Deciphering potential groundwater zone in hard rock through the application of GIS

Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System has become one of the leading tools in the field of hydrogeological science, which helps in assessing, monitoring and conserving groundwater resources. It allows manipulation and analysis of individual layer of spatial data. It is used for analysing and modelling the interrelationship between the layers. This paper mainly deals with the integrated approach of Remote Sensing and geographical information system (GIS) to delineate groundwater potential zones in hard rock terrain. The remotely sensed data at the scale of 1:50,000 and topographical information from available maps, have been used for the preparation of ground water prospective map by integrating geology, geomorphology, slope, drainage-density and lineaments map of the study area. Further, the data on yield of aquifer, as observed from existing bore wells in the area, has been used to validate the groundwater potential map. The final result depicts the favourable prospective zones in the study area and can be helpful in better planning and management of groundwater resources especially in hard rock terrains.     

Une approche innovante pour modéliser la biodégradation des composés organochlorés volatils en aquifères poreux

The goal of this study was to develop an innovative chloroethene biodegradation module based on biological, thermodynamical and mechanistic concepts. The biodegradation scheme was based on the postulate that in each part of an aquifer only one degradation mechanism is dominant: the one involving the most energetic electron acceptor. Thus, the selection of the active degradation mechanism was a function of the concentration of different electron acceptors. Modified Monod-type kinetics was used in order to take into account the possible influence of some compounds on the biodegradation of a given organic compound. The numerical model developed was applied to a simple test case, whose results are presented here. To cite this article: F. Nex et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Reactive transport impacts on recovered freshwater quality during multiple partially penetrating wells (MPPW-)ASR in a brackish heterogeneous aquifer

The use of multiple partially penetrating wells (MPPW) during aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) in brackish aquifers can significantly improve the recovery efficiency (RE) of unmixed injected water. The water quality changes by reactive transport processes in a field MPPW-ASR system and their impact on RE were analyzed. The oxic freshwater injected in the deepest of four wells was continuously enriched with sodium (Na⁺) and other dominant cations from the brackish groundwater due to cation exchange by repeating cycles of ‘freshening’. During recovery periods, the breakthrough of Na⁺ was retarded in the deeper and central parts of the aquifer by ‘salinization’. Cation exchange can therefore either increase or decrease the RE of MPPW-ASR compared to the RE based on conservative Cl⁻, depending on the maximum limits set for Na⁺, the aquifer’s cation exchange capacity, and the native groundwater and injected water composition. Dissolution of Fe and Mn-containing carbonates was stimulated by acidifying oxidation reactions, involving adsorbed Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺ and pyrite in the pyrite-rich deeper aquifer sections. Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺ remained mobile in anoxic water upon approaching the recovery proximal zone, where Fe²⁺ precipitated via MnO₂ reduction, resulting in a dominating Mn²⁺ contamination. Recovery of Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ was counteracted by frequent injections of oxygen-rich water via the recovering well to form Fe and Mn-precipitates and increase sorption. The MPPW-ASR strategy exposes a much larger part of the injected water to the deeper geochemical units first, which may therefore control the mobilization of undesired elements during MPPW-ASR, rather than the average geochemical composition of the target aquifer.     

Simulation of groundwater level recovery in abandoned mines,Fengfeng coalfield,China

Abandoned mines are of high potential risk as they could be a large underground storage of pollutants(heavy metals and organic wastes, etc.). Various physical, chemical and biological reactions would take place when groundwater flows into underground spaces, which makes abandoned mine a huge potential hazard to groundwater environment. The recovery of groundwater level is one of the key elements controlling the reactions and causing such hazards. This paper simulated groundwater level recovery processes in the abandoned mines, Fengfeng coalfield by using the computer program FEFLOW. The paper integrated the pipe flow model, "three zones" model and groundwater inrush(discharge) model in the simulation of groundwater in the complex laneway-aquifer system. Groundwater flow in the laneway systems was considered pipe flow and described in Bernoulli equation. The water-bearing medium(coal seam roof) overlying the laneway systems was divided into "three zones" composed of the caving zone, fissure zone and bending zone based on the disruption degrees of previous mining. Groundwater in the Ordovician limestone aquifer(bottom of coal seam) flowing into laneway systems was considered a major inrush/recharge source, and its flow rate was calculated by an inrush(discharge) model which was newly developed in this study and incorporated into FEFLOW. The results showed that it would take approximately 95 days for groundwater in abandoned mines to recover to regional groundwater level elevation, and the total amount of water filling up would be about 1.41195×10~7 m~3, which is consistent with the actual data. The study could be of theoretical and practical significance to mitigate abandoned mines' hazards and improve mine groundwater utilization.     

基于Neuman井流理论确定玄武岩潜水含水层渗透系数的应用——以吉林靖宇煤矿为例

全面分析研究区玄武岩潜水含水层水文地质条件的基础上,对稳定流和非稳定理论确定潜水含水层渗透系数的优缺点进行了对比,认为非稳定井流公式确定玄武岩潜水含水层渗透系数是合理的。Aquifer Test软件基于Neuman井流理论配线法求参原理,运用计算机完成了自动求参,避免了人工配线的不足。该文根据吉林靖宇煤矿研究区玄武岩潜水含水层非稳定流抽水试验,分别用Aquifer Test软件和稳定井流公式进行了求参,并对比分析得出:玄武岩含水层弹性释水作用影响时间较长,利用Neuman潜水井流公式求参可靠,且更逼近现实;用Aquifer Test软件实现了自动求参,具有操作简单规范、可比性好的优点。     

Prediction criteria for groundwater potential zones in Kemuning District,Indonesia using the integration of geoelectrical and physical parameters

The presence of groundwater is strongly related to its geological and geohydrological conditions.It is,however,important to study the groundwater potential in an area before it is utilized to provide clean water.Werner-Schlumberger’s method was used to analyze the groundwater potential while hydraulic properties such as soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity were used to determine the quality and ability of the soil to allow water’s movement in the aquifer.The results show that the aquifer in the Sekara and Kemuning Muda is at a depth of more than 6 meters below the ground level with moderate groundwater potential.It is also found that the aquifer at depths of over 60 m have high groundwater potential.Moreover,soil porosity in Kemuning is found to be average while the ability to conduct water was moderate.This makes it possible for some surface water to seep into the soil while the remaining flows to the rivers and ditches.     

Water supply potential and optimal exploitation capacity of karst aquifer systems

The management of groundwater flow systems in karst regions appears, at present, to be the most important procedure for solving water deficiency problems during periods of low rainfall. Faced with a lack of data for characterizing the water supply potential of karst aquifers, analyses of spring hydrographs may provide valuable indirect information regarding the structure of karst hydrogeological systems. To estimate the optimal exploitation capacities of karstic sources, a stochastic-conceptual approach was applied in case studies from the Serbian karst. Water supply potentials were initially evaluated on the basis of groundwater budgets. Further steps towards defining optimal “exploitable” regimes included analyses of storage changes in karst water reservoirs under natural conditions and calculation of the potential expansion of currently tapped sources. The results obtained through these analyses are a significant contribution to feasibility studies and aid in the avoidance of problems of overexploitation.     

Analysis of radial movement of an unconfined leaky aquifer due to well pumping and injection

Radial movement of an unconfined leaky aquifer was studied with respect to hydraulic forces that are induced by well recharge and discharge. New analytic solutions in the velocity and displacement fields were found and applied to describe transient movement in an unconfined leaky aquifer. Linear momentum and mass balance of saturated porous sediments, the Darcy-Gersevanov law, and the analytic solution of hydraulic drawdown for unsteady flow within the unconfined leaky aquifer were introduced to find the new solutions. Analytic results indicate that the nonlinear relation between the initial hydraulic head (h₀) and the well function has an insignificant effect on the aquifer transient movement when the drawdown s<0.02h ₀. When the well function is simplified with different assumptions and pumping conditions, the new solutions correspondingly reduce to cases that are similar to the Hantush-Jacob, Muskat, and Theis transient movement of a confined leaky aquifer. It was found that large leakance is important in slowing radial movement and reducing aquifer deformation. Flow velocity in the aquifer is more responsive to leakance than to cumulative displacement within the aquifer. The zones and boundary with tensile stress can be located using the same approach applied to a confined aquifer for risk assessment of earth fissuring.

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Résumé Le mouvement radial dans un aquifère semi-perméable libre a été étudié en considérant les forces hydrauliques induites par la recharge et le prélèvement au niveau d’un puits. De nouvelles solutions analytiques des champs de vitesse et de déplacement ont été trouvées et appliquées pour décrire le mouvement transitoire dans un aquifère semi-perméable libre. Pour trouver les nouvelles solutions, le moment linéaire et le bilan de masse dans les sédiments poreux saturés, la loi de Darcy-Gersevanov, et la solution analytique du rabattement hydraulique pour un écoulement transitoire dans un aquifère semi-perméable libre sont pris en compte. Les résultats analytiques montrent que la relation non-linéaire entre le potentiel hydraulique initial (h₀) et la fonction de puits a un effet insignifiant sur le mouvement transitoire de l’aquifère quand le rabattements s <0.02h₀. Si la fonction de puits est simplifiée en tenant compte de différentes hypothèses et conditions de pompage, les nouvelles solutions se réduisent en conséquence à des cas similaires au mouvement transitoire dans un aquifère semi-perméable captif selon Hantush-Jacob, Muskat, et Theis. Il s’est avéré qu’une drainance élevée est importante pour le ralentissement du mouvement radial et la réduction de la déformation de l’aquifère. La vitesse d’écoulement dans l’aquifère est plus sensible à la drainance qu’au déplacement cumulé dans l’aquifère. Les zones et la frontière présentant des contraintes de traction peuvent être localisées en utilisant la même approche appliquée à un aquifère captif pour l’évaluation des risques de fissuration du sol.

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Resumen Se ha estudiado el movimiento radial en un acuífero no confinado con fuga en relación a las fuerzas hidráulicas que son inducidas por la descarga y recarga del pozo. Se encontraron nuevas soluciones analíticas en los campos de desplazamiento y velocidad, las cuales se aplicaron para describir el movimiento transitorio en un acuífero no confinado con fuga. Se han introducido cálculos de balance de masa y momentum lineal de los sedimentos porosos saturados, la Ley Darcy-Gersevanov, y la solución analítica de descenso hidráulico para flujo sin régimen permanente dentro del acuífero no confinado con goteo para encontrar las nuevas soluciones. Los resultados analíticos indican que la relación no lineal entre la presión hidráulica inicial (h₀) y la función del pozo tiene efecto insignificante en el movimiento transitorio del acuífero cuando el descenso s < 0.02h₀. Cuando se simplifica la función del pozo en base a diferentes supuestos y condiciones de bombeo se reducen las nuevas soluciones a casos que son similares a el movimiento transitorio Hantush-Jacob, Muskat, y Theis de un acuífero confinado con goteo. Se encontró que las fugas grandes son importantes en la disminución del movimiento radial y en la reducción de la deformación del acuífero. La velocidad de flujo en el acuífero responde más a las fugas que al desplazamiento acumulativo dentro del acuífero. Pueden localizarse zonas y límites con esfuerzos tensionales usando el mismo enfoque aplicado a acuíferos confinados para evaluación de riesgo de generación de fracturas en el terreno.

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