundwater circulation and 4 springs of deep groundwater circulation according to the depth of groundwater circulation, 7 springs of normal temperature and 1 hot spring according to temperature. There are also 2 up-flow springs: the carbonate aquifers are overlain by relatively impervious sandstone and shale, groundwater may flows up to the ground surface through the local portion of the overlying aquiclude where fractures were relatively well developed, and emerges as an up-flow spring. Knowledge of the hydrochemical characteristics and the geneses of the saline and salty springs are of important significance for the utilization and preservation of the springs.

  16. Pleistocene paleo-groundwater as a pristine fresh water resource in southern Germany--evidence from stable and radiogenic isotopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Geldern, Robert; Baier, Alfons; Subert, Hannah L; Kowol, Sigrid; Balk, Laura; Barth, Johannes A C

    2014-10-15

    Shallow groundwater aquifers are often influenced by anthropogenic contaminants or increased nutrient levels. In contrast, deeper aquifers hold potentially pristine paleo-waters that are not influenced by modern recharge. They thus represent important water resources, but their recharge history is often unknown. In this study groundwater from two aquifers in southern Germany were analyzed for their hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope compositions. One sampling campaign targeted the upper aquifer that is actively recharged by modern precipitation, whereas the second campaign sampled the confined, deep Benkersandstein aquifer. The groundwater samples from both aquifers were compared to the local meteoric water line to investigate sources and conditions of groundwater recharge. In addition, the deep groundwater was dated by tritium and radiocarbon analyses. Stable and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the deep-aquifer groundwater was not part of the hydrological water cycle in the recent human history. The results show that the groundwater is older than ~20,000 years and most likely originates from isotopically depleted melt waters of the Pleistocene ice age. Today, the use of this aquifer is strictly regulated to preserve the pristine water. Clear identification of such non-renewable paleo-waters by means of isotope geochemistry will help local water authorities to enact and justify measures for conservation of these valuable resources for future generations in the context of a sustainable water management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Development of A Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer Groundwater Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karakullukcu, R. E.; Tsai, F. T. C.; Bhatta, D.; Paudel, K.; Kao, S. C.

    2017-12-01

    The Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer (MRAA) underlies the Mississippi River Valley of the northeastern Louisiana, extending from the north border of Louisiana and Arkansas to south central of Louisiana. The MRAA has direct contact with the Mississippi River. However, the interaction between the Mississippi River and the alluvial aquifer is largely unknown. The MRAA is the second most used groundwater source in Louisiana's aquifers with about 390 million gallons per day, which is about 25% of all groundwater withdrawals in Louisiana. MRAA is the major water source to agriculture in the northeastern Louisiana. The groundwater withdrawals from the MRAA increases annually for irrigation. High groundwater pumping has caused significant groundwater level decline and elevated salinity in the aquifer. Therefore, dealing with agricultural irrigation is the primary purpose for managing the MRAA. The main objective of this study is to develop a groundwater model as a tool for the MRAA groundwater management. To do so, a hydrostratigraphy model of the MRAA was constructed by using nearly 8,000 drillers' logs and electric logs collected from Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. The hydrostratigraphy model clearly shows that the Mississippi River cuts into the alluvial aquifer. A grid generation technique was developed to convert the hydrostratigraphy model into a MODFLOW model with 12 layers. A GIS-based method was used to estimate groundwater withdrawals for irrigation wells based on the crop location and acreage from the USDACropScape - Cropland Data Layer. Results from the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model were used to determine potential recharge. NHDPlusV2 data was used to determine water level for major streams for the MODFLOW River Package. The groundwater model was calibrated using groundwater data between 2004 and 2015 to estimate aquifer hydraulic conductivity, specific yield, specific storage, river conductance, and surficial recharge.

  18. Submarine groundwater discharge within a landslide scar at the French Mediterranean coast

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oehler, Till; Mogollón, José M.; Moosdorf, Nils; Winkler, Andreas; Kopf, Achim; Pichler, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), the flow of fresh and saline groundwater from the seabed into the coastal ocean, has been intensively investigated in the recent years. This research has usually been restricted to shallow water and intertidal areas, whereas knowledge about groundwater seepage

  19. Establishing a baseline of estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation resources across salinity zones within coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hillmann, Eva R.; DeMarco, Kristin; LaPeyre, Megan K.

    2016-01-01

    Coastal ecosystems are dynamic and productive areas that are vulnerable to effects of global climate change. Despite their potentially limited spatial extent, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds function in coastal ecosystems as foundation species, and perform important ecological services. However, limited understanding of the factors controlling SAV distribution and abundance across multiple salinity zones (fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) in the northern Gulf of Mexico restricts the ability of models to accurately predict resource availability. We sampled 384 potential coastal SAV sites across the northern Gulf of Mexico in 2013 and 2014, and examined community and species-specific SAV distribution and biomass in relation to year, salinity, turbidity, and water depth. After two years of sampling, 14 species of SAV were documented, with three species (coontail [Ceratophyllum demersum], Eurasian watermilfoil [Myriophyllum spicatum], and widgeon grass [Ruppia maritima]) accounting for 54% of above-ground biomass collected. Salinity and water depth were dominant drivers of species assemblages but had little effect on SAV biomass. Predicted changes in salinity and water depths along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast will likely alter SAV production and species assemblages, shifting to more saline and depth-tolerant assemblages, which in turn may affect habitat and food resources for associated faunal species.

  20. A laboratory scale analysis of groundwater flow and salinity distribution in the Aespoe area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svensson, Urban

    1999-12-01

    This report concerns a study which was conducted for SKB. The conclusions and viewpoints presented in the report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily coincide with those of the client. The objective of the study is to develop, calibrate and apply a numerical simulation model of the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL). An area of 800 x 600 centred around the HRL, gives the horizontal extent of the model. In the vertical direction the model covers the depth interval from 200 to 560 metres. The model is based on a mathematical model that includes equations for the Darcy velocities, mass conservation and salinity distribution. Gravitational effects are thus fully accounted for. A site scale groundwater model was used to generate boundary conditions for all boundaries. Transmissivities of major fracture zones are based on field data. Fractures and fracture zones with a length scale between 5 and 320 metres are accounted for by a novel method that is based on a discrete fracture network. A small background conductivity is added to account for fractures smaller than the grid size, which is metres. A calibration of the model is carried out, using field data from the Aespoe HRL. A satisfactory agreement with field data is obtained. Main results from the model include vertical and horizontal sections of flow, salinity and hydraulic head distributions for completed tunnel. A sensitivity study, where the properties of the conductivity field are modified, is also carried out. The general conclusion of the study is that the model developed can simulate the conditions at the Aespoe HRL in a realistic manner

  1. 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

    Several methods exist to assess intrinsic groundwater (re)source vulnerability for the purpose of sustainable groundwater management and protection. However, several methods are empirical and limited in their application to specific types of hydrogeological systems. Recent studies suggest that a physically-based approach could be better suited to provide a general, conceptual and operational basis for groundwater vulnerability assessment. A novel method for physically-based assessment of intrinsic aquifer vulnerability is currently under development and tested to explore the potential of an integrated modelling approach, combining groundwater travel time probability and future scenario modelling in conjunction with the fully integrated HydroGeoSphere model. To determine the intrinsic groundwater resource vulnerability, a fully coupled 2D surface water and 3D variably-saturated groundwater flow model in conjunction with a 3D geological model (GoCAD) has been developed for a case study of the Rivière Saint-Charles (Québec/Canada) regional scale, urban watershed. The model has been calibrated under transient flow conditions for the hydrogeological, variably-saturated subsurface system, coupled with the overland flow zone by taking into account monthly recharge variation and evapotranspiration. To better determine the intrinsic groundwater vulnerability, two independent approaches are considered and subsequently combined in a simple, holistic multi-criteria-decision analyse. Most data for the model comes from an extensive hydrogeological database for the watershed, whereas data gaps have been complemented via field tests and literature review. The subsurface is composed of nine hydrofacies, ranging from unconsolidated fluvioglacial sediments to low permeability bedrock. The overland flow zone is divided into five major zones (Urban, Rural, Forest, River and Lake) to simulate the differences in landuse, whereas the unsaturated zone is represented via the model

  2. Marine water from mid-Holocene sea level highstand trapped in a coastal aquifer: Evidence from groundwater isotopes, and environmental significance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Stephen [School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne (Australia); Currell, Matthew, E-mail: Matthew.currell@rmit.edu.au [School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne (Australia); Cendón, Dioni I. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Kirrawee (Australia); Connected Water Initiative, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney (Australia)

    2016-02-15

    A multi-layered coastal aquifer in southeast Australia was assessed using environmental isotopes, to identify the origins of salinity and its links to palaeo-environmental setting. Spatial distribution of groundwater salinity (electrical conductivity values ranging from 0.395 to 56.1 mS/cm) was examined along the coastline along with geological, isotopic and chemical data. This allowed assessment of different salinity sources and emplacement mechanisms. Molar chloride/bromide ratios range from 619 to 1070 (621 to 705 in samples with EC > 15 mS/cm), indicating salts are predominantly marine. Two distinct vertical salinity profiles were observed, one with increasing salinity with depth and another with saline shallow water overlying fresh groundwater. The saline shallow groundwater (EC = 45.4 to 55.7 mS/cm) has somewhat marine-like stable isotope ratios (δ{sup 18}O = − 2.4 to − 1.9 ‰) and radiocarbon activities indicative of middle Holocene emplacement (47.4 to 60.4 pMC). This overlies fresher groundwater with late Pleistocene radiocarbon ages and meteoric stable isotopes (δ{sup 18}O = − 5.5 to − 4.6‰). The configuration suggests surface inundation of the upper sediments by marine water during the mid-Holocene (c. 2–8 kyr BP), when sea level was 1–2 m above today's level. Profiles of chloride, stable isotopes, and radiocarbon indicate mixing between this pre-modern marine water and fresh meteoric groundwater to varying degrees around the coastline. Mixing calculations using chloride and stable isotopes show that in addition to fresh-marine water mixing, some salinity is derived from transpiration by halophytic vegetation (e.g. mangroves). The δ{sup 13}C ratios in saline water (− 17.6 to − 18.4‰) also have vegetation/organic matter signatures, consistent with emplacement by surface inundation and extensive interaction between vegetation and recharging groundwater. Saline shallow groundwater is preserved only in areas where low

  3. Assessment of groundwater pollution from ash ponds using stable and unstable isotopes around the Koradi and Khaperkheda thermal power plants (Maharashtra, India)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Voltaggio, M.; Spadoni, M. [CNR — Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria, Via Salaria km. 29.300, 00010 Montelibretti, Roma (Italy); Sacchi, E. [Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia and CNR-IGG, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Sanam, R.; Pujari, P.R.; Labhasetwar, P.K. [CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020 (India)

    2015-06-15

    The impact on local water resources due to fly ash produced in the Koradi and Khaperkheda thermal power plants (district of Nagpur, Maharashtra — India) and disposed in large ponds at the surface was assessed through the study of environmental variation of ratios of stable and unstable isotopes. Analyses of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes suggest scarce interaction between the water temporarily stored in the ponds and the groundwater in the study area. Data also highlight that the high salinity of groundwater measured in the polluted wells is not due to evaporation, but to subsequent infiltration of stream waters draining from the ponds to the local aquifer. {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr values, when associated with Sr/Ca ratios, demonstrate the dominant role of waste waters coming from tens of brick kilns surrounding the pond sulfate pollution. Uranium isotopic analyses clearly show evidence of the interaction between groundwater and aquifer rocks, and confirm again the low influence of ash ponds. A new conceptual model based on the study of the isotopes of radium is also proposed and used to estimate residence times of groundwater in the area. This model highlights that high salinity cannot be in any case attributed to a prolonged water–rock interaction, but is due to the influence of untreated waste water of domestic or brick kiln origin on the shallow and vulnerable aquifers. - Highlights: • Ash ponds have wide environmental and social impact in India. • Isotope ratios can be used as tracers for possible pollution of groundwater. • Isotopes of O, H, Sr, U and Ra have been used to investigate the area of Koradi. • Salinity of groundwater is not due to fly ash but linked to local brick kilns. • A model for the residence time of water based on Ra isotopes is described.

  4. Hydrogeochemistry and Stable Isotope Studies of Groundwater in the Ga West Municipal Area, Ghana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saka, David

    2011-07-01

    This study assesses groundwater in the Ga West Municipal Area of Ghana using hydrogeochemistry and stable isotope approaches. High salinity groundwaters are obtained in the municipality which poses problems for current and future domestic water supply exploitation. The increase in salinity is related to the dissolution of minerals in the host rocks and the evaporative concentration of solutes. The dominant groundwater composition in both shallow and deep wells sampled is Na-Cl, with concentration increasing substantially with well depths. The mixing process between freshwater and saline water was observed in the shift from CaHCO3 facies to Ca-Cl facies. Schoeller diagrams showed that groundwater movement in the study area is mostly vertical, moving from the shallow groundwaters towards the deep groundwaters. There were however few exceptions where no relationship was established between the shallow and the deep groundwaters. The oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions in the groundwater samples suggest that groundwater recharge is of meteoric origin, with few samples showing evidence of evaporation. An average deuterium excess of rainfall of 14.2‰ was observed, which indicates the significance of kinetic evaporation due to low humidity conditions prevalent in the study area. The d-excess also indicates modern recharge along the Akwapim-Togo Ranges. Groundwater analysis for trace metals indicates that 93% of the groundwaters have Iron concentration above recommended limits. However, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr have values within the acceptable limits. Generally, about 40% of the groundwaters sampled are not suitable for drinking and domestic purposes based on comparison with international standards for drinking water. (au)

  5. Application of factor analysis and electrical resistivity to understand groundwater contributions to coastal embayments in semi-arid and hypersaline coastal settings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bighash, Paniz, E-mail: Bighash.p@gmail.com; Murgulet, Dorina

    2015-11-01

    Groundwater contributions and sources of salinity to Oso Bay in south Texas were investigated using multivariate statistical analysis of geochemical data and multitemporal electrical resistivity tomography surveys. Both analysis of geochemical data and subsurface imaging techniques identified two commonalities for the investigated system: 1) hypersaline water occurs near the groundwater/surface water interface during wet conditions creating reverse hydraulic gradients due to density effects. The development and downward movement of these fluids as continuous plumes deflect fresher groundwater discharge downward and laterally away from the surface; and 2) more pronounced upwelling of fresher groundwater occurs during drought periods when density inversions are more defined and are expected to overcome dispersion and diffusion processes and create sufficiently large-enough unstable gradients that induce density-difference convection. Salinity mass-balance models derived from time-difference resistivity tomograph and in-situ salinity data reaffirm these findings indicating that groundwater upwelling is more prominent during dry to wet conditions in 2013 (~ 545.5 m{sup 3}/d) and is less pronounced during wet to dry conditions in 2012 (~ 262.7 m{sup 3}/d) for the 224 m{sup 2} area surveyed. Findings show that the highly saline nature of water in this area and changes in salinity regimes can be attributed to a combination of factors, namely: surface outflows, evapoconcentration, recirculation of hypersaline groundwaters, and potential trapped oil field brines. Increased drought conditions will likely exacerbate the rate at which salinity levels are increasing in bays and estuaries in semi-arid regions where both hypersaline groundwater discharge and high evaporation rates occur simultaneously. - Highlights: • Study of salinity regimes in relation to groundwater in a coastal semiarid setting • Factor analysis defined dominant factors influencing water quality

  6. Application of factor analysis and electrical resistivity to understand groundwater contributions to coastal embayments in semi-arid and hypersaline coastal settings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bighash, Paniz; Murgulet, Dorina

    2015-01-01

    Groundwater contributions and sources of salinity to Oso Bay in south Texas were investigated using multivariate statistical analysis of geochemical data and multitemporal electrical resistivity tomography surveys. Both analysis of geochemical data and subsurface imaging techniques identified two commonalities for the investigated system: 1) hypersaline water occurs near the groundwater/surface water interface during wet conditions creating reverse hydraulic gradients due to density effects. The development and downward movement of these fluids as continuous plumes deflect fresher groundwater discharge downward and laterally away from the surface; and 2) more pronounced upwelling of fresher groundwater occurs during drought periods when density inversions are more defined and are expected to overcome dispersion and diffusion processes and create sufficiently large-enough unstable gradients that induce density-difference convection. Salinity mass-balance models derived from time-difference resistivity tomograph and in-situ salinity data reaffirm these findings indicating that groundwater upwelling is more prominent during dry to wet conditions in 2013 (~ 545.5 m 3 /d) and is less pronounced during wet to dry conditions in 2012 (~ 262.7 m 3 /d) for the 224 m 2 area surveyed. Findings show that the highly saline nature of water in this area and changes in salinity regimes can be attributed to a combination of factors, namely: surface outflows, evapoconcentration, recirculation of hypersaline groundwaters, and potential trapped oil field brines. Increased drought conditions will likely exacerbate the rate at which salinity levels are increasing in bays and estuaries in semi-arid regions where both hypersaline groundwater discharge and high evaporation rates occur simultaneously. - Highlights: • Study of salinity regimes in relation to groundwater in a coastal semiarid setting • Factor analysis defined dominant factors influencing water quality variations.

  7. Effectiveness of airborne multispectral thermal data for karst groundwater resources recognition in coastal areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pignatti, Stefano; Fusilli, Lorenzo; Palombo, Angelo; Santini, Federico; Pascucci, Simone

    2013-04-01

    Currently the detection, use and management of groundwater in karst regions can be considered one of the most significant procedures for solving water scarcity problems during periods of low rainfall this because groundwater resources from karst aquifers play a key role in the water supply in karst areas worldwide [1]. In many countries of the Mediterranean area, where karst is widespread, groundwater resources are still underexploited, while surface waters are generally preferred [2]. Furthermore, carbonate aquifers constitute a crucial thermal water resource outside of volcanic areas, even if there is no detailed and reliable global assessment of thermal water resources. The composite hydrogeological characteristics of karst, particularly directions and zones of groundwater distribution, are not up till now adequately explained [3]. In view of the abovementioned reasons the present study aims at analyzing the detection capability of high spatial resolution thermal remote sensing of karst water resources in coastal areas in order to get useful information on the karst springs flow and on different characteristics of these environments. To this purpose MIVIS [4, 5] and TASI-600 [6] airborne multispectral thermal imagery (see sensors' characteristics in Table 1) acquired on two coastal areas of the Mediterranean area interested by karst activity, one located in Montenegro and one in Italy, were used. One study area is located in the Kotor Bay, a winding bay on the Adriatic Sea surrounded by high mountains in south-western Montenegro and characterized by many subaerial and submarine coastal springs related to deep karstic channels. The other study area is located in Santa Cesarea (Italy), encompassing coastal cold springs, the main local source of high quality water, and also a noticeable thermal groundwater outflow. The proposed study shows the preliminary results of the two airborne deployments on these areas. The preprocessing of the multispectral thermal imagery

  8. Biogeochemical cycling of arsenic in coastal salinized aquifers: Evidence from sulfur isotope study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kao, Yu-Hsuan [Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Sheng-Wei [Agricultural Engineering Research Center, Chungli 320, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, Chen-Wuing, E-mail: lcw@gwater.agec.ntu.edu.tw [Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Pei-Ling [Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Chung-Ho [Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan, ROC (China); Maji, Sanjoy Kumar [Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2011-10-15

    Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater, accompanied by critical salinization, occurs in the southwestern coastal area of Taiwan. Statistical analyses and geochemical calculations indicate that a possible source of aqueous arsenic is the reductive dissolution of As-bearing iron oxyhydroxides. There are few reports of the influence of sulfate-sulfide redox cycling on arsenic mobility in brackish groundwater. We evaluated the contribution of sulfate reduction and sulfide re-oxidation on As enrichment using {delta}{sup 34}S{sub [SO{sub 4]}} and {delta}{sup 18}O{sub [SO{sub 4]}} sulfur isotopic analyses of groundwater. Fifty-three groundwater samples were divided into groups of high-As content and salinized (Type A), low-As and non-salinized (Type B), and high-As and non-salinized (Type C) groundwaters, based on hydro-geochemical analysis. The relatively high enrichment of {sup 34}S{sub [SO{sub 4]}} and {sup 18}O{sub [SO{sub 4]}} present in Type A, caused by microbial-mediated reduction of sulfate, and high {sup 18}O enrichment factor ({epsilon}{sub [SO{sub 4-H{sub 2O]}}}), suggests that sulfur disproportionation is an important process during the reductive dissolution of As-containing iron oxyhydroxides. Limited co-precipitation of ion-sulfide increased the rate of As liberation under anaerobic conditions. In contrast to this, Type B and Type C groundwater samples showed high {delta}{sup 18}O{sub [SO{sub 4]}} and low {delta}{sup 34}S{sub [SO{sub 4]}} values under mildly reducing conditions. Base on {sup 18}O mass balance calculations, the oxide sources of sulfate are from infiltrated atmospheric O{sub 2}, caused by additional recharge of dissolved oxygen and sulfide re-oxidation. The anthropogenic influence of extensive pumping also promotes atmospheric oxygen entry into aquifers, altering redox conditions, and increasing the rate of As release into groundwater. - Highlights: {yields} Seawater intrusion and elevated As are the main issues of groundwater in Taiwan

  9. Drought-induced recharge promotes long-term storage of porewater salinity beneath a prairie wetland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levy, Zeno F.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Moucha, Robert; Mushet, David M.; Goldhaber, Martin B.; LaBaugh, James W.; Fiorentino, Anthony J.; Siegel, Donald I.

    2018-02-01

    Subsurface storage of sulfate salts allows closed-basin wetlands in the semiarid Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America to maintain moderate surface water salinity (total dissolved solids [TDS] from 1 to 10 g L-1), which provides critical habitat for communities of aquatic biota. However, it is unclear how the salinity of wetland ponds will respond to a recent shift in mid-continental climate to wetter conditions. To understand better the mechanisms that control surface-subsurface salinity exchanges during regional dry-wet climate cycles, we made a detailed geoelectrical study of a closed-basin prairie wetland (P1 in the Cottonwood Lake Study Area, North Dakota) that is currently experiencing record wet conditions. We found saline lenses of sulfate-rich porewater (TDS > 10 g L-1) contained in fine-grained wetland sediments 2-4 m beneath the bathymetric low of the wetland and within the currently ponded area along the shoreline of a prior pond stand (c. 1983). During the most recent drought (1988-1993), the wetland switched from a groundwater discharge to recharge function, allowing salts dissolved in surface runoff to move into wetland sediments beneath the bathymetric low of the basin. However, groundwater levels during this time did not decline to the elevation of the saline lenses, suggesting these features formed during more extended paleo-droughts and are stable in the subsurface on at least centennial timescales. We hypothesize a "drought-induced recharge" mechanism that allows wetland ponds to maintain moderate salinity under semiarid climate. Discharge of drought-derived saline groundwater has the potential to increase the salinity of wetland ponds during wet climate.

  10. Database for the degradation risk assessment of groundwater resources (Southern Italy)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polemio, M.; Dragone, V.; Mitolo, D.

    2003-04-01

    The risk characterisation of quality degradation and availability lowering of groundwater resources has been pursued for a wide coastal plain (Basilicata region, Southern Italy), an area covering 40 km along the Ionian Sea and 10 km inland. The quality degradation is due two phenomena: pollution due to discharge of waste water (coming from urban areas) and due to salt pollution, related to seawater intrusion but not only. The availability lowering is due to overexploitation but also due to drought effects. To this purpose the historical data of 1,130 wells have been collected. Wells, homogenously distributed in the area, were the source of geological, stratigraphical, hydrogeological, geochemical data. In order to manage space-related information via a GIS, a database system has been devised to encompass all the surveyed wells and the body of information available per well. Geo-databases were designed to comprise the four types of data collected: a database including geometrical, geological and hydrogeological data on wells (WDB), a database devoted to chemical and physical data on groundwater (CDB), a database including the geotechnical parameters (GDB), a database concering piezometric and hydrological (rainfall, air temperature, river discharge) data (HDB). The record pertaining to each well is identified in these databases by the progressive number of the well itself. Every database is designed as follows: a) the HDB contains 1,158 records, 28 of and 31 fields, mainly describing the geometry of the well and of the stratigraphy; b) the CDB encompasses data about 157 wells, based on which the chemical and physical analyses of groundwater have been carried out. More than one record has been associated with these 157 wells, due to periodic monitoring and analysis; c) the GDB covers 61 wells to which the geotechnical parameters obtained by soil samples taken at various depths; the HDB is designed to permit the analysis of long time series (from 1918) of piezometric

  11. Developing Probabilistic Operating Rules for Real-time Conjunctive Use of Surface and Groundwater Resources:Application of Support Vector Machines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Bazargan-Lari

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Developing optimal operating policies for conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources when different decision makers and stakeholders with conflicting objectives are involved is usually a challenging task. This problem would be more complex when objectives related to surface and groundwater quality are taken into account. In this paper, a new methodology is developed for real time conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources. In the proposed methodology, a well-known multi-objective genetic algorithm, namely Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II is employed to develop a Pareto front among the objectives. The Young conflict resolution theory is also used for resolving the conflict of interests among decision makers. To develop the real time conjunctive use operating rules, the Probabilistic Support Vector Machines (PSVMs, which are capable of providing probability distribution functions of decision variables, are utilized. The proposed methodology is applied to Tehran Aquifer inTehran metropolitan area,Iran. Stakeholders in the study area have some conflicting interests including supplying water with acceptable quality, reducing pumping costs, improving groundwater quality and controlling the groundwater table fluctuations. In the proposed methodology, MODFLOW and MT3D groundwater quantity and quality simulation models are linked with NSGA-II optimization model to develop Pareto fronts among the objectives. The best solutions on the Pareto fronts are then selected using the Young conflict resolution theory. The selected solution (optimal monthly operating policies is used to train and verify a PSVM. The results show the significance of applying an integrated conflict resolution approach and the capability of support vector machines for the real time conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources in the study area. It is also shown that the validation accuracy of the proposed operating rules is higher that 80

  12. Influence of irrigation on the level, salinity and flow of groundwater at ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-03-31

    Mar 31, 2010 ... piezometers had to be measured, all readings were taken within 3 days. Water levels were measured to estab- lish the effect of rainfall, drainage and irrigation on the groundwater level. These levels were also used to gener- ate groundwater contour maps and to determine the groundwater flow directions.

  13. Geochemistry and arsenic behaviour in groundwater resources of the Pannonian Basin (Hungary and Romania)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rowland, Helen A.L.; Omoregie, Enoma O.; Millot, Romain; Jimenez, Cristina; Mertens, Jasmin; Baciu, Calin; Hug, Stephan J.; Berg, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Elevated As levels in the Pannonian Basin are mainly present in very old (Palaeo) groundwater of methanogenic Pliocene/Quaternary aquifers, which is in contrast to Asian regions where arsenic-enriched groundwater is generally much younger. Display Omitted Research highlights: → Arsenic originates from Late Pliocene/Quaternary aquifers and some very old waters. → Arsenic levels are controlled by both mobilisation and retention mechanisms. → Mobilisation is caused by biogeochemical reductive dissolution. → Sufficient sulfate supply triggers arsenic retention in sulfide precipitates. → Nearly 500,000 people are exposed to elevated arsenic in their drinking water. - Abstract: Groundwater resources in the Pannonian Basin (Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Serbia) are known to contain elevated naturally occurring As. Published estimates suggest nearly 500,000 people are exposed to levels greater than the EU maximum admissible concentration of 10 μg/L in their drinking water, making it the largest area so affected in Europe. In this study, a variety of groundwaters were collected from Romania and Hungary to elucidate the general geochemistry and identify processes controlling As behaviour. Concentrations ranged from 4 2- reduction containing low As levels ( 7 Li (an indicator of geothermal inputs) and As(tot) in geothermal/saline influenced waters indicate that elevated As is not from an external input, but is released due to an in-aquifer process. Geochemical reasoning, therefore, implies As mobilisation is controlled by redox processes, most likely microbially mediated reductive dissolution of As bearing Fe-oxides, known to occur in sediments from the area. More important is an overlying retention mechanism determined by the presence or absence of SO 4 2- . Ongoing SO 4 2- reduction will release S 2- , removing As from solution either by the formation of As-sulfides, or from sorption onto Fe-sulfide phases. In methanogenic waters, As released

  14. The Need for Deeper Hydrology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fogg, G. E.

    2016-12-01

    Hydrologists often compartmentalize subsurface fluid systems into soil, vadose zone, and groundwater even though such entities are all part of a dynamic continuum. Similarly, hydrogeologists mainly study the fresh groundwater that is essential to water resources upon which humans and ecosystems depend. While vast amounts of these fresh groundwater resources are in sedimentary basins, many of those basins contain vast amounts of saline groundwater and petroleum underneath the freshwater. Contrary to popular assumptions in the hydrogeology and petroleum communities, the saline groundwater and petroleum resources are not stagnant, but migrate in response to Tothian, topographically driven flow as well as other driving forces controlled by thermal, density and geomechanical processes. Importantly, the transition between fresh and saline groundwater does not necessarily represent a boundary between deep, stagnant groundwater and shallower, circulating groundwater. The deep groundwater is part of the subsurface fluid continuum, and exploitation of saline aquifer systems for conventional and unconventional (e.g., fracking) petroleum production or for injection of waste fluids should be done with some knowledge of the integrated fresh and saline water hydrogeologic system. Without sufficient knowledge of the deep and shallow hydrogeology, there will be significant uncertainty about the possible impacts of injection and petroleum extraction activities on overlying fresh groundwater quality and quantity. When significant uncertainty like this exists in science, public and scientific perceptions of consequences swing wildly from one extreme to another. Accordingly, professional and lay opinions on fracking range from predictions of doom to predictions of zero impact. This spastic range of opinions stems directly from the scientific uncertainty about hydrogeologic interactions between shallow and deep hydrogeologic systems. To responsibly manage both the fresh and saline

  15. Algae Resources

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2016-06-01

    Algae are highly efficient at producing biomass, and they can be found all over the planet. Many use sunlight and nutrients to create biomass, which contain key components—including lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates— that can be converted and upgraded to a variety of biofuels and products. A functional algal biofuels production system requires resources such as suitable land and climate, sustainable management of water resources, a supplemental carbon dioxide (CO2) supply, and other nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus). Algae can be an attractive feedstock for many locations in the United States because their diversity allows for highpotential biomass yields in a variety of climates and environments. Depending on the strain, algae can grow by using fresh, saline, or brackish water from surface water sources, groundwater, or seawater. Additionally, they can grow in water from second-use sources such as treated industrial wastewater; municipal, agricultural, or aquaculture wastewater; or produced water generated from oil and gas drilling operations.

  16. Optimized Management of Groundwater Resources in Kish Island: A Sensitivity Analysis of Optimal Strategies in Response to Environmental Changes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davood Mahmoodzadeh

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Groundwater in coastal areas is an essential source of freshwater that warrants protection from seawater intrusion as a priority based on an optimal management plan. Proper optimal management strategies can be developed using a variety of decision-making models. The present study aims to investigate the impacts of environmental changes on groundwater resources. For this purpose, a combined simulation-optimization model is employed that incorporates the SUTRA numerical model and the evolutionaty method of ant colony optimization. The fresh groundwater lens in Kish Island is used as a case study and different scenarios are considered for the likely enviromental changes. Results indicate that while variations in recharge rate form an important factor in the fresh groundwater lens, land-surface inundation due to rises in seawater level, especially in low-lying lands, is the major factor affecting the lens. Furthermore, impacts of environmental changes when effected into the Kish Island aquifer optimization management plan have led to a reduction of more than 20% in the allowable water extraction, indicating the high sensitivity of groundwater resources management plans in small islands to such variations.

  17. Selection of spatial scale for assessing impacts of groundwater-based water supply on freshwater resources

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hybel, Anne-Marie; Godskesen, Berit; Rygaard, Martin

    2015-01-01

    used in this study: the Withdrawal-To-Availability ratio (WTA) and the Water Stress Index (WSI). Results were calculated for three groundwater based Danish urban water supplies (Esbjerg, Aarhus, and Copenhagen). The assessment was carried out at three spatial levels: (1) the groundwater body level, (2......) the river basin level, and (3) the regional level. The assessments showed that Copenhagen's water supply had the highest impact on the freshwater resource per cubic meter of water abstracted, with a WSI of 1.75 at Level 1. The WSI values were 1.64 for Aarhus's and 0.81 for Esbjerg's water supply. Spatial......Indicators of the impact on freshwater resources are becoming increasingly important in the evaluation of urban water systems. To reveal the importance of spatial resolution, we investigated how the choice of catchment scale influenced the freshwater impact assessment. Two different indicators were...

  18. Impact of Coastal Development and Marsh Width Variability on Groundwater Quality in Estuarine Tidal Creeks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanahan, M.; Wilson, A. M.; Smith, E. M.

    2017-12-01

    Coastal upland development has been shown to negatively impact surface water quality in tidal creeks in the southeastern US, but less is known about its impact on groundwater. We sampled groundwater in the upland and along the marsh perimeter of tidal creeks located within developed and undeveloped watersheds. Samples were analyzed for salinity, dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Groundwater samples collected from the upland in developed and undeveloped watersheds were compared to study the impact of development on groundwater entering the marsh. Groundwater samples collected along the marsh perimeter were analyzed to study the impact of marsh width variability on groundwater quality within each creek. Preliminary results suggest a positive correlation between salinity and marsh width in undeveloped watersheds, and a higher concentration of nutrients in developed versus undeveloped watersheds.

  19. The value of iodide as a parameter in the chemical characterisation of groundwaters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd, J. W.; Howard, K. W. F.; Pacey, N. R.; Tellam, J. H.

    1982-06-01

    Brackish and saline groundwaters can severely constrain the use of fresh groundwaters. Their chemical characterisation is important in understanding the hydraulic conditions controlling their presence in an aquifer. Major ions are frequently of limited value but minor ions can be used. Iodide in groundwater is particularly significant in many environments due to the presence of soluble iodine in aquifer matrix materials. Iodide is found in groundwaters in parts of the English Chalk aquifer in concentrations higher than are present in modern seawater. Its presence is considered as a indication of groundwater residence and is of use in the characterisation of fresh as well as saline waters. Under certain circumstances modern seawater intrusion into aquifers along English estuaries produces groundwaters which are easily identified due to iodide enrichment from estuarine muds. In other environments iodide concentrations are of value in distinguishing between groundwaters in limestones and shaly gypsiferous rocks as shown by a study in Qatar, while in an alluvial aquifer study in Peru iodide has been used to identify groundwaters entering the aquifer from adjacent granodiorites.

  20. Monitoring and Modelling of Salinity Behaviour in Drinking Water Ponds in Southern Bangladesh

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoque, M. A.; Williams, A.; Mathewson, E.; Rahman, A. K. M. M.; Ahmed, K. M.; Scheelbeek, P. F. D.; Vineis, P.; Butler, A. P.

    2015-12-01

    Drinking water in southern Bangladesh is provided by a variety of sources including constructed storage ponds, seasonal rainwater and, ubiquitously saline, shallow groundwater. The ponds, the communal reservoirs for harvested rainwater, also tend to be saline, some as high as 2 g/l. Drinking water salinity has several health impacts including high blood pressure associated major risk factor for several cardio-vascular diseases. Two representative drinking water ponds in Dacope Upazila of Khulna District in southwest Bangladesh were monitored over two years for rainfall, evaporation, pond and groundwater level, abstraction, and solute concentration, to better understand the controls on drinking water salinity. Water level monitoring at both ponds shows groundwater levels predominantly below the pond level throughout the year implying a downward gradient. The grain size analysis of the underlying sediments gives an estimated hydraulic conductivity of 3E-8 m/s allowing limited seepage loss. Water balance modelling indicates that the seepage has a relatively minor effect on the pond level and that the bulk of the losses come from the combination of evaporation and abstraction particularly in dry season when precipitation, the only inflow to the pond, is close to zero. Seasonal variation in salinity (electrical conductivities, EC, ranged between 1500 to 3000 μS/cm) has been observed, and are primarily due to dilution from rainfall and concentration from evaporation, except on one occasion when EC reached 16,000 μS/cm due to a breach in the pond levee. This event was analogous to the episodic inundation that occurs from tropical cyclone storm surges and appears to indicate that such events are important for explaining the widespread salinisation of surface water and shallow groundwater bodies in coastal areas. A variety of adaptations (either from practical protection measures) or novel alternative drinking sources (such as aquifer storage and recovery) can be applied

  1. Sustainable development of water resources in Pakistan and environmental issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shakir, A.S.; Bashir, M.A

    2005-01-01

    Irrigation water represents an essential input for sustaining agricultural growth in Pakistan's arid to semi arid climate. While the surface water availability for irrigation has been more or less stagnant for the last three decades, the ground water utilization also appears to have touched the peak in most of the sweet aquifers. In the present state of inaction for the water resources development, the overall water availability is in fact declining due to progressive sedimentation of the existing storages and gradual lowering of water table in fresh ground water areas. The paper discusses major water resources concerns that threaten the sustainability of Pakistan's irrigated agriculture. The paper identifies overall water scarcity, high degree of temporal variability in river flows, lack of balancing storages and declining capacity of existing storages due to natural sedimentation as the serious concerns. Over exploitation of ground water and water quality concerns also seems to be emerging threats for environmentally sustainable irrigated agriculture in this country. The salt-water intrusion and increase in soil and ground water salinity are indicators of over exploitation of ground water for irrigation. The continuous use of poor quality ground water for irrigation is considered as one of the major causes of salinity in the area of irrigated agriculture. Indiscriminate pumping of the marginal and saline ground water can add to the root zone salinity and ultimately reduce the crop yields. The paper presents various management options for development and efficient utilization of water resources for environment friendly sustainable development of irrigated agriculture in Pakistan. These include construction of additional storage, modernization of irrigation system and effective conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources. The better soil and water management practices, saline agriculture, use of biotechnology and genetic engineering can further increase

  2. Geochemical processes controlling water salinization in an irrigated basin in Spain: Identification of natural and anthropogenic influence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Merchán, D., E-mail: d.merchan@igme.es [Geological Survey of Spain — IGME, C/Manuel Lasala 44 9B, 50006 Zaragoza (Spain); Auqué, L.F.; Acero, P.; Gimeno, M.J. [University of Zaragoza — Department of Earth Sciences (Geochemical Modelling Group), C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza (Spain); Causapé, J. [Geological Survey of Spain — IGME, C/Manuel Lasala 44 9B, 50006 Zaragoza (Spain)

    2015-01-01

    Salinization of water bodies represents a significant risk in water systems. The salinization of waters in a small irrigated hydrological basin is studied herein through an integrated hydrogeochemical study including multivariate statistical analyses and geochemical modeling. The study zone has two well differentiated geologic materials: (i) Quaternary sediments of low salinity and high permeability and (ii) Tertiary sediments of high salinity and very low permeability. In this work, soil samples were collected and leaching experiments conducted on them in the laboratory. In addition, water samples were collected from precipitation, irrigation, groundwater, spring and surface waters. The waters show an increase in salinity from precipitation and irrigation water to ground- and, finally, surface water. The enrichment in salinity is related to the dissolution of soluble mineral present mainly in the Tertiary materials. Cation exchange, precipitation of calcite and, probably, incongruent dissolution of dolomite, have been inferred from the hydrochemical data set. Multivariate statistical analysis provided information about the structure of the data, differentiating the group of surface waters from the groundwaters and the salinization from the nitrate pollution processes. The available information was included in geochemical models in which hypothesis of consistency and thermodynamic feasibility were checked. The assessment of the collected information pointed to a natural control on salinization processes in the Lerma Basin with minimal influence of anthropogenic factors. - Highlights: • Salinization in Lerma Basin was controlled by the dissolution of soluble salts. • Water salinization and nitrate pollution were found to be independent processes. • High NO{sub 3}, fresh groundwater evolved to lower NO{sub 3}, higher salinity surface water. • Inverse and direct geochemical modeling confirmed the hypotheses. • Salinization was a natural ongoing process

  3. Groundwater management based on monitoring of land subsidence and groundwater levels in the Kanto Groundwater Basin, Central Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furuno, K.; Kagawa, A.; Kazaoka, O.; Kusuda, T.; Nirei, H.

    2015-11-01

    Over 40 million people live on and exploit the groundwater resources of the Kanto Plain. The Plain encompasses metropolitan Tokyo and much of Chiba Prefecture. Useable groundwater extends to the base of the Kanto Plain, some 2500 to 3000 m below sea level. Much of the Kanto Plain surface is at sea level. By the early 1970s, with increasing urbanization and industrial expansion, local overdraft of groundwater resources caused major ground subsidence and damage to commercial and residential structures as well as to local and regional infrastructure. Parts of the lowlands around Tokyo subsided to 4.0 m below sea level; particularly affected were the suburbs of Funabashi and Gyotoku in western Chiba. In the southern Kanto Plain, regulations, mainly by local government and later by regional agencies, led to installation of about 500 monitoring wells and almost 5000 bench marks by the 1990's. Many of them are still working with new monitoring system. Long-term monitoring is important. The monitoring systems are costly, but the resulting data provide continuous measurement of the "health" of the Kanto Groundwater Basin, and thus permit sustainable use of the groundwater resource.

  4. Ground-Water Availability in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reilly, Thomas E.; Dennehy, Kevin F.; Alley, William M.; Cunningham, William L.

    2008-01-01

    Ground water is among the Nation's most important natural resources. It provides half our drinking water and is essential to the vitality of agriculture and industry, as well as to the health of rivers, wetlands, and estuaries throughout the country. Large-scale development of ground-water resources with accompanying declines in ground-water levels and other effects of pumping has led to concerns about the future availability of ground water to meet domestic, agricultural, industrial, and environmental needs. The challenges in determining ground-water availability are many. This report examines what is known about the Nation's ground-water availability and outlines a program of study by the U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Resources Program to improve our understanding of ground-water availability in major aquifers across the Nation. The approach is designed to provide useful regional information for State and local agencies who manage ground-water resources, while providing the building blocks for a national assessment. The report is written for a wide audience interested or involved in the management, protection, and sustainable use of the Nation's water resources.

  5. Assessment of Groundwater Resources in the Context of Climate Change and Population Growth: Case of the Klela Basin in Southern Mali

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adama Toure

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Groundwater in the Klela basin in Mali, a subbasin of the Bani basin (one of the main tributaries of the Niger River, is required for domestic use, irrigation and livestock. Furthermore, water supply of the city of Sikasso directly depends on the groundwater resources, which are under pressure caused by increased water demand as well as climate variability and climate change. As a consequence, freshwater availability is being threatened which can have a direct negative impact on irrigation agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate future behavior of groundwater resources in the context of climate change and population growth using socio-economic and population growth scenarios for water demand and the Representative Concentration Pathways scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 data for calculating groundwater recharge using the Thornthwaite model. The WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning system model was applied to balance water availability and demand and to compute changes in groundwater storage up to 2050. The overall results show that groundwater recharge as well as storage is decreasing over time, especially in the 2030s which can lead to severe agricultural droughts in this period. Recharge declined by approximatively 49% and stored groundwater by 24% over the study period.

  6. Remote sensing for assessing the zone of benefit where deep drains improve productivity of land affected by shallow saline groundwater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobryn, H T; Lantzke, R; Bell, R; Admiraal, R

    2015-03-01

    The installation of deep drains is an engineering approach to remediate land salinised by the influence of shallow groundwater. It is a costly treatment and its economic viability is, in part, dependent on the lateral extent to which the drain increases biological productivity by lowering water tables and soil salinity (referred to as the drains' zone of benefit). Such zones may be determined by assessing the biological productivity response of adjacent vegetation over time. We tested a multi-temporal satellite remote sensing method to analyse temporal and spatial changes in vegetation condition surrounding deep drainage sites at five locations in the Western Australian wheatbelt affected by dryland salinity-Morawa, Pithara, Beacon, Narembeen and Dumbleyung. Vegetation condition as a surrogate for biological productivity was assessed by Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) during the peak growing season. Analysis was at the site scale within a 1000 m buffer zone from the drains. There was clear evidence of NDVI increasing with elevation, slope and distance from the drain. After accounting for elevation, slope and distance from the drain, there was a significant increase in NDVI across the five locations after installation of deep drains. Changes in NDVI after drainage were broadly consistent with measured changes at each site in groundwater levels after installation of the deep drains. However, this study assessed the lateral extent of benefit for biological productivity and gave a measure of the area of benefit along the entire length of the drain. The method demonstrated the utility of spring NDVI images for rapid and relatively simple assessment of the change in site condition after implementation of drainage, but approaches for further improvement of the procedure were identified. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Quantifying Anthropogenic Stress on Groundwater Resources

    OpenAIRE

    Ashraf, Batool; AghaKouchak, Amir; Alizadeh, Amin; Mousavi Baygi, Mohammad; R. Moftakhari, Hamed; Mirchi, Ali; Anjileli, Hassan; Madani, Kaveh

    2017-01-01

    This study explores a general framework for quantifying anthropogenic influences on groundwater budget based on normalized human outflow (hout) and inflow (hin). The framework is useful for sustainability assessment of groundwater systems and allows investigating the effects of different human water abstraction scenarios on the overall aquifer regime (e.g., depleted, natural flow-dominated, and human flow-dominated). We apply this approach to selected regions in the USA, Germany and Iran to e...

  8. Geophysical Characterization Of Groundwater in the Mangrove Lakes Region of Everglades National Park.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiflai, M. E.; Whitman, D.; Price, R.; Frankovich, T.; Allen, J.

    2017-12-01

    Everglades National Park has been adversely impacted by past human activities that altered freshwater flow through the system. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) makes an effort to increase the flow of fresh water and modify the groundwater chemistry in Everglades National Park (ENP). This paper aims to present the changes in surface and ground water chemistry in response to CERP project. Electromagnetic (EM) surveys were conducted in Alligator Creek (West Lake) and McCormick Creek (Seven Palm) from 2013 to 2017. During the survey a GSSI Profiler EMP-400, multi- frequency Electromagnetic (EM) conductivity meter was deployed in a flat bottomed plastic kayak towed behind a motorized skiff. An inverse model of the data is performed by constraining the resistivity value of the surface water fixed. Then, the salinity of the groundwater is estimated by assuming a formation factor of 5. In the McCormick Creek system, between January 2016 and February 2017 the salinity of the groundwater shows a considerable decreases. In the northern end of Seven Palm, the salinity decreases from 3.64 PSU in 2016 to 2.5 PSU in 2017. In the southern end the salinity decreases from 8.05 PSU in 2016 to 3.05 in 2017. This demonstrates how the salinity of the groundwater increase from north to south and decreases yearly. Future work will integrate the EM data with DC resistivity measurements collected from a floating Schlumberger array.

  9. Application of factor analysis and electrical resistivity to understand groundwater contributions to coastal embayments in semi-arid and hypersaline coastal settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bighash, Paniz; Murgulet, Dorina

    2015-11-01

    Groundwater contributions and sources of salinity to Oso Bay in south Texas were investigated using multivariate statistical analysis of geochemical data and multitemporal electrical resistivity tomography surveys. Both analysis of geochemical data and subsurface imaging techniques identified two commonalities for the investigated system: 1) hypersaline water occurs near the groundwater/surface water interface during wet conditions creating reverse hydraulic gradients due to density effects. The development and downward movement of these fluids as continuous plumes deflect fresher groundwater discharge downward and laterally away from the surface; and 2) more pronounced upwelling of fresher groundwater occurs during drought periods when density inversions are more defined and are expected to overcome dispersion and diffusion processes and create sufficiently large-enough unstable gradients that induce density-difference convection. Salinity mass-balance models derived from time-difference resistivity tomograph and in-situ salinity data reaffirm these findings indicating that groundwater upwelling is more prominent during dry to wet conditions in 2013 (~545.5m(3)/d) and is less pronounced during wet to dry conditions in 2012 (~262.7 m(3)/d) for the 224 m(2) area surveyed. Findings show that the highly saline nature of water in this area and changes in salinity regimes can be attributed to a combination of factors, namely: surface outflows, evapoconcentration, recirculation of hypersaline groundwaters, and potential trapped oil field brines. Increased drought conditions will likely exacerbate the rate at which salinity levels are increasing in bays and estuaries in semi-arid regions where both hypersaline groundwater discharge and high evaporation rates occur simultaneously. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Management scenarios for the Jordan River salinity crisis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farber, E.; Vengosh, A.; Gavrieli, I.; Marie, Amarisa; Bullen, T.D.; Mayer, B.; Holtzman, R.; Segal, M.; Shavit, U.

    2005-01-01

    Recent geochemical and hydrological findings show that the water quality of the base flow of the Lower Jordan River, between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, is dependent upon the ratio between surface water flow and groundwater discharge. Using water quality data, mass-balance calculations, and actual flow-rate measurements, possible management scenarios for the Lower Jordan River and their potential affects on its salinity are investigated. The predicted scenarios reveal that implementation of some elements of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty will have negative effects on the Jordan River water salinity. It is predicted that removal of sewage effluents dumped into the river (???13 MCM/a) will significantly reduce the river water's flow and increase the relative proportion of the saline groundwater flux into the river. Under this scenario, the Cl content of the river at its southern point (Abdalla Bridge) will rise to almost 7000 mg/L during the summer. In contrast, removal of all the saline water (16.5 MCM/a) that is artificially discharged into the Lower Jordan River will significantly reduce its Cl concentration, to levels of 650-2600 and 3000-3500 mg/L in the northern and southern areas of the Lower Jordan River, respectively. However, because the removal of either the sewage effluents or the saline water will decrease the river's discharge to a level that could potentially cause river desiccation during the summer months, other water sources must be allocated to preserve in-stream flow needs and hence the river's ecosystem. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A simulation-optimization model for effective water resources management in the coastal zone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spanoudaki, Katerina; Kampanis, Nikolaos

    2015-04-01

    Coastal areas are the most densely-populated areas in the world. Consequently water demand is high, posing great pressure on fresh water resources. Climatic change and its direct impacts on meteorological variables (e.g. precipitation) and indirect impact on sea level rise, as well as anthropogenic pressures (e.g. groundwater abstraction), are strong drivers causing groundwater salinisation and subsequently affecting coastal wetlands salinity with adverse effects on the corresponding ecosystems. Coastal zones are a difficult hydrologic environment to represent with a mathematical model due to the large number of contributing hydrologic processes and variable-density flow conditions. Simulation of sea level rise and tidal effects on aquifer salinisation and accurate prediction of interactions between coastal waters, groundwater and neighbouring wetlands requires the use of integrated surface water-groundwater mathematical models. In the past few decades several computer codes have been developed to simulate coupled surface and groundwater flow. However, most integrated surface water-groundwater models are based on the assumption of constant fluid density and therefore their applicability to coastal regions is questionable. Thus, most of the existing codes are not well-suited to represent surface water-groundwater interactions in coastal areas. To this end, the 3D integrated surface water-groundwater model IRENE (Spanoudaki et al., 2009; Spanoudaki, 2010) has been modified in order to simulate surface water-groundwater flow and salinity interactions in the coastal zone. IRENE, in its original form, couples the 3D shallow water equations to the equations describing 3D saturated groundwater flow of constant density. A semi-implicit finite difference scheme is used to solve the surface water flow equations, while a fully implicit finite difference scheme is used for the groundwater equations. Pollution interactions are simulated by coupling the advection

  12. Contamination of water resources by pathogenic bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Water-borne pathogen contamination in water resources and related diseases are a major water quality concern throughout the world. Increasing interest in controlling water-borne pathogens in water resources evidenced by a large number of recent publications clearly attests to the need for studies that synthesize knowledge from multiple fields covering comparative aspects of pathogen contamination, and unify them in a single place in order to present and address the problem as a whole. Providing a broader perceptive of pathogen contamination in freshwater (rivers, lakes, reservoirs, groundwater) and saline water (estuaries and coastal waters) resources, this review paper attempts to develop the first comprehensive single source of existing information on pathogen contamination in multiple types of water resources. In addition, a comprehensive discussion describes the challenges associated with using indicator organisms. Potential impacts of water resources development on pathogen contamination as well as challenges that lie ahead for addressing pathogen contamination are also discussed. PMID:25006540

  13. Identification of the mechanisms and origin of salinization of groundwaters in coastal aquifers by means of isotopic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Araguas, L. J.; Quejido, A. J.

    2007-01-01

    To study the origin of salinity and the mechanisms operating in coastal aquifers, a set of tools is available to determine the essential aspects of the hydrogeological behaviour of the system. these tools are based on the integrated use of hydrochemical parameters (major constituents and trace elements) and isotopic parameters (oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, carbon, strontium and boron). In addition to the active intrusion of seawater, salinization in coastal areas may be influenced by various human activities that accelerate the degradation of water quality, such as concentrated pumping, intensive farming techniques with return of irrigation water, or reuse of urban and industrial waste water. Characterization of the dominant processes and mechanisms is required for suitable management of the resource and implementation of corrective measures. (Author)

  14. Risk assessment of salt contamination of groundwater under uncertain aquifer properties

    KAUST Repository

    Litvinenko, Alexander

    2017-10-01

    One of the central topics in hydrogeology and environmental science is the investigation of salinity-driven groundwater flow in heterogeneous porous media. Our goals are to model and to predict pollution of water resources. We simulate a density driven groundwater flow with uncertain porosity and permeability. This strongly non-linear model describes the unstable transport of salt water with building ‘fingers’-shaped patterns. The computation requires a very fine unstructured mesh and, therefore, high computational resources. We run the highly-parallel multigrid solver, based on ug4, on supercomputer Shaheen II. A MPI-based parallelization is done in the geometrical as well as in the stochastic spaces. Every scenario is computed on 32 cores and requires a mesh with ~8M grid points and 1500 or more time steps. 200 scenarios are computed concurrently. The total number of cores in parallel computation is 200x32=6400. The main goal of this work is to estimate propagation of uncertainties through the model, to investigate sensitivity of the solution to the input uncertain parameters. Additionally, we demonstrate how the multigrid ug4-based solver can be applied as a black-box in the uncertainty quantification framework.

  15. NOAA Average Annual Salinity (3-Zone)

    Data.gov (United States)

    California Natural Resource Agency — The 3-Zone Average Annual Salinity Digital Geography is a digital spatial framework developed using geographic information system (GIS) technology. These salinity...

  16. Soil salinization in the agricultural lands of Rhodope District, northeastern Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pisinaras, V; Tsihrintzis, V A; Petalas, C; Ouzounis, K

    2010-07-01

    The objective of this study was to identify seasonal and spatial trends and soil salinization patterns in a part of Rhodope District irrigated land, northeastern Greece, located east of Vistonis Lagoon. The study area is irrigated from a coastal aquifer, where salt water intrusion occurs because of extensive groundwater withdrawals. Fourteen monitoring sites were established in harvest fields in the study area, where soil samples were collected. Electrical conductivity (ECe), pH, and ion concentrations were determined in the saturated paste extract of the soil samples in the laboratory using standard methods. A clear tendency was observed for ECe to increase from April to September, i.e., within the irrigation period, indicating the effect of saline groundwater to soil. In the last years, the change from moderately sensitive (e.g., corn) to moderately tolerant crops (e.g., cotton) in the south part of the study area indicates the impacts of soil salinity. The study proposes management methods to alleviate this problem.

  17. Quantifying Anthropogenic Stress on Groundwater Resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashraf, Batool; AghaKouchak, Amir; Alizadeh, Amin; Mousavi Baygi, Mohammad; R Moftakhari, Hamed; Mirchi, Ali; Anjileli, Hassan; Madani, Kaveh

    2017-10-10

    This study explores a general framework for quantifying anthropogenic influences on groundwater budget based on normalized human outflow (h out ) and inflow (h in ). The framework is useful for sustainability assessment of groundwater systems and allows investigating the effects of different human water abstraction scenarios on the overall aquifer regime (e.g., depleted, natural flow-dominated, and human flow-dominated). We apply this approach to selected regions in the USA, Germany and Iran to evaluate the current aquifer regime. We subsequently present two scenarios of changes in human water withdrawals and return flow to the system (individually and combined). Results show that approximately one-third of the selected aquifers in the USA, and half of the selected aquifers in Iran are dominated by human activities, while the selected aquifers in Germany are natural flow-dominated. The scenario analysis results also show that reduced human withdrawals could help with regime change in some aquifers. For instance, in two of the selected USA aquifers, a decrease in anthropogenic influences by ~20% may change the condition of depleted regime to natural flow-dominated regime. We specifically highlight a trending threat to the sustainability of groundwater in northwest Iran and California, and the need for more careful assessment and monitoring practices as well as strict regulations to mitigate the negative impacts of groundwater overexploitation.

  18. Improving assessment of groundwater-resource sustainability with deterministic modelling: a case study of the semi-arid Musi sub-basin, South India

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Massuel, S.; George, B.A.; Venot, J.P.J.N.; Bharati, L.; Acharya, S.

    2013-01-01

    Since the 1990s, Indian farmers, supported by the government, have partially shifted from surface-water to groundwater irrigation in response to the uncertainty in surface-water availability. Water-management authorities only slowly began to consider sustainable use of groundwater resources as a

  19. Water quality analysis of groundwater in crystalline basement rocks, Northern Ghana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anku, Y.S.; Banoeng-Yakubo, B.; Asiedu, D.K.; Yidana, S.M.

    2009-01-01

    Hydrochemical data are presented for groundwater samples, collected from fractured aquifers in parts of northern Ghana. The data was collected to assess the groundwater suitability for domestic and agricultural use. Results of the study reveal that the pH of the groundwater in the area is slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. The electrical conductivity values, total dissolved solids (TDS) values and calcium, magnesium and sodium concentrations in the groundwater are generally below the limit set by the WHO for potable water supply. On the basis of activity diagrams, groundwater from the fractured aquifers appears to be stable within the montmorillonite field, suggesting weathering of silicate minerals. An inverse distance weighting interpolator with a power of 2 was applied to the data points to produce prediction maps for nitrate and fluoride. The distribution maps show the presence of high nitrate concentrations (50-194??mg/l) in some of the boreholes in the western part of the study area indicating anthropogenic impact on the groundwater. Elevated fluoride level (1.5-4??mg/l), higher than the WHO allowable fluoride concentration of 1.5, is recorded in the groundwater underlying the northeastern part of the study area, more specifically Bongo and its surrounding communities of the Upper East region. Results of this study suggest that groundwater from the fractured aquifers in the area exhibit low sodicity-low salinity (S1-C1), low sodicity-medium salinity (S1-C2) characteristics [United States Salinity Laboratory (USSL) classification scheme]. All data points from this study plot within the 'Excellent to good' category on a Wilcox diagram. Groundwater in this area thus appears to provide irrigation water of excellent quality. The hydrochemical results indicate that, although nitrate and fluoride concentrations in some boreholes are high, the groundwater in the study area, based on the parameters analyzed, is chemically potable and suitable for domestic and

  20. Assessing regional groundwater stress for nations using multiple data sources with the groundwater footprint

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gleeson, Tom; Wada, Yoshihide

    2013-01-01

    Groundwater is a critical resource for agricultural production, ecosystems, drinking water and industry, yet groundwater depletion is accelerating, especially in a number of agriculturally important regions. Assessing the stress of groundwater resources is crucial for science-based policy and management, yet water stress assessments have often neglected groundwater and used single data sources, which may underestimate the uncertainty of the assessment. We consistently analyze and interpret groundwater stress across whole nations using multiple data sources for the first time. We focus on two nations with the highest national groundwater abstraction rates in the world, the United States and India, and use the recently developed groundwater footprint and multiple datasets of groundwater recharge and withdrawal derived from hydrologic models and data synthesis. A minority of aquifers, mostly with known groundwater depletion, show groundwater stress regardless of the input dataset. The majority of aquifers are not stressed with any input data while less than a third are stressed for some input data. In both countries groundwater stress affects agriculturally important regions. In the United States, groundwater stress impacts a lower proportion of the national area and population, and is focused in regions with lower population and water well density compared to India. Importantly, the results indicate that the uncertainty is generally greater between datasets than within datasets and that much of the uncertainty is due to recharge estimates. Assessment of groundwater stress consistently across a nation and assessment of uncertainty using multiple datasets are critical for the development of a science-based rationale for policy and management, especially with regard to where and to what extent to focus limited research and management resources. (letter)

  1. Groundwater depletion in Central Mexico: Use of GRACE and InSAR to support water resources management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castellazzi, Pascal; Martel, Richard; Rivera, Alfonso; Huang, Jianliang; Pavlic, Goran; Calderhead, Angus I.; Chaussard, Estelle; Garfias, Jaime; Salas, Javier

    2016-08-01

    Groundwater deficits occur in several areas of Central Mexico, where water resource assessment is limited by the availability and reliability of field data. In this context, GRACE and InSAR are used to remotely assess groundwater storage loss in one of Mexico's most important watersheds in terms of size and economic activity: the Lerma-Santiago-Pacifico (LSP). In situ data and Land Surface Models are used to subtract soil moisture and surface water storage changes from the total water storage change measured by GRACE satellites. As a result, groundwater mass change time-series are obtained for a 12 years period. ALOS-PALSAR images acquired from 2007 to 2011 were processed using the SBAS-InSAR algorithm to reveal areas subject to ground motion related to groundwater over-exploitation. In the perspective of providing guidance for groundwater management, GRACE and InSAR observations are compared with official water budgets and field observations. InSAR-derived subsidence mapping generally agrees well with official water budgets, and shows that deficits occur mainly in cities and irrigated agricultural areas. GRACE does not entirely detect the significant groundwater losses largely reported by official water budgets, literature and InSAR observations. The difference is interpreted as returns of wastewater to the groundwater flow systems, which limits the watershed scale groundwater depletion but suggests major impacts on groundwater quality. This phenomenon is enhanced by ground fracturing as noticed in the field. Studying the fate of the extracted groundwater is essential when comparing GRACE data with higher resolution observations, and particularly in the perspective of further InSAR/GRACE combination in hydrogeology.

  2. Managing a Common Pool Resource: Real Time Decision-Making in a Groundwater Aquifer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahu, R.; McLaughlin, D.

    2017-12-01

    In a Common Pool Resource (CPR) such as a groundwater aquifer, multiple landowners (agents) are competing for a limited resource of water. Landowners pump out the water to grow their own crops. Such problems can be posed as differential games, with agents all trying to control the behavior of the shared dynamic system. Each agent aims to maximize his/her own personal objective like agriculture yield, being aware that the action of every other agent collectively influences the behavior of the shared aquifer. The agents therefore choose a subgame perfect Nash equilibrium strategy that derives an optimal action for each agent based on the current state of the aquifer and assumes perfect information of every other agents' objective function. Furthermore, using an Iterated Best Response approach and interpolating techniques, an optimal pumping strategy can be computed for a more-realistic description of the groundwater model under certain assumptions. The numerical implementation of dynamic optimization techniques for a relevant description of the physical system yields results qualitatively different from the previous solutions obtained from simple abstractions.This work aims to bridge the gap between extensive modeling approaches in hydrology and competitive solution strategies in differential game theory.

  3. Simulating the effect of water management decisions on groundwater flow and quality in the Kyzylkum Irrigation Scheme, Kazakhstan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naudascher, R. M.; Marti, B. S.; Siegfried, T.; Wolfgang, K.; Anselm, K.

    2017-12-01

    The Kyzylkum Irrigation Scheme lies north of the Chardara reservoir on the banks of the river Syr Darya in South Kazakhstan. It was designed as a model Scheme and developed to a size of 74'000 ha during Soviet times for rice and cotton production. However, since the 1990s only very limited funds were available for maintenance and as a result, problems like water logging and salinization of soils and groundwater are now omnipresent in the scheme. The aim of this study was to develop a numerical groundwater flow model for the region in Modflow and to evaluate the effect of various infrastructure investments on phreatic evaporation (a major driver for soil salinization). Decadal groundwater observation data from 2011 to 2015 were used to calibrate the annual model and to validate the monthly model. Scenarios simulated were (partial) lining of main and/or secondary and tertiary canal system, improvement of drainage via horizontal canals or pumps, combinations of these and a joint groundwater-surface-water use scenario. Although the annual average model is sufficient to evaluate the yearly water balance, the transient model is a prerequisite for analysing measures against water logging and salinization, both of which feature strong seasonality. The transient simulation shows that a combination of leakage reduction (lining of canals) and drainage improvement measures is needed to lower the groundwater levels enough to avoid phreatic evaporation. To save water, joint surface water and groundwater irrigation can be applied in areas where groundwater salinity is low enough but without proper lining of canals, it is not sufficient to mitigate the ongoing soil degradation due to salinization and water logging.

  4. Groundwater resources of the Devils Postpile National Monument—Current conditions and future vulnerabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, William C.; Bergfeld, Deborah

    2017-06-15

    This study presents an extensive database on groundwater conditions in and around Devils Postpile National Monument. The database contains chemical analyses of springs and the monument water-supply well, including major-ion chemistry, trace element chemistry, and the first information on a list of organic compounds known as emerging contaminants. Diurnal, seasonal, and annual variations in groundwater discharge and chemistry are evaluated from data collected at five main monitoring sites, where streams carry the aggregate flow from entire groups of springs. These springs drain the Mammoth Mountain area and, during the fall months, contribute a significant fraction of the San Joaquin River flow within the monument. The period of this study, from fall 2012 to fall 2015, includes some of the driest years on record, though the seasonal variability observed in 2013 might have been near normal. The spring-fed streams generally flowed at rates well below those observed during a sequence of wet years in the late 1990s. However, persistence of flow and reasonably stable water chemistry through the recent dry years are indicative of a sizeable groundwater system that should provide a reliable resource during similar droughts in the future. Only a few emerging contaminants were detected at trace levels below 1 microgram per liter (μg/L), suggesting that local human visitation is not degrading groundwater quality. No indication of salt from the ski area on the north side of Mammoth Mountain could be found in any of the groundwaters. Chemical data instead show that natural mineral water, such as that discharged from local soda springs, is the main source of anomalous chloride in the monument supply well and in the San Joaquin River. The results of the study are used to develop a set of recommendations for future monitoring to enable detection of deleterious impacts to groundwater quality and quantity

  5. Contribution To The HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY Of Groundwater In The Northwest Coastal Plain, Egypt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    EL-SAYED, S.A.

    2010-01-01

    The present study aims to investigate the deterioration of water resources in the studied area using the hydrogeochemical and isotopic tools as complementary techniques. Fourteen water samples from the available groundwater and surface water bodies and from rainwater were collected to execute this study. The main source for groundwater recharge is the rainwater falling on the area in winter season (150 mm/year). The quality of this water has been changed in the Pleistocene and Middle Miocene aquifers and excavations due to the effect of different hydrogeochemical processes, leaching, dissolution, evaporation and mixing with sea water. The classic hydrochemical tool alone was not enough to delineate these processes while the stable isotope investigation was very useful in discriminating them. Water from wells tapping the Middle Miocene aquifer, from wells nos. 6 and 9, penetrating the Pleistocene aquifer and from excavation no. 11 have not been influenced by sea water intrusion. Its high salinity and other chemical constituents were due to the effect of leaching and dissolution of rocks and soil salts. The higher salinity, chemical constituents and stable isotopic composition of water from wells 6 and 9 and from excavation no. 10 were attributed to the mixing with sea water. The presence of water levels of these points under mean sea level confirms the intrusion of sea water. Water of Al-Agara spring was highly affected by evaporation process. As a result of this study, the coastal aquifers were vulnerable to sea water invasion. Groundwater over exploitation and drilling of more water wells in the area should be managed wisely

  6. Factors controlling the evolution of groundwater dynamics and chemistry in the Senegal River Delta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdoul Aziz Gning

    2017-04-01

    New hydrological insights for the region: Results show that groundwater far away from rivers and outside irrigated plots has evolved from marine water to brines under the influence of evapotranspiration. Near rivers, salinity of groundwater is lower than seawater and groundwater mineralization seems to evolve in the direction of softening through cationic exchanges related to permanent contact with fresh water. Despite large volumes of water used for rice cultivation, groundwater does not show any real softening trend in the cultivated parcels. Results show that the mechanisms that contribute to repel salt water from the sediments correspond to a lateral flush near permanent surface water streams and not to vertical drainage and dilution with rainfall or irrigation water. It is however difficult to estimate the time required to come back to more favorable conditions of groundwater salinity.

  7. Role of high-elevation groundwater flows in the hydrogeology of the Cimino volcano (central Italy) and possibilities to capture drinking water in a geogenically contaminated environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piscopo, V.; Armiento, G.; Baiocchi, A.; Mazzuoli, M.; Nardi, E.; Piacentini, S. M.; Proposito, M.; Spaziani, F.

    2018-06-01

    Origin, yield and quality of the groundwater flows at high elevation in the Cimino volcano (central Italy) were examined. In this area, groundwater is geogenically contaminated by arsenic and fluoride, yet supplies drinking water for approximately 170,000 inhabitants. The origin of the high-elevation groundwater flows is strictly related to vertical and horizontal variability of the rock types (lava flows, lava domes and ignimbrite) in an area of limited size. In some cases, groundwater circuits are related to perched aquifers above noncontinuous aquitards; in other cases, they are due to flows in the highly fractured dome carapace, limited at the bottom by a low-permeability dome core. The high-elevation groundwater outflow represents about 30% of the total recharge of Cimino's hydrogeological system, which has been estimated at 9.8 L/s/km2. Bicarbonate alkaline-earth, cold, neutral waters with low salinity, and notably with low arsenic and fluoride content, distinguish the high-elevation groundwaters from those of the basal aquifer. Given the quantity and quality of these resources, approaches in the capture and management of groundwater in this hydrogeological environment should be reconsidered. Appropriate tapping methods such as horizontal drains, could more efficiently capture the high-elevation groundwater resources, as opposed to the waters currently pumped from the basal aquifer which often require dearsenification treatments.

  8. Role of high-elevation groundwater flows in the hydrogeology of the Cimino volcano (central Italy) and possibilities to capture drinking water in a geogenically contaminated environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piscopo, V.; Armiento, G.; Baiocchi, A.; Mazzuoli, M.; Nardi, E.; Piacentini, S. M.; Proposito, M.; Spaziani, F.

    2018-01-01

    Origin, yield and quality of the groundwater flows at high elevation in the Cimino volcano (central Italy) were examined. In this area, groundwater is geogenically contaminated by arsenic and fluoride, yet supplies drinking water for approximately 170,000 inhabitants. The origin of the high-elevation groundwater flows is strictly related to vertical and horizontal variability of the rock types (lava flows, lava domes and ignimbrite) in an area of limited size. In some cases, groundwater circuits are related to perched aquifers above noncontinuous aquitards; in other cases, they are due to flows in the highly fractured dome carapace, limited at the bottom by a low-permeability dome core. The high-elevation groundwater outflow represents about 30% of the total recharge of Cimino's hydrogeological system, which has been estimated at 9.8 L/s/km2. Bicarbonate alkaline-earth, cold, neutral waters with low salinity, and notably with low arsenic and fluoride content, distinguish the high-elevation groundwaters from those of the basal aquifer. Given the quantity and quality of these resources, approaches in the capture and management of groundwater in this hydrogeological environment should be reconsidered. Appropriate tapping methods such as horizontal drains, could more efficiently capture the high-elevation groundwater resources, as opposed to the waters currently pumped from the basal aquifer which often require dearsenification treatments.

  9. Pleistocene paleo-groundwater as a pristine fresh water resource in southern Germany – evidence from stable and radiogenic isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geldern, Robert van; Baier, Alfons; Subert, Hannah L.; Kowol, Sigrid; Balk, Laura; Barth, Johannes A.C.

    2014-01-01

    Shallow groundwater aquifers are often influenced by anthropogenic contaminants or increased nutrient levels. In contrast, deeper aquifers hold potentially pristine paleo-waters that are not influenced by modern recharge. They thus represent important water resources, but their recharge history is often unknown. In this study groundwater from two aquifers in southern Germany were analyzed for their hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope compositions. One sampling campaign targeted the upper aquifer that is actively recharged by modern precipitation, whereas the second campaign sampled the confined, deep Benkersandstein aquifer. The groundwater samples from both aquifers were compared to the local meteoric water line to investigate sources and conditions of groundwater recharge. In addition, the deep groundwater was dated by tritium and radiocarbon analyses. Stable and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the deep-aquifer groundwater was not part of the hydrological water cycle in the recent human history. The results show that the groundwater is older than ∼20,000 years and most likely originates from isotopically depleted melt waters of the Pleistocene ice age. Today, the use of this aquifer is strictly regulated to preserve the pristine water. Clear identification of such non-renewable paleo-waters by means of isotope geochemistry will help local water authorities to enact and justify measures for conservation of these valuable resources for future generations in the context of a sustainable water management. - Highlights: • Groundwater from deep aquifer identified as paleo-water with age over 20,000 years. • Low stable isotope values indicate recharge during Pleistocene. • Shallow aquifer mirrors stable isotope signature of average modern precipitation. • Identification of non-renewable paleo-waters enhance sustainable water management. • Strict protection measures of authorities justified by isotope geochemistry

  10. Pleistocene paleo-groundwater as a pristine fresh water resource in southern Germany – evidence from stable and radiogenic isotopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geldern, Robert van, E-mail: robert.van.geldern@fau.de [Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Department of Geography and Geosciences, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Schlossgarten 5, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Baier, Alfons; Subert, Hannah L. [Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Department of Geography and Geosciences, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Schlossgarten 5, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Kowol, Sigrid [Erlanger Stadtwerke AG, Äußere Brucker Str. 33, 91052 Erlangen (Germany); Balk, Laura; Barth, Johannes A.C. [Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Department of Geography and Geosciences, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Schlossgarten 5, 91054 Erlangen (Germany)

    2014-10-15

    Shallow groundwater aquifers are often influenced by anthropogenic contaminants or increased nutrient levels. In contrast, deeper aquifers hold potentially pristine paleo-waters that are not influenced by modern recharge. They thus represent important water resources, but their recharge history is often unknown. In this study groundwater from two aquifers in southern Germany were analyzed for their hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope compositions. One sampling campaign targeted the upper aquifer that is actively recharged by modern precipitation, whereas the second campaign sampled the confined, deep Benkersandstein aquifer. The groundwater samples from both aquifers were compared to the local meteoric water line to investigate sources and conditions of groundwater recharge. In addition, the deep groundwater was dated by tritium and radiocarbon analyses. Stable and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the deep-aquifer groundwater was not part of the hydrological water cycle in the recent human history. The results show that the groundwater is older than ∼20,000 years and most likely originates from isotopically depleted melt waters of the Pleistocene ice age. Today, the use of this aquifer is strictly regulated to preserve the pristine water. Clear identification of such non-renewable paleo-waters by means of isotope geochemistry will help local water authorities to enact and justify measures for conservation of these valuable resources for future generations in the context of a sustainable water management. - Highlights: • Groundwater from deep aquifer identified as paleo-water with age over 20,000 years. • Low stable isotope values indicate recharge during Pleistocene. • Shallow aquifer mirrors stable isotope signature of average modern precipitation. • Identification of non-renewable paleo-waters enhance sustainable water management. • Strict protection measures of authorities justified by isotope geochemistry.

  11. The influence of fish ponds and salinization on groundwater quality in the multi-layer coastal aquifer system in Israel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tal, A.; Weinstein, Y.; Yechieli, Y.; Borisover, M.

    2017-08-01

    This study focuses on the impact of surface reservoirs (fish ponds) on a multi aquifer coastal system, and the relation between the aquifer and the sea. The study was conducted in an Israeli Mediterranean coastal aquifer, which includes a sandy phreatic unit and two confined calcareous sandstone units. The geological description is based on 52 wells, from which 33 samples were collected for stable isotope analysis and 25 samples for organic and inorganic parameters. Hydraulic head and chemical measurements suggest that there is an hydraulic connection between the fish ponds above the aquifer and the phreatic unit, whereas the connection with the confined units is very limited. The phreatic unit is characterized by a low concentration of oxygen and high concentrations of ammonium and phosphate, while the confined units are characterized by higher oxygen and much lower ammonium and phosphate concentrations. Organic matter fluorescence was found to be a tool to distinguish the contribution of the pond waters, whereby a pond water signature (characterized by proteinaceous (tryptophan-like) and typical humic-matter fluorescence) was found in the phreatic aquifer. The phreatic unit is also isotopically enriched, similar to pond waters, with δ18O of -1‰ and δD of -4.6‰, indicating enhanced evaporation of the pond water before infiltration, whereas there is a depleted isotopic composition in the confined units (δ18O = -4.3‰, δD = -20.4‰), which are also OM-poor. The Phreeqc model was used for quantitative calculation of the effect of pond losses on the different units. The Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) in the upper unit increases downstream from the ponds toward the sea, probably due to organic matter degradation, suggesting contribution of DIN from shallow groundwater flow to the sea. 87Sr/86Sr and Mg/Ca in the brackish and saline groundwater of the lower confined units increase toward seawater value, suggesting that the salinization process in the region

  12. Using the SIMGRO regional hydrological model to evaluate salinity control measures in an irrigation area

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kupper, E.; Querner, E.P.; Morábito, J.A.; Menenti, M.

    2002-01-01

    In irrigated areas with drainage and an important interaction with the groundwater system, it is often difficult to predict effects of measures to control salinity. Therefore, in order to evaluate measures to control salinity the SIMGRO integrated regional hydrological model was extended with a

  13. Dissolution rate of alpha-doped UO2 in natural groundwater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ollila, Kaija; Myllykylä, Emmi; Tanhua-Tyrkkö, Merja; Lavonen, Tiina

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this work is to determine whether the presence of trace elements in natural groundwaters affects the dissolution rate of uranium dioxide in the presence of alpha radiation that causes radiolysis of water. The study is a part of the project Reducing Uncertainty in Performance Prediction (REDUPP) under the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). The project aims to reduce uncertainties related to the extrapolation of the results of laboratory experiments to the conditions expected under geologic disposal. Thus far, synthetic groundwater has been normally used in the experiments. The synthetic groundwaters used do not contain all of the chemical elements that occur in natural groundwaters. Three natural groundwaters were chosen for the dissolution experiments with 0%, 5%, and 10% 233 U-doped UO 2 samples. These include a brackish groundwater, a saline groundwater and a low ionic strength groundwater. At the time of writing this paper, the dissolution experiments have been finished in the first groundwater, which was a moderately saline, brackish groundwater. The groundwater samples for the experiments were taken from a borehole in the Olkiluoto site in Finland. The measurements for dissolution rates were conducted under reducing conditions established using metallic iron in solution and an argon atmosphere in the glove box. The isotope dilution method was used to decrease uncertainties due to precipitation and sorption effects. The resulting dissolution rates in OL-KR6 natural groundwater were generally somewhat higher than the rates measured previously in synthetic groundwaters under similar redox conditions. No clear effect of alpha radiolysis could be seen for tests with lower SA/V, while those for higher SA/V indicated that the dissolution rate was higher for the 10% 233 U-doped UO 2 , suggesting the effect of alpha radiolysis under these conditions

  14. An integrated hydrogeological study to support sustainable development and management of groundwater resources: a case study from the Precambrian Crystalline Province, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madhnure, Pandith; Peddi, Nageshwar Rao; Allani, Damodar Rao

    2016-03-01

    The rapid expansion of agriculture, industries and urbanization has triggered unplanned groundwater development leading to severe stress on groundwater resources in crystalline rocks of India. With depleting resources from shallow aquifers, end users have developed resources from deeper aquifers, which have proved to be counterproductive economically and ecologically. An integrated hydrogeological study has been undertaken in the semi-arid Madharam watershed (95 km2) in Telangana State, which is underlain by granites. The results reveal two aquifer systems: a weathered zone (maximum 30 m depth) and a fractured zone (30-85 m depth). The weathered zone is unsaturated to its maximum extent, forcing users to tap groundwater from deeper aquifers. Higher orders of transmissivity, specific yield and infiltration rates are observed in the recharge zone, while moderate orders are observed in an intermediate zone, and lower orders in the discharge zone. This is due to the large weathering-zone thickness and a higher sand content in the recharge zone than in the discharge zone, where the weathered residuum contains more clay. The NO3 - concentration is high in shallow irrigation wells, and F- is high in deeper wells. Positive correlation is observed between F- and depth in the recharge zone and its proximity. Nearly 50 % of groundwater samples are unfit for human consumption and the majority of irrigation-well samples are classed as medium to high risk for plant growth. Both supply-side and demand-side measures are recommended for sustainable development and management of this groundwater resource. The findings can be up-scaled to other similar environments.

  15. Management of water resources to control groundwater levels in the southern area of the western Nile delta, Egypt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed M. Sobeih

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The present study was initiated with the objective of simulating and predicting the effect of future development on the groundwater flow and levels. This supports applications for future planning and wise management of water resources. The study area extends south of El Nubariya canal including Sadat City area and its vicinities in the western Nile delta region. A numerical groundwater flow model (MODFLOW has been employed to simulate flow and get the budget of groundwater in the study area. The model showed that about 28,101,041 m3/day of surface water is infiltrated to groundwater dominantly from canals and excess irrigation water. About the same quantity (28,101,052 m3/day, is discharged from groundwater through production wells, open drains and through some reaches of canals. Three development scenarios were simulated to give predictions of the impact of future increasing recharge, construction of new canal and new open drains, and also increased pumping on the groundwater levels in the study area.

  16. Using Landsat 5 imagery in the assessment of groundwater resources in the crystalline rocks around Dutsin-Ma, northwestern Nigeria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bala, A. E.; Batelaan, O.; De Smedt, F.

    2000-01-01

    Landsat's TM imagery of January 1986 covering Dustin - Ma and the surrounding areas in northwestern Nigeria was used for the assessment of groundwater resources in the crystalline rocks (Basement Complex) terrain. Employing ER Mapper (5.2), surface indicator for the occurrence of groundwater such as thriving vegetation in non - irrigated lands, and fracture were identified. These were interpreted vis - a - vis the tectonic development of the are. Lineaments interpreted as fractures show two prominent strike maxima that lie between 0000 and 0300, with the more common lying between 0000 and 0100. These strike maxima correspond to the stress axis of the Pan African orogeny. The lushness of vegetation along these strikes is higher than in the neighbouring areas and indicate the presence of groundwater. On the basis of lineament density and relative lushness of the vegetal cover, the area was divided into three main hydrogeological zones namely, the zones with the highest, intermediate, and least groundwater potential, for which ground truthing is recommended for their confirmation. Geophysical surveys for the siting of boreholes are also recommended parallel to strikes between 270 o and 300 o . It is judged that the groundwater resource for this area is low because of the general lack of moist or seepage areas, the low threshold value. (0.12) of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and the generally dispersed nature of the vegetation

  17. Response of the groundwater system in the Guanzhong Basin (central China) to climate change and human activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wenke; Zhang, Zaiyong; Duan, Lei; Wang, Zhoufeng; Zhao, Yaqian; Zhang, Qian; Dai, Meiling; Liu, Huizhong; Zheng, Xiaoyan; Sun, Yibo

    2018-03-01

    The Guanzhong Basin in central China features a booming economy and has suffered severe drought, resulting in serious groundwater depletion in the last 30 years. As a major water resource, groundwater plays a significant role in water supply. The combined impact of climate change and intensive human activities has caused a substantial decline in groundwater recharge and groundwater levels, as well as degradation of groundwater quality and associated changes in the ecosystems. Based on observational data, an integrated approach was used to assess the impact of climate change and human activities on the groundwater system and the base flow of the river basin. Methods included: river runoff records and a multivariate statistical analysis of data including historical groundwater levels and climate; hydro-chemical investigation and trend analysis of the historical hydro-chemical data; wavelet analysis of climate data; and the base flow index. The analyses indicate a clear warming trend and a decreasing trend in rainfall since the 1960s, in addition to increased human activities since the 1970s. The reduction of groundwater recharge in the past 30 years has led to a continuous depletion of groundwater levels, complex changes of the hydro-chemical environment, localized salinization, and a strong decline of the base flow to the river. It is expected that the results will contribute to a more comprehensive management plan for groundwater and the related eco-environment in the face of growing pressures from intensive human activities superimposed on climate change in this region.

  18. Groundwater resource-directed measures software

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2006-07-21

    Jul 21, 2006 ... groundwater dependence) properties, grouped or typed to sim- plify the ... range of factors can be considered, including recharge, ground- water use ... Figure 2 shows the attribute data for the quaternary shape file. The user ...

  19. Considering groundwater use to improve the assessment of groundwater pumping for irrigation in North Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massuel, Sylvain; Amichi, Farida; Ameur, Fatah; Calvez, Roger; Jenhaoui, Zakia; Bouarfa, Sami; Kuper, Marcel; Habaieb, Hamadi; Hartani, Tarik; Hammani, Ali

    2017-09-01

    Groundwater resources in semi-arid areas and especially in the Mediterranean face a growing demand for irrigated agriculture and, to a lesser extent, for domestic uses. Consequently, groundwater reserves are affected and water-table drops are widely observed. This leads to strong constraints on groundwater access for farmers, while managers worry about the future evolution of the water resources. A common problem for building proper groundwater management plans is the difficulty in assessing individual groundwater withdrawals at regional scale. Predicting future trends of these groundwater withdrawals is even more challenging. The basic question is how to assess the water budget variables and their evolution when they are deeply linked to human activities, themselves driven by countless factors (access to natural resources, public policies, market, etc.). This study provides some possible answers by focusing on the assessment of groundwater withdrawals for irrigated agriculture at three sites in North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria). Efforts were made to understand the different features that influence irrigation practices, and an adaptive user-oriented methodology was used to monitor groundwater withdrawals. For each site, different key factors affecting the regional groundwater abstraction and its past evolution were identified by involving farmers' knowledge. Factors such as farmer access to land and groundwater or development of public infrastructures (electrical distribution network) are crucial to decode the results of well inventories and assess the regional groundwater abstraction and its future trend. This leads one to look with caution at the number of wells cited in the literature, which could be oversimplified.

  20. Impact of water diversion on the hydrogeochemical characterization of surface water and groundwater in the Yellow River Delta

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Qiang; Li, Fadong; Zhang, Qiuying; Li, Jing; Zhang, Yan; Tu, Chun; Ouyang, Zhu

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We assess the response of different ecosystems to the water diversion. • We characterized the interaction between surface water and groundwater. • We use the Piper and HFE-D to illustrate the salinization process. - Abstract: The Yellow River Delta is undergoing severe ecosystem degradation through salinization caused mainly by seawater intrusion. The Yellow River diversion project, in operation since 2008, aims to mitigate a projected ecosystem disaster. We conducted field investigations across three ecosystems (Farmland, Wetland and Coast) in the delta to assess the effectiveness of the annual water pulse and determine the relationships between surface water and groundwater. The chemical characteristics of the groundwater in Farmland exclude the possibility of seawater intrusion. The Wetland is vulnerable to pollution by groundwater discharge from Farmland and to secondary salinization caused by rising water tables. The salinity values of groundwater at Coast sites likely reflect the presence of seawater trapped in the clay sediments, a premise corroborated through measurements of groundwater levels, stable isotopes and major ion signatures. Our δD–δ 18 O two-dimensional graphic plot demonstrated that groundwaters of Farmland and Wetland changed toward more depleted isotopic compositions following water diversion, but this was not the case in the Coast sites, where the water table varied little year-round. A hydrochemical facies evolution diagram (HFE-D) demonstrated that freshening is taking place in the largest portions of the aquifers and that, without sustained water diversion recharge, these underground water bodies may switch from freshening to salinization on a seasonal time scale. Thus, the qualities of waters in coastal aquifers in the Yellow River Delta are substantially influenced by the process of ecological water diversion, and also by land use practices and by the lithological properties of the drainage landscape

  1. Impact of climate change and anthropogenic pressure on the water resources of India: challenges in management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Shadananan Nair

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Freshwater resources of India are getting fast degraded and depleted from the changing climate and pressure of fast rising population. Changing intensity and seasonality of rainfall affect quantity and quality of water. Most of the rivers are polluted far above safety limits from the untreated domestic, industrial and agricultural effluents. Changes in the intensity, frequency and tracks of storms salinate coastal aquifers. Aquifers are also under the threat from rising sea level. Groundwater in urban limits and industrial zones are far beyond safety limits. Large-scale destruction of wetlands for industries and residential complexes has affected the quality of surface and groundwater resources in most parts of India. Measures to maintain food security and the new developments schemes such as river linking will further deteriorate the water resources. Falling water availability leads to serious health issues and various socio-economic issues. India needs urgent and appropriate adaptation strategies in the water sector.

  2. Impact of climate change and anthropogenic pressure on the water resources of India: challenges in management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shadananan Nair, K.

    2016-10-01

    Freshwater resources of India are getting fast degraded and depleted from the changing climate and pressure of fast rising population. Changing intensity and seasonality of rainfall affect quantity and quality of water. Most of the rivers are polluted far above safety limits from the untreated domestic, industrial and agricultural effluents. Changes in the intensity, frequency and tracks of storms salinate coastal aquifers. Aquifers are also under the threat from rising sea level. Groundwater in urban limits and industrial zones are far beyond safety limits. Large-scale destruction of wetlands for industries and residential complexes has affected the quality of surface and groundwater resources in most parts of India. Measures to maintain food security and the new developments schemes such as river linking will further deteriorate the water resources. Falling water availability leads to serious health issues and various socio-economic issues. India needs urgent and appropriate adaptation strategies in the water sector.

  3. Using Oil and Gas Well Log Records to Understand Possible Connections Between Wastewater Injection Zones and Usable Groundwater Aquifers in California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimabukuro, D.; Haugen, E. A.; Battistella, C.; Treguboff, E. W.; Kale, J. M.

    2015-12-01

    Although the disposal of produced water in wastewater injection wells has been occurring in California for decades, it is not clear whether injected fluids may be migrating into usable groundwater aquifers. One problem is the poor characterization of federally-protected (oil and gas well records collected by the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR). These scanned records contain two useful sources of information. First, geophysical well logs, such those measuring resistivity and porosity, can be used to determine aquifer salinity. This allows a three-dimensional understanding of the distribution of protected groundwater. Second, driller's logs contain lithological descriptions at depth. These lithologies can be used to construct a three-dimensional texture model, which can then be used in a groundwater flow model. A large number of undergraduate researchers at CSU Sacramento and CSU Long Beach have been collecting information on well records in the Ventura Basin and the Southern San Joaquin Valley. Each well record is examined with basic metadata entered into an online database in an effort to identify appropriate geophysical well logs and driller's logs. High-quality driller's logs are coded and used to create three-dimensional framework models for each well field. The geophysical logs are digitized and will be used to determine aquifer salinity. In addition, we are using information from the DOGGR well records to investigate wellbore integrity, waste disposal and waterflood injection volumes, and the possibility of induced seismicity. This project is part of the broader effort of the California State Water Resources Control Board to implement Senate Bill 4.

  4. Ground-water flow and saline water in the shallow aquifer system of the southern watersheds of Virginia Beach, Virginia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Barry S.

    2003-01-01

    -Eastover aquifer compose the hydrogeologic units of the shallow aquifer system of Virginia Beach. The Columbia and Yorktown-Eastover aquifers are poorly confined throughout most of the southern watersheds of Virginia Beach. The freshwater-to-saline-water distribution probably is in a dynamic equilibrium throughout most of the shallow aquifer system. Freshwater flows continually down and away from the center of the higher altitudes to mix with saline water from the tidal rivers, bays, salt marshes, and the Atlantic Ocean. Fresh ground water from the Columbia aquifer also leaks down through the Yorktown confining unit into the upper half of the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer and flows within the Yorktown-Eastover above saline water in the lower half of the aquifer. Ground-water recharge is minimal in much of the southern watersheds because the land surface generally is low and flat.

  5. Characterization of the hydrologic resources of San Miguel County, New Mexico, and identification of hydrologic data gaps, 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matherne, Anne Marie; Stewart, Anne M.

    2012-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with San Miguel County, New Mexico, conducted a study to assess publicly available information regarding the hydrologic resources of San Miguel County and to identify data gaps in that information and hydrologic information that could aid in the management of available water resources. The USGS operates four continuous annual streamgages in San Miguel County. Monthly discharge at these streamgages is generally bimodally distributed, with most runoff corresponding to spring runoff and to summer monsoonal rains. Data compiled since 1951 on the geology and groundwater resources of San Miguel County are generally consistent with the original characterization of depth and availability of groundwater resources and of source aquifers. Subsequent exploratory drilling identified deep available groundwater in some locations. Most current (2011) development of groundwater resources is in western San Miguel County, particularly in the vicinity of El Creston hogback, the hogback ridge just west of Las Vegas, where USGS groundwater-monitoring wells indicate that groundwater levels are declining. Regarding future studies to address identified data gaps, the ability to evaluate and quantify surface-water resources, both as runoff and as potential groundwater recharge, could be enhanced by expanding the network of streamgages and groundwater-monitoring wells throughout the county. A series of seepage surveys along the lengths of the rivers could help to determine locations of surface-water losses to and gains from the local groundwater system and could help to quantify the component of streamflow attributable to irrigation return flow; associated synoptic water-quality sampling could help to identify potential effects to water quality attributable to irrigation return flow. Effects of groundwater withdrawals on streamflow could be assessed by constructing monitoring wells along transects between production wells and stream reaches

  6. Effect of Different Alternate Irrigation Strategies using Saline and Non-Saline Water on Corn Yield, Salinity and Moisture Distribution in Soil Profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Reza Kiani

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Lack of water and deterioration in the quality of soil and water resources are considered to be the prime cause of reduced crop yield in arid and semi-arid regions ‘More crop per drop’ by trickle irrigation, deficit irrigation, and uncommon water are the best strategies for mitigating water crises. Different irrigation management strategies are needed to increase production in different areas. In areas where sufficient water is available, a full irrigation strategy could be a suitable option, while in areas where water is limited, deficit irrigation would be an appropriate method, and finally in areas where water resources are saline, management strategies for achieving sustainable production as well as economic yields would be suitable. Maize is the third most important grain crop in the world following wheat and rice and it is the main source of nutrition for humans and animals. Because of the importance of maize in the world, increasing maize production under environmental stresses is a big challenge for agricultural scientists. Different methods of irrigation and the use of saline water that had satisfactory results for increasing agricultural production have been studied by several investigators . The main objective of this study was to establish an efficient use of limited water resources as well as to explore the possibility of replacing saline water with fresh water using different management techniques. Materials and Methods: A field experiment was conducted over two maize cropping seasons (2012–2013 in northern Iran (Gorgan Agricultural Research Station to compare different alternate irrigation scenarios using saline water on corn yield, salinity and soil moisture distribution in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments were: T1 and T2 = 100 and 50 % of crop water requirement with non-saline water, respectively; T3 and T4 = variable and fixed full irrigation with saline and non-saline

  7. Changes in hydrology and salinity accompanying a century of agricultural conversion in Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayawickreme, Dushmantha H; Santoni, Celina S; Kim, John H; Jobbágy, Esteban G; Jackson, Robert B

    2011-10-01

    Conversions of natural woodlands to agriculture can alter the hydrologic balance, aquifer recharge, and salinity of soils and groundwater in ways that influence productivity and sustainable land use. Using a land-use change chronosequence in semiarid woodlands of Argentina's Espinal province, we examined the distribution of moisture and solutes and estimated recharge rates on adjacent plots of native woodlands and rain-fed agriculture converted 6-90 years previously. Soil coring and geoelectrical profiling confirmed the presence of spatially extensive salt accumulations in dry woodlands and pervasive salt losses in areas converted to agriculture. A 1.1-km-long electrical resistivity transect traversing woodland, 70-year-old agriculture, and woodland, for instance, revealed a low-resistivity (high-salinity) horizon between approximately 3 m and 13 m depth in the woodlands that was virtually absent in the agricultural site because of leaching. Nine-meter-deep soil profiles indicated a 53% increase in soil water storage after 30 or more years of cultivation. Conservative groundwater-recharge estimates based on chloride tracer methods in agricultural plots ranged from approximately 12 to 45 mm/yr, a substantial increase from the led to >95% loss of sulfate and chloride ions from the shallow vadose zone in most agriculture plots. These losses correspond to over 100 Mg of sulfate and chloride salts potentially released to the region's groundwater aquifers through time with each hectare of deforestation, including a capacity to increase groundwater salinity to >4000 mg/L from these ions alone. Similarities between our findings and those of the dryland salinity problems of deforested woodlands in Australia suggest an important warning about the potential ecohydrological risks brought by the current wave of deforestation in the Espinal and other regions of South America and the world.

  8. Natural and human drivers of salinity in reservoirs and their implications in water supply operation through a Decision Support System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras, Eva; Gómez-Beas, Raquel; Linares-Sáez, Antonio

    2016-04-01

    Salt can be a problem when is originally in aquifers or when it dissolves in groundwater and comes to the ground surface or flows into streams. The problem increases in lakes hydraulically connected with aquifers affecting water quality. This issue is even more alarming when water resources are used for urban and irrigation supply and water quantity and quality restrict that water demand. This work shows a data based and physical modeling approach in the Guadalhorce reservoir, located in southern Spain. This water body receives salt contribution from mainly groundwater flow, getting salinity values in the reservoir from 3500 to 5500 μScm-1. Moreover, Guadalhorce reservoir is part of a complex system of reservoirs fed from the Guadalhorce River that supplies all urban, irrigation, tourism, energy and ecology water uses, which makes that implementation and validation of methods and tools for smart water management is required. Meteorological, hydrological and water quality data from several monitoring networks and data sources, with both historical and real time data during a 40-years period, were used to analyze the impact salinity. On the other hand, variables that mainly depend on the dam operation, such as reservoir water level and water outflow, were also analyzed to understand how they affect to salinity in depth and time. Finally surface and groundwater inflows to the reservoir were evaluated through a physically based hydrological model to forecast when the major contributions take place. Reservoir water level and surface and groundwater inflows were found to be the main drivers of salinity in the reservoir. When reservoir water level is high, daily water inflow around 0.4 hm3 causes changes in salinity (both drop and rise) up to 500 μScm-1, but no significant changes are found when water level falls 2-3 m. However the gradual water outflows due to dam operation and consequent decrease in reservoir water levels makes that, after dry periods, salinity

  9. STRATEGIC ISSUES GROUNDWATER EXTRACTION MANAGEMENT IN RUSSIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ekaterina I. Golovina

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Water is a key component of our environment; it is a renewable, limited and vulnerable natural resource, which provides economic, social, and environmental well-being of the population. The most promising source of drinking water supply is groundwater usage. Drinking and industrial groundwater is one of the most important components of the groundwater mineral resource base in the Russian Federation. Modern system of groundwater extraction management and state regulation is currently imperfect and has definite disadvantages, among them - lack of control over natural resources by the state, an old system of tax rates for the use of groundwater, commercialization stage of licensing, the budget deficit, which is passed on other spheres of the national economy. This article provides general information about the state of groundwater production and supply in Russia, negative trends of groundwater usage, some actions for the improvement in the system of groundwater’s fund management are suggested. The most important amendments of the law “About mineral resources” are overviewed, effects of these changes are revealed and recommendations for future groundwater extraction regulation are given.

  10. Analysis of the potential contamination risk of groundwater resources circulating in areas with anthropogenic activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Spizzico

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The area investigated is located in the province of Brindisi (Italy. It is a generally flat area separated from the nearby carbonatic plateau of the Murgia by quite indistinct and high fault scarps. As regards the geological features, carbonatic basement rocks and post-cretaceous terrains made up of calabrian calcarenites and middle-upper Pleistocenic marine terraced deposits can be distinguished. In the examined area there are two different hydrogeological environments. The first is represented by deep groundwater, the main groundwater resource in Apulia. The second hydrogeological environment, now of lesser importance than the deep aquifer in terms of size and use, is made up of some small shallow groundwater systems situated in post-calabrian sands and located in the eastern area. During some sampling cycles carried out in the studied area, water was withdrawn from both the deep aquifer and from the shallow groundwater. For every sample, the necessary parameters were determined for the physical and chemical characterisation of two different hydrogeological environments. Moreover, some chemical parameters indicating anthropogenic activities were determined. Analysis of the aerial distribution of the measured parameters has shown some main areas subject to different conditions of contamination risk, in accordance with the hydrogeological and geological features of the investigated area. In the south-eastern part of the investigated area, the important action performed by the surface aquifer for protecting the deep groundwater from contamination of anthropogenic origin is clear. On the other hand, in the shallow groundwater, areas of nitrate and nitrite contamination have been identified, which result from the extensive use of fertilizers.

  11. Use of a time-domain electromagnetic method with geochemical tracers to explore the salinity anomalies in a small coastal aquifer in north-eastern Tunisia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chekirbane, Anis; Tsujimura, Maki; Kawachi, Atsushi; Lachaal, Fethi; Isoda, Hiroko; Tarhouni, Jamila

    2014-12-01

    The study area is a small coastal plain in north-eastern Tunisia. It is drained by an ephemeral stream network and is subject to several pollutant discharges such as oilfield brine coming from a neighboring oil company and wastewater from Somâa city, located in the upstream of the plain. Furthermore, a hydraulic head near the coastal part of the aquifer is below sea level, suggesting that seawater intrusion may occur. A time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey, based on 28 soundings, was conducted in Wadi Al Ayn and Daroufa plains to delineate the saline groundwater. Based on longitudinal and transversal resistivity two-dimensional pseudosections calibrated with boring data, the extent of saline water was identified. Geochemical tracers were combined with the resistivity dataset to differentiate the origin of groundwater salinization. In the upstream part of the plain, the infiltration of oilfield brine through the sandy bed of Wadi Al Ayn seems to have a considerable effect on groundwater salinization. However, in the coastal part of the aquifer, groundwater salinization is due to seawater intrusion and the saltwater is reaching an inland extent around 1.3 km from the shoreline. The contribution ratios of saline water bodies derived from the inverted chloride data vary for the oilfield brine from 1 to 13 % and for the seawater from 2 to 21 %.

  12. Past, present and future formation of groundwater resources in northern part of Baltic Artesian Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marandi, A.; Vallner, L.; Vaikmae, R.; Raidla, V.

    2012-04-01

    Cambrian-Vendian Aquifer System (CVAS) is the deepest confined aquifer system used for water consumption in northern part of Baltic Artesian Basin (BAB). A regional groundwater flow and transport model (Visual Modflow) was used to investigate the paleohydrogeological scientific and contemporary management problems of CVAS. The model covers the territory of Estonia and its close surrounding, all together 88,000 km2 and includes all main aquifers and aquitards from ground surface to as low as the impermeable part of the crystalline basement. Three-dimensional distribution of groundwater heads, flow directions, velocities, and rates as well as transport and budget characteristics were simulated by the model. Water composition was changed significantly during the last glaciations.Strongly depleted O and H stable isotope composition, absence of 3H and low radiocarbon concentration are the main indicators of glacial origin of groundwater in the Cambrian-Vendian aquifer in northern Estonia. The noble gas analyses allowed concluding, that palaeorecharge took place at temperatures around the freezing point. While in North Estonia, most of water was changed by glacial melt water, high salinity water is till preserved in Southern part of Estonia.First results of modeling suggest that during the intrusion period lasting 7.3-9.3 ka the front of glacial thaw water movement had southeast direction and reachedto 180-220 kmfrom CVAS outcrop in Baltic Sea. Confining layer of CVAS is cut through by deep buried valleys in several places in North Estonia making possible for modern precipitation to infiltrate into aquifer system in present day. In case of natural conditions, the water pressure of CVAS is few meters above sea level and most of valleys act as discharge areas for aquifers system. Two regional depression ones have formed in North Estonia as a result of groundwater use from CVAS. Water consumption changes the natural groundwater gradient, flow direction and thereforerecharge

  13. Groundwater resource exploration in Salem district, Tamil Nadu ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Hence, proper assessment of groundwater potential and management practices are ..... Total. 8.33 3.67 5.58 12.50 11.50 17.00 5.83. Table 3. Relative weight matrix – thematic layers. ...... potential zones and zones of groundwater quality suit-.

  14. GIS based Hydrogeological Vulnerability Mapping of Groundwater Resources in Jerash Area-Jordan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hammouri, N [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Hashemite University, Zarqa (Jordan); El-Naqa, A [Department of Water Management and Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Hashemite University, Zarqa (Jordan)

    2008-04-15

    This paper presents groundwater vulnerability mapping for Jerash area, north Jordan generated using EPIK and DRASTIC models. These models have been implemented using GIS to delineate groundwater protection zones and to suggest a protection plan to improve groundwater quality of the major springs and wells. Most of the groundwater resources in the study area are polluted and bacteria and nitrate levels are high. Different sources of groundwater pollution have been identified. Domestic wastewater is considered as a major source of pollution. Urban runoff, fertilizers from agricultural return flows and solid waste disposal appear to be secondary sources. The most relevant vulnerability class of EPIK map is very high which accounts for about 41 % of the total area. While in the DRASTIC vulnerability map, areas with high vulnerability were only about 23 % of the total area. There is a good correlation between vulnerability maps obtained from both models with microbiological and chemical pollution evidences. There is also a good agreement between the areas classified as highly vulnerable and those that have high levels of pollution. [Spanish] El estudio de vulnerabilidad de aguas subterraneas en la region de Yerash, Jordania fue obtenido mediante las metodologias de EPIK y DRASTIC. Se uso GIS para mapear las zonas protegidas y para sugerir un plan de proteccion para mejorar la calidad del agua subterranea en los principales manantiales y pozos. Los niveles de contaminacion bacteriana y de nitratos son elevados. El efluente domestico es la fuente mas importante de contaminacion; vienen en segundo lugar la precipitacion en zonas urbanas, los fertilizantes agricolas y los desechos solidos. En el mapa de EPIK, la vulnerabilidad extrema abarca hasta 41% del area total; en cambio, en el mapa de DRASTIC las areas de alta vulnerabilidad ocupan solo un 23% del area. La correlacion de los datos de contaminacion microbiana y quimica con ambos mapas der vulnerabilidad es buena

  15. The deep hydrogeologic flow system underlying the Oak Ridge Reservation - Assessing the potential for active groundwater flow and origin of the brine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nativ, R.; Halleran, A.; Hunley, A.

    1997-08-01

    The deep hydrogeologic system underlying the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) contains contaminants such as radionuclides, heavy metals, nitrates, and organic compounds. The groundwater in the deep system is saline and has been considered to be stagnant in previous studies. This study was designed to address the following questions: is groundwater in the deep system stagnant; is contaminant migration controlled by diffusion only or is advection a viable mechanism; where are the potential outlet points? On the basis of existing and newly collected data, the nature of saline groundwater flow and potential discharge into shallow, freshwater systems was assessed. Data used for this purpose included (1) spatial and temporal pressures and hydraulic heads measured in the deep system, (2) hydraulic parameters of the formations in question, (3) spatial and temporal temperature variations at depth, and (4) spatial and temporal chemical and isotopic composition of the saline groundwater. The observations suggest that the saline water contained at depth is old but not isolated (in terms of recharge and discharge) from the overlying active, freshwater-bearing units. Influx of recent water does occur. Groundwater volumes involved in this flow are likely to be small. The origin of the saline groundwater was assessed by using existing and newly acquired chemical and isotopic data. The proposed model that best fits the data is modification of residual brine from which halite has been precipitated. Other models, such as ultrafiltration and halite dissolution, were also evaluated

  16. Groundwater-Quality Survey of the South Coast Aquifer of Puerto Rico, April 2 through May 30, 2007

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Jose M.; Gómez-Gómez, Fernando

    2009-01-01

    The increased potential for variability of groundwater quality in the South Coast aquifer of Puerto Rico due to saline water encroachment from the Caribbean Sea and from deep parts of the aquifer has become a major concern of water planners and managers. In an effort to determine the extent and sources of this encroachment, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources conducted a synoptic groundwater-quality survey from April 2 through May 30, 2007, for the South Coast aquifer between Ponce and Arroyo (fig. 1). Groundwater resources in this aquifer extend 150 square miles in south-central Puerto Rico and provide an estimated 44.2 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) or about 61 percent of the total water needs. This amount includes: 15.3 Mgal/d for irrigation, 27.4 Mgal/d for public supply, and 1.5 Mgal/d for industrial and other uses (W.L. Molina-Rivera, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2007). Since 1980 when most of the south coastal plain was intensively cultivated for sugarcane, total groundwater withdrawals have declined about 32 Mgal/d with the greatest decline occurring in irrigation (37.2 Mgal/d) and the greatest increase occurring in public supply (5.5 Mgal/d). Although withdrawals have declined substantially, a major concern is that aquifer recharge provided by irrigation return flow from surface-water irrigation canals has essentially dropped to zero because of the large-scale implementation of groundwater drip irrigation systems.

  17. Sustainable water resources management in Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malik, A.H.

    2005-01-01

    Total river discharge in Pakistan in summer season vary from 3 thousand to 34 thousand cusses (100 thousand Cusses to 1,200 thousand Cusses) and can cause tremendous loss to human lives, crops and property, this causes the loss of most of the flood water in the lower Indus plains to the sea. Due to limited capacity of storage at Tarbela and Mangla Dams on river Indus and Jhelum, with virtually no control on Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej, devastating problems are faced between July and October in the event of excessive rainfall in the catchments. Due to enormous amounts of sediments brought in by the feeding rivers, the three major reservoirs -Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma will lose their storage capacity, by 25 % by the end of the year 2010, which will further aggravate the water-availability situation in Pakistan. The quality of water is also deteriorating due to urbanization and industrialization and agricultural developments. On the Environmental Front the main problems are water-logging and salinity, salt-imbalance, and increasing pollution of water-bodies. World's largest and most integrated system of irrigation was installed almost a hundred years ago and now its efficiency has been reduced to such an extent that more than 50 per cent of the irrigation-water is lost in transit and during application. On the other side, there are still not fully exploited water resources for example groundwater, the alluvial plains of Pakistan are blessed with extensive unconfined aquifer, with a potential of over 50 MAF, which is being exploited to an extent of about 38 MAF by over 562,000 private and 10,000 public tube-wells. In case of Balochistan, out of a total available potential of about 0.9 MAF of groundwater, over 0.5 MAF are already being utilized, but there by leaving a balance of about 0.4 MAF that can still be utilized. Future water resources management strategies should includes starting a mass-awareness campaign on a marshal scale in rural and urban areas to apply water

  18. The role of evapotranspiration in the groundwater hydrochemistry of an arid coastal wetland (Península Valdés, Argentina)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez, María del Pilar; Carol, Eleonora; Dapeña, Cristina

    2015-01-01

    Coastal wetlands are complex hydrogeological systems, in which saline groundwater usually occurs. Salinity can be attributed to many origins, such as dissolution of minerals in the sediments, marine contribution and evapotranspiration, among others. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the processes that condition the hydrochemistry of an arid marsh, Playa Fracasso, located in Patagonia, Argentina. A study of the dynamics and geochemistry of the groundwater was carried out in each hydrogeomorphological unit, using major ion and isotope ( 18 O and 2 H) data, soil profiles descriptions and measurements, and recording of water tables in relation to the tidal flow. Water balances and analytical models based on isotope data were used to quantify the evaporation processes and to define the role of evaporation in the chemical composition of water. The results obtained show that the groundwater salinity of the marsh comes mainly from the tidal inflow, to which the halite and gypsum dissolution is added. These mineral facies are the result of the total evaporation of the marine water flooding that occurs mostly at the spring high tides. The isotope relationships in the fan and bajada samples show the occurrence of evaporation processes. Such processes, however, are not mainly responsible for the saline content of groundwater, which is actually generated by the dissolution of the typical evaporite facies of the arid environment sediments. It is concluded that the evapotranspiration processes condition groundwater quality. This is not only due to the saline enrichment caused by the evapotranspiration of shallow water, but also because such processes are the main drivers of the formation of soluble salts, which are then incorporated into the water by groundwater or tidal flow. - Highlights: • Tidal inflow and evapotranspiration processes condition the salinity of the marsh. • The total evaporation of marine water led the halite and gypsum precipitation. • The dissolution

  19. The Energy-Water Nexus: Spatially-Resolved Analysis of the Potential for Desalinating Brackish Groundwater by Use of Solar Energy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jill B. Kjellsson

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This research looks at coupling desalination with renewable energy sources to create a high-value product (treated water from two low value resources (brackish groundwater and intermittent solar energy. Desalination of brackish groundwater is already being considered as a potential new water supply in Texas. This research uses Texas as a testbed for spatially-resolved analysis techniques while considering depth to brackish groundwater, water quality, and solar radiation across Texas to determine the locations with the best potential for integrating solar energy with brackish groundwater desalination. The framework presented herein can be useful for policymakers, regional planners, and project developers as they consider where to site desalination facilities coupled with solar photovoltaics. Results suggest that the northwestern region of Texas—with abundant sunshine and groundwater at relatively shallow depths and low salinity in areas with freshwater scarcity—has the highest potential for solar powered desalination. The range in capacity for solar photovoltaic powered reverse osmosis desalination was found to be 1.56 × 10—6 to 2.93 × 10—5 cubic meters of water per second per square meter of solar panel (m3/s/m2.

  20. The effects of withdrawals and drought on groundwater availability in the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, Guam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gingerich, Stephen B.

    2013-01-01

    Owing to population growth, freshwater demand on Guam has increased in the past and will likely increase in the future. During the early 1970s to 2010, groundwater withdrawals from the limestone Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, the main source of freshwater on the island, tripled from about 15 to 45 million gallons per day. Because of proposed military relocation to Guam and expected population growth, freshwater demand on Guam is projected to increase further. The expected increased demand for groundwater has led to concern over the long-term sustainability of withdrawals from existing and proposed wells. A three-dimensional numerical groundwater flow and transport model was developed to simulate the effects of hypothetical withdrawal and recharge scenarios on water levels and on the transition zone between freshwater and saltwater. The model was constructed by using average recharge during 1961–2005 and withdrawals from 2010. Hydraulic properties used to construct the model were initially based on published estimates but ultimately were adjusted to obtain better agreement between simulated and measured water levels and salinity profiles in the modeled area. Two hypothetical groundwater withdrawal scenarios were simulated: no withdrawal to simulate predevelopment conditions and withdrawal at 2010 rates under a 5-year drought. Simulation results indicate that prior to pumping; the fresh-water lens was 10 to 50 feet thicker in the Yigo-Tumon basin and more than 50 feet thicker in the Hagåtña basin. Results also indicate that continuing the 2010 withdrawal distribution during a 5-year drought would result in decreased water levels, a thinner freshwater lens, and increased salinity of water pumped from wells. The available water with an acceptable salinity (chloride concentration less than 200 milligrams per liter) would decrease from about 34 million gallons per day to 11.5 million gallons per day after 5 years but recover to pre-drought levels 5 years after the

  1. Protecting groundwater resources at biosolids recycling sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarland, Michael J; Kumarasamy, Karthik; Brobst, Robert B; Hais, Alan; Schmitz, Mark D

    2013-01-01

    In developing the national biosolids recycling rule (Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulation Part 503 or Part 503), the USEPA conducted deterministic risk assessments whose results indicated that the probability of groundwater impairment associated with biosolids recycling was insignificant. Unfortunately, the computational capabilities available for performing risk assessments of pollutant fate and transport at that time were limited. Using recent advances in USEPA risk assessment methodology, the present study evaluates whether the current national biosolids pollutant limits remain protective of groundwater quality. To take advantage of new risk assessment approaches, a computer-based groundwater risk characterization screening tool (RCST) was developed using USEPA's Multimedia, Multi-pathway, Multi-receptor Exposure and Risk Assessment program. The RCST, which generates a noncarcinogenic human health risk estimate (i.e., hazard quotient [HQ] value), has the ability to conduct screening-level risk characterizations. The regulated heavy metals modeled in this study were As, Cd, Ni, Se, and Zn. Results from RCST application to biosolids recycling sites located in Yakima County, Washington, indicated that biosolids could be recycled at rates as high as 90 Mg ha, with no negative human health effects associated with groundwater consumption. Only under unrealistically high biosolids land application rates were public health risks characterized as significant (HQ ≥ 1.0). For example, by increasing the biosolids application rate and pollutant concentrations to 900 Mg ha and 10 times the regulatory limit, respectively, the HQ values varied from 1.4 (Zn) to 324.0 (Se). Since promulgation of Part 503, no verifiable cases of groundwater contamination by regulated biosolids pollutants have been reported. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  2. Coastal Forests and Groundwater: Using Case Studies to Understand the Effects of Drivers and Stressors for Resource Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timothy J. Callahan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Forests are receiving more attention for the ecosystem goods and services they provide and the potential change agents that may affect forest health and productivity. Highlighting case examples from coastal forests in South Carolina, USA, we describe groundwater processes with respect to stressors and potential responses of a wetland-rich forested landscape, the roles that this area has served, and the need for water resource data to inform forest management decisions. Forested lands in the southeastern U.S. coastal plain provide a rich set of goods and services for the region, and in one case, the Francis Marion National Forest acts as a buffer to urbanization from the surrounding Charleston metropolitan area. Information from two decades of studies in the forested watersheds there may inform scientists and managers in other coastal forested systems. The common hydrological theme in this region, which has a higher average annual rainfall (1370 mm than the annual potential evapotranspiration (PET = 1135 mm, is a shallow (<3 m water table condition that supports a large range of natural wetlands and also creates management challenges across the region. Modest changes in the position of the water table can lead to either groundwater flooding and concomitant management challenges for forest services, or ecosystem stresses related to dry conditions in wetlands during times of below-normal precipitation or due to groundwater withdrawal. Development pressures have also stressed forest resources through the extraction of materials such as timber and sand mining, and the conversion to housing construction materials. These areas are also targeted for land development, to meet housing demands. In this paper, we discuss the role of groundwater in coastal forests and highlight opportunities for collaborative studies to better inform forest resource management.

  3. Composition and fluxes of submarine groundwater along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Null, Kimberly A.; Knee, Karen L.; Crook, Elizabeth D.; de Sieyes, Nicholas R.; Rebolledo-Vieyra, Mario; Hernández-Terrones, Laura; Paytan, Adina

    2014-04-01

    Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to the coastal environment along the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, Quintana Roo, Mexico was investigated using a combination of tracer mass balances and analytical solutions. Two distinct submarine groundwater sources including water from the unconfined surficial aquifer discharging at the beach face and water from a deeper aquifer discharging nearshore through submarine springs (ojos) were identified. The groundwater of nearshore ojos was saline and significantly enriched in short-lived radium isotopes (223Ra, 224Ra) relative to the unconfined aquifer beach face groundwater. We estimated SGD from ojos using 223Ra and used a salinity mass balance to estimate the freshwater discharge at the beach face. Analytical calculations were also used to estimate wave set-up and tidally driven saline seepage into the surf zone and were compared to the salinity-based freshwater discharge estimates. Results suggest that average SGD from ojos along the Yucatan Peninsula Caribbean coast is on the order of 308 m3 d-1 m-1 and varies between sampling regions. Higher discharge was observed in the southern regions (568 m3 d-1 m-1) compared to the north (48 m3 d-1 m-1). Discharge at the beach face was in the range of 3.3-8.5 m3 d-1 m-1 for freshwater and 2.7 m3 d-1 m-1 for saline water based on the salinity mass balance and wave- and tidally-driven discharge, respectively. Although discharge from the ojos was larger in volume than discharge from the unconfined aquifer at the beach face, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was significantly higher in beach groundwater; thus, discharge of this unconfined beach aquifer groundwater contributed significantly to total DIN loading to the coast. DIN fluxes were up to 9.9 mol d-1 m-1 from ojos and 2.1 mol d-1 m-1 from beach discharge and varied regionally along the 500 km coastline sampled. These results demonstrate the importance of considering the beach zone as a significant nutrient source to coastal waters

  4. Characterization of the Spatial and Temporal Variations of Submarine Groundwater Discharge Using Electrical Resistivity and Seepage Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durand, Josephine Miryam Kalyanie

    Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) encompasses all fluids crossing the sediment/ocean interface, regardless of their origin, composition or driving forces. SGD provides a pathway for terrestrial contaminants that can significantly impact coastal ecosystems. Overexploitation of groundwater resources can decrease SGD which favors seawater intrusion at depth. Understanding SGD is therefore crucial for water quality and resource management. Quantifying SGD is challenging due to its diffuse and heterogeneous nature, in addition to significant spatio-temporal variations at multiple scales. In this thesis, an integrated approach combining electrical resistivity (ER) surveys, conductivity and temperature point measurements, seepage rates using manual and ultrasonic seepage meters, and pore fluid salinities was used to characterize SGD spatio-temporal variations and their implications for contaminant transport at several locations on Long Island, NY. The influence of surficial sediments on SGD distribution was investigated in Stony Brook Harbor. A low-permeability mud layer, actively depositing in the harbor, limits SGD at the shoreline, prevents mixing with seawater and channels a significant volume of freshwater offshore. SGD measured at locations without mud is high and indicates significant mixing between porewater and seawater. A 2D steady-state density-difference numerical model of the harbor was developed using SEAWAT and was validated by our field observations. Temporal variations of SGD due to semi-diurnal tidal forcing were studied in West Neck Bay, Shelter Island, using a 12-hr time-lapse ER survey together with continuous salinity and seepage measurements in the intertidal zone. The observed dynamic patterns of groundwater flux and salinity distribution disagree with published standard transient state numerical models, suggesting the need for developing more specific models of non-homogeneous anisotropic aquifers. SGD distribution and composition were

  5. Spatial variability analysis of combining the water quality and groundwater flow model to plan groundwater and surface water management in the Pingtung plain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ching-Fang; Chen, Jui-Sheng; Jang, Cheng-Shin

    2014-05-01

    As a result of rapid economic growth in the Pingtung Plain, the use of groundwater resources has changed dramatically. The groundwater is quite rich in the Pingtung plain and the most important water sources. During the several decades, a substantial amount of groundwater has been pumped for the drinking, irrigation and aquaculture water supplies. However, because the sustainable use concept of groundwater resources is lack, excessive pumping of groundwater causes the occurrence of serious land subsidence and sea water intrusion. Thus, the management and conservation of groundwater resources in the Pingtung plain are considerably critical. This study aims to assess the conjunct use effect of groundwater and surface water in the Pingtung plain on recharge by reducing the amount of groundwater extraction. The groundwater quality variability and groundwater flow models are combined to spatially analyze potential zones of groundwater used for multi-purpose in the Pingtung Plain. First, multivariate indicator kriging (MVIK) is used to analyze spatial variability of groundwater quality based on drinking, aquaculture and irrigation water quality standards, and probabilistically delineate suitable zones in the study area. Then, the groundwater flow model, Processing MODFLOW (PMWIN), is adopted to simulate groundwater flow. The groundwater flow model must be conducted by the calibration and verification processes, and the regional groundwater recovery is discussed when specified water rights are replaced by surface water in the Pingtung plain. Finally, the most suitable zones of reducing groundwater use are determined for multi-purpose according to combining groundwater quality and quantity. The study results can establish a sound and low-impact management plan of groundwater resources utilization for the multi-purpose groundwater use, and prevent decreasing ground water tables, and the occurrence of land subsidence and sea water intrusion in the Pingtung plain.

  6. Groundwater quality assessment in the village of Lutfullapur Nawada, Loni, District Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Vinod K; Bikundia, Devendra Singh; Sarswat, Ankur; Mohan, Dinesh

    2012-07-01

    The groundwater quality for drinking, domestic and irrigation in the village Lutfullapur Nawada, Loni, district Ghaziabad, U.P., India, has been assessed. Groundwater samples were collected, processed and analyzed for temperature, pH, conductivity, salinity, total alkalinity, carbonate alkalinity, bicarbonate alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, total solids, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, nitrate-nitrogen, chloride, fluoride, sulfate, phosphate, silica, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, total chromium, cadmium, copper, iron, nickel, lead and zinc. A number of groundwater samples showed levels of electrical conductivity (EC), alkalinity, chloride, calcium, sodium, potassium and iron exceeding their permissible limits. Except iron, the other metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were analyzed below the permissible limits. The correlation matrices for 28 variables were performed. EC, salinity, TS and TDS had significant positive correlations among themselves and also with NO (3) (-) , Cl(-), alkalinity, Na(+), K(+), and Ca(2+). Fluoride was not significantly correlated with any of the parameters. NO (3) (-) was significantly positively correlated with Cl(-), alkalinity, Na(+), K(+) and Ca(2+). Chloride also correlated significantly with alkalinity, Na(+), K(+) and Ca(2+). Sodium showed a strong and positive correlation with K(+) and Ca(2+). pH was negatively correlated with most of the physicochemical parameters. This groundwater is classified as a normal sulfate and chloride type. Base-exchange indices classified 73% of the groundwater sources as the Na(+)-SO (4) (2-) type. The meteoric genesis indices demonstrated that 67% of groundwater sources belong to a deep meteoric water percolation type. Hydrochemical groundwater evaluations revealed that most of the groundwaters belong to the Na(+)-K(+)-Cl(-)-SO (4) (2-) type followed by Na(+)-K(+)-HCO (3) (-) type. Salinity, chlorinity and SAR indices indicated that majority

  7. Assessment of groundwater pollution from ash ponds using stable and unstable isotopes around the Koradi and Khaperkheda thermal power plants (Maharashtra, India).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voltaggio, M; Spadoni, M; Sacchi, E; Sanam, R; Pujari, P R; Labhasetwar, P K

    2015-06-15

    The impact on local water resources due to fly ash produced in the Koradi and Khaperkheda thermal power plants (district of Nagpur, Maharashtra - India) and disposed in large ponds at the surface was assessed through the study of environmental variation of ratios of stable and unstable isotopes. Analyses of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes suggest scarce interaction between the water temporarily stored in the ponds and the groundwater in the study area. Data also highlight that the high salinity of groundwater measured in the polluted wells is not due to evaporation, but to subsequent infiltration of stream waters draining from the ponds to the local aquifer. (87)Sr/(86)Sr values, when associated with Sr/Ca ratios, demonstrate the dominant role of waste waters coming from tens of brick kilns surrounding the pond sulfate pollution. Uranium isotopic analyses clearly show evidence of the interaction between groundwater and aquifer rocks, and confirm again the low influence of ash ponds. A new conceptual model based on the study of the isotopes of radium is also proposed and used to estimate residence times of groundwater in the area. This model highlights that high salinity cannot be in any case attributed to a prolonged water-rock interaction, but is due to the influence of untreated waste water of domestic or brick kiln origin on the shallow and vulnerable aquifers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. 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

  9. Ground-water resources in the tri-state region adjacent to the Lower Delaware River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barksdale, Henry C.; Greenman, David W.; Lang, Solomon Max; Hilton, George Stockbridge; Outlaw, Donald E.

    1958-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to appraise and evaluate the groundwater resources of a tri-state region adjacent to the lower Delaware River that is centered around Philadelphia, Pa., and Camden, N. J., and includes Wilmington, Del., and Trenton, N.J. Specifically, the region includes New Castle County, Del.; Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, and Salem Counties in New Jersey; and Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania.

  10. Ground-water resources and contamination at Kwajalein Island, Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1990-91

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, Charles D.

    1996-01-01

    Kwajalein Island is the largest of the many low, sandy islets that form Kwajalein Atoll in the western North Pacific Ocean. Salinity and water-level surveys at exploratory monitoring wells in 1990 and 1991 delineated a freshwater lens nearly 40 feet thick floating on saltwater within the carbonate sand and gravel aquifer. A transition zone of mixture between the freshwater and saltwater is as thick as 90 feet. Maximum water-table height is only 1.5 feet above sea level. The freshwater lens thinned and thickened by 5 feet during the year-long field study in response to seasonal rainfall and pumping. Freshwater is produced by airstrip rain catchments and shallow, horizontal wells up to 1,400 feet long. Catchment and ground-water yields are roughly equal on average, but catchment is the principal source during the wet season, whereas the dry season requires sustained pumping. The salinity of pumped water has remained below drinking-water standards since wells were installed in 1971, except during the drought of 1983-84, the most severe drought in the rainfall record dating back to 1945. Wet-season rains at the end of the drought reduced salinity to low levels in just a few months. The operating history of the combined catchment/well water supply indicates that it is capable of producing at least 300,000 gallons per day in all but the driest years, and more in wet years. Several sites are contaminated by fuels, solvents, or metals, but most are at the periphery of the freshwater flow system where contaminants are carried toward the shore. However, three interior sites have greater potential to contaminate nearby water-supply wells.

  11. A Method to Evaluate Groundwater flow system under the Seabed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohara, N.; Marui, A.

    2011-12-01

    A rapid increase of population in the world causes growth of water demands, and this may result worldwide water shortage in future. Especially, in the coastal area, water resource development becomes important because the half of the world population is concentrated in this area. Recently, countermeasures to mitigate climate change are discussed. Coastal area is one of the promising places for disposal of high-level nuclear waste or carbon dioxide capture and storage. Lots of development will be conducted in the coastal areas, however there are a lot of uncertainties remaining to understand the hydrogeological environment in there. It has been said that salt water / fresh water interface is formed in the place where meteoric fresh groundwater and salt groundwater from the ocean meet, and there is a large amount of groundwater discharge on the seafloor of the end of this interface so far. Recently, there is a lot of research about this submarine groundwater discharge because of the protection of the coastal ecosystem. In addition, there is a report that fresh water under the seabed was discovered on the continental shelf away from a present coastline by tens of kilometers in many parts of the world, because recently offshore drilling technology has been improving. Classical theory about formulation of salt water / fresh water interface could not explain completely, and consideration of longterm geochemical process (e.g., sea level fluctuations) is needed to understand this mechanism. Fresh (or brackish) groundwater under the seabed have been found on the investigation related to a seabed resources exploration in the field of coal mining, oceanic engineering works such as submarine tunnels, the atomic research, and the collection investigations of the basic data in the earth science field. A lot of fresh water under the seabed is confirmed on the offshore side from a present coastline as for these cases, and it is suggested that the end position of the salt water

  12. Groundwater quality for irrigation of deep aquifer in southwestern zone of Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirza A.T.M. Tanvir Rahman

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In coastal regions of Bangladesh, sources of irrigation are rain, surface and groundwater. Due to rainfall anomaly andsaline contamination, it is important to identify deep groundwater that is eligible for irrigation. The main goal of the study wasto identify deep groundwater which is suitable for irrigation. Satkhira Sadar Upazila, at the southwestern coastal zone ofBangladesh, was the study area, which was divided into North, Center and South zones. Twenty samples of groundwaterwere analyzed for salinity (0.65-4.79 ppt, sodium absorption ratio (1.14-11.62, soluble sodium percentage (32.95-82.21, electricalconductivity (614-2082.11 μS/cm, magnesium adsorption ratio (21.96-26.97, Kelly’s ratio (0.48-4.62, total hardness(150.76-313.33 mg/l, permeability index (68.02-94.16 and residual sodium bi-carbonate (79.68-230.72 mg/l. Chemical constituentsand values were compared with national and international standards. Northern deep groundwater has the highest salinityand chemical concentrations. Salinity and other chemical concentrations show a decreasing trend towards the south. Lowchemical concentrations in the southern region indicate the best quality groundwater for irrigation.

  13. Brackish groundwater and its potential to augment freshwater supplies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanton, Jennifer S.; Dennehy, Kevin F.

    2017-07-18

    Secure, reliable, and sustainable water resources are fundamental to the Nation’s food production, energy independence, and ecological and human health and well-being. Indications are that at any given time, water resources are under stress in selected parts of the country. The large-scale development of groundwater resources has caused declines in the amount of groundwater in storage and declines in discharges to surface water bodies (Reilly and others, 2008). Water supply in some regions, particularly in arid and semiarid regions, is not adequate to meet demand, and severe drought intensifies the stresses affecting water resources (National Drought Mitigation Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, 2015). If these drought conditions continue, water shortages could adversely affect the human condition and threaten environmental flows necessary to maintain ecosystem health.In support of the national census of water resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed the national brackish groundwater assessment to provide updated information about brackish groundwater as a potential resource to augment or replace freshwater supplies (Stanton and others, 2017). Study objectives were to consolidate available data into a comprehensive database of brackish groundwater resources in the United States and to produce a summary report highlighting the distribution, physical and chemical characteristics, and use of brackish groundwater resources. This assessment was authorized by section 9507 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10367), passed by Congress in March 2009. Before this assessment, the last national brackish groundwater compilation was completed in the mid-1960s (Feth, 1965). Since that time, substantially more hydrologic and geochemical data have been collected and now can be used to improve the understanding of the Nation’s brackish groundwater resources.

  14. The source of groundwater salinization in the Indus basin - an isotopic evidence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajjad, M.I.; Hussain, S.D.; Tasneem, M.A.; Ahmad, M.; Khan, I.H.; Akram, W.; Waheed, R.

    1991-09-01

    The isotopic and chemical studies were carried out in three regions of the Indus Basin to ascertain the source of salinity. Samples collected from the Faisalabad are in Rechna Doab, Chaj Doab and Mardan Valley, were analysed on mass spectrometer for D/H, 18O/16O and 34S/32S ratios. Electrical conductivities and pH measurements were made in situ while the analyses of various cations/anions were made in the laboratory. The isotopic results show that the salinity is mainly due to the dissolution of sediments salts by the infiltrating sweet water. The chemical data also support this conclusion. The rise in salinity is also partly due to the use of fertilizers and evaporation processes. (author)

  15. Geochemical processes controlling water salinization in an irrigated basin in Spain: identification of natural and anthropogenic influence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merchán, D; Auqué, L F; Acero, P; Gimeno, M J; Causapé, J

    2015-01-01

    Salinization of water bodies represents a significant risk in water systems. The salinization of waters in a small irrigated hydrological basin is studied herein through an integrated hydrogeochemical study including multivariate statistical analyses and geochemical modeling. The study zone has two well differentiated geologic materials: (i) Quaternary sediments of low salinity and high permeability and (ii) Tertiary sediments of high salinity and very low permeability. In this work, soil samples were collected and leaching experiments conducted on them in the laboratory. In addition, water samples were collected from precipitation, irrigation, groundwater, spring and surface waters. The waters show an increase in salinity from precipitation and irrigation water to ground- and, finally, surface water. The enrichment in salinity is related to the dissolution of soluble mineral present mainly in the Tertiary materials. Cation exchange, precipitation of calcite and, probably, incongruent dissolution of dolomite, have been inferred from the hydrochemical data set. Multivariate statistical analysis provided information about the structure of the data, differentiating the group of surface waters from the groundwaters and the salinization from the nitrate pollution processes. The available information was included in geochemical models in which hypothesis of consistency and thermodynamic feasibility were checked. The assessment of the collected information pointed to a natural control on salinization processes in the Lerma Basin with minimal influence of anthropogenic factors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Geostatistical methods in evaluating spatial variability of groundwater quality in Al-Kharj Region, Saudi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Omran, Abdulrasoul M.; Aly, Anwar A.; Al-Wabel, Mohammad I.; Al-Shayaa, Mohammad S.; Sallam, Abdulazeam S.; Nadeem, Mahmoud E.

    2017-11-01

    The analyses of 180 groundwater samples of Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, recorded that most groundwaters are unsuitable for drinking uses due to high salinity; however, they can be used for irrigation with some restriction. The electric conductivity of studied groundwater ranged between 1.05 and 10.15 dS m-1 with an average of 3.0 dS m-1. Nitrate was also found in high concentration in some groundwater. Piper diagrams revealed that the majority of water samples are magnesium-calcium/sulfate-chloride water type. The Gibbs's diagram revealed that the chemical weathering of rock-forming minerals and evaporation are influencing the groundwater chemistry. A kriging method was used for predicting spatial distribution of salinity (EC dS m-1) and NO3 - (mg L-1) in Al-Kharj's groundwater using data of 180 different locations. After normalization of data, variogram was drawn, for selecting suitable model for fitness on experimental variogram, less residual sum of squares value was used. Then cross-validation and root mean square error were used to select the best method for interpolation. The kriging method was found suitable methods for groundwater interpolation and management using either GS+ or ArcGIS.

  17. Environmental isotopes investigation in groundwater of Challaghatta ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    Radiogenic isotopes (3H and 14C) and stable isotope (18O) together with TDS, EC and salinity of water were used to ..... Tritium (3H). Relative dating of groundwater has been carried ... that falls to Earth has small amounts of tritium. During the.

  18. Potential impacts of climate change and variability on groundwater ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Potential impacts of climate change and variability on groundwater resources in Nigeria. ... African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ... of climate change induced groundwater impacts due to largely multi-scale local and regional heterogeneity, there is need to evaluate groundwater resources, quality and ...

  19. Characterization of Intrinsic PAH Biodegradation in Groundwater During Tidal Cycles at the Naval Station Norfolk: Interim Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Boyd, Thomas

    2002-01-01

    .... Groundwater at the site is impacted by subsurface fuel spill(s). Groundwater was assessed for fuel hydrocarbon concentrations, stable carbon isotope fingerprints, temperature, salinity, total microbial carbon demand, and PAH mineralization rates...

  20. Untangling the effects of shallow groundwater and deficit irrigation on irrigation water productivity in arid region: New conceptual model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Jingyuan; Huo, Zailin; Wang, Fengxin; Kang, Shaozhong; Huang, Guanhua

    2018-04-01

    Water scarcity and salt stress are two main limitations for agricultural production. Groundwater evapotranspiration (ET g ) with upward salt movement plays an important role in crop water use and water productivity in arid regions, and it can compensate the impact of deficit irrigation on crop production. Thus, comprehensive impacts of shallow groundwater and deficit irrigation on crop water use results in an improvement of irrigation water productivity (IWP). However, it is difficult to quantify the effects of groundwater and deficit irrigation on IWP. In this study, we built an IWP evaluation model coupled with a water and salt balance model and a crop yield estimation model. As a valuable tool of IWP simulation, the calibrated model was used to investigate the coupling response of sunflower IWP to irrigation water depths (IWDs), groundwater table depth (GTDs) and groundwater salinities (GSs). A total of 210 scenarios were run in which five irrigation water depths (IWDs) and seven groundwater table depths (GTDs) and six groundwater salinities (GSs) were used. Results indicate that increasing GS clearly increases the negative effect on a crop's actual evapotranspiration (ET a ) as salt accumulation in root zone. When GS is low (0.5-1g/L), increasing GTD produces more positive effect than negative effect. In regard to relatively high GS (2-5g/L), the negative effect of shallow-saline groundwater reaches a maximum at 2m GTD. Additionally, the salt concentration in the root zone maximizes its value at 2.0m GTD. In most cases, increasing GTD and GS reduces the benefits of irrigation water and IWP. The IWP increases with decreasing irrigation water. Overall, in arid regions, capillary rise of shallow groundwater can compensate for the lack of irrigation water and improve IWP. By improving irrigation schedules and taking advantages of shallow saline groundwater, we can obtain higher IWP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Groundwater pollution: Are we monitoring appropriate parameters ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Groundwater pollution is a worldwide phenomenon with potentially disastrous consequences. Prevention of pollution is the ideal approach. However, in practice groundwater quality monitoring is the main tool for timely detection of pollutants and protection of groundwater resources. Monitoring groundwater quality is a ...

  2. NORTH CAROLINA GROUNDWATER RECHARGE RATES 1994

    Science.gov (United States)

    North Carolina Groundwater Recharge Rates, from Heath, R.C., 1994, Ground-water recharge in North Carolina: North Carolina State University, as prepared for the NC Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources (NC DEHNR) Division of Enviromental Management Groundwater S...

  3. Salinity sources of Kefar Uriya wells in the Judea Group aquifer of Israel. Part 1—conceptual hydrogeological model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avisar, D.; Rosenthal, E.; Flexer, A.; Shulman, H.; Ben-Avraham, Z.; Guttman, J.

    2003-01-01

    In the Yarkon-Taninim groundwater basin, the karstic Judea Group aquifer contains groundwater of high quality. However, in the western wells of the Kefar Uriya area located in the foothills of the Judea Mountains, brackish groundwater was locally encountered. The salinity of this water is caused presumably by two end members designated as the 'Hazerim' and 'Lakhish' water types. The Hazerim type represents surface water percolating through a highly fractured thin chalky limestone formation overlying the Judea Group aquifer. The salinity of the water derives conjointly from several sources such as leachates from rendzina and grumosols, dissolution of caliche crusts which contain evaporites and of rock debris from the surrounding formations. This surface water percolates downwards into the aquifer through a funnel- or chimney-like mechanism. This local salinization mechanism supercedes another regional process caused by the Lakhish waters. These are essentially diluted brines originating from deep formations in the western parts of the Coastal Plain. The study results show that salinization is not caused by the thick chalky beds of the Senonian Mt Scopus Group overlying the Judea Group aquifer, as traditionally considered but prevalently by aqueous leachates from soils and rock debris. The conceptual qualitative hydrogeological model of the salinization as demonstrated in this study, is supported by a quantitative hydrological model presented in another paper in this volume.

  4. The `Henry Problem' of `density-driven' groundwater flow versus Tothian `groundwater flow systems' with variable density: A review of the influential Biscayne aquifer data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weyer, K. U.

    2017-12-01

    Coastal groundwater flow investigations at the Biscayne Bay, south of Miami, Florida, gave rise to the concept of density-driven flow of seawater into coastal aquifers creating a saltwater wedge. Within that wedge, convection-driven return flow of seawater and a dispersion zone were assumed by Cooper et al. (1964) to be the cause of the Biscayne aquifer `sea water wedge'. This conclusion was based on the chloride distribution within the aquifer and on an analytical model concept assuming convection flow within a confined aquifer without taking non-chemical field data into consideration. This concept was later labelled the `Henry Problem', which any numerical variable density flow program must be able to simulate to be considered acceptable. Both, `density-driven flow' and Tothian `groundwater flow systems' (with or without variable density conditions) are driven by gravitation. The difference between the two are the boundary conditions. 'Density-driven flow' occurs under hydrostatic boundary conditions while Tothian `groundwater flow systems' occur under hydrodynamic boundary conditions. Revisiting the Cooper et al. (1964) publication with its record of piezometric field data (heads) showed that the so-called sea water wedge has been caused by discharging deep saline groundwater driven by gravitational flow and not by denser sea water. Density driven flow of seawater into the aquifer was not found reflected in the head measurements for low and high tide conditions which had been taken contemporaneously with the chloride measurements. These head measurements had not been included in the flow interpretation. The very same head measurements indicated a clear dividing line between shallow local fresh groundwater flow and saline deep groundwater flow without the existence of a dispersion zone or a convection cell. The Biscayne situation emphasizes the need for any chemical interpretation of flow pattern to be supported by head data as energy indicators of flow fields

  5. Isotope techniques in water resources development and management. Proceedings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-01-01

    The 10th International Symposium on Isotope Techniques in Water Resources Development and Management was organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency in co-operation with UNESCO, WMO and International Association of Hydrological Sciences and was held at IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, during 10-14 May 1999. The symposium provided an international forum for assessing the status and recent advances in isotope applications to water resources and an exchange of information on the following main themes: processes at the interface between the atmosphere and hydrosphere; investigations in surface waters and groundwaters: their origin, dynamics, interrelations; problems and techniques for investigating sedimentation; water resources issues: pollution, source and transport of contaminants, salinization, water-rock interaction and processes in geothermal systems; isotope data interpretation and evaluation methodologies: modelling approaches. The proceedings contain the 46 papers presented and extended synopses of poster presentations; each of them was indexed individually

  6. Evaluation of the groundwater Hydric resources of the Guarani Aquifer System from Municipality of Araguari, Minas Gerais Brasil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Menegasse Velasquez, L. . E- mail: menegasse@dedalus.lcc.ufmg.br; De Carvalho Filho, C.; Costa Camargos, C. .E- mail: cacf@cdtn.br; E- mail: rena@cpd.ufmt.br

    2007-01-01

    The municipality of Araguari, with a total territorial area of 2.745.85 km2, is located in the western border of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and is situated at the northeastern limit of the Guarani Aquifer System-GAS. This work intends to increase the knowledge of the quantitative potencial and of the dynamics of the GAS in the Municipality bythe development of the following technical activities: elaboration of a conceptual hydrogeologic model of the GAS in the municipality; evaluation of the groundwater recharge; evaluation of groundwater reserves and resources; hydrochemical characterization; investigacion of the provenance and dynamics of groundwater by means of the stable isotopes analysis; elaboration of a hydrogeologic mathematical model of Bauru Aquifer; and evaluation of the natural vulnerability of Bauru Aquifer to anthropic pollution

  7. Groundwater and human development: challenges and opportunities in livelihoods and environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, T

    2005-01-01

    At less than 1000 km3/year, the world's annual use of groundwater is 1.5% of renewable water resource but contributes a lion's share of water-induced human welfare. Global groundwater use however has increased manifold in the past 50 years; and the human race has never had to manage groundwater use on such a large scale. Sustaining the massive welfare gains groundwater development has created without ruining the resource is a key water challenge facing the world today. In exploring this challenge, we have focused a good deal on conditions of resource occurrence but less so on resource use. I offer a typology of five groundwater demand systems as Groundwater Socio-ecologies (GwSE), each embodying a unique pattern of interactions between socio-economic and ecological variables, and each facing a distinct groundwater governance challenge. During the past century, a growing corpus of experiential knowledge has accumulated in the industrialized world on managing groundwater in various uses and contexts. A daunting global groundwater issue today is to apply this knowledge intelligently to by far the more formidable challenge that has arisen in developing regions of Asia and Africa, where groundwater irrigation has evolved into a colossal anarchy supporting billions of livelihoods but threatening the resource itself.

  8. Salinization may attack you from behind: upconing and related long-term downstream salinization in the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsthoorn, T.

    2010-12-01

    Groundwater from the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes (GE: 52.35°N 4.55°E) has been used for the drinking water supply of Amsterdam since 1853. During the first half of the 20th century, severe intrusion and upconing occurred, with many of the wells turning brackish or saline. Already in 1903, the hydrologist/director of the Amsterdam Water Supply, Pennink, predicted this, based on his unique sand-box modeling, which he published in 1915 in the form of a large-size hard-bound book in four languages showing detailed black and white photographs of his tests. This book is now on the web: http://www.citg.tudelft.nl/live/pagina.jsp?id=68e12562-a4d2-489a-b82e-deca5dd32c42&lang=en Pennink devoted much of his work on saltwater upconing below wells, which he so feared. He simulated simultaneous flow of fresh and salt water, using milk to represent the saltwater having about the same density. With our current modeling tools, we can simulate his experiments, allowing to better understand his setup and even to verify our code. Pennink took interest in the way these cones form and in the point at which the salt water enters the screen. Surprizing, at least to many, is that this entry point is not necessarily the screen bottom. Measurements of the salinity distribution in salinized wells in the Amsterdam Water Supply Dune area confirmed this thirty years later when salinzation was severely occurring. The curved cone shape under ambient flow conditions provides part of the explanation why a short-term shut down of a well almost immediately diminishes salt concentrations, but salinization downstream of the wells in case with substantial lateral groundwater flow is not affected. Downstream salinization due to extraction was clearly shown in Pennink's experiments. However, the phenomenon seems still largely unknown or ignored. Downstream salinization also affects downstream heads for years after extraction has stopped. The presentation demonstrates and explains these local and more

  9. 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.

  10. Groundwater protection management program plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-06-01

    US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 requires the establishment of a groundwater protection management program to ensure compliance with DOE requirements and applicable Federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project Office has prepared a ''Groundwater Protection Management Program Plan'' (groundwater protection plan) of sufficient scope and detail to reflect the program's significance and address the seven activities required in DOE Order 5400.1, Chapter 3, for special program planning. The groundwater protection plan highlights the methods designed to preserve, protect, and monitor groundwater resources at UMTRA Project processing and disposal sites. The plan includes an overview of the remedial action status at the 24 designated processing sites and identifies project technical guidance documents and site-specific documents for the UMTRA groundwater protection management program. In addition, the groundwater protection plan addresses the general information required to develop a water resources protection strategy at the permanent disposal sites. Finally, the plan describes ongoing activities that are in various stages of development at UMTRA sites (long-term care at disposal sites and groundwater restoration at processing sites). This plan will be reviewed annually and updated every 3 years in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1

  11. Monitoring soil coverage and yield of cowpea furrow irrigated with saline water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonia Leila Rocha Neves

    Full Text Available Abstract Cowpea crop is of great importance for northeast Brazil. The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of saline water in different developing stages on plant growth and changes in soil characteristics, measured by soil coverage, and on yield of cowpea plants. The experiment was conducted under field conditions, during the dry season in a completely randomized block design with five treatments and five replications. Each experimental unit consisted of 4 lines of plants with 5.0 m long. The treatments evaluated were: 1. irrigation with groundwater with electrical conductivity (ECw of 0.8 dS m-1 during the whole crop cycle; 2. saline water (5.0 dS m-1 during the whole crop cycle; 3, 4 and 5. saline water (5.0 dS m-1 up to 22nd, during 23rd to 42nd and from the 43rd to 62nd days after sowing, respectively, and groundwater in the remaining period. Soil coverage was evaluated by digital images using the software ENVI for image processing and classification. It was found that the continuous use of saline water inhibits plant growth, while irrigation with saline water during germination and initial growth stages caused retardation in plant development, but in this last case a recovery was observed in the final part of the experimental period. For treatments 2 and 3, a reduction was verified in the number of pods and in seed production, as compared to other treatments. Irrigation with saline water during 23 to 42 and 43 to 62 days after sowing did not affect reproductive and vegetative growth, but the saline water application in the pre-flowering (treatment 4 caused anticipation of the reproductive cycle.

  12. Geoelectrical parameter-based multivariate regression borehole yield model for predicting aquifer yield in managing groundwater resource sustainability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kehinde Anthony Mogaji

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This study developed a GIS-based multivariate regression (MVR yield rate prediction model of groundwater resource sustainability in the hard-rock geology terrain of southwestern Nigeria. This model can economically manage the aquifer yield rate potential predictions that are often overlooked in groundwater resources development. The proposed model relates the borehole yield rate inventory of the area to geoelectrically derived parameters. Three sets of borehole yield rate conditioning geoelectrically derived parameters—aquifer unit resistivity (ρ, aquifer unit thickness (D and coefficient of anisotropy (λ—were determined from the acquired and interpreted geophysical data. The extracted borehole yield rate values and the geoelectrically derived parameter values were regressed to develop the MVR relationship model by applying linear regression and GIS techniques. The sensitivity analysis results of the MVR model evaluated at P ⩽ 0.05 for the predictors ρ, D and λ provided values of 2.68 × 10−05, 2 × 10−02 and 2.09 × 10−06, respectively. The accuracy and predictive power tests conducted on the MVR model using the Theil inequality coefficient measurement approach, coupled with the sensitivity analysis results, confirmed the model yield rate estimation and prediction capability. The MVR borehole yield prediction model estimates were processed in a GIS environment to model an aquifer yield potential prediction map of the area. The information on the prediction map can serve as a scientific basis for predicting aquifer yield potential rates relevant in groundwater resources sustainability management. The developed MVR borehole yield rate prediction mode provides a good alternative to other methods used for this purpose.

  13. Evaluation of the Marine Intrusion in Havana Province Groundwater Using Hydrochemical and Isotopic Tools

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alvarez, A. M.; Bombuse, D. L.; Estevez Alvarez, J. R. [Centro de Aplicaciones Tecnologicas y Desarrollo Nuclear (CEADEN), Havana (Cuba); others, and

    2013-07-15

    In the present paper the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the saline intrusion in the most important aquifer of Havana province is presented. Results were obtained through the application of hydrochemical and isotopic tools. Studies were carried out within the framework of the IAEA Regional Project RLA/8/041. The survey was carried out in 2008 during the dry and rainy seasons. Sampling points were selected according to a monitoring network located along the north-south line following the main groundwater flow direction. Stable isotopes ({sup 2}H and {sup 18}O) were used to identify and characterize the groundwater origin and mixing processes. Changes in the chemical composition of groundwater were shown to be mainly controlled by the groundwater and seawater mixing process, followed by cation exchange reactions and a Ca-Mg precipitation process due to the strong influence of the costal wetland. A gradual decreasing of the spatial and temporal saline intrusion was observed. (author)

  14. Groundwater systems of the Indian Sub-Continent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abhijit Mukherjee

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The Indian Sub-Continent is one of the most densely populated regions of the world, hosting ∼23% of the global population within only ∼3% of the world's land area. It encompasses some of the world's largest fluvial systems in the world (River Brahmaputra, Ganges and Indus Basins, which hosts some of the highest yielding aquifers in the world. The distribution of usable groundwater in the region varies considerably and the continued availability of safe water from many of these aquifers (e.g. Bengal Basin is constrained by the presence of natural contaminants. Further, the trans-boundary nature of the aquifers in the Indian Sub-Continent makes groundwater resource a potentially politically sensitive issue, particularly since this region is the largest user of groundwater resources in the world. Indeed, there is considerable concern regarding dwindling well yield and declining groundwater levels, even for the highly productive aquifers. Though irrigation already accounts for >85% of the total ground water extraction of the region, there is a mounting pressure on aquifers for food security of the region. Highly variable precipitation, hydrogeological conditions and predicted, impending climate change effects provide substantial challenges to groundwater management. The observed presence of natural groundwater contaminants together with the growing demand for irrigated food production and predicted climate change further complicate the development of strategies for using groundwater resources sustainably. We provide an introduction and overview of 11 articles, collated in this special issue, which describe the current condition of vulnerable groundwater resources across the Indian Sub-Continent.

  15. Desalination as Groundwater Conservation: The Cost of Protecting Cultural and Environmental Resources in Chile's Region II

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, E. C.; Cristi, O.; Libecap, G. D.

    2012-12-01

    There is a substantial body of evidence that groundwater overdraft is occurring worldwide. Economists argue that the cause of this overdraft is the open-access nature of the resource, which results in a "tragedy of the commons." Sustainable water management requires that some institution control the resource to limit this overdraft by reducing water extraction. This reduction creates scarcity and requires a method of rationing. The economically efficient outcome occurs when the lowest value uses of water are eliminated. This allocation, though, may have undesirable social consequences, such as the loss of small-scale farming, and political ramifications that make such an allocation unpopular to implement. This paper explores the economic cost of leaving water in low-value uses. The policy we explore is a moratorium on voluntary water sales to mining firms to protect the groundwater resource in northern Chile. This policy has accelerated the use of expensive desalinated water, whose cost is primarily driven by its heavy use of carbon-based electricity. Chile has a strong system of water property rights that economists argue ration water in a way that leads to the efficient allocation through water markets. This paper first explores the potential inefficiency of a water market when groundwater and surface water are linked, as well as when different users vary in their intensity of use. This theoretical background provides a framework for determining the economically efficient allocation of water and the losses associated with the moratorium in northern Chile. The policy does protect some environmental and cultural public goods, which potentially offset some or all of this cost. We provide a perspective on the magnitude of these public goods but do not attempt to value them explicitly. Instead, we demonstrate what their value must be so that the moratorium policy has a cost-to-benefit ratio of one. While the estimate of lost income from inefficiency is the main focus

  16. Ground-water monitoring under RCRA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coalgate, J.

    1993-11-01

    In developing a regulatory strategy for the disposal of hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), protection of ground-water resources was the primary goal of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA's ground-water protection strategy seeks to minimize the potential for hazardous wastes and hazardous constituents in waste placed in land disposel units to migrate into the environment. This is achieved through liquids management (limiting the placement of liquid wastes in or on the land, requiring the use of liners beneath waste, installing leachate collection systems and run-on and run-off controls, and covering wastes at closure). Ground-water monitoring serves to detect any failure in EPA's liquids management strategy so that ground-water contamination can be detected and addressed as soon as possible

  17. Isotope and minor element geochemistry of high arsenic groundwater from Hangjinhouqi, the Hetao Plain, Inner Mongolia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng Yamin; Wang Yanxin; Ma Teng

    2009-01-01

    High As groundwater is widely distributed in the northwestern Hetao Plain, an arid region with slow groundwater flow. Arsenic concentration in groundwater ranges from 1 to 1000 μg/L. Most water samples have elevated salinities, with Cl and/or HCO 3 as the dominant anions and Na as the dominant cation. High concentrations of As in shallow aquifers are associated with strongly reducing conditions, as evidenced by high concentrations of dissolved organic C (DOC), NH 4 , dissolved sulfide, arsenite and dissolved CH 4 , and relatively low concentrations of NO 3 - and SO 4 2- . Results of the hydrochemical, and H and O isotope geochemical studies indicate that evapotranspiration is an important process controlling the enrichment of Na and Cl as well as trace elements such as As, B, F and Br in groundwater. In Na-HCO 3 -dominated groundwaters, As, B and F were enriched. Decades of irrigation using Yellow River water has resulted in elevation of the groundwater level, which has accelerated salt accumulation in shallow groundwater and surface soil. In addition, irrigation is responsible for the release of some components from aquifer materials and mixing with saline groundwaters, as indicated by minor element and isotope geochemical data. Used to trace groundwater flow paths, Sr isotope composition also indicates that bedrock weathering is one of the primary sources of As in groundwater in the study area.

  18. Groundwater flow processes and mixing in active volcanic systems: the case of Guadalajara (Mexico)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernández-Antonio, A.; Mahlknecht, J.; Tamez-Meléndez, C.; Ramos-Leal, J.; Ramírez-Orozco, A.; Parra, R.; Ornelas-Soto, N.; Eastoe, C. J.

    2015-09-01

    Groundwater chemistry and isotopic data from 40 production wells in the Atemajac and Toluquilla valleys, located in and around the Guadalajara metropolitan area, were determined to develop a conceptual model of groundwater flow processes and mixing. Stable water isotopes (δ2H, δ18O) were used to trace hydrological processes and tritium (3H) to evaluate the relative contribution of modern water in samples. Multivariate analysis including cluster analysis and principal component analysis were used to elucidate distribution patterns of constituents and factors controlling groundwater chemistry. Based on this analysis, groundwater was classified into four groups: cold groundwater, hydrothermal groundwater, polluted groundwater and mixed groundwater. Cold groundwater is characterized by low temperature, salinity, and Cl and Na concentrations and is predominantly of Na-HCO3-type. It originates as recharge at "La Primavera" caldera and is found predominantly in wells in the upper Atemajac Valley. Hydrothermal groundwater is characterized by high salinity, temperature, Cl, Na and HCO3, and the presence of minor elements such as Li, Mn and F. It is a mixed-HCO3 type found in wells from Toluquilla Valley and represents regional flow circulation through basaltic and andesitic rocks. Polluted groundwater is characterized by elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations and is usually derived from urban water cycling and subordinately from agricultural return flow. Mixed groundwaters between cold and hydrothermal components are predominantly found in the lower Atemajac Valley. Twenty-seven groundwater samples contain at least a small fraction of modern water. The application of a multivariate mixing model allowed the mixing proportions of hydrothermal fluids, polluted waters and cold groundwater in sampled water to be evaluated. This study will help local water authorities to identify and dimension groundwater contamination, and act accordingly. It may be broadly applicable to

  19. Food supply reliance on groundwater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalin, Carole; Puma, Michael; Wada, Yoshihide; Kastner, Thomas

    2016-04-01

    Water resources, essential to sustain human life, livelihoods and ecosystems, are under increasing pressure from population growth, socio-economic development and global climate change. As the largest freshwater resource on Earth, groundwater is key for human development and food security. Yet, excessive abstraction of groundwater for irrigation, driven by an increasing demand for food in recent decades, is leading to fast exhaustion of groundwater reserves in major agricultural areas of the world. Some of the highest depletion rates are observed in Pakistan, India, California Central Valley and the North China Plain aquifers. In addition, the growing economy and population of several countries, such as India and China, makes prospects of future available water and food worrisome. In this context, it is becoming particularly challenging to sustainably feed the world population, without exhausting our water resources. Besides, food production and consumption across the globe have become increasingly interconnected, with many areas' agricultural production destined to remote consumers. In this globalisation era, trade is crucial to the world's food system. As a transfer of water-intensive goods, across regions with varying levels of water productivity, food trade can save significant volumes of water resources globally. This situation makes it essential to address the issue of groundwater overuse for global food supply, accounting for international food trade. To do so, we quantify the current, global use of non-renewable groundwater for major crops, accounting for various water productivity and trade flows. This will highlight areas requiring quickest attention, exposing major exporters and importers of non-renewable groundwater, and thus help explore solutions to improve the sustainability of global food supply.

  20. Arsenic in Water Resources of the Southern Pampa Plains, Argentina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paoloni, J.D.; Sequeira, M.E.; Esposito, M.E.; Fiorentino, C.E.; Blanco, M.D.C.

    2010-01-01

    Confronted with the need for accessible sources of good quality water and in view of the fact that the threat to public health posed by arsenic occurs mainly through the ingestion of contaminated drinking water, the presence and distribution of arsenic was evaluated in the southern Pampa Plains of Bahia Blanca district in Argentina. The findings show variable concentrations of arsenic in a complex distribution pattern. Complementary information is provided on the behavior of the groundwater resource and its salinity in terms of dissolved ions. Groundwater is the most severely affected, 97% of the samples exceeding the guideline value for arsenic in drinking water as recommended by the Who (Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, 2004). and showing maximum concentrations of up to 0.30 mg/L. Informing those responsible for preventive medicine and alerting the community at large will facilitate measures to mitigate exposure and ensure the safety of drinking water.

  1. Estimation of groundwater resources in the upper Guadiana basin together with some observations concerning the definitions of renewable and available resources; Cuantificacion de recursos hidricos subterraneos en la cuenca alta del Guadiana. Consideraciones respecto a las definiciones de recursos renovables y disponibles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinez Cortina, L.; Mejias Moreno, M.; Diaz Munoz, J. A.; Morales Garcia, R.; Ruiz Hernandez, J. M.

    2011-07-01

    The European Union Water Framework Directive requires the quantification of groundwater resources according to the new hydrogeological classification into groundwater bodies (GWBs). This evaluation is to be made taking into account the established criteria deriving from the directive, which requires an estimation of the so-called available groundwater resources for each GWB. The quantification of detailed water balances for each GWB of the upper Guadiana basin has been undertaken bearing in mind different historical and current conditions. This study further examines the definitions made by the official documents concerning hydrological planning with regard to renewable and available groundwater resources, and attempts to apply them to the upper Guadiana basin. In the light of new problems arising with regard to the hydrogeological criteria applied to these definitions, a revision of the defined concepts is suggested. This paper also analyses the possibilities of future evolution of the hydrological system in the upper Guadiana basin, and provides some recommendations for groundwater exploitation with the aim of achieving the environmental recovery of the system. (Author) 19 refs.

  2. Optimizing conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater resources with stochastic dynamic programming

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Davidsen, Claus; Liu, Suxia; Mo, Xinguo

    2014-01-01

    . A stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) approach is used to minimize the basin-wide total costs arising from water allocations and water curtailments. Dynamic allocation problems with inclusion of groundwater resources proved to be more complex to solve with SDP than pure surface water allocation problems due...... to head-dependent pumping costs. These dynamic pumping costs strongly affect the total costs and can lead to non-convexity of the future cost function. The water user groups (agriculture, industry, domestic) are characterized by inelastic demands and fixed water allocation and water supply curtailment...

  3. Application of a Coupled Vegetation Competition and Groundwater Simulation Model to Study Effects of Sea Level Rise and Storm Surges on Coastal Vegetation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su Yean Teh

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Global climate change poses challenges to areas such as low-lying coastal zones, where sea level rise (SLR and storm-surge overwash events can have long-term effects on vegetation and on soil and groundwater salinities, posing risks of habitat loss critical to native species. An early warning system is urgently needed to predict and prepare for the consequences of these climate-related impacts on both the short-term dynamics of salinity in the soil and groundwater and the long-term effects on vegetation. For this purpose, the U.S. Geological Survey’s spatially explicit model of vegetation community dynamics along coastal salinity gradients (MANHAM is integrated into the USGS groundwater model (SUTRA to create a coupled hydrology–salinity–vegetation model, MANTRA. In MANTRA, the uptake of water by plants is modeled as a fluid mass sink term. Groundwater salinity, water saturation and vegetation biomass determine the water available for plant transpiration. Formulations and assumptions used in the coupled model are presented. MANTRA is calibrated with salinity data and vegetation pattern for a coastal area of Florida Everglades vulnerable to storm surges. A possible regime shift at that site is investigated by simulating the vegetation responses to climate variability and disturbances, including SLR and storm surges based on empirical information.

  4. Bentonite as a colloid source in groundwaters at Olkiluoto

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vuorinen, U.; Hirvonen, H.

    2005-02-01

    In this work bentonite was studied as a potential source of colloids in Olkiluoto groundwaters. Samples were collected at two groundwater stations, PVA1 at 37.5 m dept and PVA3 at 95.6 m depth, in the VLJ-tunnel. The deeper groundwater at PVA3 was more saline (2.6g/L of Cl-) than the shallow at PVA1 (0.8g/L of Cl-). A bentonite source had been assembled at each groundwater station so that two sample lines were available for water samples; one for collecting a sample before and the other for collecting a sample after interaction with bentonite. Before starting the actual colloid sampling groundwaters from both sample lines at both stations were analysed. Only minor alterations, mostly within the uncertainty limits of the analysis methods, were brought about in the water chemistries after interaction with the bentonite sources. The only clear changes were seen in the concentration of iron which decreased after interaction with bentonite in the groundwaters at both stations. After groundwater sampling the actual colloid sampling was performed. The water samples were collected and treated inside a movable nitrogen filled glove-box. The samples could be collected from each sampling line directly in the glove-box via two quick-couplings that had been assembled on the front face of the box. The sample lines had been assembled with 0.45 μm filters before entering the glove-box, because only colloids smaller than 0.45 μm were of interest, as they are not prone to sedimentation in slow groundwater flows and therefore could act as potential radionuclide carriers. Colloid samples were collected and treated similarly from both sampling lines at both groundwater stations. For estimating the colloid content the groundwater samples were filtered with centrifugal ultrafiltration tubes of different cut-off values (0.3 μm, 300kD and 10kD). The ultrafiltrations produced the colloid-containing concentrate fractions and the soluble substances-containing filtrate fractions. In

  5. Evaluation of promising technologies for soil salinity amelioration in Timpaki (Crete): a participatory approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panagea, I. S.; Daliakopoulos, I. N.; Tsanis, I. K.; Schwilch, G.

    2016-02-01

    Soil salinity management can be complex, expensive, and time demanding, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Besides taking no action, possible management strategies include amelioration and adaptation measures. Here we apply the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) framework for the systematic analysis and evaluation and selection of soil salinisation amelioration technologies in close collaboration with stakeholders. The participatory approach is applied in the RECARE (Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through Land Care) project case study of Timpaki, a semi-arid region in south-central Crete (Greece) where the main land use is horticulture in greenhouses irrigated by groundwater. Excessive groundwater abstractions have resulted in a drop of the groundwater level in the coastal part of the aquifer, thus leading to seawater intrusion and in turn to soil salinisation. The documented technologies are evaluated for their impacts on ecosystem services, cost, and input requirements using a participatory approach and field evaluations. Results show that technologies which promote maintaining existing crop types while enhancing productivity and decreasing soil salinity are preferred by the stakeholders. The evaluation concludes that rainwater harvesting is the optimal solution for direct soil salinity mitigation, as it addresses a wider range of ecosystem and human well-being benefits. Nevertheless, this merit is offset by poor financial motivation making agronomic measures more attractive to users.

  6. Dissolution of unirradiated UO2 fuel in synthetic groundwater. Final report (1996-1998)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ollila, K.

    1999-05-01

    This study was a part of the EU R and D programme 1994-1998: Nuclear Fission Safety, entitled 'Source term for performance assessment of spent fuel as a waste form'. The research carried out at VTT Chemical Technology was focused on the effects of granitic groundwater composition and redox conditions on UO 2 solubility and dissolution mechanisms. The synthetic groundwater compositions simulated deep granitic fresh and saline groundwaters, and the effects of the near-field material, bentonite, on very saline groundwater. Additionally, the Spanish granite/bentonite water was used. The redox conditions (Eh), which are obviously the most important factors that influence on UO 2 solubility under the disposal conditions of spent fuel, varied from strongly oxidising (air-saturated), anaerobic (N 2 , O 2 2 , low Eh). The objective of the air-saturated dissolution experiments was to yield the maximum solution concentrations of U, and information on the formation of secondary phases that control the concentrations, with different groundwater compositions. The static batch solubility experiments of long duration (up to 1-2 years) were performed using unirradiated UO 2 pellets and powder. Under anaerobic and reducing conditions, the solubilities were also approached from oversaturation. The results of the oxic, air-saturated dissolution experiments with UO 2 powder showed that the increase in the salinity ( -5 M, were at the level of the theoretical solubility of schoepite or another uranyl oxide hydrate, e.g. becquerelite (possibly Na-polyuranate). The higher alkalinity of the fresh (Allard) composition increased the aqueous U concentration. Only some kind of oxidised U-phase (U 3 O 8 -UO 3 ) was identified with XRD when studying possible secondary phases after the contact time of one year with all groundwater compositions. Longer contact times are needed to identify secondary phases predicted by modelling (EQ3/6). In the anoxic dissolution experiments with UO 2 pellets, the

  7. The hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations of the two-layered Shiraz aquifer in the northwest of Maharlou saline lake, south of Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajabadi, Mehdi; Zare, Mohammad; Chitsazan, Manouchehr

    2018-03-01

    Maharlou saline lake is the outlet of Shiraz closed basin in southern Iran, surrounded by several disconnected alluvial fresh water aquifers. These aquifers in the west and northwest of the lake are recharged by karstic anticlines such as Kaftarak in the north and Barmshour in the south. Here groundwater salinity varies along the depth so that better quality water is located below brackish or saline waters. The aim of this study is to investigate the reason for the salinity anomaly and the origin of the fresher groundwater in lower depth. Hence, the change in groundwater salinity along depth has been investigated by means of a set of geoelectrical, hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical, and environmental isotopes data. The interpretation of geoelectrical profiles and hydrogeological data indicates that the aquifer in the southeast of Shiraz plain is a two-layer aquifer separated by a fine-grained (silt and clay) layer with an approximate thickness of 40 m at the depth of about 100-120 m. Hydrgeochemistry showed that the shallow aquifer is recharged by Kaftarak karstic anticline and is affected by the saline lake water. The lake water fraction varies in different parts from zero for shallow aquifer close to the karstic anticlines to ∼70 percent in the margin of the lake. The deep aquifer is protected from the intrusion of saline lake water due to the presence of the above-mentioned confining layer with lake water fraction of zero. The stable isotopes signatures also indicate that the 'fresh' groundwater belonging to the deep aquifer is not subject to severe evaporation or mixing which is typical of the karstic water of the area. It is concluded that the characteristics of the deep aquifer are similar to those of the karstic carbonate aquifer. This karstic aquifer is most probably the Barmshour carbonated anticline buried under the shallow aquifer in the southern part. It may also be the extension of the Kaftarak anticline in the northern part.

  8. Ground-water conditions in Utah, spring of 1995

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, D.V.; Steiger, J.I.; Sory, J.D.; Garrett, R.B.; Burden, Carole B.; Danner, M.R.; Herbert, L.R.; Gerner, S.J.; Slaugh, B.A.; Swenson, R.L.; Howells, J.H.; Christiansen, H.K.; Bagley, A.D.

    1995-01-01

    This is the thirty-second in a series of annual reports that describe ground-water conditions in Utah. Reports in this series, published cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources, provide data to enable interested parties to keep abreast of changing ground-water conditions.This report, like the others in the series, contains information on well construction, ground-water withdrawal from wells, water-level changes, related changes in precipitation and streamflow, and chemical quality of water. Supplementary data, such as maps showing water-level contours, are included in reports of this series only for those years or areas for which applicable data are available and are important to a discussion of changing ground-water conditions.This report includes individual discussions of selected significant areas of ground-water development in the State for calendar year 1994. Much of the reported data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Divisions of Water Rights and Water Resources.

  9. A Search for Freshwater in the Saline Aquifers of Coastal Bangladesh

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, C.; Hornberger, G. M.

    2017-12-01

    Can we locate pockets of freshwater amidst brackish groundwater in remote villages in Bangladesh? This study explores what we can infer about local groundwater-surface water (GW-SW) interactions in the polders of coastal Bangladesh. In this underdeveloped region, the shallow groundwater is primarily brackish with unpredictable apportioning of freshwater pockets. We use transects of piezometers, cores, electromagnetic induction, and water chemistry surveys to explore two sources of potential fresh groundwater: (1) tidal channel-aquifer exchange and (2) meteoric recharge. Freshwater is difficult to find due to disparate subsurface lithology, asymmetrical tidal dynamics, extreme seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, and limited field data. Observations suggest substantial lateral variability in shallow subsurface conductivity profiles as well as tidal pressure signals in piezometers. Nevertheless, active exchange of freshwater may be limited due to low permeability of banks and surface sediments limits. Small scale heterogeneity in delta formation likely caused much of the groundwater salinity variation. Without adequate ground truthing of groundwater quality, the ability to deduce the exact location of freshwater pockets may be restricted.

  10. Quaternary Aquifer of the North China Plain-assessing and achieving groundwater resource sustainability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Stephen; Garduno, Hector; Evans, Richard; Olson, Doug; Tian, Yuan; Zhang, Weizhen; Han, Zaisheng

    The Quaternary Aquifer of the North China Plain is one of the world's largest aquifer systems and supports an enormous exploitation of groundwater, which has reaped large socio-economic benefits in terms of grain production, farming employment and rural poverty alleviation, together with urban and industrial water-supply provision. Both population and economic activity have grown markedly in the past 25 years. Much of this has been heavily dependent upon groundwater resource development, which has encountered increasing difficulties in recent years primarily as a result of aquifer depletion and related phenomena. This paper focuses upon the hydrogeologic and socio-economic diagnosis of these groundwater resource issues, and identifies strategies to improve groundwater resource sustainability. L'aquifère Quaternaire de la Plaine du Nord de la Chine est l'un des plus grands systèmes aquifères du monde; il permet une exploitation énorme d'eau souterraine, qui a permis des très importants bénéfices socio-économiques en terme de production de céréales, d'emplois ruraux et de réduction de la pauvreté rurale, en même temps que l'approvisionnement en eau potable et pour l'industrie. La population comme l'activité économique ont remarquablement augmenté au cours de ces 25 dernières années. Elles ont été sous la forte dépendance du développement de la ressource en eau souterraine, qui a rencontré des difficultés croissantes ces dernières années, du fait du rabattement de l'aquifère et des phénomènes associés. Cet article est consacré aux diagnostiques hydrogéologique et socio-économique des retombées de cette ressource en eau souterraine; il identifie les stratégies pour améliorer la pérennité des ressources en eau souterraine. El acuífero cuaternario de la Llanura Septentrional de China es uno de los mayores sistemas acuíferos del mundo y soporta una enorme explotación de su agua subterránea, las cuales han originado grandes

  11. Prospective of groundwater overexploitation through participatory approaches: Saiss Plain in Morocco

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameur, Fatah; Lejars, Caroline; Dionnet, Mathieu; Quarouch, Hassan; Kuper, Marcel

    2015-04-01

    In the Saiss plain, groundwater overexploitation is often explained by two phenomena. The first one is a natural phenomenon (droughts), which seems therefore uncontrollable; the other one is human as groundwater is largely used by the agricultural sector. The main issue of groundwater governance is to find an acceptable balance in the use of the water resource without compromising the socio-economic development generated by this resource. Our study aims to contribute to understanding the differential contribution of different categories of groundwater users and the socio-economic and agrarian dynamics impacted by the overuse of groundwater. We adopted a participatory approach to explore with the different actors involved in the management and use of groundwater to identify the different viewpoints on the issue of overexploitation and to engage prospective and collective thinking of present situation of groundwater overexploitation. We organized multi-stakeholder workshops and designed a role-playing game to identify and qualify the existing links between the water resource, and the economic and social dynamics in order to better understand the human behavior to economic and environmental crises and the adaptive strategies of farmers confronted with an increasingly scarce groundwater resource. Our results showed considerable differences in the viewpoints of different categories of farmers regarding overexploitation. Agricultural investors who arrived over the past 5 years in the area practicing arboriculture consider themselves modern farmers using precise and water-saving irrigation technologies (drip irrigation, especially) who cannot be blamed for overexploitation of groundwater resources. Lessees practicing horticulture put considerable pressure on water resources, but were not interested in debates on overexploitation and the sustainability of groundwater resources. In fact, they did not turn up for the workshops. Finally, the local small-scale farmers who have

  12. Numerical simulation of groundwater flow, resource optimization, and potential effects of prolonged drought for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area, central Oklahoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryter, Derek W.; Kunkel, Christopher D.; Peterson, Steven M.; Traylor, Jonathan P.

    2015-08-13

    A hydrogeological study including two numerical groundwater-flow models was completed for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area of central Oklahoma. One numerical groundwater-flow model, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation model, encompassed the jurisdictional area and was based on the results of a regional-scale hydrogeological study and numerical groundwater flow model of the Central Oklahoma aquifer, which had a geographic extent that included the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation numerical groundwater-flow model included alluvial aquifers not in the original model and improved calibration using automated parameter-estimation techniques. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation numerical groundwater-flow model was used to analyze the groundwater-flow system and the effects of drought on the volume of groundwater in storage and streamflow in the North Canadian River. A more detailed, local-scale inset model was constructed from the Citizen Potawatomi Nation model to estimate available groundwater resources for two Citizen Potawatomi Nation economic development zones near the North Canadian River, the geothermal supply area and the Iron Horse Industrial Park.

  13. Geostatistical analysis of groundwater chemistry in Japan. Evaluation of the base case groundwater data set

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salter, P.F.; Apted, M.J. [Monitor Scientific LLC, Denver, CO (United States); Sasamoto, Hiroshi; Yui, Mikazu

    1999-05-01

    information on depth and temperature reduces the number of samples to 7,140. These waters are then screened on the basis of thermal imprints effects (recorded temperature > predicted temperature from geothermal gradient and depth information). These 880 thermally altered waters are used in volcanism scenario analyses. The remaining samples are divided into two groups, groundwaters at < 200m depth and groundwaters > 200m depth. The former group is identified for use in the uplift and erosion scenario (in which the repository may approach closer to the ground surface in the far future due to these two processes). The remaining 950 samples define the deep groundwaters for a potential repository. A subset (560 samples) of the 950 deep samples based on maximum sample depth information is selected by JNC considering rock formation (excluded Quaternary unconsolidate sediments) as the Deep Repository Groundwater Dataset for the PCA/HCA. Combined PCA and HCA of the Deep Repository Groundwater Dataset substantiates three reference groundwater categories: 1) a dilute, Na-HCO3 type groundwater possibly divided into two subtypes based on pH [one with high pH ({approx}8) and one with low pH ({approx}6), 2) a higher temperature ({approx}40degC) moderate ionic strength Na-HCO3 type groundwater with pH between 7 and 9; and 3) a saline (near seawater ionic strength), high pH ({approx}8) brine. Comparison of these results with the proposed hypothetical reference groundwater samples indicates that some of the proposed reference groundwaters do not appear to closely represent any of the categories derived by PCA/HCA for the deep Japanese groundwater data sets used. There may be several reasons for this. First, the initial data set of 15,000 samples does not necessarily represent a complete, uniform coverage of groundwater have been eliminated before PCA/HCA because the samples lacked one of key major chemical variables selected for the analyses (e.g., Na{sup +}). Thus, in order to assure a broad

  14. Saline Agriculture in the 21st Century: Using Salt Contaminated Resources to Cope Food Requirements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Ladeiro

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available With the continue increase of the world population the requirements for food, freshwater, and fuel are bigger every day. This way an urgent necessity to develop, create, and practice a new type of agriculture, which has to be environmentally sustainable and adequate to the soils, is arising. Among the stresses in plant agriculture worldwide, the increase of soil salinity is considered the major stress. This is particularly emerging in developing countries that present the highest population growth rates, and often the high rates of soil degradation. Therefore, salt-tolerant plants provide a sensible alternative for many developing countries. These plants have the capacity to grow using land and water unsuitable for conventional crops producing food, fuel, fodder, fibber, resin, essential oils, and pharmaceutical products. In addition to their production capabilities they can be used simultaneously for landscape reintegration and soil rehabilitation. This review will cover important subjects concerning saline agriculture and the crop potential of halophytes to use salt-contaminated resources to manage food requirements.

  15. Influence of intermittent water releases on groundwater chemistry at the lower reaches of the Tarim River, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yong-jin; Chen, Ya-ning; Liu, Jia-zhen; Zhang, Er-xun

    2009-11-01

    Based on the data of the depths and the chemical properties of groundwater, salinity in the soil profile, and the basic information on each delivery of water collected from the years 2000 to 2006, the varied character of groundwater chemistry and related factors were studied. The results confirmed the three stages of the variations in groundwater chemistry influenced by the intermittent water deliveries. The factors that had close relations to the variations in groundwater chemistry were the distances of monitoring wells from the water channel, the depths of the groundwater, water flux in watercourse, and the salinities in soils. The relations between chemical variation and groundwater depths indicated that the water quality was the best with the groundwater varying from 5 to 6 m. In addition, the constructive species in the study area can survive well with the depth of groundwater varying from 5 to 6 m, so the rational depth of groundwater in the lower reaches of the Tarim River should be 5 m or so. The redistribution of salts in the soil profile and its relations to the chemical properties and depths of groundwater revealed the linear water delivery at present combining with surface water supply in proper sections would promote water quality optimized and speed up the pace of ecological restoration in the study area.

  16. Groundwater dependent pools in seasonal and permanent streams in the Clare Valley of South Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erick Bestland

    2017-02-01

    In this Mediterranean climate with cool wet winters and dry hot summers strong salinity changes (up to 2.5 times due to seasonal cycles of wetting and drying were observed in surface water. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope values from pool sites showed strong evaporative enrichment during the dry season with up to 50% net evaporation calculated. Water isotopes from groundwater, however, cluster at the depleted end of the local meteoric water line and most do not show change despite significant seasonal salinity changes. Strontium isotope values and concentrations from the pools over the one year period do not define a mixing relationship. Instead, most pool sites have unchanging strontium isotope values despite the large seasonal change in salinity indicating strong evaporation of groundwater fed pools during this drought year.

  17. Investigation of Lake Water Salinity by Using Four-Band Salinity Algorithm on WorldView-2 Satellite Image for a Saline Industrial Lake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budakoǧlu, Murat; Karaman, Muhittin; Damla Uça Avcı, Z.; Kumral, Mustafa; Geredeli (Yılmaz), Serpil

    2014-05-01

    Salinity of a lake is an important characteristic since, these are potentially industrial lakes and the degree of salinity can significantly be used for determination of mineral resources and for the production management. In the literature, there are many studies of using satellite data for salinity related lake studies such as determination of salinity distribution and detection of potential freshwater sources in less salt concentrated regions. As the study area Lake Acigol, located in Denizli (Turkey) was selected. With it's saline environment, it's the major sodium sulphate production resource of Turkey. In this study, remote sensing data and data from a field study was used and correlated. Remote sensing is an efficient tool to monitor and analyze lake properties by using it complementary to field data. Worldview-2 satellite data was used in this study which consists of 8 bands. At the same time with the satellite data acquisition, a field study was conducted to collect the salinity values in 17 points of the laker with using YSI 556 Multiparametre for measurements. The values were measured as salinity amount in grams per kilogram solution and obtained as ppt unit. It was observed that the values vary from 34 ppt - 40.1 ppt and the average is 38.056 ppt. In Thalassic serie, the lake was in mixoeuhaline state in the time of issue. As a first step, ATCOR correction was performed on satellite image for atmospheric correction. There were some clouds on the lake field, hence it was decided to continue the study by using the 12 sampling points which were clear on the image. Then, for each sampling point, a spectral value was obtained by calculating the average at a 11*11 neighborhood. The relation between the spectral reflectance values and the salinity was investigated. The 4-band algorithm, which was used for determination of chlorophyll-a distribution in highly turbid coastal environment by Wei (2012) was applied. Salinity α (Λi-1 / Λj-1) * (Λk-1 / Λm-1) (i

  18. Submarine ground water discharge and fate along the coast of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i: Part I: time-series measurements of currents, waves, salinity and temperature: November, 2005-July, 2007

    Science.gov (United States)

    Presto, M. Katherine; Storlazzi, Curt D.; Logan, Joshua B.; Grossman, Eric E.

    2007-01-01

    The impending development for the west Hawai‘i coastline adjacent to Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park (KAHO) may potentially alter coastal hydrology and water quality in the marine waters of the park. Water resources are perhaps the most significant natural and cultural resource component in the park, and are critical to the health and well being of six federally listed species. KAHO contains ecosystems of brackish anchialine pools, two 11-acre fishponds, and 596 acres of coral reef habitats, all fed by groundwater originating upslope. The steep gradients on high islands, combined with typically porous substrates and high rainfall levels at upper elevations, make these settings especially vulnerable to shifts in submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and its entrained nutrients and pollutants. Little is known about the magnitude, rate, frequency, and variability of SGD and its influence on contaminant loading to Hawaiian coastal environments. Recent studies show that groundwater flux through the park is vital to many ecosystem components including anchialine ponds and wetland biota. The function of these ecosystems may be vulnerable to changes in groundwater flow stemming from natural changes (climate and sea level) and land use (groundwater pumping and contamination). Oki and others (1999) showed that increased groundwater withdrawals for urban development since 1978 likely decreased groundwater flux to the coast by 50%. During this same time, the quality of groundwater has been vulnerable to increases in contaminant and nutrient/fertilizer additions associated with industrial, commercial and residential use upslope from KAHO (Oki and others, 1999). High-resolution measurements of waves, currents, water levels, temperature and salinity were collected in the marine portion of the park from November, 2005, through July, 2006, to establish baseline information on the magnitude, rate, frequency, and variability of SGD. These data are intended to help

  19. Groundwater recharge studies using isotope-chemical techniques in wadi gharandal, sinai peninsula(E G))

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Awad, M.A.A.; Salem, W.M.; Ezzeldin

    1999-01-01

    Wadi Gharandal lies on southwestern part of sinai peninsula with its outlets into the Gulf of suez. Eight groundwater samples were collected from quaternary aquifer in wadi gharandal to identify the sources of replenishment and evaluation of its water quality. The variation in chemical composition of water samples is due to water-rock interaction and the effect of sea spray. The distribution of chemical species in the examined groundwater samples is controlled by geography and climate conditions prevailing in the area of study. The salinity increase towards the gulf of suez. The isotopic data indicate that precipitation and floods are considered to be the main sources of recharge in this area. The investigated groundwater samples are found to be suitable for irrigation purposes based on sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and unsuitable for domestic usages due to high salinity and hardness values

  20. Hydrochemical and isotopic characterization of groundwater in the Ghis-Nekor plain (northern Morocco)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chafouq, D.; El Mandour, A.; Elgettafi, M.; Himi, M.; Chouikri, I.; Casas, A.

    2018-03-01

    The coastal aquifer of Ghis-Nekor (Morocco) was studied to identify the major processes causing salinization of groundwater. In fact, a geochemical approach multi tracer (general chemistry and isotopes - δ2H, δ18O-H2O, δ34S, δ18O-SO4) was utilized, with the hydrodynamics to explain the processes responsible for the salinization of groundwater, and for identttifying areas most vulnerable to seawater intrusion. The recharge of the aquifer is mainly by the Al-Khattabi dam, the Nekor River and the Ghis River, on the eastern border of the plain. The water that feeds the aquifer shows a relatively high level of salinity and for this reason, the majority of sampled wells indicate high values of electric conductivity and total salinity which arrives at 7.5 g L-1. The plot of the geochemical results analyzes of groundwater in the Piper diagram shows two distinct chemical facies; sodium chloride-facies and chlorinated calcium and magnesium sulfated facies. The concentrations of 18O range between -4.15‰ and -5.73‰, while the values of 2H range between -28.4‰ and -41.7‰. The Nekor river water is depleted in heavy isotopes, and the isotopic compositions are in the order on -6‰ for 18O and -40.5‰ for deuterium. Most of the wells have a slope <8 indicating a slight evaporation before infiltration. The data show low and variable d-excess values (range from -0.02‰ to 11.6‰), reflect recharge during different climatic conditions. The isotopic concentrations of 18O-SO4 vary between 4.35‰ and 8.60‰, while the 34S isotope values range from -4.3‰ to 9.9‰. For Ghis River, these values are between -4.4‰ and 4.95‰, respectively, for sulfur and oxygen. The interpretation of the chemical and isotopic results suggesting the intrusion of seawater to increase salinity of groundwater in the region is low. However, only the NE area shows probable contamination of seawater. In contrast, wells are saline independent of seawater intrusion, the origin of the high

  1. Implications of using on-farm flood flow capture to recharge groundwater and mitigate flood risks along the Kings River, CA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachand, Philip A M; Roy, Sujoy B; Choperena, Joe; Cameron, Don; Horwath, William R

    2014-12-02

    The agriculturally productive San Joaquin Valley faces two severe hydrologic issues: persistent groundwater overdraft and flooding risks. Capturing flood flows for groundwater recharge could help address both of these issues, yet flood flow frequency, duration, and magnitude vary greatly as upstream reservoir releases are affected by snowpack, precipitation type, reservoir volume, and flood risks. This variability makes dedicated, engineered recharge approaches expensive. Our work evaluates leveraging private farmlands in the Kings River Basin to capture flood flows for direct and in lieu recharge, calculates on-farm infiltration rates, assesses logistics, and considers potential water quality issues. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) soil series suggested that a cementing layer would hinder recharge. The standard practice of deep ripping fractured the layer, resulting in infiltration rates averaging 2.5 in d(-1) (6 cm d(-1)) throughout the farm. Based on these rates 10 acres are needed to infiltrate 1 cfs (100 m(3) h(-1)) of flood flows. Our conceptual model predicts that salinity and nitrate pulses flush initially to the groundwater but that groundwater quality improves in the long term due to pristine flood flows low in salts or nitrate. Flood flow capture, when integrated with irrigation, is more cost-effective than groundwater pumping.

  2. Estimating Groundwater Development area in Jianan Plain using Standardized Groundwater Index

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Chang Hsiang; Haw, Lee Cheng

    2017-04-01

    Taiwan has been facing severe water crises in recent years owing to the effects of extreme weather conditions. Changes in precipitation patterns have also made the drought phenomenon increasingly prominent, which has indirectly affected groundwater recharge. Hence, in the present study, long-term monitoring data were collected from the study area of the Jianan plain. The standardized groundwater index (SGI) and was then used to analyse the region's drought characteristics. To analyse the groundwater level by using SGI, making SGI180 groundwater level be the medium water crises, and SGI360 groundwater level be the extreme water crises. Through the different water crises signal in SGI180 and SGI360, we divide groundwater in Jianan plain into two sections. Thereby the water crises indicators establishing groundwater level standard line in Jianan Plain, then using the groundwater level standard line to find the study area where could be groundwater development area in Jianan plain. Taking into account relatively more water scarcity in dry season, so the study screen out another emergency backup groundwater development area, but the long-term groundwater development area is still as a priority development area. After finding suitable locations, groundwater modeling systems(GMS) software is used to simulate our sites to evaluate development volume. Finally, the result of study will help the government to grasp the water shortage situation immediately and solve the problem of water resources deployment.

  3. Impact of Variable-Density Flow on the Value-of-Information from Pressure and Concentration Data for Saline Aquifer Characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, S.; Williams, J. R.; Juanes, R.; Kang, P. K.

    2017-12-01

    Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is becoming an important solution for ensuring sustainable water resources and mitigating saline water intrusion in coastal aquifers. Accurate estimates of hydrogeological parameters in subsurface flow and solute transport models are critical for making predictions and managing aquifer systems. In the presence of a density difference between the injected freshwater and ambient saline groundwater, the pressure field is coupled to the spatial distribution of salinity distribution, and therefore experiences transient changes. The variable-density effects can be quantified by a mixed convection ratio between two characteristic types of convection: free convection due to density contrast, and forced convection due to a hydraulic gradient. We analyze the variable-density effects on the value-of-information of pressure and concentration data for saline aquifer characterization. An ensemble Kalman filter is used to estimate permeability fields by assimilating the data, and the performance of the estimation is analyzed in terms of the accuracy and the uncertainty of estimated permeability fields and the predictability of arrival times of breakthrough curves in a realistic push-pull setting. This study demonstrates that: 1. Injecting fluids with the velocity that balances the two characteristic convections maximizes the value of data for saline aquifer characterization; 2. The variable-density effects on the value of data for the inverse estimation decrease as the permeability heterogeneity increases; 3. The advantage of joint inversion of pressure and concentration data decreases as the coupling effects between flow and transport increase.

  4. Framework to evaluate the worth of hydraulic conductivity data for optimal groundwater resources management in ecologically sensitive areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feyen, Luc; Gorelick, Steven M.

    2005-03-01

    We propose a framework that combines simulation optimization with Bayesian decision analysis to evaluate the worth of hydraulic conductivity data for optimal groundwater resources management in ecologically sensitive areas. A stochastic simulation optimization management model is employed to plan regionally distributed groundwater pumping while preserving the hydroecological balance in wetland areas. Because predictions made by an aquifer model are uncertain, groundwater supply systems operate below maximum yield. Collecting data from the groundwater system can potentially reduce predictive uncertainty and increase safe water production. The price paid for improvement in water management is the cost of collecting the additional data. Efficient data collection using Bayesian decision analysis proceeds in three stages: (1) The prior analysis determines the optimal pumping scheme and profit from water sales on the basis of known information. (2) The preposterior analysis estimates the optimal measurement locations and evaluates whether each sequential measurement will be cost-effective before it is taken. (3) The posterior analysis then revises the prior optimal pumping scheme and consequent profit, given the new information. Stochastic simulation optimization employing a multiple-realization approach is used to determine the optimal pumping scheme in each of the three stages. The cost of new data must not exceed the expected increase in benefit obtained in optimal groundwater exploitation. An example based on groundwater management practices in Florida aimed at wetland protection showed that the cost of data collection more than paid for itself by enabling a safe and reliable increase in production.

  5. Hydrogeologic and geochemical characterization of groundwater resources in Deep Creek Valley and adjacent areas, Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah, and Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Philip M.; Masbruch, Melissa D.

    2015-09-18

    The water resources of Deep Creek Valley were assessed during 2012–13 with an emphasis on better understanding the groundwater flow system and groundwater budget. Surface-water resources are limited in Deep Creek Valley and are generally used for agriculture. Groundwater is the predominant water source for most other uses and to supplement irrigation. Most groundwater withdrawal in Deep Creek Valley occurs from the unconsolidated basin-fill deposits, in which conditions are generally unconfined near the mountain front and confined in the lower-altitude parts of the valley. Productive aquifers are also present in fractured bedrock that occurs along the valley margins and beneath the basin-fill deposits. The consolidated-rock and basin-fill aquifers are hydraulically connected in many areas with much of the recharge occurring in the consolidated-rock mountain blocks and most of the discharge occurring from the lower-altitude basin-fill deposits.

  6. Development of an Assessment Procedure for Seawater Intrusion Mitigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsi Ting, F.; Yih Chi, T.

    2017-12-01

    The Pingtung Plain is one of the areas with extremely plentiful groundwater resources in Taiwan. Due to that the application of the water resource is restricted by significant variation of precipitation between wet and dry seasons, groundwater must be used as a recharge source to implement the insufficient surface water resource during dry seasons. In recent years, the coastal aquaculture rises, and the over withdrawn of groundwater by private well results in fast drop of groundwater level. Then it causes imbalance of groundwater supply and leads to serious seawater intrusion in the coastal areas. The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated numerical model of groundwater resources and seawater intrusion. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), MODFLOW and MT3D models were applied to analyze the variation of the groundwater levels and salinity concentration to investigate the correlation of parameters, which are used to the model applications in order to disposal saltwater intrusion. The data of groundwater levels, pumping capacity and hydrogeological data to were collected to build an integrated numerical model. Firstly, we will collect the information of layered aquifer and the data of hydrological parameters to build the groundwater numerical model at Pingtung Plain, and identify the amount of the groundwater which flow into the sea. In order to deal with the future climate change conditions or extreme weather conditions, we will consider the recharge with groundwater model to improve the seawater intrusion problem. The integrated numerical model which describes that seawater intrusion to deep confined aquifers and shallow unsaturated aquifers. Secondly, we will use the above model to investigate the weights influenced by different factors to the amount area of seawater intrusion, and predict the salinity concentration distribution of evaluation at coastal area of Pingtung Plain. Finally, we will simulate groundwater recharge/ injection at the coastal

  7. Urban waste landfill planning and karstic groundwater resources in developing countries: the example of Lusaka (Zambia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Waele, J.; Nyambe, I. A.; Di Gregorio, A.; Di Gregorio, F.; Simasiku, S.; Follesa, R.; Nkemba, S.

    2004-06-01

    Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia with more than two million inhabitants, derives approximately 70% of its water requirements from groundwater sourced in the underlying karstic Lusaka aquifer. This water resource is, therefore, extremely important for the future of the population. The characteristics of the aquifer and the shallow water table make the resource vulnerable and in need of protection and monitoring. A joint project between the Geology Departments of the University of Cagliari and the School of Mines of the University of Zambia, to investigate the "Anthropogenic and natural processes in the Lusaka area leading to environmental degradation and their possible mitigation" was carried out in July 2001. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the extent of the present environmental degradation, assessing the vulnerability of the carbonatic aquifer and the degree of pollution of the groundwater and to make proposals to mitigate adverse environmental effects. Analyses of water samples collected during project indicate some areas of concern, particularly with respect to the levels of ammonia, nitrates and some heavy metals. As groundwater quality and quantity are prerogatives for a healthy and sustainable society, the study offers guidelines for consideration by the local and national authorities. Uptake of these guidelines should result in a number of initiatives being taken, including: (a) closure or reclamation of existing waste dumps; (b) upgrading of existing waste dumps to controlled landfills; (c) establishing new urban waste landfills and plants in geo-environmentally suitable sites; (d) local waste management projects in all compounds (residential areas) to prevent and reduce haphazard waste dumping; (e) enlarging sewerage drainage systems to all compounds; (f) enforcing control on groundwater abstraction and pollution, and demarcation of zones of control at existing drill holes; (g) providing the city with new water supplies from outside the

  8. Model Prediction of Secondary Soil Salinization in the Keriya Oasis, Northwest China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jumeniyaz Seydehmet

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Significant anthropogenic and biophysical changes have caused fluctuations in the soil salinization area of the Keriya Oasis in China. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR sustainability framework and Bayesian networks (BNs were used to integrate information from anthropogenic and natural systems to model the trend of secondary soil salinization. The developed model predicted that light salinization (vegetation coverage of around 15–20%, soil salt 5–10 g/kg of the ecotone will increase in the near term but decelerate slightly in the future, and that farmland salinization will decrease in the near term. This trend is expected to accelerate in the future. Both trends are attributed to decreased water logging, increased groundwater exploitation, and decreased ratio of evaporation/precipitation. In contrast, severe salinization (vegetation coverage of around 2%, soil salt ≥20 g/kg of the ecotone will increase in the near term. This trend will accelerate in the future because decreased river flow will reduce the flushing of severely salinized soil crust. Anthropogenic factors have negative impacts and natural causes have positive impacts on light salinization of ecotones. In situations involving severe farmland salinization, anthropogenic factors have persistent negative impacts.

  9. Assessing the hydrogeochemical processes affecting groundwater pollution in arid areas using an integration of geochemical equilibrium and multivariate statistical techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Alfy, Mohamed; Lashin, Aref; Abdalla, Fathy; Al-Bassam, Abdulaziz

    2017-10-01

    Rapid economic expansion poses serious problems for groundwater resources in arid areas, which typically have high rates of groundwater depletion. In this study, integration of hydrochemical investigations involving chemical and statistical analyses are conducted to assess the factors controlling hydrochemistry and potential pollution in an arid region. Fifty-four groundwater samples were collected from the Dhurma aquifer in Saudi Arabia, and twenty-one physicochemical variables were examined for each sample. Spatial patterns of salinity and nitrate were mapped using fitted variograms. The nitrate spatial distribution shows that nitrate pollution is a persistent problem affecting a wide area of the aquifer. The hydrochemical investigations and cluster analysis reveal four significant clusters of groundwater zones. Five main factors were extracted, which explain >77% of the total data variance. These factors indicated that the chemical characteristics of the groundwater were influenced by rock-water interactions and anthropogenic factors. The identified clusters and factors were validated with hydrochemical investigations. The geogenic factors include the dissolution of various minerals (calcite, aragonite, gypsum, anhydrite, halite and fluorite) and ion exchange processes. The anthropogenic factors include the impact of irrigation return flows and the application of potassium, nitrate, and phosphate fertilizers. Over time, these anthropogenic factors will most likely contribute to further declines in groundwater quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Salinity of irrigation water in the Philippi farming area of the Cape ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Salinity of irrigation water in the Philippi farming area of the Cape Flats, Cape Town, ... Isotope analysis was done for the summer samples so as to assess effects of ... It is concluded that the accumulation of salts in groundwater and soil in the ...

  11. Groundwater flow in a closed basin with a saline shallow lake in a volcanic area: Laguna Tuyajto, northern Chilean Altiplano of the Andes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herrera, Christian, E-mail: cherrera@ucn.cl [Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Custodio, Emilio [Department of Geo-Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia/Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona (Spain); Chong, Guillermo [Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Lambán, Luis Javier [Geological Institute of Spain (IGME), Zaragoza (Spain); Riquelme, Rodrigo; Wilke, Hans [Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Jódar, Jorge [Department of Geo-Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia/Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona (Spain); Urrutia, Javier; Urqueta, Harry [Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Sarmiento, Alvaro [Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); and others

    2016-01-15

    Laguna Tuyajto is a small, shallow saline water lake in the Andean Altiplano of northern Chile. In the eastern side it is fed by springs that discharge groundwater of the nearby volcanic aquifers. The area is arid: rainfall does not exceed 200 mm/year in the rainiest parts. The stable isotopic content of spring water shows that the recharge is originated mainly from winter rain, snow melt, and to a lesser extent from some short and intense sporadic rainfall events. Most of the spring water outflowing in the northern side of Laguna Tuyajto is recharged in the Tuyajto volcano. Most of the spring water in the eastern side and groundwater are recharged at higher elevations, in the rims of the nearby endorheic basins of Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas to the East. The presence of tritium in some deep wells in Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas indicates recent recharge. Gas emission in recent volcanoes increase the sulfate content of atmospheric deposition and this is reflected in local groundwater. The chemical composition and concentration of spring waters are the result of meteoric water evapo-concentration, water–rock interaction, and mainly the dissolution of old and buried evaporitic deposits. Groundwater flow is mostly shallow due to a low permeability ignimbrite layer of regional extent, which also hinders brine spreading below and around the lake. High deep temperatures near the recent Tuyajto volcano explain the high dissolved silica contents and the δ{sup 18}O shift to heavier values found in some of the spring waters. Laguna Tuyajto is a terminal lake where salts cumulate, mostly halite, but some brine transfer to the Salar de Aguas Calientes-3 cannot be excluded. The hydrogeological behavior of Laguna Tuyajto constitutes a model to understand the functioning of many other similar basins in other areas in the Andean Altiplano. - Highlights: • Recent volcanism formations play a key role in producing recharge. • Groundwater can flow across local

  12. Groundwater flow in a closed basin with a saline shallow lake in a volcanic area: Laguna Tuyajto, northern Chilean Altiplano of the Andes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herrera, Christian; Custodio, Emilio; Chong, Guillermo; Lambán, Luis Javier; Riquelme, Rodrigo; Wilke, Hans; Jódar, Jorge; Urrutia, Javier; Urqueta, Harry; Sarmiento, Alvaro

    2016-01-01

    Laguna Tuyajto is a small, shallow saline water lake in the Andean Altiplano of northern Chile. In the eastern side it is fed by springs that discharge groundwater of the nearby volcanic aquifers. The area is arid: rainfall does not exceed 200 mm/year in the rainiest parts. The stable isotopic content of spring water shows that the recharge is originated mainly from winter rain, snow melt, and to a lesser extent from some short and intense sporadic rainfall events. Most of the spring water outflowing in the northern side of Laguna Tuyajto is recharged in the Tuyajto volcano. Most of the spring water in the eastern side and groundwater are recharged at higher elevations, in the rims of the nearby endorheic basins of Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas to the East. The presence of tritium in some deep wells in Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas indicates recent recharge. Gas emission in recent volcanoes increase the sulfate content of atmospheric deposition and this is reflected in local groundwater. The chemical composition and concentration of spring waters are the result of meteoric water evapo-concentration, water–rock interaction, and mainly the dissolution of old and buried evaporitic deposits. Groundwater flow is mostly shallow due to a low permeability ignimbrite layer of regional extent, which also hinders brine spreading below and around the lake. High deep temperatures near the recent Tuyajto volcano explain the high dissolved silica contents and the δ"1"8O shift to heavier values found in some of the spring waters. Laguna Tuyajto is a terminal lake where salts cumulate, mostly halite, but some brine transfer to the Salar de Aguas Calientes-3 cannot be excluded. The hydrogeological behavior of Laguna Tuyajto constitutes a model to understand the functioning of many other similar basins in other areas in the Andean Altiplano. - Highlights: • Recent volcanism formations play a key role in producing recharge. • Groundwater can flow across local

  13. Groundwater and Global Palaeoclimate Signals (G@GPS)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Haldorsen, Sylvi; Ploeg, van der Martine J.; Cendon, Dioni I.; Chen, Jianyao; Jemaa, Najiba Chkir Ben; Gurdak, Jason J.; Purtschert, Roland; Tujchneider, Ofelia; Vaikmae, Rein; Perez, Marcela; Zouari, Kamel

    2016-01-01

    Groundwater sources supply fresh drinking water to almost half of the World's population and are a main source of water for irrigation across world. Characterization of groundwater resources, surface groundwater interactions and their link to the global water cycle and modern global change are

  14. Groundwater Discharges to Rivers in the Western Canadian Oil Sands Region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, J.; Jasechko, S.

    2016-12-01

    Groundwater discharges into rivers impacts the movement and fate of nutrients and contaminants in the environment. Understanding groundwater-surface water interactions is especially important in the western Canadian oil sands, where groundwater contamination risks are elevated and baseline water chemistry data is lacking, leading to substantial uncertainties about anthropogenic influences on local river quality. High salinity groundwater springs sourced from deep aquifers, comprised of Pleistocene-aged glacial meltwater, are known to discharge into many rivers in the oil sands. Understanding connections between deep aquifers and surficial waterways is important in order to determine natural inputs into these rivers and to assess the potential for injected wastewater or oil extraction fluids to enter surface waters. While these springs have been identified, their spatial distribution along rivers has not been fully characterized. Here we present river chemistry data collected along a number of major river corridors in the Canadian oil sands region. We show that saline groundwater springs vary spatially along the course of these rivers and tend to be concentrated where the rivers incise Devonian- or Cretaceous-aged aquifers along an evaporite dissolution front. Our results suggest that water sourced from Devonian aquifers may travel through bitumen-bearing Cretaceous units and discharge into local rivers, implying a strong groundwater-surface water connection in specialized locations. These findings indicate that oil sands process-affected waters that are injected at depth have the potential to move through these aquifers and reach the rivers at the surface at some time in the future. Groundwater-surface water interactions remain key to understanding the risks oil sands activities pose to aquatic ecosystems and downstream communities.

  15. Tertiary strata and hydro-geological conditions, figures for movement of groundwater above Gorleben

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giesel, W.

    1984-01-01

    In order to determine the movement of groundwater, a geo-hydraulic model is used. From the results, one can deduce that the movement of groundwater reaches down to closely above the salt strata, and that groundwater from this depth can flow back to the biosphere after one to several 1000 years. The highly saline water in the depth of the trough is treated separately. Geo-physical borehole measurements have shown that the salty groundwater in the trough moves northwards. 10 3 to 10 4 m 3 of salt/annum are transported away from the trough. (DG) [de

  16. Quantitative groundwater modelling for a sustainable water resource exploitation in a Mediterranean alluvial aquifer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laïssaoui, Mounir; Mesbah, Mohamed; Madani, Khodir; Kiniouar, Hocine

    2018-05-01

    To analyze the water budget under human influences in the Isser wadi alluvial aquifer in the northeast of Algeria, we built a mathematical model which can be used for better managing groundwater exploitation. A modular three-dimensional finite-difference groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) was used. The modelling system is largely based on physical laws and employs a numerical method of the finite difference to simulate water movement and fluxes in a horizontally discretized field. After calibration in steady-state, the model could reproduce the initial heads with a rather good precision. It enabled us to quantify the aquifer water balance terms and to obtain a conductivity zones distribution. The model also highlighted the relevant role of the Isser wadi which constitutes a drain of great importance for the aquifer, ensuring alone almost all outflows. The scenarios suggested in transient simulations showed that an increase in the pumping would only increase the lowering of the groundwater levels and disrupting natural balance of aquifer. However, it is clear that this situation depends primarily on the position of pumping wells in the plain as well as on the extracted volumes of water. As proven by the promising results of model, this physically based and distributed-parameter model is a valuable contribution to the ever-advancing technology of hydrological modelling and water resources assessment.

  17. Cooperative institutions for sustainable common pool resource management: Application to groundwater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madani, Kaveh; Dinar, Ariel

    2012-09-01

    Beneficiaries of common pool resources (CPRs) may select available noncooperative and regulatory exogenous institutions for managing the resource, as well as cooperative management institutions. All these institutions may increase the long-term gains, prolong the life of the resource, and help to escape the tragedy of the commons trap. Cooperative game theory approaches can serve as the backbone of cooperative CPR management institutions. This paper formulates and applies several commonly used cooperative game theoretic solution concepts, namely, the core, Nash-Harsanyi, Shapley, and nucleolus. Through a numerical groundwater example, we show how CPR users can share the gains obtained from cooperation in a fair and efficient manner based on these cooperative solution concepts (management institutions). Although, based on their fairness rationales, various cooperative management institutions may suggest different allocations that are potentially acceptable to the users, these allocation solutions may not be stable as some users may find them unfair. This paper discusses how different methods, such as application of the plurality rule and power index, stability index, and propensity to disrupt concepts, can help identify the most stable and likely solutions for enforcing cooperation among the CPR beneficiaries. Furthermore, how the noncooperative managerial characteristics of the CPR users can affect the stability and acceptability of the different cooperative CPR management institutions is discussed, providing valuable policy insights for cooperative CPR management at community levels.

  18. Stable groundwater quality in deep aquifers of Southern Bangladesh: the case against sustainable abstraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravenscroft, P; McArthur, J M; Hoque, M A

    2013-06-01

    In forty six wells >150 m deep, from across the arsenic-polluted area of south-central Bangladesh, groundwater composition remained unchanged between 1998 and 2011. No evidence of deteriorating water quality was found in terms of arsenic, iron, manganese, boron, barium or salinity over this period of 13 years. These deep tubewells have achieved operating lives of more than 20 years with minimal institutional support. These findings confirm that tubewells tapping the deep aquifers in the Bengal Basin provide a safe, popular, and economic, means of arsenic mitigation and are likely to do so for decades to come. Nevertheless, concerns remain about the sustainability of a resource that could serve as a source of As-safe water to mitigate As-pollution in shallower aquifers in an area where tens of millions of people are exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic in well water. The conjunction of the stable composition in deep groundwater and the severe adverse health effects of arsenic in shallow groundwater lead us to challenge the notion that strong sustainability principles should be applied to the management of deep aquifer abstraction in Bangladesh is, the notion that the deep groundwater resource should be preserved for future generations by protecting it from adverse impacts, probably of a minor nature, that could occur after a long time and might not happen at all. Instead, we advocate an ethical approach to development of the deep aquifer, based on adaptive abstraction management, which allows possibly unsustainable exploitation now in order to alleviate crippling disease and death from arsenic today while also benefiting future generations by improving the health, education and economy of living children. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Millennial changes of the Baltic Sea salinity. Studies of the sensitivity of the salinity to climate change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gustafsson, Bo G.

    2004-05-01

    An important question for safety assessments of nuclear waste repositories is the salinity of the Baltic Sea under different conditions. The salinity affects the potential recipient ecosystems, the water turnover along the coast and the hydrology as well as the groundwater chemistry. In this report a model that enables computation of the Baltic Sea salinity for different sea level positions and freshwater supplies is presented. The model is used to compute the salinities in Baltic proper, Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay for all combinations of global sea level changes from -10 m to 10 m and freshwater supplies from 0 to 60,000 m 3 /s. The results are presented in a series of graphs that enables the reader to make an assessment of the impact of a given climatic change. The model is also used to compute the decrease of the salinity in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay during the next few millennia due to the postglacial uplift. The results show that modest changes in global sea level, say ±1 m, give a salinity change of the order of 1 psu in southern Baltic proper. Changing the freshwater supply with about 2,000 m 3 /s (approximately 10%) gives a similar salinity change. Further, a sea level drop of about 5 m or an increase of the freshwater supply by a factor of 3 is needed to reduce the salinity in southern Baltic proper below 1 psu. In this limit large parts of the Baltic would be limnic. A 50% decrease of the freshwater supply increase the salinity in the southern Baltic proper by a factor of 2 to some 15 psu, but the effect is even more drastic in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay where the salinity increase to 13 and 10 psu, respectively. A less windy climate might have a significant effect in lowering the Baltic salinity due to a combined effect of lowered mixing in Kattegat and lowered exchange between Kattegat and the Baltic. A windier climate will not have such strong effect since increased mixing does not affect the Baltic as much. Most probably the shoreline

  20. Millennial changes of the Baltic Sea salinity. Studies of the sensitivity of the salinity to climate change

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gustafsson, Bo G. [Oceanus Havsundersoekningar, Goeteborg (Sweden)

    2004-05-01

    An important question for safety assessments of nuclear waste repositories is the salinity of the Baltic Sea under different conditions. The salinity affects the potential recipient ecosystems, the water turnover along the coast and the hydrology as well as the groundwater chemistry. In this report a model that enables computation of the Baltic Sea salinity for different sea level positions and freshwater supplies is presented. The model is used to compute the salinities in Baltic proper, Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay for all combinations of global sea level changes from -10 m to 10 m and freshwater supplies from 0 to 60,000 m{sup 3}/s. The results are presented in a series of graphs that enables the reader to make an assessment of the impact of a given climatic change. The model is also used to compute the decrease of the salinity in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay during the next few millennia due to the postglacial uplift. The results show that modest changes in global sea level, say {+-}1 m, give a salinity change of the order of 1 psu in southern Baltic proper. Changing the freshwater supply with about 2,000 m{sup 3}/s (approximately 10%) gives a similar salinity change. Further, a sea level drop of about 5 m or an increase of the freshwater supply by a factor of 3 is needed to reduce the salinity in southern Baltic proper below 1 psu. In this limit large parts of the Baltic would be limnic. A 50% decrease of the freshwater supply increase the salinity in the southern Baltic proper by a factor of 2 to some 15 psu, but the effect is even more drastic in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay where the salinity increase to 13 and 10 psu, respectively. A less windy climate might have a significant effect in lowering the Baltic salinity due to a combined effect of lowered mixing in Kattegat and lowered exchange between Kattegat and the Baltic. A windier climate will not have such strong effect since increased mixing does not affect the Baltic as much. Most probably the

  1. 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.

  2. Arsenic in Water Resources of the Southern Pampa Plains, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan D. Paoloni

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Confronted with the need for accessible sources of good quality water and in view of the fact that the threat to public health posed by arsenic occurs mainly through the ingestion of contaminated drinking water, the presence and distribution of arsenic was evaluated in the southern Pampa Plains of Bahía Blanca district in Argentina. The findings show variable concentrations of arsenic in a complex distribution pattern. Complementary information is provided on the behavior of the groundwater resource and its salinity in terms of dissolved ions. Groundwater is the most severely affected, 97% of the samples exceeding the guideline value for arsenic in drinking water as recommended by the WHO (Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, 2004. and showing maximum concentrations of up to 0.30 mg/L. Informing those responsible for preventive medicine and alerting the community at large will facilitate measures to mitigate exposure and ensure the safety of drinking water.

  3. Arsenic in Water Resources of the Southern Pampa Plains, Argentina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paoloni, Juan D.; Sequeira, Mario E.; Espósito, Martín E.; Fiorentino, Carmen E.; Blanco, María del C.

    2009-01-01

    Confronted with the need for accessible sources of good quality water and in view of the fact that the threat to public health posed by arsenic occurs mainly through the ingestion of contaminated drinking water, the presence and distribution of arsenic was evaluated in the southern Pampa Plains of Bahía Blanca district in Argentina. The findings show variable concentrations of arsenic in a complex distribution pattern. Complementary information is provided on the behavior of the groundwater resource and its salinity in terms of dissolved ions. Groundwater is the most severely affected, 97% of the samples exceeding the guideline value for arsenic in drinking water as recommended by the WHO (Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, 2004). and showing maximum concentrations of up to 0.30 mg/L. Informing those responsible for preventive medicine and alerting the community at large will facilitate measures to mitigate exposure and ensure the safety of drinking water. PMID:19936127

  4. A Retrospective Analysis on the Occurrence of Arsenic in Ground-Water Resources of the United States and Limitations in Drinking-Water-Supply Characterizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Focazio, Michael J.; Welch, Alan H.; Watkins, Sharon A.; Helsel, Dennis R.; Horn, Marilee A.

    2000-01-01

    The Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended in 1996, requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to review current drinking-water standards for arsenic, propose a maximum contaminant level for arsenic by January 1, 2000, and issue a final regulation by January, 2001. Quantification of the national occurrence of targeted ranges in arsenic concentration in ground water used for public drinking-water supplies is an important component of USEPA's regulatory process. Data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS) were used in a retrospective analysis of arsenic in the ground-water resources of the United States. The analysis augments other existing sources of data on the occurrence of arsenic collected in ground water at public water-supply systems.The USGS, through its District offices and national programs, has been compiling data for many years on arsenic concentrations collected from wells used for public water supply, research, agriculture, industry, and domestic water supply throughout the United States. These data have been collected for a variety of purposes ranging from simple descriptions of the occurrence of arsenic in local or regional ground-water resources to detailed studies on arsenic geochemistry associated with contamination sites. A total of 18,864 sample locations were selected from the USGS NWIS data base regardless of well type, of which 2,262 were taken from public water-supply sources. Samples with non-potable water (dissolved-solids concentration greater than 2,000 milligrams per liter and water temperature greater than 50o Celsius) were not selected for the retrospective analysis and other criteria for selection included the amount and type of ancillary data available for each sample. The 1,528 counties with sufficient data included 76 percent of all large public water-supply systems (serving more than 10,000 people) and 61 percent of all small public water-supply systems (serving more than 1

  5. A proposed groundwater management framework for municipalities ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Groundwater is not being perceived as an important water resource and therefore has been given limited attention in South. Africa. This is reflected in general ... Research Commission (WRC) has commissioned a project to develop a Groundwater Management Framework that incorpo- rates all aspects of groundwater ...

  6. Groundwater: from mystery to management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Narasimhan, T N

    2009-01-01

    Groundwater has been used for domestic and irrigation needs from time immemorial. Yet its nature and occurrence have always possessed a certain mystery because water below the land surface is invisible and relatively inaccessible. The influence of this mystery lingers in some tenets that govern groundwater law. With the birth of modern geology during the late nineteenth century, groundwater science became recognized in its own right. Over the past two centuries, groundwater has lost its shroud of mystery, and its scientific understanding has gradually grown hand-in-hand with its development for human use. Groundwater is a component of the hydrological cycle, vital for human sustenance. Its annual renewability from precipitation is limited, and its chemical quality is vulnerable to degradation by human action. In many parts of the world, groundwater extraction is known to greatly exceed its renewability. Consequently, its rational management to benefit present and future generations is a matter of deep concern for many nations. Groundwater management is a challenging venture, requiring an integration of scientific knowledge with communal will to adapt to constraints of a finite common resource. As scientists and policy makers grapple with the tasks of groundwater management, it is instructive to reflect on the evolution of groundwater knowledge from its initial phase of demystification at the beginning of the nineteenth century, through successive phases of technological conquest, scientific integration, discovery of unintended consequences and the present recognition of an imperative for judicious management. The following retrospective provides a broad context for unifying the technical contributions that make up this focus issue on groundwater resources, climate and vulnerability.

  7. Key policy choices in groundwater quality management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batie, S.S.; Diebel, P.L.

    1990-01-01

    The fundamental policy choice of who has the right to do what to whom is a pivotal issue of governance. Over the last few decades, the answer to that question has become more restrictive to those who own and use natural resources as inputs into production processes. Increasingly, the beneficiaries of new policy initiatives are those who desire higher protection of groundwater quality. With respect to groundwater management, policy design increasingly reflects such diverse interests as agriculturists, industrialists, homeowners, local government officials and state officials. Policy design is becoming complex, in part because of this diversity and in part because scientific uncertainty hampers informed policy design. No umbrella federal legislation exists for managing groundwater resources. EPA's role has been mainly an advisory one on groundwater issues. The difficulties and responsibilities of protecting groundwater thus remain with the states. For the near future, it is the states that will address key policy choices with respect to groundwater quality management issues

  8. Water use and groundwater contamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elton, J.J.; Livingstone, B.

    1998-01-01

    A general review of the groundwater resources in Saskatchewan and their vulnerability to contamination was provided. In particular, the use of water and the effects on water by the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan were discussed. It was suggested that public concerns over scarcity and contamination of water are gradually changing perceptions about Canada's abundance of water. Saskatchewan's surface water covers 12 per cent of the province. About 90 per cent of the rural populations and 80 per cent of municipalities depend on groundwater supplies. Regulations affecting oil and gas operations that could affect water resources have become more stringent. Techniques used in the detection and monitoring of groundwater affected by salt and petroleum hydrocarbons were described. Electromagnetic surveys are used in detecting salt-affected soils and groundwater. Laboratory analysis of chloride concentrations are needed to define actual chloride concentrations in groundwater. Wells and barriers can be installed to control and recover chloride plumes. Deep well injection and reverse osmosis are other methods, but there is no cheap or simple treatment or disposal method for salt-impacted groundwater. Spills or leaks of petroleum hydrocarbons from various sources can also lead to contamination of groundwater. Various assessment and remediation methods are described. Although there is no scarcity of techniques, all of them are difficult, costly, and may take several years to complete. 11 refs., 1 tab

  9. Fluoride contamination of groundwater and health implications in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The arid climate of the region, the granitic rocks and the low freshwater exchange due to periodical drought conditions are responsible for the higher incidence of fluorides in the groundwater resource. The people dependent on groundwater resources in the area are prone to dental fluorosis and mild skeletal fluorosis.

  10. Identification of the microbes mediating Fe reduction in a deep saline aquifer and their influence during managed aquifer recharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Myoung-Soo; Cho, Kyungjin; Jeong, Dawoon; Lee, Seunghak

    2016-03-01

    In this study, indigenous microbes enabling Fe reduction under saline groundwater conditions were identified, and their potential contribution to Fe release from aquifer sediments during managed aquifer recharge (MAR) was evaluated. Sediment and groundwater samples were collected from a MAR feasibility test site in Korea, where adjacent river water will be injected into the confined aquifer. The residual groundwater had a high salinity over 26.0 psu, as well as strong reducing conditions (dissolved oxygen, DOaquifer were found to be Citrobacter sp. However, column experiments to simulate field operation scenarios indicated that additional Fe release would be limited during MAR, as the dominant microbial community in the sediment would shift from Citrobacter sp. to Pseudomonas sp. and Limnohabitans sp. as river water injection alters the pore water chemistry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. 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.

  12. Groundwater Profession in Transition: Discovery toAdaptation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Narasimhan, T.N.

    2005-04-04

    Over the past century and half, groundwater has played an important role in the economic prosperity of the United States. The groundwater profession which has contributed to this prosperity has grown through the contributions of the U.S. and State Geological Surveys,academia, and industry. A century ago, the energies of the profession were channeled towards discovering new sources of groundwater in a largely unexplored land, and exploiting the resources for maximum economic benefit. Experience has since revealed that groundwater systems are finite, and are intimately linked to surface water bodies and the biosphere. A consequence is that aggressive exploitation of groundwater can lead to unacceptable environmental degradation and social cost. At present, the groundwater profession is in a state of transition from one of discovery and exploitation, to one of balancing resource development with avoiding unacceptable damage to the environment. This paper outlines the history of the groundwater profession in the United States since the late nineteenth century, and speculates on what may lie ahead in the near future, as the profession makes the transition from discovering new sources of groundwater to one of better understanding and adapting to nature's constraints.

  13. Groundwater flow in a closed basin with a saline shallow lake in a volcanic area: Laguna Tuyajto, northern Chilean Altiplano of the Andes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, Christian; Custodio, Emilio; Chong, Guillermo; Lambán, Luis Javier; Riquelme, Rodrigo; Wilke, Hans; Jódar, Jorge; Urrutia, Javier; Urqueta, Harry; Sarmiento, Alvaro; Gamboa, Carolina; Lictevout, Elisabeth

    2016-01-15

    Laguna Tuyajto is a small, shallow saline water lake in the Andean Altiplano of northern Chile. In the eastern side it is fed by springs that discharge groundwater of the nearby volcanic aquifers. The area is arid: rainfall does not exceed 200mm/year in the rainiest parts. The stable isotopic content of spring water shows that the recharge is originated mainly from winter rain, snow melt, and to a lesser extent from some short and intense sporadic rainfall events. Most of the spring water outflowing in the northern side of Laguna Tuyajto is recharged in the Tuyajto volcano. Most of the spring water in the eastern side and groundwater are recharged at higher elevations, in the rims of the nearby endorheic basins of Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas to the East. The presence of tritium in some deep wells in Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas indicates recent recharge. Gas emission in recent volcanoes increase the sulfate content of atmospheric deposition and this is reflected in local groundwater. The chemical composition and concentration of spring waters are the result of meteoric water evapo-concentration, water-rock interaction, and mainly the dissolution of old and buried evaporitic deposits. Groundwater flow is mostly shallow due to a low permeability ignimbrite layer of regional extent, which also hinders brine spreading below and around the lake. High deep temperatures near the recent Tuyajto volcano explain the high dissolved silica contents and the δ(18)O shift to heavier values found in some of the spring waters. Laguna Tuyajto is a terminal lake where salts cumulate, mostly halite, but some brine transfer to the Salar de Aguas Calientes-3 cannot be excluded. The hydrogeological behavior of Laguna Tuyajto constitutes a model to understand the functioning of many other similar basins in other areas in the Andean Altiplano. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Predicting salt advection in groundwater from saline aquaculture ponds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verrall, D. P.; Read, W. W.; Narayan, K. A.

    2009-01-01

    SummaryThis paper predicts saltwater advection in groundwater from leaky aquaculture ponds. A closed form solution for the potential function, stream function and velocity field is derived via the series solutions method. Numerically integrating along different streamlines gives the location (or advection front) of saltwater throughout the domain for any predefined upper time limit. Extending this process produces a function which predicts advection front location against time. The models considered in this paper are easily modified given knowledge of the required physical parameters.

  15. Dryland Salinity in the North Stirling Land Conservation District, Western Australia: Simulation and Management Options

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomboso, J.; Ghassemi, F.; Appleyard, S. J.

    1997-01-01

    The North Stirling Land Conservation District consists of approximately 100,000 hectares north of the Stirling Range National Park, Western Australia. Clearing of land for agriculture occurred in the 1960's and early 1970's. The groundwater is highly saline, and, since clearing, the water table has risen by as much as 12 m; it is now generally less than 3 m below ground level throughout the area. The rise in groundwater levels following clearing and the use of crops and pastures requiring low water use have caused dramatic secondary salinisation over a short period of time. Groundwater flow was simulated with models of steady-state and transient groundwater flow. By incorporating economic simulations with the calibrated transient hydrogeological model, estimates of the expected gross margin losses were made. Three salinity-management strategies were simulated. Results indicate that 1) under the `do-nothing' strategy, future gross margins are expected to decline; 2) under the agronomic strategy, the rate of water-table rise would be reduced and foregone agricultural production losses would be less than the `do-nothing' strategy; and 3) under the agroforestry strategy, the water table is expected to decline in the long term, which would increase future agricultural production levels and, hence, profitability.

  16. Norms in multilevel groundwater governance and sustainable development

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Conti, K.I.

    2017-01-01

    Groundwater constitutes 98-99% of the world’s available freshwater resources. Humans abstract 200 times more groundwater than oil - using it heavily for domestic, municipal, agricultural and industrial purposes. Consequently, humans cause groundwater depletion and quality degradation in some

  17. Transboundary geophysical mapping of geological elements and salinity distribution critical for the assessment of future sea water intrusion in response to sea level rise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Jørgensen

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Geophysical techniques are increasingly being used as tools for characterising the subsurface, and they are generally required to develop subsurface models that properly delineate the distribution of aquifers and aquitards, salt/freshwater interfaces, and geological structures that affect groundwater flow. In a study area covering 730 km2 across the border between Germany and Denmark, a combination of an airborne electromagnetic survey (performed with the SkyTEM system, a high-resolution seismic survey and borehole logging has been used in an integrated mapping of important geological, physical and chemical features of the subsurface. The spacing between flight lines is 200–250 m which gives a total of about 3200 line km. About 38 km of seismic lines have been collected. Faults bordering a graben structure, buried tunnel valleys, glaciotectonic thrust complexes, marine clay units, and sand aquifers are all examples of geological structures mapped by the geophysical data that control groundwater flow and to some extent hydrochemistry. Additionally, the data provide an excellent picture of the salinity distribution in the area and thus provide important information on the salt/freshwater boundary and the chemical status of groundwater. Although the westernmost part of the study area along the North Sea coast is saturated with saline water and the TEM data therefore are strongly influenced by the increased electrical conductivity there, buried valleys and other geological elements are still revealed. The mapped salinity distribution indicates preferential flow paths through and along specific geological structures within the area. The effects of a future sea level rise on the groundwater system and groundwater chemistry are discussed with special emphasis on the importance of knowing the existence, distribution and geometry of the mapped geological elements, and their control on the groundwater salinity distribution is assessed.

  18. An Investigation of Groundwater Flow on a Coastal Barrier using Multi Electrode Profiling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Søren Erbs; Christensen, Steen; Rasmussen, Keld Rømer

    2008-01-01

    Preliminary geophysical and hydrogeological investigations indicate that multi-electrode profiling (MEP) can be used to monitor groundwater salinity on a coastal barrier where a shallow thin aquifer discharges to the North Sea. A monitoring system including five groups of piezometers and five MEP...... groundwater modeling we hope to be able to quantify how time varying recharge, tides, and storms hitting the barrier affect groundwater flow and discharge to the sea. At the conference we will present monitoring results from the winter and spring 2008....

  19. Groundwater quality in the Klamath Mountains, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, George L.; Fram, Miranda S.

    2014-01-01

    Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The Klamath Mountains constitute one of the study units being evaluated.

  20. Environmental Resources of Selected Areas of Hawaii: Groundwater in the Puna District of the Island of Hawaii (DRAFT)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Staub, W.P.

    1994-06-01

    This report has been prepared to make available and archive the background scientific data and related information collected on groundwater during the preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for Phases 3 and 4 of the Hawaii Geothermal Project (HGP) as defined by the state of Hawaii in its April 1989 proposal to Congress. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice in the Federal Register on May 17,1994 (Fed Regis. 5925638), withdrawing its notice of intent (Fed. Regis. 575433) of February 14,1992, to prepare the HGP-EIS. Since the state of Hawaii is no longer pursuing or planning to pursue the HGP, DOE considers the project to be terminated. The background scientific data and related information presented in this report were collected for the geothermal resource subzones in the Puna District on the island of Hawaii. The scientific background data and related information is being made available for use by others in conducting future scientific research in these areas. This report describes the environmental resources present in the areas studied (i.e., the affected environment) and does not represent an assessment of environmental impacts. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge with respect to groundwater in the Puna District of the island of Hawaii (hereinafter referred to as Hawaii). Groundwater quality inside and outside the lower east rift zone (LERZ) of Kilauea is compared with that of meteoric water, seawater, and geothermal fluid. The degree of mixing between meteoric water, sea water, and geothermal water in and adjacent to the LERZ also is discussed. Finally, groundwater pathways and use in the Puna District are discussed. Most of the information contained herein is compiled from recent U.S. Geological Survey publications and open-file reports.

  1. Deep groundwater quantity and quality in the southwestern US

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, M.; Ayars, J. E.; Jackson, R. B.

    2017-12-01

    Groundwater demands are growing in many arid regions and adaptation through the use of non-traditional resources during extreme droughts is increasingly common. One such resource is deep groundwater, which we define as deeper than 300 m and up to several kilometer-depths. Although deep groundwater has been studied in the context of oil and gas, geothermal, waste disposal, and other uses, it remains poorly characterized, especially for the purposes of human consumption and irrigation uses. Therefore, we evaluate deep groundwater quantity and quality within these contexts. We compile and analyze data from water management agencies and oil and gas-based sources for the southwestern US, with a detailed look at California's Central Valley. We also use crop tolerance thresholds to evaluate deep groundwater quality for irrigation purposes. We find fresh and usable groundwater volume estimates in California's Central Valley to increase by three- and four-fold respectively when depths of up to 3 km are considered. Of the ten basins in the southwestern US with the most data, we find that the Great Basin has the greatest proportions of fresh and usable deep groundwater. Given the potentially large deep groundwater volumes, it is important to characterize the resource, guard against subsidence where extracted, and protect it for use in decades and centuries to come.

  2. Environmental resources of selected areas of Hawaii: Groundwater in the Puna District of the Island of Hawaii

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Staub, W.P.; Reed, R.M.

    1995-03-01

    This report has been prepared to make available and archive the background scientific data and related information collected on groundwater during the preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for Phases 3 and 4 of the Hawaii Geothermal Project (HGP) as defined by the state of Hawaii in its April 1989 proposal to Congress. The US Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice in the withdrawing its notice of intent of February 14, 1992, to prepare the HGP EIS. Since the state of Hawaii is no longer pursuing or planning to pursue the HGP, DOE considers the project to be terminated. The background scientific data and related information presented in this report were collected for the geothermal resource subzones in the Puna District on the island of Hawaii. The scientific background data and related information is being made available for use by others in conducting future scientific research in these areas. This report describes the environmental resources present in the areas studied and does not represent an assessment of environmental impacts. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge with respect to groundwater in the Puna District of the island of Hawaii. Groundwater quality in and adjacent to Kilauea`s east rift zone (KERZ), is compared with that of meteoric water, seawater, and geothermal fluid. Two segments of KERZ lie within the Puna District. These segments are the middle east rift zone (KERZ) and lower east rift zone (LERZ). The degree of mixing between meteoric water, seawater, and geothermal water in and adjacent to the also is discussed.

  3. Effect of Pumping on Groundwater Levels: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sindhu, G.; Vijayachandran, Lekshmi

    2018-06-01

    Groundwater is a major source for drinking and domestic purposes. Nowadays, extensive pumping has become a major issue of concern since pumping has led to rapid decline in the groundwater table, thus imposing landward gradient, leading to saline water intrusion especially in coastal areas. Groundwater pumping has seen its utmost effect on coastal aquifer systems, where the sea-ward gradient gets disturbed due to anthropogenic influences. Hence, a groundwater flow modelling of an aquifer system is essential for understanding the various hydro-geologic conditions, which can be used to study the responses of the aquifer system with regard to various pumping scenarios. Besides, a model helps to predict the water levels for the future period with respect to changing environment. In this study, a finite element groundwater flow model of a coastal aquifer system at Aakulam, Trivandrum district is developed, calibrated and simulated using the software Finite Element subsurface Flow system (FEFLOW 6.2).This simulated model is then used to predict the groundwater levels for a future 5 year period during pre monsoon and post monsoon season.

  4. Effect of Pumping on Groundwater Levels: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sindhu, G.; Vijayachandran, Lekshmi

    2018-03-01

    Groundwater is a major source for drinking and domestic purposes. Nowadays, extensive pumping has become a major issue of concern since pumping has led to rapid decline in the groundwater table, thus imposing landward gradient, leading to saline water intrusion especially in coastal areas. Groundwater pumping has seen its utmost effect on coastal aquifer systems, where the sea-ward gradient gets disturbed due to anthropogenic influences. Hence, a groundwater flow modelling of an aquifer system is essential for understanding the various hydro-geologic conditions, which can be used to study the responses of the aquifer system with regard to various pumping scenarios. Besides, a model helps to predict the water levels for the future period with respect to changing environment. In this study, a finite element groundwater flow model of a coastal aquifer system at Aakulam, Trivandrum district is developed, calibrated and simulated using the software Finite Element subsurface Flow system (FEFLOW 6.2).This simulated model is then used to predict the groundwater levels for a future 5 year period during pre monsoon and post monsoon season.

  5. Hydrochemical evaluation of groundwater quality in the Çavuşçayı basin, Sungurlu-Çorum, Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çelik, Mehmet; Yıldırım, Turgut

    2006-06-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality and usage possibility of groundwater in the Çavuşçayı basin and suggest the best water structure for the groundwater use. Results from hydrochemical analyses reveal that groundwater is mostly affected by salty (Na+ Cl-) waters of the Incik Formation and brackish (Ca2+, Mg2+ SO{4/2-}) waters of the Bayındır Formation. The Alibaba saltpan discharged (2 l/s) from the Incik Formation is used for salt production. In the basin, salinity risk increases with depth and along the groundwater flow direction. Therefore, shallow water and trenches opened in the alluvium aquifer at the east of the basin were determined to yield suitable water with no Na+ and Cl- contamination. Following the heavy rainy period, waters of less salinity and conductivity are possibly used for agriculture.

  6. DOE groundwater protection strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lichtman, S.

    1988-01-01

    EH is developing a DOE-wide Groundwater Quality Protection Strategy to express DOE's commitment to the protection of groundwater quality at or near its facilities. This strategy responds to a September 1986 recommendation of the General Accounting Office. It builds on EPA's August 1984 Ground-Water Protection Strategy, which establishes a classification system designed to protect groundwater according to its value and vulnerability. The purposes of DOE's strategy are to highlight groundwater protection as part of current DOE programs and future Departmental planning, to guide DOE managers in developing site-specific groundwater protection practices where DOE has discretion, and to guide DOE's approach to negotiations with EPA/states where regulatory processes apply to groundwater protection at Departmental facilities. The strategy calls for the prevention of groundwater contamination and the cleanup of groundwater commensurate with its usefulness. It would require long-term groundwater protection with reliance on physical rather than institutional control methods. The strategy provides guidance on providing long-term protection of groundwater resources; standards for new remedial actions;guidance on establishing points of compliance; requirements for establishing classification review area; and general guidance on obtaining variances, where applicable, from regulatory requirements. It also outlines management tools to implement this strategy

  7. Exploring parameter effects on the economic outcomes of groundwater-based developments in remote, low-resource settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abramson, Adam; Adar, Eilon; Lazarovitch, Naftali

    2014-06-01

    Groundwater is often the most or only feasible safe drinking water source in remote, low-resource areas, yet the economics of its development have not been systematically outlined. We applied AWARE (Assessing Water Alternatives in Remote Economies), a recently developed Decision Support System, to investigate the costs and benefits of groundwater access and abstraction for non-networked, rural supplies. Synthetic profiles of community water services (n = 17,962), defined across 13 parameters' values and ranges relevant to remote areas, were applied to the decision framework, and the parameter effects on economic outcomes were investigated. Regressions and analysis of output distributions indicate that the most important factors determining the cost of water improvements include the technological approach, the water service target, hydrological parameters, and population density. New source construction is less cost-effective than the use or improvement of existing wells, but necessary for expanding access to isolated households. We also explored three financing approaches - willingness-to-pay, -borrow, and -work - and found that they significantly impact the prospects of achieving demand-driven cost recovery. The net benefit under willingness to work, in which water infrastructure is coupled to community irrigation and cash payments replaced by labor commitments, is impacted most strongly by groundwater yield and managerial factors. These findings suggest that the cost-benefit dynamics of groundwater-based water supply improvements vary considerably by many parameters, and that the relative strengths of different development strategies may be leveraged for achieving optimal outcomes.

  8. Hydrogeochemical processes influencing groundwater quality within the Lower Pra Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tay, Collins

    2015-12-01

    evaporation playing an insignificant role on the infiltrating water. However, with reference to the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) for the Accra Plains by Akiti (1986), the results suggest evidence of isotopic enrichment by evaporation on the surface or in the unsaturated zone before recharge into the groundwater system. Hydrochemical facies delineated two main water types, the Ca-Mg-HCO 3 and Na-HCO 3 water types, with Ca-Mg-Cl and Na-Cl as minor water types. Using Q-mode Hierarchical Cluster Analyses (HCA), surface and groundwater within the basin have been characterized into four (4) water groups and five (5) subgroups. Water quality data for subgroups show that, Groups 1 and 2 waters both represent a transition zone between Ca-Mg-HCO 3 /Na-HCO 3 and Na-Cl/ Ca-Mg-Cl /Na-SO 4 water types and therefore, can be regarded as transition zones between groundwaters which evolved from Ca-Mg-HCO 3 water type into Na-HCO 3 , Ca-Mg-Cl, and Na-Cl water types along its flow-path. Hydrochemical data also suggest that, groundwater within the basin is primarily undergoing recharge processes involving freshwater mixing with geochemically different ionic signatures than processes involving saline-freshwater mixing. PCA using Varimax with Kaiser Normalization for component matrix has delineated three main processes; i.e. natural geochemical and biochemical processes (water-soil-rock interactions), incongruent dissolution of silicates/aluminosilicates, and pollution of the water resources principally from agricultural inputs. The trace metal results show that, groundwater in some communities within the basin is contaminated, due to natural and anthropogenic sources with Al (19.2 % of boreholes), Se (18.4 % of boreholes), Cd (18.0 % of boreholes), As (11.6 % of boreholes), Pb (39.6 % of boreholes), Mn (5.6 % of boreholes), Hg (42.0 % of boreholes) and Fe (21.6 % of boreholes) concentrations exceeding the WHO (2004) guideline limits for drinking water. Results from the social impact survey

  9. Development of a coastal drought index using salinity data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conrads, Paul; Darby, Lisa S.

    2017-01-01

    A critical aspect of the uniqueness of coastal drought is the effects on the salinity dynamics of creeks, rivers, and estuaries. The location of the freshwater–saltwater interface along the coast is an important factor in the ecological and socioeconomic dynamics of coastal communities. Salinity is a critical response variable that integrates hydrologic and coastal dynamics including sea level, tides, winds, precipitation, streamflow, and tropical storms. The position of the interface determines the composition of freshwater and saltwater aquatic communities as well as the freshwater availability for water intakes. Many definitions of drought have been proposed, with most describing a decline in precipitation having negative impacts on the water supply. Indices have been developed incorporating data such as rainfall, streamflow, soil moisture, and groundwater levels. These water-availability drought indices were developed for upland areas and may not be ideal for characterizing coastal drought. The availability of real-time and historical salinity datasets provides an opportunity for the development of a salinity-based coastal drought index. An approach similar to the standardized precipitation index (SPI) was modified and applied to salinity data obtained from sites in South Carolina and Georgia. Using the SPI approach, the index becomes a coastal salinity index (CSI) that characterizes coastal salinity conditions with respect to drought periods of higher-saline conditions and wet periods of higher-freshwater conditions. Evaluation of the CSI indicates that it provides additional coastal response information as compared to the SPI and the Palmer hydrologic drought index, and the CSI can be used for different estuary types and for comparison of conditions along coastlines.

  10. The origin of groundwater composition in the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zabala, M E; Manzano, M; Vives, L

    2015-06-15

    The Pampean plain is the most productive region in Argentina. The Pampeano Aquifer beneath the Pampean plain is used mostly for drinking water. The study area is the sector of the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, in Buenos Aires province. The main objective is to characterize the chemical and isotopic compositions of groundwater and their origin on a regional scale. The methodology used involved the identification and characterization of potential sources of solutes, the study of rain water and groundwater chemical and isotopic characteristics to deduce processes, the development of a hydrogeochemical conceptual model, and its validation by hydrogeochemical modelling with PHREEQC. Groundwater samples come mostly from a two-depth monitoring network of the "Dr. Eduardo J. Usunoff" Large Plains Hydrology Institute (IHLLA). Groundwater salinity increases from SW to NE, where groundwater is saline. In the upper basin groundwater is of the HCO3-Ca type, in the middle basin it is HCO3-Na, and in the lower basin it is ClSO4-NaCa and Cl-Na. The main processes incorporating solutes to groundwater during recharge in the upper basin are rain water evaporation, dissolution of CO2, calcite, dolomite, silica, and anorthite; cationic exchange with Na release and Ca and Mg uptake, and clay precipitation. The main processes modifying groundwater chemistry along horizontal flow at 30 m depth from the upper to the lower basin are cationic exchange, dissolution of silica and anorthite, and clay precipitation. The origin of salinity in the middle and lower basin is secular evaporation in a naturally endorheic area. In the upper and middle basins there is agricultural pollution. In the lower basin the main pollution source is human liquid and solid wastes. Vertical infiltration through the boreholes annular space during the yearly flooding stages is probably the pollution mechanism of the samples at 30 m depth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Groundwater quality in the Sierra Nevada, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fram, Miranda S.; Belitz, Kenneth

    2014-01-01

    Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The Sierra Nevada Regional study unit constitutes one of the study units being evaluated.

  12. The origin of groundwater composition in the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, Argentina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zabala, M.E.; Manzano, M.; Vives, L.

    2015-01-01

    The Pampean plain is the most productive region in Argentina. The Pampeano Aquifer beneath the Pampean plain is used mostly for drinking water. The study area is the sector of the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, in Buenos Aires province. The main objective is to characterize the chemical and isotopic compositions of groundwater and their origin on a regional scale. The methodology used involved the identification and characterization of potential sources of solutes, the study of rain water and groundwater chemical and isotopic characteristics to deduce processes, the development of a hydrogeochemical conceptual model, and its validation by hydrogeochemical modelling with PHREEQC. Groundwater samples come mostly from a two-depth monitoring network of the “Dr. Eduardo J. Usunoff” Large Plains Hydrology Institute (IHLLA). Groundwater salinity increases from SW to NE, where groundwater is saline. In the upper basin groundwater is of the HCO 3 -Ca type, in the middle basin it is HCO 3 -Na, and in the lower basin it is ClSO 4 –NaCa and Cl–Na. The main processes incorporating solutes to groundwater during recharge in the upper basin are rain water evaporation, dissolution of CO 2 , calcite, dolomite, silica, and anorthite; cationic exchange with Na release and Ca and Mg uptake, and clay precipitation. The main processes modifying groundwater chemistry along horizontal flow at 30 m depth from the upper to the lower basin are cationic exchange, dissolution of silica and anorthite, and clay precipitation. The origin of salinity in the middle and lower basin is secular evaporation in a naturally endorheic area. In the upper and middle basins there is agricultural pollution. In the lower basin the main pollution source is human liquid and solid wastes. Vertical infiltration through the boreholes annular space during the yearly flooding stages is probably the pollution mechanism of the samples at 30 m depth. - Highlights: • The work studies the

  13. The origin of groundwater composition in the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, Argentina

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zabala, M.E., E-mail: mzabala@faa.unicen.edu.ar [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Instituto de Hidrología de Llanuras “Dr. Eduardo J. Usunoff”, Av. República Italia 780, 7300 Azul, Provincia Buenos Aires (Argentina); Manzano, M., E-mail: marisol.manzano@upct.es [Escuela de Ingeniería de Caminos, Canales y Puertos y de Ingeniería de Minas, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, P° de Alfonso XIII 52, E-30203 Cartagena (Spain); Vives, L., E-mail: lvives@faa.unicen.edu.ar [Instituto de Hidrología de Llanuras “Dr. Eduardo J. Usunoff”, Av. República Italia 780, 7300 Azul, Provincia Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2015-06-15

    The Pampean plain is the most productive region in Argentina. The Pampeano Aquifer beneath the Pampean plain is used mostly for drinking water. The study area is the sector of the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, in Buenos Aires province. The main objective is to characterize the chemical and isotopic compositions of groundwater and their origin on a regional scale. The methodology used involved the identification and characterization of potential sources of solutes, the study of rain water and groundwater chemical and isotopic characteristics to deduce processes, the development of a hydrogeochemical conceptual model, and its validation by hydrogeochemical modelling with PHREEQC. Groundwater samples come mostly from a two-depth monitoring network of the “Dr. Eduardo J. Usunoff” Large Plains Hydrology Institute (IHLLA). Groundwater salinity increases from SW to NE, where groundwater is saline. In the upper basin groundwater is of the HCO{sub 3}-Ca type, in the middle basin it is HCO{sub 3}-Na, and in the lower basin it is ClSO{sub 4}–NaCa and Cl–Na. The main processes incorporating solutes to groundwater during recharge in the upper basin are rain water evaporation, dissolution of CO{sub 2}, calcite, dolomite, silica, and anorthite; cationic exchange with Na release and Ca and Mg uptake, and clay precipitation. The main processes modifying groundwater chemistry along horizontal flow at 30 m depth from the upper to the lower basin are cationic exchange, dissolution of silica and anorthite, and clay precipitation. The origin of salinity in the middle and lower basin is secular evaporation in a naturally endorheic area. In the upper and middle basins there is agricultural pollution. In the lower basin the main pollution source is human liquid and solid wastes. Vertical infiltration through the boreholes annular space during the yearly flooding stages is probably the pollution mechanism of the samples at 30 m depth. - Highlights: • The

  14. Monitoring and Management of Karstic Coastal Groundwater in a Changing Environment (Southern Italy: A Review of a Regional Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurizio Polemio

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The population concentration in coastal areas and the increase of groundwater discharge in combination with the peculiarities of karstic coastal aquifers constitute a huge worldwide problem, which is particularly relevant for coastal aquifers of the Mediterranean basin. This paper offers a review of scientific activities realized to pursue the optimal utilization of Apulian coastal groundwater. Apulia, with a coastline extending for over 800 km, is the Italian region with the largest coastal karst aquifers. Apulian aquifers have suffered both in terms of water quality and quantity. Some regional regulations were implemented from the 1970s with the purpose of controlling the number of wells, well locations, and well discharge. The practical effects of these management criteria, the temporal and spatial trend of recharge, groundwater quality, and seawater intrusion effects are discussed based on long-term monitoring. The efficacy of existing management tools and the development of predictive scenarios to identify the best way to reconcile irrigation and demands for high-quality drinking water have been pursued in a selected area. The Salento peninsula was selected as the Apulian aquifer portion exposed to the highest risk of quality degradation due to seawater intrusion. The capability of large-scale numerical models in groundwater management was tested, particularly for achieving forecast scenarios to evaluate the impacts of climate change on groundwater resources. The results show qualitative and quantitative groundwater trends from 1930 to 2060 and emphasize the substantial decrease of the piezometric level and a serious worsening of groundwater salinization due to seawater intrusion.

  15. Effect of punping on temporal changes in groundwater quality

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kamra, S.K.; Khajanchi Lal,; Singh, O.P.; Boonstra, J.

    2002-01-01

    Pumping studies were conducted at five sites distributed over a 3000 ha area in the Gohana block in Haryana state of India. The project area is a part of the Indo-Gangetic plain and lies in a topographical depression susceptible to waterlogging, soil salinity and groundwater pollution from

  16. Finding a solution: Heparinised saline versus normal saline in the maintenance of invasive arterial lines in intensive care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everson, Matthew; Webber, Lucy; Penfold, Chris; Shah, Sanjoy; Freshwater-Turner, Dan

    2016-11-01

    We assessed the impact of heparinised saline versus 0.9% normal saline on arterial line patency. Maintaining the patency of arterial lines is essential for obtaining accurate physiological measurements, enabling blood sampling and minimising line replacement. Use of heparinised saline is associated with risks such as thrombocytopenia, haemorrhage and mis-selection. Historical studies draw variable conclusions but suggest that normal saline is at least as effective at maintaining line patency, although recent evidence has questioned this. We conducted a prospective analysis of the use of heparinised saline versus normal saline on unselected patients in the intensive care of our hospital. Data concerning duration of 471 lines insertion and reason for removal was collected. We found a higher risk of blockage for lines flushed with normal saline compared with heparinised saline (RR = 2.15, 95% CI 1.392-3.32, p  ≤ 0.001). Of the 56 lines which blocked initially (19 heparinised saline and 37 normal saline lines), 16 were replaced with new lines; 5 heparinised saline lines and 11 normal saline lines were reinserted; 5 of these lines subsequently blocked again, 3 of which were flushed with normal saline. Our study demonstrates a clinically important reduction in arterial line longevity due to blockages when flushed with normal saline compared to heparinised saline. We have determined that these excess blockages have a significant clinical impact with further lines being inserted after blockage, resulting in increased risks to patients, wasted time and cost of resources. Our findings suggest that the current UK guidance favouring normal saline flushes should be reviewed.

  17. Assessment of groundwater vulnerability and sensitivity to pollution ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Groundwater pollution caused by human activity is a serious environmental problem in cities. Pollution vulnerability assessment of groundwater resources provides information on how to protect areas vulnerable to pollution. The present study is a detailed investigation of the potential for groundwater contamination through ...

  18. Basic characteristic test of buffer/backfill material under Horonobe groundwater condition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kikuchi, Hirohito; Tanai, Kenji

    2005-02-01

    By the second progress report (H12) on research and development for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in Japan, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) extended the data base of basic properties of compacted bentonite which were mainly obtained by using distilled water as test fluid. This report presents influence of Horonobe groundwater on the basic properties of buffer and backfill material. The Horonobe groundwater is a type of saline groundwater. The groundwater was sampled at GL-300 m or deeper by using bore hole HDB-6 of the underground laboratory of Horonobe site. In addition, basic properties are also obtained by using distilled water, synthetic seawater, and NaCl solution. Experimental results are as follows; 1) Swelling characteristics, hydraulic characteristics and mechanical characteristics of the buffer material and backfill material decrease by the influence of saline water. The relationship between effective clay density and swelling stress is described by the following equation. σ = exp (2.5786ρ b 3 - 12.238ρ b 2 + 21.818ρ b - 14.035) where σ is swelling stress [MPa], ρ b is effective clay density [Mg/m 3 ]. The relationship between effective clay density and intrinsic permeability is described by the following equation. κ = exp (-41.466 + 4.316ρ b - 4.069ρ b 2 ) where κ is intrinsic permeability [m 2 ], ρ b is effective clay density [Mg/m 3 ]. The relationship between effective clay density and unconfined compressive strength is described by the following equation. qu = 1.4 x 10 -4 exp (5.637ρ b ) where qu is unconfined compressive strength [MPa], ρ b is effective clay density [Mg/m 3 ]. 2) Saline water doesn't influence the thermal characteristic of the buffer material. The thermal conductivity and specific heat are derived by using the relationship that was obtained so far. (author)

  19. The Importance of Institutional Design for Distributed Local-Level Governance of Groundwater: The Case of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Kiparsky

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available In many areas of the world, groundwater resources are increasingly stressed, and unsustainable use has become common. Where existing mechanisms for governing groundwater are ineffective or nonexistent, new ones need to be developed. Local level groundwater governance provides an intriguing alternative to top-down models, with the promise of enabling management to better match the diversity of physical and social conditions in groundwater basins. One such example is emerging in California, USA, where new state law requires new local agencies to self-organize and act to achieve sustainable groundwater management. In this article, we draw on insights from research on common pool resource management and natural resources governance to develop guidelines for institutional design for local groundwater governance, grounded in California’s developing experience. We offer nine criteria that can be used as principles or standards in the evaluation of institutional design for local level groundwater governance: scale, human capacity, funding, authority, independence, representation, participation, accountability, and transparency. We assert that local governance holds promise as an alternative to centralized governance in some settings but that its success will depend heavily on the details of its implementation. Further, for local implementation to achieve its promise, there remain important complementary roles for centralized governance. California’s developing experience with local level groundwater management in dozens of basins across the state provides a unique opportunity to test and assess the importance and influence of these criteria.

  20. Hzard and risk assessment of pollution on the groundwater resources and residents’ health of Salfit District, Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amjad Aliewi

    2015-09-01

    New hydrological insights for the region: There are many pollutants in the Salfit's aquifer recharge area and thus percolating and polluting the groundwater aquifers. Using a Durov diagram, the sources of water proved to be polluted and, therefore, the health of the residents of Salfit District is directly threatened. A hazard map was developed to classify all polluting activities in the district. Microbiological analysis of the drinking water revealed higher levels of total and fecal Coliforms. The high incidence rate of water related diseases is an indication of the drinking water pollution. This paper contains research findings and policy recommendations to help Salfit District alleviate health and pollution problems associated with this vital resource of groundwater. In addition, Salfit governorate is encouraged to begin addressing the institutional issues and improving public awareness.