Groundwater Production Research Articles

Effective transboundary aquifer areas between Mexico and the United States: A border-wide approach

Study RegionThis research is situated in the U.S-Mexico border region. It encompasses the geographical extension of the 28 transboundary aquifers located across the ten border states between the two countries. Study FocusThis study aims to identify regions within the hydrogeological units shared across the U.S.-Mexico border that could be in a vulnerable condition due to groundwater overexploitation on either side of the border. The Effective Transboundary Aquifer Area (ETAA) approach attempts to represent those effective geographical areas of groundwater production within the geological boundaries of the aquifer, to prioritize vulnerable areas at a more refined and local scale. To identify ETAAs, this study uses well density well depth data to portray depth contours as a proxy for potential impacts of groundwater flows at transboundary level. New Hydrological InsightsFor planning and management purposes at binational scale and considering the constraints on data and research on transboundary aquifers, the ETAAs provide a more feasible and useful approach to assess the conditions of a shared resource at a more “localized” scale. This approach facilitates the integration of stakeholders’ perspectives and specific needs of the communities that overlay the ETAA. Results show the location and extension of the ETAAs across the complete U.S.-Mexico border identifying the most vulnerable and highly groundwater-dependent regions.

Seasonal changes of groundwater production at Enji, Offa area, traced to climate change variability and aquifer vulnerability, Nigeria

Seasonal changes of groundwater production at Enji, Offa area, traced to climate change variability and aquifer vulnerability, Nigeria

Characterization of subsurface geology and hydrogeology in Kribi -Cameroon using electrical resistivity soundings and 3D-Implicit modelling: Baseline for groundwater resource management

This scientific article aims to characterize the geology and hydrogeology of Kribi, Cameroon for the purposes of water resources management, infrastructure development, and environmental protection. The specific objectives include mapping the subsurface electrical resistivity structure, identifying groundwater potential zones, and constructing a hydrogeological model for groundwater modelling. The study employed the Schlumberger method to map the electrical resistivity structure of the 3D subsurface and utilized 3D implicit modelling techniques to delineate groundwater potential zones. The study revealed that Kribi exhibits a highly complex geology, characterized by three-layered electrical resistivity models, typical of sedimentary and metamorphic formations. The major lithologies identified include laterite, clay, sand, quartz, and granite. The region encompasses areas with low water potential and brackish zones alongside high groundwater production areas. The study established the presence of aquifers within Kribi, with the unconfined aquifer found at depths ranging from 2 m to 13 m, and the confined aquifer extending from 14 m to 40 m. The aquifers are notably thick and productive, indicating substantial groundwater resources. Static groundwater volumes were estimated at 50,179,381 m3 and 317,118,946 m3 for the unconfined and confined aquifers respectively. Despite this potential, water resources management in the area is non-existent. The study recommends the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to improve water resource management, with a primary focus on groundwater modelling. The northern and southern regions of Kribi exhibit high permeability, which is advantageous for groundwater recharge and storage projects but also poses challenges for environmental remediation efforts. Consequently, safeguarding the delineated area for groundwater provision is of utmost importance.

Case Study of Emerging Groundwater Management Issues at the Forefront of Large-scale Production from a Confined Aquifer: The Vista Ridge Project

Continued population growth, increased demands for water and declining water availability are statewide water concerns in Texas. The development and movement of water from where it is to where it is needed brings with it benefits to the receiving area and concerns for the area of origin. The Vista Ridge project serves as an on-point example and case study of such concerns and processes that can mitigate, in part, negative impacts that are informative to other Texans who will soon be facing similar pressures.. Impacts on the water levels in existing wells made the Vista Ridge Project a focus of significant public discussion in 2022, including Texas House and Senate interim session hearings. This paper spotlights groundwater management issues prominent in the Vista Ridge Project that will likely be of concern with other Texas groundwater projects in the near future. These issues involve well mitigation, significant impacts from groundwater production across groundwater conservation district boundaries, meaningful consideration of nine factors in Texas Water Code §36.108(d), the balance between limiting groundwater production, development of fair share doctrines, the role of the Texas Water Development Board in the

Groundwater Potential Evaluation and Aquifer Characterization using Direct Current Resistivity Method in Wasinmi South-West Nigeria

The effectiveness in near-surface characterization makes geoelectrical resistivity techniques viable for groundwater exploration, geotechnical studies and environmental investigations. Geo-electric soundings were carried out in 25 different locations in Wasinmi, South-West Nigeria to acquire aquifer properties required for groundwater production of the study area using Direct Current Resistivity (DCRE) of Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) utilizing AGI Super-sting Earth Resistivity meter with schlumberger configuration; current electrode spacing (AB) ranging from 1 to maximum of 100 m and the potential electrodes (MN) were consequently changed from 0.25 m to 5 m respectively. The simulated results of the 25 VES points reveal the presence of 3 to 4 geo-electric layers. The top layer comprises clay, sand, siltstone intercalations. Layers underneath the top soil are the Lithified Laterite, Clayey Sand, Clay/Shale, Sandy Clay and Limestone/Sandstone, Saturated, Sandstone Aquifer. The area is also characterized with relatively high depth to sandstone aquifer which varies from 20 m to 69.1 m. This can be attributed to the thick water saturated Shale/Clay and Clayey Sand in the area. However, at the extreme of North-Western part of the study area, depths to aquifer are far lower, with VES location VESWAS15 having a thickness of about 14.4 m. Aquifer thickness in the study area varied from 14.4m to 63.5m. VESWAS19 has the highest aquifer resistivity value (2473 Ωm) in the study area, with depth to aquifer of 69.1 m. The transmissivity varies between 0.17695×/s in VESWAS4 to 8.97654×/s in VESWAS13. This study further shows that aquifer resistivity values vary from 284 Ωm to 2473 Ωm with a range of 2189 with the resistivity values suggesting lithology in the suite of Sandy Clay, Sandstone and Karst Limestone found to be widespread in the study area with mean aquifer thickness value of 32.25 m and a variance of 124.63 m...

Impact of Water Management Activities to Transform the Natural Environment on Groundwater Production for Irrigation

In the presented article, materials for a long-term period on the parameters of river runoff are considered, existing and prospective irrigation is characterized, such as the area of irrigated land, the total supply of irrigation water, the efficiency of irrigation systems, infiltration of irrigation systems. The value of the total change in the incoming items of the groundwater balance for the period 1985-2000 is calculated.

A COMBINED METHOD OF 1D AND 2D RESISTIVITY FOR GROUNDWATER LAYER ESTIMATION AT A FARMING AREA IN REJOMULYO VILLAGE

The groundwater depends on when it is available, more in the rainy and less in the dry seasons. Fluctuation in water availability is a significant problem in activities continuously requiring large amounts of water, such as agriculture. Hence, it is necessary to increase the number of water resources to meet the community's needs. Therefore, the groundwater layer zone was estimated as an initial study at the dry farmland in Rejomulyo village, Jati Agung district, South Lampung, using a combined method between the 1D resistivity method of the Schlumberger array and the 2D form of the Wenner configuration. Each sounding point and the 2D line have a maximum stretch length of 300 m. The 1D outcome correlates to the 2D data processing result to produce a subsurface lithology model. As a result, the research area has three primary layers with three rock types. The first layer has a resistivity value of less than 20 Ωm and is identified as tuffaceous clay. Then the second layer with a resistivity range of 60–66 Ωm is tuffaceous sand, this rock which is referred to as the groundwater layer with a depth of 11-40 m. The last layer has a high resistivity value of 120–141 Ωm as tuff. Based on the results of 3D visualization, the groundwater layer in the study area spreads to the southeast with a confined aquifer type. This targeted rock layer can be utilized for groundwater production.

Application of Multiobjective Optimization to Provide Operational Guidance for Allocating Supply among Multiple Sources

This study is motivated by multipleobjective optimization in short-term water management for a regional water utility. Although an increasing application of multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) has been reported in the literature, we are not aware of its use for short-term water management by water utilities with diverse supply sources. This study presents an innovative practice for determining monthly resource allocation from multiple water supply sources that consider multiple objectives, including deviation from budgeted production, under or overutilization of a given portfolio of resources, and total cost of water production. This method is comprised of a simulation model, namely a production allocation model (PAM) and a MOEA. The decision variables of the MOEA optimization problem are monthly groundwater production from two groundwater wellfields. TheMOEA is used to search for Pareto optimal solutions across different objectives and the PAM uses MOEA output and considers operational constraints to determine water production from the other four supply sources in the decision horizon. Stochastic demand and supply realizations were generated to capture a wide range of uncertainties which were then sampled by a Latin Hyper Cube to make the computation tractable. A parallel computing environment was used to implement this near real-time decision support tool, providing timely guidance for water resources managers. One major difference between this study and many reported in the literature is that the MOEA was used to find Pareto solutions for each demand-supply realization rather than the entire ensemble. This setup allows water resources managers to explicitly explore Pareto solutions based on different supply and demand outlooks. The application of the innovative practice is demonstrated for a regional wholesale water supply utility, Tampa Bay Water, on the west coast of Florida in the United States. One additional advantage of MOEA-assisted planning is that it allows water managers to combine expert judgments and institutional knowledge in identifying solutions. A comparison between MOEA-assisted monthly production planning and heuristic planning reveals that the potential impact of short-term operations, e.g., deviation from budgeted production, is fully considered in a systematic approach. The proposed method can be applied to other regions with similar challenges in water resources management.

Hydrogeological characterization of the Complex Terminal aquifer using geoelectrical investigation in the arid environment of Chetma-Biskra (South-East of Algeria)

As a transition hydrogeological area, Biskra (Algeria) holds large groundwater resources in deeply buried aquifers such as the Complex Terminal. Due to a growing demand of drinking water supply and irrigation combined to low recharge, this arid region is facing an acute shortage of water and hence, the need for groundwater investigation. We used an integrated approach including geophysical investigation correlated to the geological and hydrogeological context in the Chetma area. The results highlight a deep structural form with significant hydrogeological features. In fact, two resistant limestone anticlines called Droh corresponding to a piezometric dome and a syncline filled with conductive deposit materials were identified. The Maastrichtian formation, consisting of fractured limestone, about 200 to 350 m thick, together with Lower Eocene marl limestone and limestone form a complex aquifer. At more than 400 m depth, boreholes capturing Maastrichtian limestone offer a high yield ranging from 25 to 90 L/s. Moreover, groundwater yield provides an average of 40 L/s at 300 m of depth. In contrast, synform geometries with high clay and marl content offer a weak groundwater yield. We confirmed the occurence of fractured aquifers which could constitute potentially groundwater production zones. This study provides new insights to enhance groundwater pumping for domestic and irrigation purposes for 2030.

Identification of Groundwater Potential Zones (GWPZ) Using Geospatial Techniques and AHP Method: a Case Study of the Boudinar Basin, Rif Belt (Morocco)

The present study aims to delineate the groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) in the Boudinar Basin using geospatial techniques and through an analytical hierarchal process (AHP) method. For multi criteria decision analysis, fifteen thematic layers were integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) environment. In this analysis, each thematic layer is calculated for normalized weights. Furthermore, the consistency index and consistency ratio were calculated to ensure that the result was significant and reliable. The GWPZ map has been categorized into three classes: poor (50.82%), moderate (49.06%), and good (<1.00%). To compare the result, we used four other scenarios of the GWPZ. Two of them are the most similar to our result. Finally, predictive groundwater production and management strategies that ensure long-term sustainability are highly needed.

Unitization as a method of managing groundwater production in transboundary territories

Unitization as a method of managing groundwater production in transboundary territories

СУЧАСНИЙ СТАН І ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ПІДЗЕМНИХ ВОД ВОДОНОСНОГО ГОРИЗОНТУ ТРІЩИНУВАТОЇ ЗОНИ КРИСТАЛІЧНИХ ПОРІД (ГІДРОГЕОЛОГІЧНА ОБЛАСТЬ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ЩИТА)

As a result of the aggression of the neighboring state, the problem of providing the population of Ukraine with drinking water from different sources became more acute. Groundwater in this sense compared to surface water has a number of advantages, especially protection from pollution and proximity to the consumer. It is necessary to diversify the sources of water supply to the population, to use all principle aquifers containing water of drinking quality. However, groundwater resources are distributed very unevenly over the territory of Ukraine – most of them are concentrated in the northern and western regions, while resources in the southern regions are limited. In addition, the main aquifers of the territory of Ukraine are characterized by a complex chemical composition, determined by natural and anthropogenic factors. A large part of Ukraine is occupied by the Ukrainian shield, the natural conditions of which do not contribute to the formation of significant groundwater resources. The aim of the study is to analyze the qualitative state of groundwater aquifer in the fractured zone of the Archean-Proterozoic crystalline rocks. For this purpose, information on the use and groundwater quality composition of the studied aquifer was collected and analyzed. As a result, patterns of spatial distribution of macro-components in groundwater aquifer in the fractured zone of crystalline rocks were found. These regularities are recommended to take into account in the process of groundwater monitoring and its economic and drinking use. Despite the extremely uneven distribution of groundwater in the fractured zone of crystalline rocks, in most areas there are prospects for a significant increase in groundwater production from this aquifer.

Analysis of Drinking Water treatment costs – with an Application to Groundwater Purification Valuation

Understanding the factors affecting drinking water production costs is crucial for choosing a cost-effective solution for public drinking water supply systems. An important determinant of water treatment costs is the purification of raw water. Despite water purification being a well-acknowledged ecosystem service, its monetary value has not been assessed much yet. We present the first study analysing the determinants of drinking water production costs and valuating groundwater purification in the Czech Republic. We tested the impact of the type of raw water, the amount of drinking water produced, electric power consumption and treatment technologies and chemicals. The results suggested that drinking water production from groundwater was cheaper than from surface water. Even though drinking water production from groundwater was cheaper than from surface water, the application of some technologies, for example, chlorine or manganese removal, increased the production cost. Hence groundwater production costs can exceed surface water production costs. The outcome of the regression was applied for the valuation of groundwater purification. The valuation was further used for the development of monetary drinking water accounts within the System of Environmental- Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting.

Use of electric potential difference in audio magnetotelluric (AMT) geophysics for groundwater exploration

Due to recent advancements in technology, a variety of Audio Magnetotelluric (AMT) geophysical equipment using electric potential difference (V) as the main parameter for groundwater exploration is now in use. Studies on the application of electric potential difference in Audio Magnetotelluric Geophysics for groundwater exploration are yet to be published. This paper primarily provides an overview of the theoretical background on the use of the electric potential difference in Audio Magnetotelluric geophysics for groundwater exploration and shares recent field results from the application of the technology. In the field test, analysis of the lithology data collected during the drilling of two groundwater production boreholes provides meaning to the electric potential difference data collected prior to the drilling. Results show that the electric potential difference measured with the Audio Magnetotelluric Groundwater Detector correlated with lithology and groundwater occurrence at two observation sites. The water strikes occurred in sandstone formation of various degrees of disintegration and were associated with contrasts of low electric potential differences in the range of 0.005–0.019 mV. The finding suggests that the changes in electric potential difference can be used to delineate potential aquifers and vertical variation of geology. The expectations are that this presentation will stimulate further research to understand the applications of Audio Magnetotelluric electric potential difference technology for groundwater exploration in different hydrogeological settings.

Evolution of hydrogeochemistry in groundwater production fields of Kuwait – Inferences from long-term data.

Kuwait Group aquifers and Dammam Formation are the two prominent aquifers, the wells tapping Dammam Formation and Dual completion wells are used for groundwater production. The current study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of hydrochemical characteristics of the Shagaya water field utilizing long-term (1975–2019) hydrochemical data from 116 water wells. The Shagaya water well field has been differentiated into A to F sub-Fields. Mann-Kendall and Sen's Slope method along with spatial interpolation of change in TDS with time identified a significant decrease in TDS with time in the major portions of the Shagaya B, C, D, and E Fields. The study infers that 82% of wells extracting water from the Dammam Formation and 42% of Dual completion wells show a decrease in TDS concentration. The most plausible explanation for this phenomenon was the inflow of better-quality water from the up gradient parts of the Kuwait Group and the Dammam Formation aquifers due to the fall in the potentiometric head with high volume production in the well field. The results of ionic ratios (Na/Cl, Ca/Mg, Ca/SO4, Ca + Mg/SO4+HCO3), isotopes (34S, 87Sr/86Sr), relationships between 2H and 18O, and Ne/He and 3He/4He ratios identified that salinization was due to the result of rock-water interaction, ion exchange, mixing between groundwater of Kuwait Group and Dammam Formation and with groundwater from deeper parts of the aquifer. The long-term analysis of the data shows a notable variation of chemistry in a few locations and thus the study helps to manage, sustain groundwater resources, and protection of host aquifers.

Experimenting with fog: Environmental infrastructures, infrastructuring environments, and the infrastructure of infrastructure

In coastal Peru, conservationists and scientists attend to fog as something that may be captured and transformed into water. This article draws on ethnographic fieldwork among Limeñan conservationists who tapped into this atmospheric phenomenon as an alternative water source for use in fog oasis ecosystem reforestation. As I demonstrate, experimental engagements with fog had reconfigured conservationists’ and other experimenters’ understanding about the connections between the atmosphere, vegetation, and the underground, thereby bringing into view a hitherto imperceptible environmental infrastructure of groundwater production. The infrastructural potentials of the landscape were in turn foregrounded by the conservationists through comparisons with other geographies well-known for their capacity to produce water. Against this backdrop, the article argues for renewed attention to the infrastructural as a comparative effect resulting from simultaneous fore/backgrounding. Rather than mere grounds for second-order processes, infrastructural relations can be understood as situated between foreground and background. As environmental calamities complicate the infrastructure–environment nexus, it is no longer clear what infrastructures consist of, nor what they are capable of doing. In this context, an understanding of infrastructures as comparative effects is useful for describing and speculatively amplifying potentially more sustainable infrastructural alternatives.

Aquifer heterogeneity controls to quality monitoring network performance for the protection of groundwater production wells

A groundwater monitoring network surrounding a pumping well (such as a public water supply) allows for early contaminant detection and mitigation where possible contaminant source locations are often unknown. This numerical study investigates how the contaminant detection probability of a hypothetical sentinel-well monitoring network consisting of one to four monitoring wells is affected by aquifer spatial heterogeneity and dispersion characteristics, where the contaminant source location is randomized. This is achieved through a stochastic framework using a Monte Carlo approach. A single production well is considered that results in converging non-uniform flow close to the well. Optimal network arrangements are obtained by maximizing a weighted risk function that considers true and false positive detection rates, sampling frequency, early detection, and contaminant travel time uncertainty. Aquifer dispersivity is found to be the dominant parameter for the quantification of network performance. For the range of parameters considered, a single monitoring well screening the full aquifer thickness is expected to correctly and timely identify at least 12% of all incidents resulting in contaminants reaching the production well. This proportion increases to a global maximum of 96% for a network consisting of four wells and very dispersive transport conditions. Irrespective of network size and sampling frequency, more dispersive transport conditions result in higher detection rates. Increasing aquifer heterogeneity and decreasing aquifer spatial continuity also lead to higher detection rates, though these effects are diminished for networks of 3 or more wells. Statistical anisotropy has no effect on the network performance. Earlier detection, which is critical for remedial action and supply safety, comes with a significant cost in terms of detection rate, and should be carefully considered when a monitoring network is being designed.

A Study for the Protection of Groundwater Production Zones from Polluting Sources Using GIS-Integrated Vulnerability Technique

A Study for the Protection of Groundwater Production Zones from Polluting Sources Using GIS-Integrated Vulnerability Technique

Efficiency of Geospatial Technology and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Groundwater Potential Mapping in a Semi-Arid Region

The increasing water demand in Egypt causes massive stress on groundwater resources. The high variability in the groundwater depth, aquifer properties, terrain characteristics, and shortage of rainfall make it necessary to identify the groundwater potentiality in semi-arid regions. This study used the possibilities of multi-criteria decision approaches (MCDA), geographical information system (GIS), and groundwater field data to delineate potential groundwater zones in the Tushka area, west of Lake Nasser, South Egypt. Furthermore, groundwater potentiality identification can help decision-makers better plan and manage the water resources in this promising area. Eight controlling factors were utilized to achieve the objective of the present work using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approaches, namely the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and frequency ratio (FR) models. The controlling parameters were integrated with the geographic information system (GIS) to develop the zones of groundwater potentialities. The results revealed that high and moderate-potential zones cover approximately 61% and 52% of the total area in the AHP and FR models, respectively. A total of 44 groundwater production wells along with the well yield were collected and used to validate the models. The results were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. The best-performing prediction rates achieved by AHP and FR were 83% and 81%, respectively. Finally, the obtained results indicated that the AHP model achieved better performance than the FR model.

A Study for the Protection of Groundwater Production Zones from Polluting Sources Using GIS-Integrated Vulnerability Technique

A Study for the Protection of Groundwater Production Zones from Polluting Sources Using GIS-Integrated Vulnerability Technique