A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

Coluccio, Katie; Morgan, Leanne K.

doi:10.5194/hess-23-4397-2019

Cited by 31 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 120 publications

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“…A data logger that took more than one reading per second was necessary to record a sufficient number of data points for analysis. The hydraulic conductivity values calculated from the slug tests were on the low end of the range for expected hydraulic conductivity values in this area, which may have been a reflection of the tests being conducted in localised areas of finer sediments, highlighting the limits of using this point-scale method in heterogeneous environments (Coluccio, 2018).…”

Section: Hydraulic Conductivity Testsmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…The results were compared with chemical analysis and water level measurements in the river and shallow groundwater to better inform the interpretation of the temperature data. Coluccio (2018) found that it was difficult to distinguish between shallow groundwater and hyporheic flow. The author also noted that further studies would benefit from combining a point-scale method like temperature probe analysis with broader scale techniques (Coluccio, 2018).…”

Section: Heat Tracersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Point-scale techniques using temperature sensors on the other hand can indicate surface water-groundwater interactions at a specific location. Some methods of temperature analysis can also quantify seepage flux (e.g., diurnal signal analysis, (see Coluccio, 2018)). The methods range in cost and complexity, and thus can be tailored to suit a study's needs.…”

Section: Advantages and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have directly measured hydraulic properties to quantify flow between groundwater and surface water in braided rivers (e.g., Acuña and Tockner, 2009;Botting, 2010;Dommisse, 2006;Malard et al, 2001;Shu and Chen, 2002;Simonds and Sinclair, 2002). This has included direct groundwater level measurements in wells (Aitchison-Earl and Ritson, 2013;Doering et al, 2013;Dommisse, 2006;Simonds and Sinclair, 2002;Vincent, 2005) and various well tests such as slug and pumping tests (Botting, 2010;Chen, 2007;Coluccio, 2018).…”

Section: Hydraulic Property Measurementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The study concluded that there were too many uncertainties, particularly around the complex behaviour of the groundwater system, to draw strong conclusions on the causes of the drying riverbed. Several other studies also investigated New Zealand braided rivers that are highly connected to groundwater using these methods (Aitchison-Earl and Ritson, 2013;Larned et al, 2008;Larned et al, 2015;Vincent, 2005;Coluccio, 2018).…”

Section: Groundwater Well Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

Coluccio¹,

Morgan²

2018

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Abstract. Braided rivers, while uncommon internationally, are significant in terms of their unique ecosystems and as vital freshwater resources at locations where they occur. With an increasing awareness of the connected nature of surface water and groundwater, there have been many studies examining groundwater–surface water exchange in various types of waterbodies, but significantly less research has been conducted in braided rivers. Thus, there is currently limited understanding of how characteristics unique to braided rivers, such as channel shifting; expanding and narrowing margins; and a high degree of heterogeneity affect groundwater–surface water flow paths. This article provides an overview of characteristics specific to braided rivers, including a map showing the regions where braided rivers are concentrated at the global scale: Alaska, Canada, the Japanese and European Alps, the Himalayas and New Zealand. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first map of its kind. This is followed by a review of prior studies that have investigated groundwater-surface water interactions in braided rivers and their associated aquifers. The various methods used to characterise these processes are discussed with emphasis on their effectiveness in achieving the studies' objectives and their applicability in braided rivers. The aim is to provide guidance on methodologies most suitable for future work in braided rivers. In many cases, previous studies found a multi-method approach useful to produce more robust results and compare data collected at various scales. Ultimately, the most appropriate method(s) for a given study will be based on several factors, including the scale of interactions that need to be observed; site-specific characteristics; budget; and time available. Given these considerations, we conclude that it is best to begin braided river studies with broad-scale methods such as airborne thermal imaging, differential flow gauging or tracer analysis and then focus the investigation using finer scale techniques such as groundwater well observations or temperature sensors. Given the challenges of working directly in braided rivers, there is considerable scope for the increased use of remote sensing techniques and geophysics. There is also opportunity for new approaches to modelling braided rivers using integrated techniques that incorporate the often-complex river bed terrain and geomorphology of braided rivers explicitly. We also identify a critical need to improve understanding of the role of hyporheic exchange in braided rivers; rates of recharge to/from braided rivers; and historical patterns of dry and low-flow periods in these rivers.

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Section: Hydraulic Conductivity Testsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Heat Tracersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Advantages and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Hydraulic Property Measurementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Groundwater Well Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

Coluccio¹,

Morgan²

2018

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Quantitative analysis of the driving factors for groundwater resource changes in arid irrigated areas

Guo

Niu

et al. 2020

Hydrological Processes

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How to quantify the impact of climate change and human activities on groundwater is not only a hot topic of current research but also a key point of water resource management in arid irrigated areas. Therefore, this paper analyzes the changes in the trends of land use, climate, and groundwater extraction in the Yanqi Basin in recent years and uses the distributed hydrological model MIKE‐SHE to quantitatively analyze the impacts of these three factors on groundwater resources. The results show that: 1. The Nash coefficients of the simulated and observed groundwater levels during the verification period are 0.84, 0.79 and 0.76; the correlation coefficient between the simulated and observed soil moisture is 0.86. Although there are some uncertainties in the simulation, the results prove that the model can be used to simulate arid irrigated areas. 2. The effects of these three factors on groundwater levels are 5, 12.5 and 82.5%, respectively, and have caused the regional average groundwater level to decrease by a maximum of 0.07, 0.23 and 1.79 m, respectively. The effects of these three factors on the interactions between surface water and groundwater were 7.04, 3.63 and 89.33%. Groundwater extraction has become the main influencing factor of regional groundwater resources changes due to its more direct influence. 3. The influence of groundwater extraction has a strong spatial distribution characteristic and 10% of the study area has been greatly impacted by the groundwater extraction. Base on the above results, integrating multidisciplinary knowledge to establish the relationship between ecological environment and groundwater changes can provide strategies for the sustainable development of groundwater.

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Localizing and quantifying groundwater‐surface water interactions at different scales: A tracer approach at the River Moselle, Germany

Engel,

Mischel,

Quanz

et al. 2024

Hydrological Processes

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Groundwater‐surface water interactions (GSI) connect rivers and streams with riparian areas and the adjacent aquifer. Although these interactions exert a substantial control of quantity and quality of both groundwater and surface water, knowledge on GSI along rivers at the regional scale, particularly for inland waterways, is still limited. We investigated GSI along the river Moselle, an important federal inland waterway in Germany, by using radon and tritium to identify gaining (water flux from the aquifer to the surface water) and losing (water flux from the surface water to the aquifer) stream conditions, respectively. Gaining stream conditions were identified by continuously measuring radon along the river during boat surveys with a high spatial resolution (every 2 km) during intermediate (October 2020) and near low flow conditions (August/September 2021). The tritium concentrations in surface water and groundwater and the resulting tritium inventories were used to characterize losing stream conditions Monthly tritium inventories from 2017 to 2022 revealed a mean loss for the whole period of 20.3 % and a mean gain of 21.8%. Both were probably triggered by a combination of losing stream conditions and flood‐induced mass transfer of water from the aquifer back into the river as well as discharge fluctuations. At the investigated site Lehmen there were direct indications of an influence of surface water due to elevated tritium concentrations in the groundwater (up to 13.3 Bq L−1). Using radon mass balance modelling, good agreements of simulated versus measured radon data with respect to two groundwater end‐member scenarios were obtained during intermediate flow (Spearman's ρ: 0.97 and 0.99; MAE: 10.1 and 3.4 Bq L−1) and near low flow (Spearman's ρ: 0.97 and 0.99; MAE: 11 and 6.5 Bq L−1). Considerable groundwater inflow was limited to the meander of Detzem, where cumulated groundwater inflow of about 19 m3 s−1 (9.5% of total discharge) and 4.2 m3 s−1 (3.8% of total discharge) was simulated during intermediate and near low flow, respectively. However, the groundwater inflow was relatively low compared to alpine streams, for example. The study will help to better identify and quantify GSI at the regional scale and provide methodological guidance for future studies focusing on inland waterways.

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A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

Cited by 31 publications

References 120 publications

A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

Quantitative analysis of the driving factors for groundwater resource changes in arid irrigated areas

Localizing and quantifying groundwater‐surface water interactions at different scales: A tracer approach at the River Moselle, Germany

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