Ground Water[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Time Series Analysis of Nonlinear Head Dynamics Using Synthetic Data Generated with a Variably Saturated Model.
Vonk MA, Collenteur RA, Panday S … +2 more , Schaars F, Bakker M
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38581261 · Publisher ↗
The performance of time series models is assessed using synthetic head series simulated with a numerical model that solves Richards' equation for variably saturated flow. Heads were simulated in a homogeneous unconfined...
The performance of time series models is assessed using synthetic head series simulated with a numerical model that solves Richards' equation for variably saturated flow. Heads were simulated in a homogeneous unconfined aquifer between two parallel canals; measured daily precipitation and potential evaporation are specified at the land surface and root water uptake is simulated. The head response to a precipitation event is nonlinear and depends on the saturation degree and rainfall before and after the precipitation event while evaporation reduction occurs during summers. Synthetic series were generated for 27 years and three different soil types; the unsaturated zone thickness varies between 0 and >5 m. The synthetic head series were simulated with a linear and nonlinear time series model. Performance of a linear time series model with four parameters, using a scaled Gamma response, gave R values ranging from 0.67 to 0.96. The nonlinear time series model with five parameters simulates recharge using a root zone reservoir after which the head response to recharge is simulated with a scaled Gamma response function. The nonlinear time series model was able to simulate all synthetic head series very well with R values above 0.9 for almost all models. The head response of the nonlinear model to a single precipitation event compares well to the response of the variably saturated groundwater model. The provided scripts may be used to simulate synthetic head series for other climates or for systems with additional complexity to assess the performance of other data-driven models.
Monitoring Groundwater Health Using Citizen Scientists in Semi-Arid Regional Australia.
Korbel KL, Hose GC
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38572675 · Publisher ↗
Citizen science (CS) around the world is undergoing a resurgence, potentially due to the utilization of new technologies and methods to capture information, such as data and photo entry via mobile phone apps. CS has been...
Citizen science (CS) around the world is undergoing a resurgence, potentially due to the utilization of new technologies and methods to capture information, such as data and photo entry via mobile phone apps. CS has been used in aquatic ecology for several decades, however the use of volunteers to collect data in groundwaters has rarely occurred. Groundwater research, particularly groundwater ecosystems, is unevenly distributed across the world, limiting our knowledge of these ecosystems and their functions. Here, we engaged six volunteer farmers in semi-arid region of north-western New South Wales, Australia to participate in an assessment of groundwater health using privately owned wells. Volunteers were supplied with sampling kits and instructions on sampling methods. Data retrieved indicated the health of the groundwater ecosystems, simultaneously providing information on water quality and groundwater biota present within the farm aquifers. Diverse stygofauna were collected from the trial, which reflected historical records of stygofauna within the same catchment indicating the viability of using citizen scientist for data collection. The citizen science project not only aided the collection of data and assessment of groundwater health, but also provided a tool for education, attracting media attention which furthered the education to a national audience. The amount of data still required to understand groundwater ecosystems, combined with the urgency to manage these environments, suggests that citizen scientists may complement the efforts of scientists around the globe to establish the impacts and consequences of human activities on this resource.
Timing and Source of Recharge to the Columbia River Basalt Groundwater System in Northeastern Oregon.
Johnson HM, Ely K, Maher AT
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38553951 · Publisher ↗
Recharge to and flow within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) groundwater flow system of northeastern Oregon were characterized using isotopic, gas, and age-tracer samples from wells completed in basalt, springs, an...
Recharge to and flow within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) groundwater flow system of northeastern Oregon were characterized using isotopic, gas, and age-tracer samples from wells completed in basalt, springs, and stream base flow. Most groundwater samples were late-Pleistocene to early-Holocene; median age of well samples was 11,100 years. The relation between mean groundwater age and completed well depth across the eastern portion of the study area was similar despite differences in precipitation, topographic position, incision, thickness of the sedimentary overburden, and CRBG geologic unit. However, the lateral continuity in groundwater age was disrupted across large regional fault zones indicating these structures are substantial impediments to groundwater flow from the high-precipitation uplands to adjacent lower-precipitation and lower-elevation portions of the study area. Recharge rates calculated from the age-depth relations were <3 mm/yr and independent of the modern precipitation gradient across the study area. The age-constrained recharge rates to the CRBG groundwater system are considerably smaller than previously published estimates and highlight the uncertainty of prevailing models used to estimate recharge to the CRBG groundwater system across the Columbia Plateau in Oregon and Washington. Age tracer and isotopic evidence indicate recharge to the CRBG groundwater system is an exceedingly slow and localized process.
Calling All Groundwater Professionals: Support the National Groundwater Monitoring Network.
Wunsch DR, Schreiber RP
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38553826 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Evaluation of an Impulse-Response Emulator for Groundwater Contaminant Transport Modeling.
Heerspink BP, Fienen MN, Reeves HW
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38545897 · Publisher ↗
There is a significant need to develop decision support tools capable of delivering accurate representations of environmental conditions, such as ground and surface water solute concentrations, in a timely and computatio...
There is a significant need to develop decision support tools capable of delivering accurate representations of environmental conditions, such as ground and surface water solute concentrations, in a timely and computationally efficient manner. Such tools can be leveraged to assess a large number of potential management strategies for mitigating non-point source pollutants. Here, we assess the effectiveness of the impulse-response emulation approach to approximate process-based groundwater model estimates of solute transport from MODFLOW and MT3D over a wide range of model inputs and parameters, with the goal of assessing where in parameter space the assumptions underlying this emulation approach are valid. The impulse-response emulator was developed using the sensitivity analysis utilities in the PEST++ software suite and is capable of approximating MODFLOW/MT3D estimates of solute transport over a large portion of the parameter space tested, except in cases where the Courant number is above 0.5. Across all runs tested, the highest percent errors were at the plume fronts. These results suggest that the impulse-response approach may be suitable for emulation of solute transport models for a wide range of cases, except when high-resolution outputs are needed, or when very low concentrations at plume edges are of particular interest.
Relationship Between Tectonic Lineaments and Springs North of Avanos (Central Anatolia, Turkey).
Demircioğlu R
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38527178 · Publisher ↗
The study area covers Avanos-Ozkonak and its surroundings north of Nevsehir province. An attempt was made to determine the relationship between tectonic lineaments and springs in the area. It was found that there is a cl...
The study area covers Avanos-Ozkonak and its surroundings north of Nevsehir province. An attempt was made to determine the relationship between tectonic lineaments and springs in the area. It was found that there is a close relationship between the location of springs and tectonic lineaments. In recent years, lineaments have been used in mineral exploration studies and geothermal areas. Remote sensing methods have also been used in this study. The relationship between tectonic lineaments (faults and fractures) and spring formations obtained from field studies and satellite-based studies was evaluated. Metamorphic rocks belonging to the Kirsehir massif and Paleocene-Middle Eocene aged units were subjected to polyphase deformation. As a result of these deformations, faults and cracks were formed. This situation has given aquifer properties to the rocks. At the same time, many springs were formed by faults and cracks. This study determined the relationship between 342 springs identified during field works and tectonic lineaments. Approximately 89% of the springs identified in the field were found to be located on the tectonic lineaments obtained from the satellite imagery. Some springs discharged from discontinuities on the formation boundaries.
Preventing Subsidence Reoccurrence in Tianjin: New Preconsolidation Head and Safe Pumping Buffer.
Wang K, Wang G, Bao Y … +5 more , Su G, Wang Y, Shen Q, Zhang Y, Wang H
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38517231 · Publisher ↗
Tianjin, a coastal metropolis in north China, has grappled with land subsidence for nearly a century. Yet, emerging evidence suggests a notable decrease in subsidence rates across Tianjin since 2019. This trend is primar...
Tianjin, a coastal metropolis in north China, has grappled with land subsidence for nearly a century. Yet, emerging evidence suggests a notable decrease in subsidence rates across Tianjin since 2019. This trend is primarily attributed to the importation of surface water from the Yangtze River system via the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, initiated in December 2014. Utilizing Sentinel-1A Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data (2014-2023), this study reveals that one-third of the Tianjin plain has either halted subsidence or experienced land rebound. As a result, the deep aquifer system (~-200 to -450 m) beneath one third of the Tianjin plain has completed a consolidation cycle, leading to the establishment of new, locally specific preconsolidation heads. The identification of the newly established preconsolidation head seeks to answer a crucial question: How can we prevent the reoccurrence of subsidence in areas where it has already ceased? In essence, subsidence will stop when the local hydraulic head elevates to the new preconsolidation head (NPCH), and permanent subsidence will not be reinitiated as long as hydraulic head remains above the NPCH. The difference of the depth between current hydraulic head and the NPCH defines the safe pumping buffer (SPB). This study outlines detailed methods for identifying the NPCHs in the deep aquifer system from long-term InSAR and groundwater-level datasets. Determining NPCHs and ascertaining SPBs are crucial for estimating how much groundwater can be safely extracted without inducing permanent subsidence, and for developing sustainable strategies for long-term groundwater management and conservation.
Catchment-Wide Groundwater Budget for the Inkomati-Usuthu Water Management Area in South Africa.
Shakhane T, Mojabake M
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38511862 · Publisher ↗
In South Africa, approximately 98% of the predicted total surface water resources are already being used up. Consequently, the National Water Resource Strategy considers groundwater to be important for the future plannin...
In South Africa, approximately 98% of the predicted total surface water resources are already being used up. Consequently, the National Water Resource Strategy considers groundwater to be important for the future planning and management of water resources. In this case, quantifying groundwater budgets is a prerequisite because they provide a means for evaluating the availability and sustainability of a water supply. This study estimated the regional groundwater budgets for the Inkomati-Usuthu Water Management Area (Usuthu, Komati, Sabie-Sand, and Crocodile) using the classical hydrological continuity equation. The equation was used to describe prevailing feedback loops between groundwater draft, recharge, baseflow, and storage change. The results were coarser scale estimates which, beforehand, were derived from the 2006 study. In the years to follow, groundwater reliance intensified and there was also the historic 2015/2016 drought. This inevitably led to an increased draft while the rest of the components of the groundwater budgets experienced decreases. Both Crocodile and Sabie-Sand experienced groundwater storage depletion which led to reduced baseflow and groundwater availability, while groundwater recharge contrarily increased due to capture. Conversely, the other two catchments experienced relatively lower drafts with correspondingly higher groundwater availability and recharge while storage change was positive. The results highlighted the need for adaptive water management whose effectiveness relies on predictive studies. Consequently, future models should be developed to capture the spatial and temporal dynamism of the natural groundwater budget due to climate change, water demands, and population growth predictions.
Experimental Study of Non-Darcian Flow Characteristics in Low-Permeability Coal Pillar Dams.
Li X, Zhu P, Zuo K … +4 more , Wen Z, Zhu Q, Guo Q, Jakada H
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38465736 · Publisher ↗
The safe operation of underground reservoirs and environmental protection heavily rely on the water flow through coal pillar dams in coal mines. Meanwhile, research on the flow characteristics in coal pillar dams has bee...
The safe operation of underground reservoirs and environmental protection heavily rely on the water flow through coal pillar dams in coal mines. Meanwhile, research on the flow characteristics in coal pillar dams has been limited due to their low hydraulic conductivity. To address this gap, this study assembled a novel seepage experimental device and conducted a series of carefully designed seepage experiments to examine the characteristics of low-permeability in coal pillar dams. The experiments aim to explore the relationship between water flux and hydraulic gradient, considering varying core lengths and immersion times. Flow parameters were determined by fitting observed flux-gradient curves with predictions from both Darcy and non-Darcian laws. Several significant results were obtained. First, a noticeable non-linear relationship between water flux and hydraulic gradient was observed, particularly evident at low flow velocities. Second, the non-Darcy laws effectively interpreted the experimental data, with threshold pressure gradients ranging 13.60 to 58.64 for different core lengths. Third, the study established that water immersion significantly affects the flow characteristics of coal pillar dams, resulting in an increased hydraulic conductivity and flow velocity. These findings carry significant implications for the design of coal pillar dams within underground coal mine reservoirs, providing insights for constructing more stable structures and ensuring environmental protection.
Implications of the Mississippi v. Tennessee Supreme Court Decision for Interstate Groundwater Management.
Wasankar N, Clement TP
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38439506 · Publisher ↗
Groundwater allocation is rapidly becoming a contentious water resource management problem around the world. It is anticipated that the effects of climate change would further aggravate this problem. Conflicts over the d...
Groundwater allocation is rapidly becoming a contentious water resource management problem around the world. It is anticipated that the effects of climate change would further aggravate this problem. Conflicts over the distribution of freshwater are expected to increase as stakeholders want to access more groundwater to meet their growing demands. In the United States, water conflicts are settled through a litigation process. Water litigations can be expensive, protracted, and fraught with complex legal and technical difficulties. A landmark groundwater case involving Tennessee (TN) and Mississippi (MS) was recently litigated in the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). In this case, MS sued TN for stealing their groundwater and SCOTUS unanimously ruled that the water contained in the aquifer that naturally crosses the border between TN and MS is subject to equitable apportionment. This decision has significant ramifications for groundwater management as it established a precedent for resolving future interstate groundwater litigations. Although the Court has previously applied the legal doctrine of equitable apportionment to settle disputes involving surface water use, this is the first instance in which the doctrine has been applied to resolve an interstate groundwater dispute. Therefore, currently, there are little or no guidelines available for equitably distributing groundwater resources between two states. The objective of this article is to examine this historic legal dispute to fully understand the scientific justification for the judicial stances taken by the plaintiff and defendants, and the legal reasoning for the final verdict. We also discuss the challenges this ruling presents for managing interstate groundwater resources.
Regional vs. Local Isotopic Gradient: Insights and Modeling from Mid-Mountain Areas in Central Italy.
Tazioli A, Fronzi D, Palpacelli S
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38363089 · Publisher ↗
Mountainous zones are often characterized by complex orography and contacts between different aquifers that usually complicate the use of isotope hydrology techniques. The Apennine chain (Italy) and 10 mountain and mid-m...
Mountainous zones are often characterized by complex orography and contacts between different aquifers that usually complicate the use of isotope hydrology techniques. The Apennine chain (Italy) and 10 mountain and mid-mountain areas belonging to it are the objective of this study. An original isotopic data treatment, able to identify the most probable recharge area for several springs/springs' groups/wells, has been developed. The method consists of a two-step approach: (1) the determination of the spring/wells computed isotope recharge elevation; (2) an advanced δO precipitation distribution model over the study area supported by statistical and GIS-based procedures implemented by two processes: first, the clipping of precipitation δO values (depicted from the δO-elevation relationships obtained for each study area) over a most probable recharge area for each analyzed spring or well and, second, the calculation of the overlapping distribution between the spring/well mean δO values ± σ and the precipitation δO content for each outcropping aquifer. A new regional δO gradient covering 150 km latitudinal length of central Italy has been defined. Seven LMWL and δO-elevation relationships able to represent the local precipitation isotopic composition have been obtained. The mean elevation of the springs and wells recharge areas have been assessed by a comparison between the obtained gradient with nine δO gradients available in the literature and those obtained at a local scale. The new isotopic modeling approach can stress whether the mere isotope modeling based on the stable isotope of oxygen agrees with the hydrogeological setting of the study areas.
Groundwater Science Could Use a New Term: Transportivity.
Sanford W
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38324625 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Deep-Seated Fluids in Thermal Waters Before and After the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes.
Tsunomori F, Morikawa N, Takahashi M
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38318966 · Publisher ↗
Noble gases, oxygen-hydrogen isotope ratios, and ion compositions were measured at three sampling points (KUM, OTN, and ASO) from December 2013 to July 2021. The He/He values at the three sampling points remained stable...
Noble gases, oxygen-hydrogen isotope ratios, and ion compositions were measured at three sampling points (KUM, OTN, and ASO) from December 2013 to July 2021. The He/He values at the three sampling points remained stable in the range of 3-4 Ra throughout the observation period, suggesting that the supply of deep-seated gases to the aquifer was stable. The He/Ne values of KUM and OTN indicate that the supply of surface-source fluids to the aquifer decreased relative to that of deep-seated fluids at KUM and OTN. In contrast, in the ASO site, both the surface- and deep-seated fluids supplied to the aquifer were stable. The δD-δO relationship indicated the supply of deep-seated water to the KUM and OTN aquifers but not to the ASO aquifer. Nevertheless, the δD-δO relationship remained stable throughout the observation period, suggesting that the supply of deep-seated water to the three stations was stable. The Li/Cl and 1/Cl relationships for the three sampling points were plotted within a narrow range throughout the observation period, suggesting that the groundwater recharge was stable. Neither spikes nor step changes owing to the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake were observed in any of the data. These results indicate that the KUM and OTN aquifers are constantly supplied with deep fluids from the fluid-rich zone beneath the Kumamoto region, and that only deep-seated gas was supplied to the ASO aquifer. We also confirmed that these supply conditions were unaffected by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake or the subsequent aftershock activity.
Surface Deformation and Seismicity Linked to Fluid Injection in the Raton Basin.
Chambers CR, Brown MRM, Stokes SM … +4 more , Ge S, Menezes EA, Tiampo KF, Sheehan AF
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38299227 · Publisher ↗
It is suggested that in addition to seismicity deep fluid injection may cause surface uplift and subsidence in oil and gas-producing regions. This study uses the Raton Basin as an example to investigate the hydromechanic...
It is suggested that in addition to seismicity deep fluid injection may cause surface uplift and subsidence in oil and gas-producing regions. This study uses the Raton Basin as an example to investigate the hydromechanical processes of surface uplift and subsidence during wastewater injection. The Raton Basin, in southern central Colorado and northern central New Mexico, has experienced wastewater injection related to coalbed methane and gas production starting in 1994. In this study, we estimate the extent and magnitude of total vertical deformation in the Raton Basin from 1994 to 2020 and incremental deformation between the years 2017 to 2020. Results indicate a modeled uplift as much as 15 cm occurring between 1994 and 2020. Between 2017 and 2020, up to 3 cm of uplift occurred, largely near the northwestern injection wells. Most modeled uplift between 1994 and 2020 occurred near the southern wells, where the greatest cumulative volume of wastewater was injected. However, modeled subsidence occurred around the southern and eastern wells between 2017 and 2020, after the rate of injection decreased. Modeling indicates that while the magnitude of modeled uplift corresponds to cumulative injection volume and maximum rate in the long-term, short-term incremental deformation (uplift or subsidence) is controlled by changes in the rate of injection. The number of yearly earthquake events follows periods of rapid modeled uplifting throughout the Basin, suggesting that measurable surface deformation may be caused by the same injection-induced pore pressure perturbations that initiate seismicity.
MODPATH-RW: A Random Walk Particle Tracking Code for Solute Transport in Heterogeneous Aquifers.
Pérez-Illanes R, Fernàndez-Garcia D
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38279644 · Publisher ↗
Random walk particle tracking (RWPT) is a discrete particle method that offers several advantages for simulating solute transport in heterogeneous geological systems. The formulation is a discrete solution to the advecti...
Random walk particle tracking (RWPT) is a discrete particle method that offers several advantages for simulating solute transport in heterogeneous geological systems. The formulation is a discrete solution to the advection-dispersion equation, yielding results that are not influenced by grid-related numerical dispersion. Numerical dispersion impacts the magnitude of concentrations and gradients obtained from classical grid-based solvers in advection-dominated problems with relatively large grid Péclet numbers. Accurate predictions of concentrations are crucial for reactive transport studies, and RWPT has been recognized for its potential benefits for this kind of application. This highlights the need for a solute transport program based on RWPT that can be seamlessly integrated with industry-standard groundwater flow models. This article presents a solute transport code that implements the RWPT method by extension of the particle tracking model MODPATH, which provides the base infrastructure for interacting with several variants of MODFLOW groundwater flow models. The implementation is achieved by developing a method for determining the exact cell-exit position of a particle undergoing simultaneous advection and dispersion, allowing for the sequential transfer of particles between flow model cells. The program is compatible with rectangular unstructured grids and integrates a module for the smoothed reconstruction of concentrations. In addition, the program incorporates parallel processing of particles using the OpenMP library, enabling faster simulations of solute transport in heterogeneous systems. Numerical test cases involving different applications in hydrogeology benchmark the RWPT model with well-known transport codes.
Influence of Geometric Characteristics on Water Flow and Solute Transport at Fracture Intersections.
Qian J, Liang X, Liu Y … +3 more , Ma L, Li X, Zhang C
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38270260 · Publisher ↗
Laboratory experiments and numerical simulations were performed to explore the influence of intersection geometry on fluid flow and solute transport in fractures. Fractures were engraved and sealed into an acrylic plate...
Laboratory experiments and numerical simulations were performed to explore the influence of intersection geometry on fluid flow and solute transport in fractures. Fractures were engraved and sealed into an acrylic plate and two orthogonal intersections with different geometry were constructed. The effects of curvature and relative shear displacement at intersections on preferential flow and solute transport were investigated. By solving the Navier-Stokes (NS) equation, the fluid mixing and solute distribution were predicted. The results showed that the geometric characteristics at the intersection have a significant effect on the preferential flow and solute distribution. The results agreed well with the experimental results, in terms of flow direction, preferential flow rate, and heterogeneous solute distribution. With an increase in curvature, the flow difference between the two outlets increases gradually. Increasing curvature can reduce the preferential flow and weaken the inhomogeneity of solute distribution. An increase of relative shear displacement decreases the pressure gradient and flow rate at the entrance of the two branch fractures, and thereby increases preferential flow and inhomogeneity of solute distribution. The results provide a basis and reference for further exploring the relationship between the geometric characteristics of fracture intersections and flow behaviors.
Groundwater Modeling in a Changing World: MODFLOW-and-More 2022 Special Issue.
Hill MC, Maxwell RM, Tonkin M
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38146183 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Mechanisms of Non-Fresh Groundwater Presence at Water Tables in Highly Permeable Coastal Aquifers.
Tajima S, Liu J, Tokunaga T
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38135893 · Publisher ↗
Coastal aquifers with high hydraulic conductivities on the order of 10 m s have unconventional salinity distributions with the presence of non-fresh groundwater at the water table over a wide swath near the coast. This s...
Coastal aquifers with high hydraulic conductivities on the order of 10 m s have unconventional salinity distributions with the presence of non-fresh groundwater at the water table over a wide swath near the coast. This study aims to unravel the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon via numerical simulations for variably saturated, density-driven flow and solute transport in porous media. The simulation results indicate that the existence of non-fresh groundwater at the water table is attributed to the upward mass flux in the saturated zone near the coast, which transports solute from deeper groundwater toward the water table. With high hydraulic conductivity, the upward mass flux becomes prominent at shallower elevations because of the high Darcy flux and the shallow saline groundwater. The upward mass flux has two main drivers, upward advection by the upward flow component and transverse dispersion by the seaward flow component. The advective mass flux dominates over the transverse dispersion in the deep part of the saturated zone where only groundwater with sea water salinity exists. In contrast, the transverse dispersion becomes more pronounced than the upward advection in the shallow saturated zone just beneath the water table and in the unsaturated zone immediately above the water table. Our findings help interpret the unconventional salinity distributions observed and elucidate the unique dynamics of groundwater flow and solute transport in highly permeable coastal aquifers.
Time-Lapse Geophysical Measurements for Monitoring Coastal Groundwater Dynamics in an Unconfined Aquifer.
Panthi J, Boving T, Pradhanang SM … +1 more , Ismail M
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38131444 · Publisher ↗
The coastal zone, which is the interface between land and sea, is hydrodynamically very active due to the complex interactions of various hydrological controls and variable-density fluids. These forces vary over time, re...
The coastal zone, which is the interface between land and sea, is hydrodynamically very active due to the complex interactions of various hydrological controls and variable-density fluids. These forces vary over time, resulting in a state of dynamic equilibrium in the system. The major hydrological processes in coastal aquifer systems are salt water intrusion and submarine groundwater discharge, which are interdependent. Monitoring these complex processes is crucial for sustainable coastal zone management but poses a significant research challenge. In this study, we demonstrate the effectiveness of non-invasive geophysical techniques, specifically the time-lapse electrical resistivity imaging method, in conjunction with groundwater monitoring, for monitoring coastal groundwater dynamics in an unconfined aquifer at varying time scales and hydrogeological settings present at formerly glaciated sites worldwide. We generated two-dimensional baseline salt water intrusion maps for the test site, located on the coast of Rhode Island, USA. The time-lapse electrical resistivity survey method enables the rapid estimation of fresh groundwater discharge. Our approach offers insight into the mechanisms and seasonably variable salt water-freshwater interactions in unconfined heterogeneous aquifers. Although the results are site-specific, their implications are broad and may stimulate other studies related to sea to land pollution (sea water intrusion) and land to sea pollution (groundwater discharge) in heterogeneous coastal aquifer settings.
Development of the Groundwater Concept Inventory to Measure Groundwater Knowledge in a General Audience.
Ojeda A, Rogers SR, Jannach C … +1 more , McNeal KS
Ground Water · 2024 · PMID 38110291 · Publisher ↗
Groundwater is a critical resource globally, and understanding groundwater processes is vital to ensure sustainable management practices. However, there are many widely held misconceptions and inaccuracies about groundwa...
Groundwater is a critical resource globally, and understanding groundwater processes is vital to ensure sustainable management practices. However, there are many widely held misconceptions and inaccuracies about groundwater, and we currently lack tools to measure groundwater knowledge across large populations and measure how groundwater knowledge relates to management decisions or behaviors. Here, we present a survey instrument, the Groundwater Concept Inventory (GWCI), that has been designed for general audiences to measure groundwater knowledge comparable to that in an introductory geoscience curriculum. The GWCI was developed using ∼1200 responses using an online platform, Amazon Mechanical Turks, to represent a general population. Responses were evaluated using the Rasch model that configures a relationship between person-ability and item-difficulty. We found that the study population displayed similar misconceptions about groundwater compared with previous literature, and that age and education were not strong predictors of GWCI scores. The GWCI can be used by researchers to understand links between knowledge and behavior, and also by other stakeholders to quantify misconceptions about groundwater and target resources for a more informed public.
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