Abstract
AbstractAlluvial faults are generally treated as impermeable boundaries. Recent investigations of the faults in Califoria's Owens Valley, however, reveal that they are semi‐pervious, or leaky in nature. The rate of ground‐water movement through a semi‐pervious alluvial fault is dependent upon the hydraulic conductivity of the fault gouge, the thickness of this zone, and the water‐level differential across the fault. Optimization of the ground‐water resources in the Owens Valley is currently being practiced using these faults in a controlled RECHARGE‐EXTRACTION‐SALVAGE System. In a system of this type, artificial recharge is induced into the Valley's aquifers upgradient from alluvial fault zones by impounding and diverting the creek flow tributary to the area. Extraction of ground water is effected by means of large‐diameter supply wells located near the faults on the upstream side. Salvage of ground water is accomplished by lowering the water table in the vicinity of these faults, thereby causing phreatic growth to die out. When predicting water levels in the vicinity of semi‐pervious faults, a solution is obtained for the induced water‐level decline caused by backward leakage through the faults.
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