Simulation Of Groundwater Flow Research Articles

Evidence of Groundwater Seepage and Mixing at the Vicinity of a Knickpoint in a Mountain Stream

AbstractStreamflow generation and biochemical hotspots are significantly influenced by groundwater contributions distributed along the drainage network. However, identifying the geomorphic landscape features that drive groundwater‐surface water interactions remains challenging. In this study, we investigate the role of knickpoints in controlling these interactions in a mountainous stream in Switzerland. We employ a combination of synoptic sampling of environmental tracers, endmember mixing calculations, and groundwater flow simulations. Our findings reveal substantial groundwater seepage concentrated near the knickpoint of the main river stem. Using parsimonious groundwater flow modeling, we validate the hypothesis that the topographical shape of the knickpoint enhances local groundwater discharge rates. We quantify that approximately 20% of the total catchment streamflow originates from around the knickpoint. These results indicate that knickpoints are significant hotspots for groundwater seepage and physicochemical mixing, providing a clear method for identifying major localized sources of streamflow generation.

Application of coupled WetSpass-M and MODFLOW models to estimate spatial–temporal water balance components in the Chemoga watershed, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The groundwater level in the Chemoga watershed has been declining due to an increase in water demand, anthropogenic activities, and climate change effects. This paper uses the WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling to evaluate the groundwater recharge in the Chemoga watershed. The MODFLOW groundwater flow simulation model is then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution based on these findings. The input data of WetSpass models are soil, land cover, topography, slope, and groundwater depth, as well as monthly meteorological characteristics (such as temperature, wind speed, and rainfall). The long-term spatial and temporal average annual precipitation of 1,453 mm is distributed as 169 mm (11.63%) groundwater recharge and 879 mm (60.5%) surface runoff, while 405 mm (27.87%) is lost through evapotranspiration. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater head due to the wet/summer stress period varied from 4 to 41 m. While in the dry/winter stress period groundwater head varied from 3.5 to 39.8 m, and also the groundwater head due to the annual stress period varied from 3.7 to 40 m. The findings are extensive and can be applied to water resource management and groundwater resource development in a sustainable manner by safeguarding high groundwater recharge locations, and reevaluating allowable groundwater abstraction rates.

Effect of cross-correlated hydraulic conductivity and compression index on nonlinear consolidation in randomly heterogeneous highly compressible aquitards

The problem of land subsidence due to groundwater pumping in highly compressible, randomly heterogenous aquitards with stress-dependent parameters is analyzed through one-dimensional Monte Carlo numerical simulations of nonlinear groundwater flow and consolidation. The natural logarithm of hydraulic conductivity (Y) and compression index (Cc) are considered spatially cross-correlated random variables. A stochastic simulation method based on a bivariate normal copula was applied to generate positive, negative, and uncorrelated realizations of the two random variables. The results show that when Y and Cc are correlated random parameters, the ensemble average total settlement is consistently larger (between 13% and 40% for the synthetic cases tested) than the total settlement obtained when the parameters are deterministic (perfectly known). In addition, the results of negative and no correlation between Y and Cc are similar in terms of the ensemble average and variance of total settlement, while positive correlation leads to larger values of total settlement and its variance. The stochastic approach employed here allows incorporating the uncertainty in the parameters in the simulation of the subsidence process, which is relevant for geotechnical engineering, design of structures and groundwater management.

Groundwater flow paths using combined self-potential, electrical resistivity, and induced polarization signals

SUMMARY The dam of Lampy (Black Mountain, Aude, France) is considered as one of the oldest dams in France. A geophysical survey is performed to better understand the pattern of groundwater flow downstream of this dam in the granitic substratum. Induced polarization is first used to image both electrical conductivity and normalized chargeability. Eight core samples of granite from this site are measured and analysed in the laboratory. Their electrical conductivity and normalized chargeability are expressed as a function of the porosity and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The field data and the petrophysical results are used to image the water content, the CEC and the permeability distribution of the substratum. Then, self-potential is used as a complementary passive geophysical technique, which, in absence of metallic bodies, is directly sensitive to groundwater flow through the so-called streaming potential effect. Indeed, the excess of electrical charges in the vicinity of the solid grains, in the so-called double layer, is dragged by the ground water flow generating in turn an electrical (streaming) current and therefore an electrical field. A map of the resulting self-potential signals is done over the area covered by the induced polarization profiles. This map shows a large positive anomaly with an amplitude of ∼80 mV possibly associated with upwelling groundwater in an area where the soil is water-saturated. A groundwater flow simulation is performed to model this anomaly. This is done in two steps. A preliminary groundwater flow model is built using the permeability and water content distributions obtained from the induced polarization data. Then, this groundwater flow model is updated using the information contained in the self-potential data including the electrical conductivity distribution obtained through resistivity tomography. The algorithm for the inversion of the self-potential data is validated through a 2-D numerical test. This analysis yields a groundwater flow model with the flow being focused through a high permeability zone. This study shows how three geoelectrical methods (self-potential, induced polarization and electrical resistivity) can be efficiently combined to image groundwater flow in the vicinity of a dam.

Simulation of coupled groundwater flow and contaminant transport using quintic B-spline collocation method

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to introduce a new numerical scheme with no stability condition and high-order accuracy for the solution of two-dimensional coupled groundwater flow and transport simulation problems with regular and irregular geometries and compare the results with widely acceptable programs such as Modular Three-Dimensional Finite-Difference Ground-Water Flow Model (MODFLOW) and Modular Three-Dimensional Multispecies Transport Model (MT3DMS).Design/methodology/approachThe newly proposed numerical scheme is based on the method of lines (MOL) approach and uses high-order approximations both in space and time. Quintic B-spline (QBS) functions are used in space to transform partial differential equations, representing the relevant physical phenomena in the system of ordinary differential equations. Then this system is solved with the DOPRI5 algorithm that requires no stability condition. The obtained results are compared with the results of the MODFLOW and MT3DMS programs to verify the accuracy of the proposed scheme.FindingsThe results indicate that the proposed numerical scheme can successfully simulate the two-dimensional coupled groundwater flow and transport problems with complex geometry and parameter structures. All the results are in good agreement with the reference solutions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, the QBS-DOPRI5 method is used for the first time for solving two-dimensional coupled groundwater flow and transport problems with complex geometries and can be extended to high-dimensional problems. In the future, considering the success of the proposed numerical scheme, it can be used successfully for the identification of groundwater contaminant source characteristics.

Groundwater modelling in SWAT+: Considerations for a realistic baseflow simulation

Hydrological models are valuable tools that support the evaluation and management of water resources. Among catchment scale models, SWAT has been widely used, and a revision of this model, SWAT+, was recently released. Groundwater simulation has been pointed out as one of the main weaknesses of these models, and despite the introduction of some improvements in the new version, an accurate simulation of groundwater flow is still a pending task. One of the most common issues is the inability of the model to maintain baseflow during long dry periods. Baseflow is common in aquifer areas and has great relevance for water quality and ecosystems. Although some authors proposed different solutions to its inaccurate simulation (e.g., editing aquifers configuration, coupling with other models, etc.) this work aimed to determine if a realistic groundwater simulation is possible using SWAT+ and determine the reasons why this is not being achieved. For this purpose, a groundwater dominated catchment was modelled, and different calibration approaches were carried out and compared, including strategies such as hard calibration, soft calibration, or sensitivity analysis. A comprehensive analysis of model outputs was crucial to achieve a model with a realistic simulation of groundwater contribution to the streamflow, both in amount and timing. The properly parameterization of some parameters (perco, latq_co, lat_ttime, and especially alpha) was key. Limitations of hard calibration were evidenced, such as the necessity of complementing this strategy with an evaluation of the simulation of hydrological processes. For those parameters governing streamflow components simulation, a detailed description of its functioning is included in this manuscript, together with some guidelines to achieve a statistically accurate model with a realistic groundwater flow simulation. Follow these recommendations will be useful for SWAT users, and will serve to create more reliable models.

Assessing the impact of surface water and groundwater interactions for regional-scale simulations of water table elevation

Groundwater flow models are increasingly considered for the regional scale simulation of hydraulic heads and water table elevation. In the most complete configuration, models explicitly simulate two-way interactions between surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW) to reproduce and forecast both SW and GW water levels. In most regional scale groundwater models, however, SW-GW interactions are represented by simplified boundary conditions that only allow one-way interaction from SW to GW, neglecting most of the dynamic exchange fluxes between SW and GW. To evaluate the potential consequences of such simplifications on the simulation of regional GW levels, we compare two models on a 36,900 km2 regional aquifer system in Southern Quebec. One model explicitly simulates both SW and GW flow with two-way SW-GW feedback and the other model only simulates GW flow with a surface boundary flux to represent a one-way interaction with the land surface. Both models are developed with the same numerical code to ensure that the only differences are the representation of SW water flow and SW-GW feedback. The one-way model simulates overall deeper water tables because it removes all exfiltrated groundwater from the system once it exits the subsurface, therefore not allowing exfiltrating groundwater to re-infiltrate. This effect is most pronounced in areas where the water table is close to the surface and for low-flow periods. The inclusion of two-way feedback also reduces the sensitivity of simulated GW levels to the magnitude of the hydraulic conductivity. This result highlights the need for additional data on other system states to improve the calibration of regional scale models that explicitly simulate two-way SW-GW interactions.

Physical and chemical characterization of remote coastal aquifers and submarine groundwater discharge from a glacierized watershed

AbstractCoastal aquifers play an important role in marine ecosystems by providing high fluxes of nutrients and solutes via submarine groundwater discharge pathways. The physical and chemical characterization of these dynamic systems is foundational to understanding the extent and magnitude of hydrogeologic processes and their subsequent contributions to the marine environment. We describe a km‐scale experimental field site located in a glaciofluvial delta entering Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Our characterization applies geophysical (ERT and HVSR), hydrogeologic (grain size analyses, slug tests and tidal response analyses) and geochemical (major ions and stable water isotopes) methods to describe the complexity of coastal aquifers in proglacial environments currently experiencing rapid transformations. The hydrogeologic and geophysical techniques revealed thick (20–84 m) sediments dominated by sands and gravels and delineated zones of freshwater, brackish water and saltwater at both high and low tides within the subterranean estuary. Estimates of hydraulic conductivities via multiple approaches ranged from 2 to 250 m d−1, with means across the four methods within the same order of magnitude. Tidal response analyses highlighted a coastal aquifer in strong connection with the sea as evidenced by clear spring‐ and neap‐tidal signals within a proximal piezometric hydrograph. Geochemical sampling revealed coastal groundwaters as substantially enriched in solutes compared to proximal river samples with limited variability across seasons. A clear connection between the Wosnesenski River and the adjacent aquifer was also observed, with concentrated recharge from the river corridor during the meltwater season. This combination of approaches provides the basis for a conceptual model for coastal aquifer systems within the Gulf of Alaska and an upscaled mean daily yield of freshwater and solutes from the delta subsurface. Our findings are critical for subsequent numerical simulations of groundwater flow, tidal pumping and chemical reactions and transport in these understudied environments. This approach may be applied for low‐cost, large‐scale hydrogeologic investigations in coastal areas and may be particularly useful for remote sites where access and mobility are challenging.

Modeling and analysis of temporal dynamics in groundwater aquifers of New Valley Oases, Egypt

Water scarcity poses a significant challenge in arid and semi-arid regions, necessitating a focused exploration of groundwater resources. Egypt, confronted with various water challenges, particularly in its Western Desert, relies heavily on groundwater as the exclusive water source due to the presence of the Nubian Sandstone aquifer. Effective groundwater management in this region is imperative. This study delves into the hydrogeological characteristics of the Nubian Sandstone aquifer system (NSAS) in the prominent New Valley Oases—Kharga, Dakhla, and Farafra—where agricultural activities heavily depend on groundwater. The primary objective entails a meticulous temporal assessment of the impact of groundwater development on aquifer behavior, groundwater levels, and drawdown. Employing a remote sensing approach, agricultural expansion from 1995 to 2020 was scrutinized. The Visual MODFLOW package served as a robust tool for simulating groundwater flow in the study areas. Noteworthy findings reveal an upward trajectory in agricultural crop areas, escalating by approximately 6% from 1740 km² in 1995 to 1850 km² in 2020. Concurrently, drawdown, influenced by current groundwater extraction, is anticipated to range from 0.5 to 5 meters per year. To ensure the sustainable development of these areas, stringent regulations must be implemented, underscoring the imperative for judicious groundwater management practices. This research underscores the critical need for informed decision-making and proactive measures to address the evolving dynamics of groundwater resources in the New Valley Oases.

Dual Domain Decomposition Method for High-Resolution 3D Simulation of Groundwater Flow and Transport

The high-resolution 3D groundwater flow and transport simulation problem requires massive discrete linear systems to be solved, leading to significant computational time and memory requirements. The domain decomposition method is a promising technique that facilitates the parallelization of problems with minimal communication overhead by dividing the computation domain into multiple subdomains. However, directly utilizing a domain decomposition scheme to solve massive linear systems becomes impractical due to the bottleneck in algebraic operations required to coordinate the results of subdomains. In this paper, we propose a two-level domain decomposition method, named dual-domain decomposition, to efficiently solve the massive discrete linear systems in high-resolution 3D groundwater simulations. The first level of domain decomposition partitions the linear system problem into independent linear sub-problems across multiple subdomains, enabling parallel solutions with significantly reduced complexity. The second level introduces a domain decomposition preconditioner to solve the linear system, known as the Schur system, used to coordinate results from subdomains across their boundaries. This additional level of decomposition parallelizes the preconditioning of the Schur system, addressing the bottleneck of the Schur system solution while improving its convergence rates. The dual-domain decomposition method facilitates the partition and distribution of the computation to be solved into independent finely grained computational subdomains, substantially reducing both computational and memory complexity. We demonstrate the scalability of our proposed method through its application to a high-resolution 3D simulation of chromium contaminant transport in groundwater. Our results indicate that our method outperforms both the vanilla domain decomposition method and the algebraic multigrid preconditioned method in terms of runtime, achieving up to 8.617× and 5.515× speedups, respectively, in solving massive problems with approximately 108 million degrees of freedom. Therefore, we recommend its effectiveness and reliability for high-resolution 3D simulations of groundwater flow and transport.

Hydrogeologic Framework Model‐Based Numerical Simulation of Groundwater Flow and Salt Transport and Analytic Hierarchy Process‐Based Multi‐Criteria Evaluation of Optimal Pumping Location and Rate for Mitigation of Seawater Intrusion in a Complex Coastal Aquifer System

AbstractA series of hydrogeologic framework model (HFM)‐based steady‐ and transient‐state numerical simulations is performed first using a coupled subsurface flow‐transport numerical model to analyze groundwater flow and salt transport in an actual three‐dimensional complex coastal aquifer system before and during groundwater pumping. A series of analytic hierarchy process (AHP)‐based multi‐criteria evaluations is then performed applying a multi‐criteria decision‐making approach to determine optimal pumping location and rate for a new pumping well in the complex coastal aquifer system during groundwater pumping. The complex coastal aquifer system is composed of six anisotropic fractured porous geologic media (five rock formations and one fault) and three isotropic porous geologic media (three soil formations) and shows high geometric irregularity and significant heterogeneity and anisotropy of the nine geologic media. Results of the steady‐state numerical simulations show successful model calibration with 26 measured groundwater levels and two observed seawater intrusion front lines. The latter two are determined by spatial interpolation and extrapolation of electrical conductivity logging data and electrical resistivity survey data, respectively. Based on the status and prospect of necessary water uses and available groundwater resources, the field observations of groundwater and seawater intrusion, and the analyses of the steady‐state numerical simulation after the model calibration, six candidate pumping locations are selected for the new pumping well. In addition, from six preliminary individual transient‐state numerical simulations, maximum pumping rates at the six candidate pumping locations are calculated first, and a set of six incremental candidate pumping rates is then assigned at each of the six candidate pumping locations. Results of the transients‐state numerical simulations show that groundwater flow and salt transport are spatially and temporally changed, and seawater intrusion is further intensified by groundwater pumping. In addition, the magnitudes of such spatial and temporal changes and intensification are significantly different depending on the candidate pumping locations and rates. Results of the steady‐ and transient‐state numerical simulations also show that both complexity (geometric irregularity, heterogeneity, and anisotropy including the fault) and topography have significant effects on the spatial distributions and temporal changes of groundwater flow and salt transport in the coastal aquifer system before and during groundwater pumping. In addition, results of statistical estimations of the mesh Peclet and Courant numbers confirm acceptabilities of minimizing numerical dispersion in the steady‐ and transient‐state numerical simulations. Based on the analyses of the transient‐state numerical simulations, eight multiple criteria are chosen to judge, prioritize, and rank the six candidate pumping locations and six candidate pumping rates for optimal pumping. Results of the multi‐criteria evaluations determine the optimal pumping location and rate for the new pumping well among the six candidate pumping locations and six candidate pumping rates. In addition, results of consistency checks confirm consistencies of judgments in the multi‐criteria evaluations.

Accelerating regional-scale groundwater flow simulations with a hybrid deep neural network model incorporating mixed input types: A case study of the northeast Qatar aquifer

ABSTRACT This study presents the ‘Dual Path CNN-MLP’, a novel hybrid deep neural network (DNN) architecture that merges the strengths of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) for regional groundwater flow simulations. This model stands out from previous DNN approaches by managing mixed input types, including both imagery and numerical vectors. Such flexibility allows the diverse nature of groundwater data to be efficiently utilized without the need to convert it into a uniform format, which often leads to oversimplification or unnecessary expansion of the dataset. When applied to the northeast Qatar aquifer, the model demonstrates high accuracy in simulating transient groundwater flow fields, benchmarked against the well-established MODFLOW model. The model's efficacy is confirmed through k-fold cross-validation, showing an error margin of less than 12% across all examined locations. The study also examines the model's ability to perform uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulations, finding that it achieves around 1% average absolute percentage error in estimating the mean hydraulic head. Errors are mostly found in areas with significant variations in the hydraulic head. Switching to this ML model from the conventional MODFLOW simulator boosts computational efficiency by about 99%, showcasing its advantage for tasks like uncertainty analysis in repetitive groundwater simulations.

Groundwater Depletion. Are Environmentally Friendly Energy Recharge Dams a Solution?

Groundwater is a primary source of drinking water; however, groundwater depletion constitutes a common phenomenon worldwide. The present research aims to quantify groundwater depletion in three aquifers in Greece, including the porous aquifers in the Eastern Thermaikos Gulf, Mouriki, and the Marathonas basin. The hypothesis is to reverse the phenomenon by adopting an environmentally acceptable methodology. The core of the suggested methodology was the simulation of groundwater using MODFLOW-NWT and the application of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) by using water from small dams after the generation of hydropower. Surface run-off and groundwater recharge values were obtained from the ArcSWAT simulation. The predicted future climatic data were obtained from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX), considering the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and the climate model REMO2009. Groundwater flow simulations from 2010 to 2020 determined the existing status of the aquifers. The simulation was extended to the year 2030 to forecast the groundwater regime. In all three sites, groundwater depletion occurred in 2020, while the phenomenon will be exacerbated in 2030, as depicted in the GIS maps. During 2020, the depletion zones extended 11%, 28%, and 23% of the aquifers in Mouriki, the Eastern Thermaikos Gulf, and the Marathonas basin, respectively. During 2030, the depletion zones will increase to 50%, 42%, and 44% of the aquifers in Mouriki, the Eastern Thermaikos Gulf, and the Marathonas basin, respectively. The simulation was extended to 2040 by applying MAR with the water from the existing dams as well as from additional dams. In all sites, the application of MAR contributed to the reversal of groundwater depletion, with a significant amount of hydropower generated. Until 2040, the application of MAR will reduce the depletion zones to 0.5%, 9%, and 12% of the aquifers in Mouriki, the Eastern Thermaikos Gulf, and the Marathonas basin, respectively. Apart from over-pumping, climatic factors such as long periods of drought have exacerbated groundwater depletion. The transformation of dams to mini-scale hydropower facilities combined with MAR will benefit clean energy production, save CO2 emissions, and lead to an economically feasible strategy against groundwater depletion.

Optimising groundwater recharge to counteract seawater intrusion through an inverse modelling approach and identifying efficient recharge structure locations

In semi-arid coastal urban regions, groundwater faces challenges from seawater intrusion due to reduced recharge and increased extraction. This study employs advanced numerical modeling to comprehensively assess seawater intrusion along the South Chennai coast from 2018 to 2022. The inverse modelling approach utilizes observed data, such as groundwater heads or concentrations, to estimate aquifer properties, like hydraulic conductivity, by minimizing the disparity between model predictions and actual measurements to identify the best-fit parameter values. This inverse method forecasts the necessary recharge rate to address seawater intrusion by increasing groundwater head and decreasing chloride concentrations. The estimation of recharge incorporates variables such as rainfall, soil infiltration capacity, land use, and the vital groundwater draft calculated based on per capita consumption and population. The study uses FEFLOW software to develop a robust conceptual model, simulating groundwater flow and chloride transport. The inverse modeling approach resulted in critical recharge adjustments, enhancing rates by 40%–60% in specific regions. The predictive scenarios, integrating proposed recharge structures, show promising results, notably with a 50% reduction in chloride concentration during the post-monsoon season compared to the pre-monsoon period in wells 8 and 3. A notable decrease in chloride concentration of over 90% was observed during May 2025 in well no: 15 due to its proximity to the Adayar River. These fluctuations are influenced by seasonal variations resulting from climatic changes in South India, with intense rainfall accompanying northeast monsoon winds playing a significant role. Increased recharge rates and strategically placed structures along the Buckingham Canal provide significant relief in the most impacted northern coastal area, acting as effective barriers. These interventions successfully reduce chloride concentration, providing a sustainable and effective solution to mitigate the persistent challenge of seawater intrusion.

Complex unstructured-grid groundwater modeling using centroidal Voronoi tessellation refinement and curve fitting

An unstructured grid is a powerful data structure for a proper depiction of various geological features such as faults and pinch-outs and for groundwater simulation in a complex aquifer system. This study presents a mesh generation methodology based on 2.5D centroidal Voronoi tessellations (CVTs), which provides a great flexibility in specifying grid connections in 3D, matching irregular geometries, and adding high levels of refinement in areas of interest. Lloyd relaxation approximation is introduced to effectively guarantee the generation of centroidal Voronoi grids. A curve-fitting Voronoi gridding approach is developed to construct Voronoi cell edges conforming to intricated geological traces in the horizontal 2D projection with unstructured vertical discretization. A controlled refinement in spatial grid resolution has been demonstrated to prevent adverse impacts on groundwater flow simulations. The methodology is applied to the Southern Hills aquifer system in the Capital Area of Louisiana, USA. Significant groundwater depletion has occurred due to continuous and excessive withdrawals over decades for public supplies and industries. The Baton Rouge fault and the Denham-Springs Scotlandville fault are leaky barriers and have a significant influence on groundwater flow. A curve-fitting centroidal Voronoi grid is developed to simulate the effects of the two faults as leaky barriers. CVT-based high-fidelity unstructured multi-model groundwater modeling is conducted using MODFLOW 6 to allow more flexibility in model design. Complex groundwater flow in the Southern Hills aquifer system was revealed through the centroidal Voronoi unstructured grid.

Hydrogeological assessment and contaminant transport modelling of Enyimba landfill site in Aba, Nigeria

ABSTRACT Commercial and industrial growth in cities generates hazardous waste, often disposed of in open dump sites, contaminating groundwater. Understanding pollutant movement and numerical models are crucial for effective water resource management. This study assessed hydrogeological dynamics and pollutant transfer in the Enyimba landfill site, Nigeria, using field surveys and contaminant modelling to understand groundwater quality and arsenic contamination spread. The research technique included field and laboratory experiments, as well as water sampling during both dry and wet seasons, to evaluate groundwater quality. The geochemical examination of groundwater samples revealed the amounts of several metals using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The study used contaminant transport modelling with Visual MODFLOW Flex 6.1 and MT3DMS software to simulate groundwater flow and solute transport within the aquifer layers. Predictive simulations over a 20-year timeframe demonstrated the progressive spread of arsenic pollution from the landfill, resulting in an ellipsoid-shaped plume stretching from its source. Arsenic levels have gradually increased, posing a serious threat to groundwater quality and human health. The research highlights the need for remedial measures to reduce groundwater pollution, including waste recovery and recycling facilities and geo-membrane use. It emphasizes proactive actions to protect groundwater supplies and promote environmental sustainability in the Enyimba landfill site.

Groundwater flow simulation for artificial recharge: a GIS, remote sensing, and MODFLOW integration

ABSTRACT Groundwater (GW) emerges as a sustainable resource to meet water demand, yet current GW reservoirs fall short of projected population needs. Artificial GW recharge, bolstered by Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) technologies, stands out as a pivotal solution. Examining Aurangabad district in Maharashtra, India the study uncovers distinct challenges: Aurangabad faces escalating water demand due to population growth, leading to GW over exploitation. Leveraging hydrogeological parameters, rainfall analysis, and GW availability, the study proposes tailored GW recharge techniques. Utilizing MODFLOW simulation, the study explores diverse recharge rates and existing GW availability, showcasing promising results. Integration of stream augmentation, bladder pillow tank methods, and dug well recharge is examined via GIS and RS techniques. Simulation outcomes project significant GW level increases (11.55–23.70 m) with varying recharge rates, effectively meeting region-specific water demand projections. The findings underscore the imperative of sustainable water management practices and technological advancements in addressing water scarcity crises.

Groundwater flow modelling in Neoproterozoic carbonate karst based on dye tracer pathways

The current study consisted of the development of a hydrogeological numerical model in the Lagoa Santa Karst Environmental Protection region, in order to represent the conduit-flow karst springs in the most well-studied karst system in Brazil. Once carbonate aquifers are characterized by a complex 3D pattern with a combination of a double porosity of matrix and conduits, two different modelling approaches were used: Equivalent Porous Medium (EPM), based on Darcy’s law, to represent laminar flow in the fractured massif and Conduit Network (CN), using Manning-Stricker Law and the discrete feature tool, to represent the karst conduits with turbulent flow. Modeling was calibrated in a steady-state and simulations of groundwater flow and an evaluation of water exchanges between the karstic aquifer and the other hydrogeological units, were conducted. The model was developed based on data available for many studies carried out in the area, including tracer-derived route data. The calibration results for spring discharges, water levels and mass balance were satisfactory and aligned with modeling good practices. In turn, the hydraulic conductivities and recharge rates obtained by back-analysis were in agreement with literature references. The regional groundwater flow was well represented and indicated how external water entrances can be relevant to explain the higher discharge rates observed in some karstic springs. In addition, the representation of conduits allowed for the simulation of tracer pathways, enabling the inference of potential flow rates to the karstic springs from the particle simulations.

Formulation of Generalized Hillslope Leakage-Dependent Model for Groundwater Flow in N-Aquifer System within a Sedimentary Basin

In this study, the recently derived Hillslope Leakage-dependent (HL-D) models for groundwater flow in leaky three-aquifer system have been generalized to obtain Generalized Hillslope Leakage-dependent, GHL-D equation that model groundwater flow in leaky n-aquifer system. This generalization extends the capability of Hillslope Leakage-dependent (HL-D) equations to modeling groundwater flow in any number of aquifers (n-aquifer system) of all configurations within a sedimentary basin. The formulated GHL-D Model was tested on some aquifer types and the results have shown that it can be used to obtain groundwater flow models for both hillslope (sloping) and horizontal single aquifer (unconfined and confined) as well as for multi-aquifer system containing any number of aquifers within a sedimentary basin. This unique feature of GHL-D equation to model most aquifers types and configurations makes it a more elegant groundwater flow modeling tool with potentials for wider applications than most of the existing groundwater flow models. The GHL-D Model, when use for simulations of groundwater flow in single or multi-aquifer system, will have the capability of giving better understanding of the groundwater flow dynamics in such systems. This is important because most of the sedimentary basins of the world are multi-aquifer in nature and accurate knowledge of groundwater flow within them is important to geoscientists in determining long time yield and water sustainability in such geological structures

Analysis of Chloride Contaminant Transport in Tailings Storage Facility Dam (Case Study: Gold Mine in Sumatra)

In the practice of gold mining industry, hazardous waste known as tailings is produced during the ore extraction process. These tailings are typically stored in a dam structure called a Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). The planning and construction of a TSF are critical considerations, as the failure of a TSF can have substantial environmental impacts, pose risks to human safety, and result in industrial losses. Therefore, strict control is necessary in the development of TSFs to minimize the potential negative consequences. This research focuses on the transport of contaminants within a TSF, specifically examining the concentration of chloride contaminants and conducting particle movement analysis. The study utilizes modeling through the GeoStudio SEEP/W program to simulate groundwater flow profiles and the GeoStudio CTRAN/W program to understand contaminant movement over a 100-year period. GeoStudio modeling employs 10 materials: impermeable clay soil, filter sandy soil, transition gravel rock, three mine waste types (Fine, Rockfill, and Rockfill with fine), hard rock bedrock layer, in-situ soil representing the original layer, landslide with colluvial soil, and the tailings itself. Back analysis is employed to iterate model parameters and ensure modeling accuracy against field data, including comparisons with water quality test results and readings from vibrating wire piezometer (VWP) instrumentation. The contaminant transport is influenced by advection-dispersion processes and tends to concentrate within the TSF boundary toward the dam toe over a 100-year timeframe. The analysis emphasizes the influence of advection in contaminant transport and underscores the importance of particle position relative to the groundwater level, with Particle Tracking Analysis shows significant movement within the groundwater flow area. This research provides crucial insights into the dynamics of contaminant concentration, informing better decision-making in TSF planning and management. The findings underscore the imperative of strict control measures to minimize environmental impacts and human safety risks associated with TSFs, thereby advancing knowledge in gold mining waste management.