Groundwater Flow Characteristics Research Articles

Anisotropy of non-Darcian flow in rock fractures subjected to cyclic shearing

Non-Darcian flow in rock fractures exhibits significant anisotropic characteristics, which can be affected by mechanical processes, such as cyclic shearing. Understanding the evolution of anisotropic non-Darcian flow is crucial for characterizing groundwater flow and mass/heat transport in fractured rock masses. In this study, we conducted experiments on non-Darcian flow in single rough fractures under cyclic shearing conditions, aiming to analyze the anisotropic evolution of inertial permeability and viscous permeability. We established quantitative characterization models for the two types of permeability. First, we conducted cyclic shearing experiments on four sets of 24 rough rock fractures, investigating their shear characteristics. Then, we performed 480 non-Darcian flow experiments to analyze the anisotropic evolution of viscous permeability and inertial permeability of these rock fractures. The results showed that viscous permeability exhibited significant differences only in the orthogonal direction, while inertial permeability exhibited differences in both orthogonal and opposite directions. With increase in the shear cycles, the differences in the orthogonal direction gradually increased, while those in opposite direction gradually decreased. Finally, we established characterization equations for the two permeabilities based on the proposed directional geometric parameters and validated the performance of these equations with experimental data. These findings are useful for the quantitative characterization of the evolution of non-Darcian flow in fractures under dynamic loading conditions.

Ground Behavior of Parallel Tunnels in Response to Variations in Groundwater Flow

With the steady expansion of urban development, the importance of tunnel design and construction has increased, particularly with respect to changes in the groundwater level. Excavation without considering groundwater variations can destabilize tunnels; and this problem has been exacerbated by recent climate change-induced groundwater level fluctuations. This study evaluates the impact of various factors, such as filler width, lateral earth pressure coefficient, and groundwater flow, on tunnels by analyzing the ground behavior around parallel tunnels in Korea. The findings reveal that an increase in filler width reduces settlement and displacement, while the coefficient of lateral earth pressure affects convergence displacement to a higher degree than other settlements. Moreover, steady flow conditions are observed to wield a more pronounced impact on ground behavior than unsteady ones. These findings emphasize the importance of thoroughly evaluating groundwater flow characteristics during tunnel excavation and provide essential data for the future design and construction of parallel tunnels.

A global coastal permeability dataset (CoPerm 1.0)

The permeability of aquifers strongly influences groundwater flow characteristics. Worldwide, coastal groundwater is often the primary freshwater source for coastal communities and ecosystems but is also particularly vulnerable to abstraction since saltwater intrusion may threaten its quality. Thus, understanding coastal permeability is crucial to the sustainable use of coastal groundwater. Here, we present the first global dataset of coastal permeability (CoPerm 1.0), which provides data on coasts’ landward, shoreline, and seaward permeability. CoPerm accounts for shoreline characteristics such as cliffs and beaches and contains information on four million segments representing more than two million kilometers of global coastline. Rocky Shores are the most abundant shoreline class, followed by mangroves, beaches, and muddy coasts. Permeability differs between the immediate shoreline (median permeability: 10−12.3 m2), the seaward (median: 10−13.3 m2), and the landward (median: 10−13 m2) sides of the coast. CoPerm provides input data for global coastal groundwater assessments and regional studies of submarine groundwater discharge or saltwater intrusion that can radiate into ecological and economic studies.

A U-Net architecture as a surrogate model combined with a geostatistical spectral algorithm for transient groundwater flow inverse problems

Characterizing groundwater flow parameters is crucial for understanding complex aquifer systems, and inverse techniques play a fundamental role in modeling hydrogeological parameters and assessing their uncertainties. Nonetheless, the use of a forward model in these methods can be highly time-consuming, especially with an increasing number of model parameters. To address this issue, we propose a surrogate model based on a U-Net architecture that replaces the transient groundwater flow model, reducing runtime and enabling a fast quantification of uncertainties related to key parameters, including heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity, boundary conditions, specific storage, and pumping rate. The surrogate is trained using limited evaluations of the forward model to learn the physical relationship between hydraulic conductivity fields and transient hydraulic heads measured on-site. The physical principles of the studied problem, including boundary conditions, specific storage, and source terms, are also mapped and introduced as inputs to the model to enhance its understanding of the governing equation of transient groundwater flow. To speed up learning using image–image regression, the previously predicted transient hydraulic heads also serve as an input to predict the transient heads at the current time step. Once the model is trained, we use a spectral geostatistical method to solve the inverse problem, a pumping test of 12 h, using the surrogate model in place of the forward model. Our study demonstrates that the trained U-Net accurately reproduces the state variables corresponding to a specific parameter field, and in terms of computational demand, using U-Net as a surrogate model reduces the required computational time by approximately an order of magnitude for the defined problem. The proposed approach offers an efficient and accurate method for groundwater flow parameter characterization and uncertainty quantification in complex aquifer systems.

Geophysical investigation of aquifer flow unit characteristics in northern parts of Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria

The heterogeneous nature of the aquifer system poses significant challenges to both aquifer delineation into hydraulic flow units (HFUs) and the assessment of groundwater flow efficiency. This heterogeneity leads to changes in aquifers’ hydraulic parameters, which include porosity, flow and storage capacities, permeability, flow Zone Indicator (FZI) and aquifer quality index (AQI). Thus, the key aim of this study is to examine aquifer flow unit characteristics in Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara municipalities by categorizing the units into distinctive HFUs via the combined application of the electrical resistivity technology (ERT), Stratigraphic Modified Lorenz Plot (SMLP) and Flow Zone Indicator (FZI) techniques. The area is shown to comprise successions of three to four sandy layers with minor clay interbeddings at few locations from the ERT results. The aquifer units are found in layers two and three respectively at depths of between 1.6 and 30.2 m with 30.2–89.0 m thickness. The results of the FZI technique identify two distinct HFUs in the area with respective discrete rock typing (DRT) values of 14 and 15 whereas that of the SMLP method reveal 5 unique HFUs, each characterised by similar flow characteristics. The delineated flow units from the SMLP results are classified as conductors with a fair efficiency ranking. This ranking seems to correlate with the DRT results for the delineated unconsolidated sandy and gravelly sand aquifers, which are shown to be perfectly heterogeneous. These findings from this maiden study in the area are very promising and provide useful insights on groundwater flow characteristics in the area to assist groundwater resource regulating authorities and policy makers in making decisions on appropriate location of new water boreholes to satisfy the mushrooming water needs of the local population.

Rendering lineament induced stream alignment in Upper Krishna Basin, India: a geospatial approach

Lineaments play an important role in drainage development, stream alignment and groundwater recharge. These are traced as surface or subsurface feature. A linear feature that is associated with dislocation and deformation is known as lineament. The present study was aimed to identify the influence of lineaments extracted from satellite images in the Upper Krishna River basin in India. Objective set for the present study is to characterize and analyse the spatial organization of lineaments from ASF-DEM and sentinel-2 satellite data which may help to determine the role of lineaments in groundwater flow and to identify groundwater potential zones. High resolution spatial data allows determining the linear features for considerable distance and play an important role to identify mineral potential areas (Mohammadpour et al. in Geotectonics 54:366–382, 2020). Comprehensive understanding of regional lineament maps is important in terms of their prospectivity for mineral exploration (Richards in SEG Newsl 42:1–20, 2000). Remote sensing datasets are considered the best option when using image enhancement techniques for extracting lineaments. Lineament studies are useful for groundwater and mineral exploration and also in the field of engineering geology (Anbazhagan in Bhu-Jal News 8:8–12, 1994; Anbazhagan et al. in New approaches to characterizing groundwater flow, 2001. http://dspace.library.iitb.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10054/16176, http://hdl.handle.net/100/2781) more generally in the geomorphological studies like forms of surface features and structural geological fields also in physical setting and control over the rocky terrain. The availability of high-resolution satellite data and image processing techniques have rendered it further convenient to map lineaments. In the present study, lineaments were extracted from Sentinel-2 images with a resolution of 10 m, using various image processing techniques. A total of 1314 lineaments were extracted from the study area with a total length of 3983.44 km. The analysis of the extracted lineaments revealed that the lineament density was higher in the upper reaches of the basin, where the undulating hilly region which is located in Western Ghats. This finding implied that these regions have a high structural deformation and a higher groundwater infiltration potential. Moreover, 15% of the total stream length was observed to be influenced by the lineaments. The maximum influence of lineaments was observed in the source region. The lineament extraction results of the present study would assist in understanding the geomorphology of this region and the structural control on the streams and groundwater potential zones, particularly as a contribution to water resource management in this region.

Advanced application of time series analysis in complex karst aquifers: A case study of the Unica springs (SW Slovenia)

Karst aquifers have very heterogeneous structure and complex hydrodynamics through conduits, fractures and matrix, therefore characteristics of groundwater flow and solute transport differ from those in intergranular and fissured aquifers. Appropriately adapted techniques of hydrogeological research are required for understanding of their functioning. This paper presents an advanced application of time series analysis in a binary karst aquifer known for its complex hydrodynamics and mixing of water from various sources of recharge. A classical approach with high temporal data resolution was extended to a spatial domain with simultaneous monitoring of precipitation, sinking streams, water flow in cave systems, and springs. The main objectives of this study were to define and compare the flow characteristics and storage capacity of selected springs and their catchments, and to determine the influence of different types of recharge (autogenic versus allogenic). The time series of recharge were analysed as input functions in the correlation and spectral analysis. The results undoubtedly show differences in water transfer through the system, storage capacity, and recharge characteristics. However, they also highlight the limitations of using cross-correlation functions to distinguish the influence of autogenic and allogenic recharge. Due to their interference, the interpretation of the results in complex karst systems can be ambiguous, therefore a method of partial cross-correlation analysis was additionally used. Although it has been used before in karst aquifers to spatially characterise groundwater circulation and autogenic recharge, in this study it was used for the first time to investigate the mutual influences of allogenic and autogenic recharge. The results confirmed that this approach provides additional insight into the functioning of binary karst aquifers.

Scaling of groundwater flow subject to managed aquifer recharge using injection boreholes: Physical experiments and upscaled numerical models

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) holds great promise for solving the issue of groundwater resource depletion and quality deterioration in urban areas, but the scaling of groundwater flow patterns under MAR influence from controlled laboratory experiments to complex field scale conditions has not been fully resolved. This study applied physical and numerical groundwater flow experiments at the laboratory scale (100 m) along with ten numerical models at increasing spatial scales (100–103 m) for porous media representative of unconsolidated sand aquifers. We considered several spatial and temporal features that characterize groundwater flow patterns, such as the water table elevation, the thickness of the capillary fringe, the MAR lens geometry (defined as formed by the plume of artificially recharged water), the locations of stagnation points (defined as the points of convergence between ambient groundwater flow and injected water flow), and the groundwater travel times, which were examined at relative scales for comparison. The analysis showed that small-scale sandbox experiments overall underestimate the magnitude of the effects of MAR on groundwater flow pathways. The trends with increasing scales for these parameters were non-linear and could be fitted to power law relationships. These trends were more prominent at scales <20 times the size of the laboratory sand tank. Importantly, the heterogeneity of the sand material, as reflected by non-uniform spatial distributions of hydraulic conductivities (K) also had a major effect on the scaling of groundwater flow patterns, even for the relatively low degree of heterogeneity considered. Specifically, an increase in the average K and its standard deviation further exacerbates the scale dependency. This study provides insights into the appropriate scaling techniques to be used when applying small scale experimental results (e.g., from laboratory) to predict MAR-induced groundwater flow dynamics at larger field scales in moderately heterogeneous, unconsolidated sands.

Identifying Karst Aquifer Recharge Area Using Environmental Stable Isotopes and Hydrochemical Data: A Case Study in Nusa Penida Island

Identifying the recharge area of karst aquifers is scientifically challenging due to the complexity of karst groundwater flow characteristics. It is essential to identify the recharge zones to conserve the groundwater resources contained within these aquifers. This paper proposes a combined methods for identifying recharge area of karst aquifers on Nusa Penida Island using stable isotopes (18O and 2H) and a hydrogeochemical approach. Based on the analysis of δ18O and δ2H values and their spatial distribution, it is possible to retrace karst aquifer recharge areas using average isotope elevations. In the meantime, groundwater facies will be determined in the karst region of Nusa Penida using the hydrogeochemical approach with the Piper diagram. According to the calculation of water stable isotope results, the average elevation of the groundwater recharge area at the study site is between 62 - 450 meters. If applied to the location of the study, the recharge area is almost entirely distributed across Nusa Penida. In addition, based on the hydrogeochemical analysis, the groundwater type at the study site can be divided into three categories: Na-Cl, mixed, and Mg-HCO3. The water types indicate that the groundwater in Nusa Penida comes from a combination of old water stored from its internal geological formations and mix with modern rainwater.&#x0D;

Models and Interpretation Methods for Single-Hole Flowmeter Experiments

Subsurface and groundwater flow characterization is of great importance for various environmental applications, such as the dispersion of contaminants and their remediation. For single-hole flowmeter measurements, key characteristics, such as wellbore storage, skin factor heterogeneities, and variable pumping and aquifer flow rates, have a strong impact on the system characterization, whereas they are not fully considered in existing models and interpretation methods. In this study, we develop a new semi-analytical solution that considers all these characteristics in a physics-based consistent manner. We also present two new interpretation methods, the Double Flowmeter Test with Transient Flow rate (DFTTF) and the Transient Flow rate Flowmeter Test (TFFT), for interpreting data collected during single and multiple pumping tests, respectively. These solution and methods are used as follows. (i) The impact of wellbore storage, transient pumping rate, and property heterogeneities on the interpretation of data collected during single pumping tests are studied over 49 two-aquifer cases. (ii) The effect of the skin factor heterogeneity on transmissivity and storativity estimates, as well as the variability range of the (non-unique) corresponding solutions, are analyzed for the interpretation of multiple-pumping experiments. The results presented in this work show the importance of the various properties and processes that are considered, and the need for the new models and methods that are provided.

Identification of Sediment Formation Based on Magnetic Content and Element Composition of Mud Volcano in Sangiran Sediment using VSM and X-Ray Fluorescence

Based on trace geological history and several studies, the Sangiran mud volcano provides insight into the geology and hydrology of the region, aquifer system in the basin, groundwater flow patterns and characteristics, rock lithology, hydrogeology condition, and saltwater trap mapping. Related to these conditions, studies were conducted on the magnetic content and composition of the major oxide compounds in the Sangiran sediments. Sample analysis was based on geochemical methods. The methods consist of frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis. Geochemical analyses using x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis have been conducted and various elemental grades have been determined. VSM results confirm that the magnetic content of Sangiran sediments is partly dominated by Fe (17.66 percent) contained in hematite (Fe2O3). At the same time, the samples of Sangiran sediment were enriched by Si, Fe, Al, Ca, Cl, Ti, and K according to XRF measurements. The samples exhibited the highest Si and Fe concentrations in samples T1 (Si is 29.48 percent and Fe is 13.66 percent) and T7 (Si is 24.95 percent and Fe is 12.01 percent). Meanwhile, in the T4 sample, the highest concentrations were Si and Ca, 23.45 percent and 13.45 percent, respectively. Retrieved from the magnetic susceptibility measurement, this paper confirm that Fe content is one of the components of volcanic ash in the Sangiran sediment.DOI: 10.17977/um024v8i12023p009

Dynamics of upstream saltwater intrusion driven by tidal river in coastal aquifers

For the coastal aquifers, recent research have shown that the tidal has a significant effect on saltwater intrusion in the near-shore aquifer. However, it is currently unclear how the tidal river contributes to the groundwater flow and salinity distribution in the upstream aquifer of the estuary. This study examined the effects of a tidal river on the dynamic characteristics of groundwater flow and salt transport in a tidal river-coastal aquifer system using field monitoring data and numerical simulations. It was found that changes in tidal-river level led to the reversal of groundwater flow. For a tidal cycle, the maximum area of seawater intrusion is about 41.16 km2 at the end of the high tide stage. Then the area gradually decreased to 39.02 km2 at the end of the low tide stage. More than 2 km2 area variation can be observed in a tidal cycle. Compared to the low tide stage, the area of SWI increased by 5 % at high tide stage. The SWI region was also spreading landward from the tidal river. In addition, we quantified the water exchange and salt flux between the tidal river and aquifer. When the tidal fell below the level of the riverbed, the water exchange rate was stabilized at about −1.6 m/h. The negative value indicated that the river was recharged by the groundwater. With the increasing of tidal water level, the water exchange rate gradually changes from negative to positive and reached the maximum value of 3.2 m/h at the beginning of the falling tide stage. The presence of a physical river dam can amplify the difference in water level between high and low tides, thereby enhancing the influence of a tidal river on water exchange and salt flux. The findings lay the foundation for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the tidal river on groundwater flow and salt transport in upstream aquifers.

Effect of Pre-Existing Underground Structures on Groundwater Flow and Strata Movement Induced by Dewatering and Excavation

Based on an actual excavation of a metro station in Tianjin, China, a fluid–solid coupling numerical model was developed to study the characteristics of groundwater flow and strata movement induced by dewatering and excavation considering the barrier effect of pre-existing adjacent underground structures. Two parameters were selected for the model: the distance between the excavation and the existing underground structure (D), and the buried depth of the adjacent structure (H). By comparing the distribution of groundwater drawdown and deformation modes of the retaining structure and the strata under different working conditions, the influence mechanism of adjacent structures on the movement of groundwater and strata was revealed. The results show that the pile foundations have different effects on the groundwater flow and excavation deformation. Generally, the maximum groundwater drawdown could be enlarged by considering the adjacent underground structure, while the retaining structure deflection would be reduced and the ground settlement could be either enlarged or reduced. Additionally, as D decreases and H increases, a much greater groundwater drawdown and a much smaller retaining structure deflection would appear, which together affect the ground behavior. On the one hand, greater groundwater drawdown would lead to greater ground settlement by soil consolidation, while on the other hand, a smaller retaining structure deflection would lead to smaller ground settlement. Thus, a complex development of ground settlement would appear, and a specific analysis should be performed to assess this in practice, based on a specific H and D.

Numerical Investigation of Water Inflow Characteristics in a Deep-Buried Tunnel Crossing Two Overlapped Intersecting Faults

Because fault core zones and damage zones overlap, when a tunnel crosses the intersecting faults the groundwater flow characteristics of the tunnel-surrounding rock will be different compared to that from a single fault. By using the theory of “Three-district zoning of faults”, an improved Darcy–Brinkman numerical model for a tunnel crossing the intersecting faults was established in this work. Based on the relative vertical positions between the tunnel axis and the intersection center of faults, the underground water seepage field was analyzed at steady-state by solving the improved Darcy–Brinkman equation for the host rock zone and the fault zone. The simulation results show that the flow field around the tunnel is almost unaffected by the relative positions but is mainly dependent on the relative heights. Specifically, the relative position variation of the fault intersection to the tunnel axis has little effect on the pore pressure. In terms of flow velocity, regardless of the relative positions of the fault intersection and the tunnel, the maximum value of flow velocity almost occurs near the bottom of the tunnel excavation face and consistently displays high values within a small distance ahead of the excavation face, and then decreases quickly as the distance increases. Furthermore, the flow velocity changes minimally in the host rock. It will likely encounter the maximum water inflow rate when the tunnel excavation face passes through the intersection. The numerical simulation results can provide a practical reference for predicting water inflow into deep-buried tunnels passing through overlapped intersecting faults.

Understanding Shallow Basaltic Aquifer System Near West Coast of Maharashtra, India

Two-Dimensional (2D) Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and geophysical logging and injected tritium tracer studies with hydrogeological tests were carried out at selected location in an area of 5 km2 near the coastal region of Tarapur, Thane district, Maharashtra. The area is in basaltic terrain, overlain by thin cap of alluvium formation and receives an annual rainfall of about 2000 mm. An integrated investigation method was adopted to delineate the subsurface lithological variations, understand the existing aquifer system up to 25 m depth, evaluate aquifer properties, recharge potential and also to monitor the groundwater flow characteristics. The investigation results showed a variable thickness of weathered zone of 1-3 m, existence of two basalt flows, low vertical natural recharge, high transmissivity, high hydraulic conductivity and high groundwater flow rates. The results also depicted that a combination of hydrogeological tests along with resistivity and tracer investigation is an effective tool in mapping and characterizing the shallow potential groundwater aquifer zone in Deccan traps. The integrated study carried out in the coastal area provided detailed subsurface information useful for planning specific water conservation strategies for sustainable groundwater supply. Keywords: Deccan Traps, ERT, Tritium Tracer, Recharge, Groundwater Flow

Characterizing groundwater flow in a former uranium mine (Bertholène, France): Present status and future considerations

Study regionBertholène is a former uranium mine in Aveyron, where tailings and waste rocks are stored in a natural valley. This results in acid mine drainage (AMD) at the outlet of the tailings storage facility (TSF), where there is a dedicated water treatment plant. Study focusA detailed data analysis was conducted using data from 13 piezometers and from long-term monitoring of the local climate. A 3D model was developed using MODFLOW to understand groundwater flows at the catchment scale and identify flow paths from the contamination sources within the TSF. Previous geochemical modeling of TSFs had indicated that AMD was expected to occur for 50–100 years, therefore the site must be managed with a long-term view. As climate change may affect not only the recharge but also the frequency and intensity of extreme events, its impact on water balance and water levels at the site has to be studied for the next 100 years. New Hydrological Insights for the RegionData analysis provides information about the unsaturated conditions within the tailings. Then water balance calculations at the TSF outlet validate the contribution of two different water zones. Modeling using the recharge estimation supports the current functioning of the catchment. The impact study of extreme events shows that the water table should not permanently reach the tailings over the next century.

Analysis of Groundwater Flow on Hydrogeological for Sustainable Development and Environment in the Ternate Basin, North Maluku Province, Indonesia

The sustainability of water and sanitation management is an important point in the 2021 SDGs program. To support the program, it is important to understand Indonesia's water cycle. Given the variety of characters, topography, and geology between islands in Indonesia can distinguish hydrogeological systems and their interactions with the surrounding environment. The design and management of water resources, especially groundwater, has an important role, considering the basin area is 106 km2, the character of a volcanic island with the name of an active volcano. Topography from 0-8% is a built-up zone, 8-14% is a cultivation zone, 14-45% is a protected forest, and &gt;45% is a stratovolcano peak zone. Island morphology affects groundwater flow patterns. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of groundwater flow in the Ternate basin. Purposive sampling of 56 production wells, transmissivity value, conductivity, aquifer thickness, and topography was analyzed using the Cubic spline interpolation method. The results showed that the direction of flow and groundwater accumulation based on groundwater modeling using the kriging interpolation technique resulted in the interaction of groundwater flow and depression cones in 56 production wells due to the concentration and massive groundwater abstraction in the Ternate Basin. The decrease in groundwater level is fluctuating, from groundwater flows that occur radially-centrifugally, the total reserves of 56 production wells are 46 million m3/day, the average transmissivity value is 2.17 m2/day, production discharge is 51,710 m3/day.

A Hydrogeologic Framework for Understanding Surface Water and Groundwater Interactions in a Watershed System in the Willamette Basin in Western Oregon, USA

A broad understanding of local geology and hydrologic processes is important for effective water resources management. The objectives of this project were to characterize the hydrogeologic framework of the Oak Creek Watershed (OCW) geographical area and examine the connections between surface water and groundwater at selected locations along the main stem of Oak Creek. The OCW area comprises the Siletz River Volcanic (SRV) Formation in the upper portion of the watershed and sedimentary rock formations in the valley. Past hydrologic and geologic studies and our field measurement data were synthesized to create a hydrogeologic framework of the watershed, including a geologic interpretation and a conceptual model of shallow, deep, and lateral groundwater flow throughout the OCW. The highly permeable geology of the SRV formation juxtaposed against the Willamette Basin’s sedimentary geology creates areas of opposing groundwater flow characteristics (e.g., hydraulic conductivity) in the watershed. The Corvallis Fault is the primary interface between these two zones and generally acts as a hydraulic barrier, deflecting groundwater flow just upstream of the fault interface. The extreme angle of the Corvallis Fault and adjacent less permeable sedimentary geology might facilitate subsurface bulk water storage in selected locations. The stream-aquifer relationships investigated showed gaining conditions are prominent in the upper watershed’s northern volcanic region and transition into neutral and losing conditions in the downstream southern sedimentary region in the valley. Agriculture irrigation seepage in the valley appeared to contribute to streamflow gaining conditions. Results from this case study contribute critical information toward enhancing understanding of local hydrogeologic features and potential for improved SW-GW resources management in areas near coastal ranges such as those found in the Pacific Northwest, USA.

Characterizing groundwater flow paths in an undeveloped region through synoptic river sampling for environmental tracers

AbstractSynoptic sampling of three rivers for a suite of environmental tracers is shown to be an efficient way to gain an understanding of groundwater flow paths for a previously unstudied large area in Alberta, Canada. For regional‐scale characterization, classical hydrogeological techniques are limited by the location and number of groundwater wells. This study demonstrates that rivers can become an easily accessible location to sample the distribution of groundwater flow paths discharging to surface water. Modelling of groundwater discharge to the rivers and groundwater mean age helps generate knowledge of groundwater circulation for a large area, which is useful for conceptual model development and focusing future characterization efforts. Results indicate that the benchland areas in this region, with higher topographic relief, had hydrogeological conditions that favoured deeper groundwater circulation with a modelled mean age greater than 100 years from recharge to discharge. Lower relief areas, which coincide with a transition in bedrock formations in this region, appeared to have much shorter and shallower groundwater circulation. The approach required a field program completed in 5 days and financial budget approximately equivalent to drilling a single borehole and installing a monitoring well. It is concluded that under the right conditions, where few classical observation points exist and knowledge is limited, synoptic sampling of rivers can be used to develop scientifically defensible conceptual models at a comparable scale to regional planning and resource management.

Influence of Gas Flooding Pressure on Groundwater Flow during Oil Shale In Situ Exploitation

In order to weaken the influence of external groundwater on in situ pyrolysis exploitation, the flow characteristics of groundwater were studied according to the oil shale reservoir characteristics of Qingshankou Formation in Songliao Basin, China. In addition, the parameters of marginal gas flooding for water-stopping were optimized. Taking a one-to-one pattern and a five-spot pattern as examples, the characteristics of groundwater flow under the in situ process were studied. Under the one-to-one pattern, the external groundwater flows into the production well from the low-pressure side, and the water yield was basically stable at 1000 kg/d. In the five-spot pattern, the groundwater can flow into the production wells directly from the windward side, and the water yield of the production well on the leeward side mainly comes from the desaturated zone; the water yield of each production well remains at a high level. By setting water-stopping wells around the production well and keeping the gas flooding pressure slightly higher than the production well, the water yield of the production well can be reduced and stabilized within 100 kg/d under gas flooding pressures of 3 and 5 MPa. However, the gas yield of the production well slightly decreased when the gas flooding pressure reduced from 5 to 3 MPa. Therefore, the gas flooding pressure of water-stopping wells shall be determined in combination with the water yield and gas yield, so as to achieve the best process effect. It is expected that the results will provide technical support for large-scale oil shale in situ pyrolysis exploitation.