Steep Hydraulic Gradients Research Articles

Assessment of factors and mechanism contributing to groundwater depressurisation due to longwall mining

Assessment of mining impact on groundwater is one of critical considerations for longwall extension and sustainability, however usually constrained by limited data availability, hydrogeological variation, and the complex coupled hydro-mechanical behaviour. This paper aims to determine the factors and mechanism of groundwater depressurisation and identify knowledge gaps and methodological limitations for improving groundwater impact assessment. Analysis of dewatering cases in Australian, Chinese, and US coalfields demonstrates that piezometric drawdown can further lead to surface hydrology degradation, while the hydraulic responses vary with longwall parameters and geological conditions. Statistical interpretation of 422 height of fracturing datasets indicates that the groundwater impact positively correlates to panel geometry and depth of cover, and more pronounced in panel interaction and top coal caving cases. In situ stress, rock competency, clay mineral infillings, fault, valley topography, and surface–subsurface water interaction are geological and hydrogeological factors influencing groundwater hydraulics and long-term recovery. The dewatering mechanism involves permeability enhancement and extensive flow through fracture networks, where interconnected fractures provide steep hydraulic gradients and smooth flow pathways draining the overlying water to goaf of lower heads. Future research should improve fracture network identification and interconnectivity quantification, accompanied by description of fluid flow dynamics in the high fracture frequency and large fracture aperture context. The paper recommends a research framework to address the knowledge gaps with continuous data collection and field-scale numerical modelling as key technical support. The paper consolidates the understanding of longwall mining impacting mine hydrology and provides viewpoints that facilitate an improved assessment of groundwater depressurisation.

Origin of Fracture-Controlled Conduits in Calcite-Rich Highly Productive Aquifers Impregnated with Diagenetic Silica

The origin of highly permeable flow paths in carbonate-siliciclastic rocks, such as large-aperture fractures in aquifers in the Eastern Bohemian Cretaceous Basin (EBCB), is poorly understood. The karst potential was assessed from the rock carbonate content and the degree of disintegration after leaching in HCl. Surprisingly, dissolution of calcite in EBCB usually did not lead to rock disintegration until calcite > 78%. Instead, porosity increased significantly. High-porosity rock is held together by microns-thick secondary silica cement with a foam-like structure and considerable tensile strength. Three types of conduits occur in the EBCB: (i) bedding-parallel conduits associated with calcite-rich layers, (ii) subvertical fracture swarm conduits that develop on damaged zones of fracture swarms, and (iii) conduits formed by dissolution of calcite veins by groundwater flow. These are ghost-rock karst features where calcite is leached from the rock in the first phase and the residue is washed out by conduits under steep hydraulic gradients in the second phase. Very similar features have been described in Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA. Research has shown that fractures with sharp-edged walls that give the impression of an extensional tectonics origin may actually be ghost-rock karst features in which dissolution and piping have played an important role in their enlargement.

Simulation of Unconfined Aquifer Flow Based on Parallel Adaptive Mesh Refinement

AbstractThe density of a numerical mesh is a key component for the quality of the numerical solution. Common methods in groundwater simulations rely on meshes generated prior to simulation, which lead to unnecessary or insufficient degrees of freedom (dofs). In this study we use Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) to substitute the subjective mesh generation process with a more rigorous approach where new dofs are iteratively added to the solution of an initial coarse mesh based on a solution error estimation. The simulation is solved on a succession of meshes through which the mesh density is increased in areas of steep gradients in the solution variable. Here, we apply the approach to unconfined aquifer flow which is a non‐linear problem commonly encountered in groundwater modeling. By taking advantage of the iterative nature of AMR we arrive at an efficient solver approach. We treat the position of the unconfined boundary as an additional unknown which is estimated iteratively. The first iterations are executed rapidly as the mesh is rather coarse, while the free boundary adapts to the computed water table position as close as the mesh density allows. In this study we demonstrate the viability of the proposed unconfined aquifer simulation method to a series of 2D hypothetical examples under several conditions and stresses as well as a 3D test case. In all cases the AMR was able to automatically resolve the solution in areas with steep hydraulic head gradient, using appropriately higher density to achieve high localized refinement and accuracy.

Groundwater mounding: A diagnostic feature for mapping aquifer connectivity in hyper-arid deserts

Shallow aquifer mapping and large-scale characterization of groundwater dynamics in the Saharan-Arabian Desert is largely impeded by the limited hydrological datasets from sparse and unevenly distributed well logs. Today, as these aquifers are depleting at alarming rates in response to climatic and anthropogenic stresses, accurate knowledge of their dynamical characteristics is not only essential for understanding the water deficit in these increasingly populated areas but also to understand the regional and global environmental impacts of such changes. Herein, we suggest that groundwater mounding can be used for assessing aquifer connectivity in hyper-arid deserts. Using the shallow Post Nubian Aquifer System (PNAS) in Egypt as a test site, we integrate remote sensing, isotopic, hydrochemical and geoelectrical methods to characterize the Saharan groundwater mounds, examine the structural control on groundwater dynamics and discuss the potential of future satellite missions to characterize aquifer connectivity. The results suggest that groundwater mounding in the PNAS is attributed to artesian discharge of the deep Nubian Aquifer System (NAS) along the intersection of WNW and E-W major faults. This is evident by the dominant isotopic signature (δ18O: −9.93‰; δ2H: −79.05) of the deep NAS in the shallow PNAS with a percentage of up to 85% in the faulted zone. The 2D-Electrical Restively Imaging (ERI) delineate multiple small-scale mounds, atop of faults, that can attain 37 m height above average water table creating a relatively steep hydraulic gradient and deviating the groundwater flow direction. Future orbital radar sounding missions can benefit from characterizing the geometry of these mounds to define the measurement requirements of such hydrological features. The large-scale time-coherent subsurface mapping of the Saharan-Arabian aquifers can provide unique insights to examine the aquifer connectivity and the response of aquifers to climatic and anthropogenic stresses in desert areas that otherwise cannot be addressed using existing sporadic well-logs.

Editorial: Green or red: Challenges for fish and freshwater biodiversity conservation related to hydropower

Editorial: Green or red: Challenges for fish and freshwater biodiversity conservation related to hydropower

Refined GIS Mapping to Reinvestigate Groundwater Mining Potential Surrounding the Manmade Reservoirs and Tributaries in the Deduru Oya Basin, Sri Lanka

A hydrogeologic study was carried out to understand the influence of Man-Made Reservoirs (MMR),tributaries and fracture intensity on well yields within the Deduru Oya Basin (DOB), Sri Lanka. A number of cascadedMMRs interconnected by tributaries are distributed throughout the basin. Fracture traces, lineaments and reservoirboundaries were initially demarcated using aerial photographs, however, subsequently re-plotted them on to a GoogleEarth map with corrections to rectify the distortion. The GPS based well locations were regenerated and plotted toobtain accurate dimensions. ArcGIS was used to redraw the buffer zones from 0-200, 200-400 and 400-600 m awayfrom the MMRs and tributaries. After eliminating dry wells, box plots were prepared where lower and upper quartilesindicate yield variations from 18-470; 15.8-165 and 12.8–55 liters/minute respectively. It clearly exhibits decreasingyields with respect to distance away from the MMR. However, wells drilled within the alluvial plains of tributariesafter filtering those controlled by the MMRs and eliminating dry wells indicate different yield variations, viz: 7-36.8;12.8-67.5 and 6.5-142.5 liters/minute. The results assigned higher yields to the wells located away from the tributarieswith steep hydraulic gradients whereas lower yields to the wells closer to the tributaries with gentle hydraulic gradients.Moreover, wells drilled at fracture interconnections indicate a potential for high yields compared with those drilledalong with a single fracture. The study concludes that the potential for groundwater mining can be enhanced byidentifying high recharging areas such as MMRs, zones of steeper hydraulic gradients and high fractureinterconnectivity.

Refined GIS Mapping to Reinvestigate Groundwater Mining Potential Surrounding the Manmade Reservoirs and Tributaries in the Deduru Oya Basin, Sri Lanka

A hydrogeologic study was carried out to understand the influence of Man-Made Reservoirs (MMR),tributaries and fracture intensity on well yields within the Deduru Oya Basin (DOB), Sri Lanka. A number of cascadedMMRs interconnected by tributaries are distributed throughout the basin. Fracture traces, lineaments and reservoirboundaries were initially demarcated using aerial photographs, however, subsequently re-plotted them on to a GoogleEarth map with corrections to rectify the distortion. The GPS based well locations were regenerated and plotted toobtain accurate dimensions. ArcGIS was used to redraw the buffer zones from 0-200, 200-400 and 400-600 m awayfrom the MMRs and tributaries. After eliminating dry wells, box plots were prepared where lower and upper quartilesindicate yield variations from 18-470; 15.8-165 and 12.8–55 liters/minute respectively. It clearly exhibits decreasingyields with respect to distance away from the MMR. However, wells drilled within the alluvial plains of tributariesafter filtering those controlled by the MMRs and eliminating dry wells indicate different yield variations, viz: 7-36.8;12.8-67.5 and 6.5-142.5 liters/minute. The results assigned higher yields to the wells located away from the tributarieswith steep hydraulic gradients whereas lower yields to the wells closer to the tributaries with gentle hydraulic gradients.Moreover, wells drilled at fracture interconnections indicate a potential for high yields compared with those drilledalong with a single fracture. The study concludes that the potential for groundwater mining can be enhanced byidentifying high recharging areas such as MMRs, zones of steeper hydraulic gradients and high fractureinterconnectivity.

Improvement of water table interpolation and groundwater storage volume using fuzzy computations.

The water table is an important piece of data for hydrogeological studies, particularly as input data to groundwater simulation models. Since the accuracy of groundwater simulation models significantly depends on input data, this study highlights the application of fuzzy kriging to improve the accuracy of water table interpolation. The results of the fuzzy kriging approach are compared with common methods in water table interpolation like ordinary kriging, inverse distance weighting (IDW), and Thiessen polygon methods to justify the suitability of the fuzzy kriging. The Gilan and Zanjan plains, located in the northwest of Iran, are used as case study areas. The Gilan Plain is characterized by a dense and regular piezometric network and gentle hydraulic gradient. The longitudinal plain of Zanjan has a sparse and irregular piezometric network and steep hydraulic gradient. Since these plains have different piezometric network configurations, the sensitivity of the interpolation methods to the monitoring point configuration is analyzed. The cross-validation method is employed to validate the accuracy of interpolation methods in water table interpolation. In control points, the average of root-mean-square errors associated with groundwater water table values estimated using fuzzy kriging, ordinary kriging, IDW, and Thiessen polygon methods are obtained to be respectively 1.36, 1.93, 3.49, and 9.10 in the Gilan Plain and 13.60, 22.86, 32.30, and 59.81 in the Zanjan Plain. The results indicate that the fuzzy kriging technique has greater precision in comparison with other methods, especially under the conditions of the sparse piezometric network and steep hydraulic gradient. The results also demonstrate that the used methods generally have higher accuracy in the Gilan Plain with a regular piezometric network than in the Zanjan Plain. Furthermore, Thiessen polygon, IDW, and ordinary kriging methods overestimated water table in comparison with the fuzzy kriging method in our cases. This overestimation may cause large error values in subsequent calculations such as water budget and aquifer storage which play a major role in the appropriate management of water resources.

Hydrogeological constraints on the formation of Palaeoproterozoic banded iron formations

Banded iron formations are critical to track changes in Archaean to Palaeoproterozoic ocean chemistry, with deposition triggered by water column iron oxidation. Recently, however, it was suggested that reduced iron minerals were the primary precipitates, and these were subsequently oxidized by oxygen-bearing groundwater. If true, this would cast doubt on our understanding of how banded iron formations were deposited and their ability to record early ocean chemistry. Here we present a hydrogeological box model, based on the approximately 2.5 billion year old Hamersley Basin of Western Australia, developed to evaluate the plausibility of secondary iron oxidation. The box model calculates the time required for groundwater to flux enough oxygen through the basin to oxidize a given amount of ferrous iron. Less than 9% of nearly four million model iterations returned oxidation times less than the age of the basin. Successful simulations required simultaneously steep hydraulic gradients, high permeability and elevated oxygen concentrations. Our simulations show that the postdepositional oxidation of large banded iron formations is unlikely, except on a limited scale (that is, during secondary ore formation), and that oxidized iron phases were probably the precursor to large Palaeoproterozoic banded iron formations. Banded iron formations could not have formed by postdepositional oxidation, according to four million hydrogeological box model iterations that failed to reproduce secondary oxidation on reasonable timescales.

Seismic Tremor Reveals Spatial Organization and Temporal Changes of Subglacial Water System

AbstractSubglacial water flow impacts glacier dynamics and shapes the subglacial environment. However, due to the challenges of observing glacier beds, the spatial organization of subglacial water systems and the time scales of conduit evolution and migration are largely unknown. To address these questions, we analyze 1.5‐ to 10‐Hz seismic tremor that we associate with subglacial water flow, hat is, glaciohydraulic tremor, at Taku Glacier, Alaska, throughout the 2016 melt season. We use frequency‐dependent polarization analysis to estimate glaciohydraulic tremor propagation direction (related to the subglacial conduit location) and a degree day melt model to monitor variations in melt‐water input. We suggest that conduit formation requires sustained water input and that multiconduit flow paths can be distinguished from single‐conduit flow paths. Theoretical analysis supports our seismic interpretations that subglacial discharge likely flows through a single‐conduit in regions of steep hydraulic potential gradients but may be distributed among multiple conduits in regions with shallower potential gradients. Seismic tremor in regions with multiple conduits evolves through abrupt jumps between stable configurations that last 3–7 days, while tremor produced by single‐conduit flow remains more stationary. We also find that polarized glaciohydraulic tremor wave types are potentially linked to the distance from source to station and that multiple peak frequencies propagate from a similar direction. Tremor appears undetectable at distances beyond 2–6 km from the source. This new understanding of the spatial organization and temporal development of subglacial conduits informs our understanding of dynamism within the subglacial hydrologic system.

Impact of sea level rise and tidal effects on flux-controlled and partially isolated shallow aquifer on the southeast coast of India.

A rise in sea level is the most important threat to the coastal aquifers in which the intensity of threat alsodepends on the local hydrogeological settings. The present study seeks to identify the impacts of sea level rise and tidal effects on the shallow and complex aquifer located south of Chennai, India. The aquifer geometry is isolated dune surfaces due to the presence of enclosing saline surface water. The freshwater is available as an elongated lens, and replenishment occurs by rainfall, with limited regional influx. Numerical simulation was carried out to understand the response of groundwater table to sea level rise until the year 2100. Initially, the tidal effects were investigated for the duration of 3years. A sinusoidal fluctuation of groundwater table is noticed only in the northern part and the tidal impact seems infinitesimal because of steep hydraulic gradient in the south. Simulation of groundwater table without considering sea level rise predicts a decline in the elevation of groundwater table/freshwater lens by - 0.35m in the dune surfaces. The simulation with reported sea level rise of 2mmyear-1 with the same rate of groundwater pumping results in a total increase of 0.5m in groundwater table. The study infers that the tidal effects are high in the shallow groundwater gradient, and sea level rise will be beneficial to the isolated coastal freshwater aquifers by increasing the elevation of groundwater table/freshwater lens and further deepening the interface between seawater and freshwater.

Riparian Vadose Zone Preferential Flow: Review of Concepts, Limitations, and Perspectives

Core Ideas Riparian ecosystems are hotspots for macropore flow due to their biogeomorphology. Macropore prevalence can reduce riparian buffer pollution mitigation effectiveness. Characterization of macropore morphology and connectivity is needed in riparian zones. An effect of seasonal shallow water table on macropore flow is proposed. Integration of infiltration–soil moisture–macropore flow model into design tools is needed. The design and analysis of surface water pollution control practices such as vegetative filter strips and riparian buffers typically focus on surface runoff, with limited attention given to subsurface flow and transport. Field evidence suggests a prevalence of macropore flow (MF) in the riparian vadose zone (RVZ) due to abundant biological activity (e.g., fauna and roots) and steep hydraulic gradients created by the adjacent stream and the presence of a seasonally shallow water table (SWT). Because rapid leaching and subsurface transport of contaminants can be significant with MF, their prevalence in riparian buffers can negate the intended benefits of this widely adopted surface runoff pollution control practice. While theories exist for modeling preferential flow processes, experimental and modeling techniques are still lacking to characterize in situ RVZ macropore network morphologies at the soil profile and landscape scales. Importantly, the presence of a seasonal SWT can increase MF and transport processes neglected in current analyses. Additional research is needed to evaluate holistic modeling frameworks that can represent MF from measurable parameters at the riparian field scale. In this work, we review various MF theories and concepts suitable to RVZ conditions and identify current limitations and knowledge gaps. We emphasize the use of dual‐permeability approaches as a compromise between model complexity and parameter identifiability. We also identify the need for well‐controlled experimental studies using the latest monitoring technology and validation studies at the laboratory and field scales. Only then can decision‐support tools realistically predict the influence of preferential flow processes on the performance of riparian buffers as a surface water quality control practice.

The relative contribution of near-bed vs. intragravel horizontal transport to fine sediment accumulation processes in river gravel beds

Understanding flow-sediment interactions is important for comprehending river functioning. Fine sediment accumulation processes, in particular, have key implications for ecosystem health. However, the amount of fines generated by intragravel flows and later accumulated in gravel streambeds may have been underestimated, as the hydraulic-related driving transport mechanisms in play are not clearly identified. Specifically, the relative contribution of fines from upper vs. lower sediment layers in gravel beds is not well understood. By recreating flooded and dewatered conditions in an experimental flume filled with natural sediment, we estimated such contributions by observing and collecting intragravel transported fines that were later accumulated into a void in the middle of the sediment matrix. Near-bed transport in the upper sediment layers (named Brinkman load) during flooded conditions accounted for most (90%) of the accumulated fines. Intragravel transport in the lower sediment layers (named Interstitial load) was the sole source of transport and accumulation during dewatered conditions with steeper hydraulic gradients. Interstitial load accounted for 10% of the total transport during flooded conditions. Although small, such estimations demonstrate that hydraulic-gradient transport in the lower sediment layers occurs in spite of the contradicting analytical assessments. We provide a case study to challenge the traditional approaches of assessing intragravel transport, and a useful framework to understand the origin and relative contribution of fine sediment accumulation in gravel beds. Such knowledge will be highly useful for the design of monitoring programs aiding river management, particularly in regulated rivers.

Using stable isotopes to delineate the relations between sub-aquifer systems in the eastern slope of Bethlehem-Hebron to the Dead Sea/Palestine

This study used stable isotopes 18O, 2H, and 3H in addition to hydro chemical and hydraulic data to explain the relations between different sub-aquifer systems in the Bethlehem-Hebron area. This area is suffering from high water shortage. The results indicate different recharge processes which occur within the upper and lower Aquifer systems of the mountain aquifer, and the structural features play an important role in this process. The isotopes emphasize the previous finding about the role of the structure, mainly, the extensive-folded anticlinorium that forces groundwater to flow through synclinal axes up- and downward, with different recharge mechanisms. While the lower aquifer received limited direct recharge from the exposed Bet Kahil formation in the upper part of the mountain, some of the upper aquifer groundwater seeping down through structural axes and faults fed the lower aquifer with additional amount of water. This process is attributed to the lowering of hydraulic head that varied seasonally. On the other hand, the direct recharge for the upper aquifer can be enough unless a huge amount of water from the upper aquifer seeping down due to steep hydraulic gradient to the Dead Sea springs. This process is apparently responsible for the quick drawdown of the groundwater level besides depletion of some wells drilled recently during the last decade in the upper aquifer. Delineating the relations between different aquifer systems within the study area can give further explanation and help the stakeholders to manage the water shortage problem, taking into account the main finding about aquifer relations in the future plans.

Emulation of recharge and evapotranspiration processes in shallow groundwater systems

In shallow groundwater systems, recharge and evapotranspiration are highly sensitive to changes in the depth to water table. To effectively model these fluxes, complex functions that include soil and vegetation properties are often required. Model emulation (surrogate modelling or meta-modelling) can provide a means of incorporating detailed conceptualisation of recharge and evapotranspiration processes, while maintaining the numerical tractability and computational performance required for regional scale groundwater models and uncertainty analysis. A method for emulating recharge and evapotranspiration processes in groundwater flow models was developed, and applied to the South East region of South Australia and western Victoria, which is characterised by shallow groundwater, wetlands and coastal lakes. The soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer (SVAT) model WAVES was used to generate relationships between net recharge (diffuse recharge minus evapotranspiration from groundwater) and depth to water table for different combinations of climate, soil and land cover types. These relationships, which mimicked previously described soil, vegetation and groundwater behaviour, were combined into a net recharge lookup table. The segmented evapotranspiration package in MODFLOW was adapted to select values of net recharge from the lookup table depending on groundwater depth, and the climate, soil and land use characteristics of each cell. The model was found to be numerically robust in steady state testing, had no major increase in run time, and would be more efficient than tightly-coupled modelling approaches. It made reasonable predictions of net recharge and groundwater head compared with remotely sensed estimates of net recharge and a standard MODFLOW comparison model. In particular, the method was better able to predict net recharge and groundwater head in areas with steep hydraulic gradients.

The effectiveness of cutoff walls to control saltwater intrusion in multi-layered coastal aquifers: Experimental and numerical study

The objective of this study was to examine the performance of cutoff walls in controlling saltwater intrusion in stratified heterogeneous coastal aquifers. Numerical and laboratory experiments were completed in laboratory-scale aquifer where the effectiveness of cutoff walls was assessed in three different configurations, including a homogeneous scenario, a stratified aquifer with high K–low K–high K pattern (case HLH) and another stratified aquifer with low K–high K–low K pattern (case LHL). The results show that the cutoff wall was effective in reducing the saltwater wedge in all the investigated cases of layered-aquifers with toe length reduction of up to 43%. The wall exhibited more wedge reduction in shallower than steeper hydraulic gradients. However, the soil stratification appeared to lessen the overall performance of the wall compared to the homogeneous case. The aquifer stratification disrupted the flow dynamics, and thus affected the freshwater velocity at the wall opening to various degrees, depending on the layering pattern. The presence of an interlayer of low k (case HLH) inhibited the downward movement of the freshwater towards the wall opening, and thus decreasing the repulsion ability of the wall. Moreover, the presence of an underlying low permeability layer (case LHL) was found to obstruct the freshwater flow in the lower part of the aquifer, thereby slowing down the velocity through the wall opening. Numerical analysis of other layering patterns of monotonically increasing/decreasing permeability from top to bottom showed that the cutoff wall remained effective in repulsing the seawater wedge.

Research on the deformation of a confined aquifer based on Cosserat continuum mechanics

Abstract. Recent monitoring of land subsidence and soil deformation indicates a new phenomenon where excessive and continuous deformation occurs in the sandy aquifers in Shanghai and the Su-Xi-Chang region of China. It is hard to explain factors contributing to this phenomenon with traditional Cauchy continuum mechanics in which low normal stress in the ground could not cause such large deformation. Steep hydraulic gradient would be formed in the aquifer if groundwater is pumped from densely distributed wells, and shear stresses would develop then. Accumulated shear stress could then lead to deformation of the aquifer or even land subsidence. Accumulated shear stress due to the drawdown of groundwater level is one of the main factors that contribute to deformation within an aquifer. Traditional Cauchy continuum mechanics cannot consider this shear stress because of the hypothesis of equal shear stress in the aquifer unit. Cosserat continuum mechanics can be applied to analyse the mechanism of aquifer deformation controlled by accumulated shear stress by considering the scale effect and the asymmetric distribution of shear stress in the aquifer unit.

Embayment scale assessment of submarine groundwater discharge nutrient loading and associated land use

A shoreline survey of porewater nutrient concentrations and 222Rn surface water activities was performed in Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, an embayment of Long Island Sound. Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) was calculated for individual shoreline segments; shallow porewater nutrient concentrations were applied to calculated groundwater flux values in order to spatially depict the nutrient flux to overlying harbor water. Nitrate was the dominant form of inorganic nitrogen as porewater concentrations of ammonium were negligible. Land use analysis showed that nitrate to phosphate ratios (N:P) in SGD were positively correlated with medium to high development of inland aquifer watersheds. A multivariate regression model was developed which describes 79% of the variability in shoreline nitrate discharge. Three modes of nutrient transport were observed; 1) High SGD rates coupled with nutrient rich groundwater derived from high density development, 2) moderate SGD rates coupled with low nutrient groundwater from low density development/forested watersheds and 3) negligible SGD rates associated with recirculated seawater adjacent to low density development areas. Transport mode 1 dominated total SGD nitrate inputs primarily due to steep hydraulic gradient, a characteristic of tunnel valleys in glacial deposits, which highlights the critical role hydrogeology plays in groundwater nitrogen loading to surface water. Total nitrate inputs to the harbor from shoreline SGD alone are 980 mol d−1, similar to average daily sewage treatment plant nitrogen inputs of 870 mol d−1. The techniques used in this study represent an effective methodology for calculating SGD derived nutrient loads where a surface water nutrient source is present.

Drivers of pCO2 variability in two contrasting coral reef lagoons: The influence of submarine groundwater discharge

AbstractThe impact of groundwater on pCO2 variability was assessed in two coral reef lagoons with distinct drivers of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Diel variability of pCO2 in the two ecosystems was explained by a combination of biological drivers and SGD inputs. In Rarotonga, a South Pacific volcanic island, 222Rn‐derived SGD was driven primarily by a steep terrestrial hydraulic gradient, and the water column was influenced by the high pCO2 (5501 µatm) of the fresh groundwater. In Heron Island, a Great Barrier Reef coral cay, SGD was dominated by seawater recirculation through the sediments (i.e., tidal pumping), and pCO2 was mainly impacted through the stimulation of biological processes. The Rarotonga water column had a higher average pCO2 (549 µatm) than Heron Island (471 µatm). However, pCO2 exhibited a greater diel range in Heron Island (778 µatm) than in Rarotonga (507 µatm). The Rarotonga water column received 29.0 ± 8.2 mmol free‐CO2 m−2 d−1 from SGD, while the Heron Island water column received 12.1 ± 4.2 mmol free‐CO2 m−2 d−1. Over the course of this study, both systems were sources of CO2 to the atmosphere with SGD‐derived free‐CO2 most likely contributing a large portion to the air‐sea CO2 flux. Studies measuring the carbon chemistry of coral reefs (e.g., metabolism and calcification rates) may need to consider the effects of groundwater inputs on water column carbonate chemistry. Local drivers of coral reef carbonate chemistry such as SGD may offer more approachable management solutions to mitigating the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs.

Comparing MODFLOW simulation options for predicting intra‐meander flux

AbstractDuring the evolution of meander bends, the intra‐meander groundwater head gradients steepen and generate zones of accelerated water and nutrient intra‐meander fluxes important for ecosystem processes. This paper compares and contrasts three MODFLOW groundwater model packages based on their simulation of intra‐meander flux for two stages of meander evolution observed in a sandbox river table and one level of river bed clogging, where the hydraulic conductivity in the river bed is lower than in the adjacent aquifer. These packages are the Time‐Variant Specified Head package [constant head (CHD)], River package (RIV), and Streamflow‐Routing package (SFR2), each controlling the groundwater or river head bounding the intra‐meander region. The RIV and SFR2 packages fix river stage and allow for variation in groundwater head below the river, which is suggested for simulating intra‐meander flux for all sinuosities with and without river bed clogging whenever river bed parameters are available. The CHD package fixes below river groundwater head and fails to simulate intra‐meander head loss and flux in meanders with high sinuosity or river bed clogging. In low sinuosity meanders and in cases without river bed clogging, there were no significant differences between MODFLOW packages for simulating river intra‐meander head loss and flux. This research demonstrates why MODFLOW users need to consider the limitations of each package when simulating intra‐meander flux in reaches with river bed clogging, high sinuosity, or similarly steep hydraulic gradients. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.