Hydrogeological System Research Articles

The “badland trilogy” of the Desierto de la Tatacoa, upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia, a result of geodynamics and climate: With a review of badland landscapes

The badlands of the “Desierto de la Tatacoa” (DDT) form part of the alluvial-fluvial system and are characterized by a landform trilogy: (1) gully zone, (2) wadi zone, (3) hillwash plain/mesa zone. This facies differentiation is controlled by the fluvial regimes and their degree of sinuosity of channels. The hydraulic and hydrographic systems of the badland trilogy depend on the geodynamic setting and climate (1st order) and on the bedrock lithology and tectonics (2nd order). Allogenic heavy minerals attest to two counteracting palaeogradients which interdigitate where the badlands evolved and authigenic heavy and light minerals furnish evidence of the physical-chemical regime to be governed by alkaline meteoric solutions and oxidizing conditions driven by the climate and the parent rocks. It is the high solubility of sulfates and chlorides and the differential expandability of smectite which impacted on the development of the individual badland zones. Large 1st order synclines plunging to the W and 2nd order fold structures account for the traps and conduits of the subsurface water system. The key to the hydraulic evolution of the badland lies within the hinterland hampering surface alteration and favoring the subsurface hydrogeological system to corrode the gully zone from below. The binary genetic model of the badlands in the DDT reveals, on a local scale, a “fight for dominance” of different fluvial drainage systems at the edge of the badlands as a hydrological consequence of neotectonics while, on a regional scale, badland formation is an upstream expression of a eustatic sea level oscillation in the Caribbean Sea. A review of true, false and pseudo-badlands concludes the study and underscores the reference character of the DDT badlands among the true badland series.

Geological basement control on 222Rn accumulation as an input function for hydrogeological systems on a loess aquifer, Argentina

The activity of 222Rn of the groundwater was measured in different wells in the Pampeano aquifer in southeastern Buenos Aires to assess how the hydrogeological characteristics of the study area, which involves type and depth of the bedrock, aquifer mineralogy and residence time along flowpaths, influences on 222Rn contents. Water samples, as well as sediment samples, were collected in multilevel piezometers in different sites of the Buenos Aires province for the determination of stable isotopes, 222Rn concentrations and mineralogical analyses. The identification of uranium-bearing minerals in the loess sediments of the Pampeano aquifer was carried out with a scanning electron microscope allowing identifying zircon and monazite. The 222Rn was determined with a RAD7 detector, showing a range of activities from 3.1 to 14.9 Bq/L. The results showed a relation between the 222Rn activity, the depth of the wells, and the proximity of the Precambrian basement. The activity of 222Rn increases linearly with increasing depth at a rate of 0.09 Bq·L−1·m−1. However, at the same depth the concentration of 222Rn in wells near the Precambrian basement showed to be three times higher than the concentrations in the wells that have a Paleozoic bedrock, clearly showing that the proximity of granitoids rocks results in higher concentrations of radon.

Hydrogeochemical Characterization of a Warm Spring System in a Carbonate Mountain Range of the Eastern Julian Alps, Slovenia

The Alps represent an area where many deep groundwater circulations occur as thermal springs. In the Bled case study, the thermal water temperature, at it is discharged to the surface, is between 19–23 °C. In order to determine the extent (e.g., geometry) and the origin of the pronounced deep circulation system in the Bled area, chemical and isotopic measurements of waters from different hydrogeological systems were performed (e.g., surface water, thermal water, fresh groundwater). Hydrogeochemical methods were used to tie together the above-mentioned parameters. The results have shown that thermal outflow in Bled is determined by the presence of a deep-water circulation system, where the dissolution of carbonates minerals is the main hydrogeochemical process affecting chemical components of natural water flow. The correlation of the major ions suggests that the recharge area is represented by both limestone and dolomite rocks. Moreover, the results of δ18O and δ2H of all samples indicate that the recharge is mainly meteoric precipitation. The recharge altitude was estimated for two sampled fresh groundwater springs. The isotopic compositions of those two springs suggest the range from δ18O = −8.68‰, δ2H = −57.4‰ at an elevation of 629 m to δ18O = −9.30‰, δ2H = −60.1‰ at an elevation of 1216 m. The isotopic analysis has confirmed that the thermal water recharges from altitudes of 1282–1620 m a.s.l.

Hydrogeological characterization of crystalline aquifer in the Hout River Catchment, Limpopo province, South Africa

This study attempted to conceptualize the hydrogeological setting of the Hout River Catchment, located in the Limpopo River Basin, using multiple methods that include groundwater flow patterns, structural analysis, stable (18O, 2H and 13C) and radiogenic (14C) isotopes of water and Water Table Fluctuation methods. The hydrogeological system of the catchment is represented by fractured crystalline basement aquifer as the main host for groundwater and is overlain by weathered rocks that act as a vadose zone and shallow aquifer in various places. Groundwater from the fractured basement rocks is the main source of water for large-scale irrigation and domestic use. Potential aquifers in the area are evident within the Hout River granitic gneiss and the Goudplaats granitic gneiss besides the younger granites as a result of fracturing and weathering. Groundwater flow map shows a flow pattern from the southern part of the catchment towards the north-eastern part of the catchment dictated by dolerite dykes and tectonic lineaments that trend in the ENE and E direction (088° and 075°) with the dip angle of 50° to 55°. The deeper aquifer in the southern and central part of the catchment contain old groundwater with high salinity due to long residence time. The stable isotopes further confirmed the limited possibility of local recharge, with rather dominance of regional groundwater circulation into the catchment. The northern part of the catchment seems to be receiving recent recharge with the groundwater of high 14C content derived from the mountains that border the catchment.

Sinkholes and their impacts on karst hydrogeology in a peatland complex of Northern Ontario, Canada

Pliocene glaciations, post-glacial Tyrrell Sea deposition, peatland formation, and continuous isostatic uplift have created a unique environment for karst development on the Paleozoic carbonate rocks within the James Bay Lowland of Canada. Four types of sinkhole and two karst hydrogeological systems have been recognized in the study area. The hydrogeologically active karst system consists of solution sinkholes, solutionally enlarged fractures, and collapse sinkholes that have developed after the area emerged from the Tyrrell Sea approximately 4400 years ago. The active karst system encompasses the exposed reefal limestone of the Silurian Attawapiskat Formation along the Attawapiskat River and Nayshkootayaow River and isolated bioherms that protrude above the surrounding flat but poorly drained peatland between the two major rivers. The second karst system is in the form of paleokarst formed in the underlying limestone but buried beneath the peat and marine sediments. Although these buried sinkholes were only visible at excavation sites where these features were exposed, it is likely that they underlie most of the study area. Another form of paleokarst is the Bedrock Trench that cut through most of the Paleozoic formation to a depth of approximately 200 m. The bedrock trench encompassed an area of more than 3 km2, was filled with unconsolidated materials, and did not have strong hydraulic connections to the active karst system. Formation mechanism of this bedrock trench is inconclusive but may result from polygenetic processes including glacial scouring and bedrock dissolution. Recognition of these two karst systems helps understand potential hydrogeological changes in response to continuous isostatic uplift and dewatering activities in this region.

Groundwater characterization and monitoring at a complex industrial waste site using electrical resistivity imaging

A contaminated industrial waste site in Washington State (USA) containing buried, metallic-waste storage tanks, pipes, and wells, was evaluated to determine the feasibility of monitoring groundwater remediation activities associated with an underlying perched aquifer system using electrical resistivity tomography. The perched aquifer, located ~65 m below ground surface and ~10 m above the regional water table, contains high concentrations of nitrate, uranium, and other contaminants of concern from past tank leaks and intentional releases of wastes to surface disposal sites. The extent of the perched water aquifer is not well known, and the effectiveness of groundwater extraction for contaminant removal is uncertain, so supplemental characterization and monitoring technologies are being evaluated. Numerical simulations of subsurface flow and contaminant transport were performed with a highly resolved model of the hydrogeologic system and waste site infrastructure, and these simulations were used as the physical basis for electrical resistivity tomography modeling. The modeling explicitly accounted for metallic infrastructure at the site. The effectiveness of using surface electrodes versus surface and horizontal subsurface electrodes, for imaging groundwater extraction from the perched water aquifer, was investigated. Although directional drilling is a mature technology, its use for electrode emplacement in the deep subsurface under a complex industrial waste site via horizontal wells has not yet been demonstrated. Results from this study indicate that using horizontal subsurface electrode arrays could significantly improve the ability of electrical resistivity tomography to image deep subsurface features and monitor remediation activities under complex industrial waste sites.

Hydrogeological systems of landslides in central part of the Volga-Ural region

The study of landslide massifs made it possible to identify two types of hydrogeological systems that differ by feeding area structure and transit zone. In landslide bodies of Urzhuminan stage, composed by dolomites and marls, hydrogeological systems are simple stratal. The aquifers are localized in fractured marls, which, under the influence of infiltration water seeping through them, have turned into a poorly structured gruss-rock cover, which lies on dense dolomites - water-resistant. The inclined bedding of dolomite layers creates the prerequisites for directed filtration of groundwater towards natural lowering. Here forming areas of ground water discharge as low-water springs. In landslides composed of the Upper Jurassic series clays and marls, hydrogeological systems are distinguished by the prevailing vertical groundwater infiltration in transit zone. Theirs’s water source is shallow lakes formed on the surfaces of landslide terraces. Under water pressure influence of in the lake basins and gravity, infiltration groundwaters leaking through the systems of cracks in clays penetrate to a more dense clay layers which are fluid trap. Here, directly under the lake basin, a dome of groundwater is formed. The flow of groundwater from the dome towards inclined depressions leads to creation of unloading areas. They are presented by permanently wet land (flarks) or low-water infiltration springs that come to the surface at the same hypsometric level.

Simulation-Optimization for Conjunctive Water Resources Management and Optimal Crop Planning in Kushabhadra-Bhargavi River Delta of Eastern India.

Water resources sustainability is a worldwide concern because of climate variability, growing population, and excessive groundwater exploitation in order to meet freshwater demand. Addressing these conflicting challenges sometimes can be aided by using both simulation and mathematical optimization tools. This study combines a groundwater-flow simulation model and two optimization models to develop optimal reconnaissance-level water management strategies. For a given set of hydrologic and management constraints, both of the optimization models are applied to part of the Mahanadi River basin groundwater system, which is an important source of water supply in Odisha State, India. The first optimization model employs a calibrated groundwater simulation model (MODFLOW-2005, the U.S. Geological Survey modular ground-water model) within the Simulation-Optimization MOdeling System (SOMOS) module number 1 (SOMO1) to estimate maximum permissible groundwater extraction, subject to suitable constraints that protect the aquifer from seawater intrusion. The second optimization model uses linear programming optimization to: (a) optimize conjunctive allocation of surface water and groundwater and (b) to determine a cropping pattern that maximizes net annual returns from crop yields, without causing seawater intrusion. Together, the optimization models consider the weather seasons, and the suitability and variability of existing cultivable land, crops, and the hydrogeologic system better than the models that do not employ the distributed maximum groundwater pumping rates that will not induce seawater intrusion. The optimization outcomes suggest that minimizing agricultural rice cultivation (especially during the non-monsoon season) and increasing crop diversification would improve farmers’ livelihoods and aid sustainable use of water resources.

Correction: Hydrochemical and environmental isotopes analysis for characterizing a complex karst hydrogeological system of Watuputih area, Rembang, Central Java, Indonesia

Correction: Hydrochemical and environmental isotopes analysis for characterizing a complex karst hydrogeological system of Watuputih area, Rembang, Central Java, Indonesia

CHDS: conflict handling in direct sampling for stochastic simulation of spatial variables

In recent years, multiple-point geostatistical (MPS) approaches have gained significant popularity for modeling subsurface heterogeneity in hydrogeological systems by employing a training image for describing the features of the target field. The most important challenges of MPS simulation methods include appropriate pattern reproduction and connectivity preservation, handling conditional data, and appropriately modeling the variability of real fields. Preserving connectivity of the patterns is of paramount importance, particularly in fluid flow modeling problems. During sequential simulation, if the algorithm produces a value (or patch) inconsistently with previously synthesized data, such conflicts will propagate in the realization and lead to poor pattern reproduction. Here, we have introduced a two-step simulation algorithm, where in the first phase, the coarse structure of the realization is synthesized with minimum conflicts by rejecting inconsistent patterns and allowing removing previously synthesized data, and in the second phase, the fine grid is simulated by ignoring the conflicts. Ignoring short-range inconsistencies in the fine simulation phase not only improves the algorithm’s convergence but also leads to higher variabilities without sacrificing the quality of the realizations. Convergence problems of traditional conflict-handling methods are further alleviated by a new distance reweighting strategy, which prevents cyclic deletions and resimulations. We have employed different statistical descriptors to evaluate our method in comparison with existing pixel and patch-based methods in conditional and unconditional modes. The proposed method shows outstanding results in terms of connectivity preservation, conditional data handling, and pattern innovation. Compared to traditional conflict-handling methods, the proposed method shows good convergence and histogram preservation.

Thermally Affected Zone (TAZ) Assessment in Open-Loop Low-Enthalpy Groundwater Heat Pump Systems (GWHPs): Potential of Analytical Solutions

Thermal perturbation produced in the subsurface by open-loop groundwater heat pump systems (GWHPs) must be predicted and constantly controlled, especially in the shallow aquifers of more densely urbanized areas, in order to guarantee plants’ long-term sustainable use and to avoid adverse effects on adjacent geothermal systems. Transient conditions in the flow dynamic can be successfully modelled by means of numerical modelling tools. However, for small plants in suitable hydrogeological systems, an alternative tool for predicting the thermally affected zone (TAZ) around the injection well can be found in analytical solutions for steady advective transport in a shallow aquifer. The validity of using steady analytical solutions to predict the TAZ development at the end of two different cooling seasons (2010 and 2016) was tested in the Politecnico di Torino GWHP system (NW Italy). When fixing the constant thermal difference (ΔT) between the injection and abstraction wells at 5°C, results revealed that a rather reliable assessment of the TAZ of Politecnico di Torino GWHPs, in Turin shallow aquifer, can be performed by plotting the cumulative distribution function of the injected discharge rate (Q) and setting 63% as a steady value.

Application of isotopic and geochemical studies to explain the origin and formation of mineral waters of Staraya Russa Spa, NW Russia

There are two main types of mineral waters used in the Staraya Russa spa: (1) the saline waters of the Middle and Upper Devonian Arukjula–Shventoy aquifer with isotopic composition of δ18O from − 10.7 to − 11.3‰ and δ2H from − 81.3 to − 85‰ and (2) the brackish waters of the Upper Devonian Sargayev–Daugava aquifer with isotopic composition of δ18O from − 12.5 to − 12.9‰ and δ2H from − 93.0 to − 94.1‰. Hydrogeological conditions within the spa and its vicinity are complex due to hydraulic contacts between artesian aquifers and the saline waters ascension into shallower fresh water aquifers. The studies revealed that saline waters of the Arukjula–Shventoy aquifer are mixtures of approximately equal fractions (0.5) of snow melt water of δ18O around − 21.7‰ and seawater-like end-member of isotopic composition similar to modern ocean water (i.e. VSMOW). The brackish waters of the Sargayev–Daugava aquifer are result of mixing between infiltration waters and saline waters ascending from deeper Arukjula–Shventoy aquifer, the fraction of saline water may reach from around 0.2 to 0.4. The sulfur (δ34S) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopic composition of sulfates dissolved in mineral waters indicate that their source is connected with marine sulfates. The ionic ratios of major chemical compounds corroborate the presence of the connate seawater-like component in the hydrogeological system, which is responsible for the observed chemical composition of mineral waters extracted in Staraya Russa spa.

Stable isotopes of precipitation and groundwater provide new insight into groundwater recharge and flow in a structurally complex hydrogeologic system: West Hawai‘i, USA

Local meteoric water lines (LMWL) and corresponding relationships between δ2H and δ18O values in precipitation and elevation are useful tools for assessing groundwater recharge areas and flow paths. The LMWL and relationship between δ18O values in precipitation and elevation for the West Hawai‘i region of Hawai‘i (USA) were determined utilizing a network of eight cumulative precipitation collectors sampled at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Additionally, δ2H and δ18O values for groundwater samples across the study area were determined. These data were then utilized to develop new conceptual models of groundwater flow and characterize groundwater flow paths in this complex and poorly understood hydrogeologic setting. The West Hawai‘i LMWL indicates a primary source of oceanic moisture from the lee of the island, while the δ18O–elevation relationship resembles that determined for the trade-wind portion of the Hawai‘i Volcano region. Conceptual models incorporating the effects of subsurface geological features on groundwater occurrence and flow in the West Hawai‘i region were developed and subsequently utilized in conjunction with δ18O values for groundwater samples to determine that groundwater flow paths in the West Hawai‘i region generally originate at high elevations located far within the island’s interior. This study demonstrates the utility of considering subsurface structural characteristics in conjunction with H and O isotopic content of precipitation and groundwater to better understand groundwater flow in regions with poorly characterized hydrogeology and has important implications for future development and scientific investigation of water resources in West Hawai‘i.

Characterising variations in the salinity of deep groundwater systems: A case study from Great Britain (GB)

Study regionThe study region is Great Britain (GB), a small non-continental island landmass in North West Europe Study focusData for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) from groundwater samples can be used to characterise regional-scale variations in the quality of deep groundwater systems. Combined with information about typical well-depths, TDS data can be used to identify the presence of currently undeveloped fresh or brackish groundwater at depth that may require protection. This study considers the distribution of TDS with depth relative to sea level in the main GB aquifers and selected other key hydrogeological units, and demonstrates how useful insights can be obtained from data-led analyses of depth variations in groundwater chemistry if the regional context of hydrogeological systems is taken into account. New hydrogeological insightsIn GB, TDS varies over about five orders of magnitude, up to about 330,000 mg/L, with a general increase in mineralisation with depth. Overall, there is a transition from fresh <1625 mg/L to brackish <10,000 mg/L groundwater at about 500 m below surface, and from brackish to saline >10,000 mg/L groundwater at about 700 m. Given that the 95 %tile depth of water wells is about 200 m, it is evident that there is currently undeveloped fresh groundwater at depth across large parts of the study area that may require protection, although it is inferred that TDS is not the only factor limiting exploitation and use of these deeper resources. As in this study, previous data-led analyses of fresh groundwater at depth have typically analysed TDS as depth below surface. However, if TDS data is analysed relative to sea level and in the context of regional hydrogeological information or models, additional insights can be gained on the distribution and controls on fresh groundwater at depth. Projecting TDS data into a 3D hydrogeological model of the study area shows that fresh groundwater at depth exhibits spatial coherence and is generally associated with relatively deep sedimentary basins overlying older, less permeable basement.

A mass-transfer particle-tracking method for simulating transport with discontinuous diffusion coefficients

The problem of a spatially discontinuous diffusion coefficient (D(x)) is one that may be encountered in hydrogeologic systems due to natural geological features or as a consequence of numerical discretization of flow properties. To date, mass-transfer particle-tracking (MTPT) methods, a family of Lagrangian methods in which diffusion is jointly simulated by random walk and diffusive mass transfers, have been unable to solve this problem. This manuscript presents a new mass-transfer (MT) algorithm that enables MTPT methods to accurately solve the problem of discontinuous D(x). To achieve this, we derive a semi-analytical solution to the discontinuous D(x) problem by employing a predictor-corrector approach, and we use this semi-analytical solution as the weighting function in a reformulated MT algorithm. This semi-analytical solution is generalized for cases with multiple 1D interfaces as well as for 2D cases, including a 2 × 2 tiling of 4 subdomains that corresponds to a numerically-generated diffusion field. The solutions generated by this new mass-transfer algorithm closely agree with an analytical 1D solution or, in more complicated cases, trusted numerical results, demonstrating the success of our proposed approach.

Upscaling transport of a sorbing solute in disordered non periodic porous domains

Spatial Markov random walk models (SMM) have been demonstrated to accurately predict conservative solute transport across a wide range of hydro-geological systems, with recent advances enabling the SMM to model systems with linear kinetic reactive processes. However, the proposed reactive SMM’s applicability is limited to systems that can be partitioned into a series of identical periodic cells where travel times across cells are highly correlated to the solute’s entrance position at the cell inlet. In real geologic settings, the spatial layout and size of grains varies through space, decorrelating the relationship between travel time and transverse position. Here, we generalize previous SMM implementations and implement a Bernoulli CTRW, where transport behavior can be captured in disordered and non-periodic porous media. We validate our upscaled model predictions with results from direct numerical simulation of transport in a 2D porous column that cannot be partitioned into identical periodic elements. We parameterize our model based on a subset of simulation statistics and explore how model accuracy changes due to our sampling method. This finding yields important insights for optimizing efficiency of the upscaled transport model parameterization and can guide field sampling of geological structures as well as multiscale investigation of laboratory observations.

The influence of connected heterogeneity on groundwater flow and salinity distributions in coastal volcanic aquifers

Geological heterogeneity is a key factor affecting rates and patterns of groundwater flow and the evolution of salinity distributions in coastal aquifers. The hydrogeologic systems of volcanic aquifers are characterized by lava flows that can form connected geologic structures in the subsurface. Surface-based geostatistical techniques were adopted to generate geologically-realistic, statistically equivalent model realizations of a hydrogeologic system based on that of the Big Island of Hawaii (conduit models). The density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport code SEAWAT was used to perform 3D simulations to investigate subsurface flow and salt transport through these random realizations. Statistically equivalent geological systems generated with sequential indicator simulation (SIS) and equivalent homogeneous systems were also simulated for comparison. Simulation results show that conduit realizations tend to have more complex salinity distributions with larger mixing zones for which the center of mass is farther offshore compared to homogeneous and SIS realizations. The zone of groundwater discharge is also farther offshore than for homogeneous and SIS models, with higher point fluxes of both fresh and saline water and greater spatial variability. This highlights the importance of the geometry of geologic features in coastal groundwater flow and solute transport processes in highly heterogeneous aquifers. It also points to the importance of preferential flow, with implications for both coastal groundwater resource management and solute fluxes to the ocean.

Hydrogeology of the western Po plain (Piedmont, NW Italy)

ABSTRACT This paper describes the hydrogeological map of the western Po Plain, located in Piedmont (north-western Italy). Po plain represents a hydrogeological system of European relevance, and the Piedmont Plain is the most important groundwater reservoir of the Region. The 1:300,000 scale map was realised using previous and new data to update the knowledge of this area. The map provides information about the hydrogeological complexes and their type and degree of permeability, water table levels and depth, piezometric level fluctuation, lithostratigraphic cross-sections, thickness, and percentage of the permeable deposits between 0 and 50 m from the ground surface. All this information is essential to public administrations, stakeholders, researchers, and professionals for defining possible tools for groundwater protection and management and for planning new groundwater exploitation (i.e. municipal drinking water supplies).

Groundwater resources and recharge processes in the Western Andean Front of Central Chile

In Central Chile, the increment of withdrawals together with drought conditions has exposed the poor understanding of the regional hydrogeological system. In this study, we addressed the Western Andean Front hydrogeology by hydrogeochemical and water stable isotope analyses of 23 springs, 10 boreholes, 5 rain-collectors and 5 leaching-rocks samples at Aconcagua Basin. From the upstream to the downstream parts of the Western Andean Front, most groundwater is HCO3-Ca and results from the dissolution of anorthite, labradorite and other silicate minerals. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis groups the samples according to its position along the Western Andean Front and supports a clear correlation between the increasing groundwater mineralization (31–1188 μS/cm) and residence time. Through Factorial Analysis, we point that Cl, NO3, Sr and Ba concentrations are related to agriculture practices in the Central Depression. After defining the regional meteoric water line at 33°S in Chile, water isotopes demonstrate the role of rain and snowmelt above ~2000 m asl in the recharge of groundwater. Finally, we propose an original conceptual model applicable to the entire Central Chile. During dry periods, water releases from high-elevation areas infiltrate in mid-mountain gullies feeding groundwater circulation in the fractured rocks of Western Andean Front. To the downstream, mountain-block and -front processes recharge the alluvial aquifers. Irrigation canals, conducting water from Principal Cordillera, play a significant role in the recharge of Central Depression aquifers. While groundwater in the Western Andean Front has a high-quality according to different water uses, intensive agriculture practices in the Central Depression cause an increment of hazardous elements for human-health in groundwater.

Controls on the persistence of aqueous-phase groundwater contaminants in the presence of reactive back-diffusion

The persistence of groundwater contaminants is influenced by several interacting processes. Physical, physico-chemical, and (bio-)chemical processes all influence the transport of contaminants in the subsurface. However, for a given hydrogeological system, it is generally unclear to which degree each of these phenomena acts as a control on plume behaviour. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of these processes and their influences on plume behaviour and persistence in layered sedimentary systems. We investigate different scenarios that represent fundamental configurations of common contaminant situations. A confined aquifer over- and underlain by aquitard layers is investigated in a source-removal scenario and a constant-source equilibrium scenario. Additionally, an aquitard overlain and underlain by high permeability units is investigated in a source-removal scenario. In these investigations, we vary layer thickness, as well as parameters governing advection, (back-)diffusion, sorption, and degradation. Extensive analysis of these results enables quantification of the influence of these parameters on maximum down-gradient concentration, plume persistence duration, and plume spatial extent. Finally, parameter space dimensionality reduction is used to establish trends and regimes in which certain processes dominate as controls. A lower limit to plume extent as a function of a novel constructed parameter is also determined. These results provide valuable quantitative information for the assessment of the fate of groundwater contaminants and are applicable to a wide range of aqueous-phase solutes.