Estimation of Hydraulic Conductivity in an Alluvial System Using Temperatures

Su, Grace W.; Jasperse, J.; Seymour, D.; Constantz, Jim

doi:10.1111/j.1745-6584.2004.t01-7-.x

Cited by 74 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Values of riverbed K c were chosen at the higher end of those reported for semiarid riverbed sediments (1.0EÀ6 to 1E0 m/d or 1.0EÀ11 to 1.0EÀ5 m/s) which represent poorly sorted heterogeneous cobbles and gravels (Aqtesolv, 2016;Geotechdata, 2008;Taylor et al, 2013). We chose two values for aquifer conductivity K a (1.0EÀ4 and 3EÀ4, m/s) based on previous estimates for our site (Su et al, 2004;Zhang et al, 2011). The choice of K a then constrained our choices for K c because we had to ensure that two criteria were met: (1) modeled seepage generally matched that found at the field site ( Figure S2c), and (2) to fulfill the criteria for disconnection ) since evidence for disconnection was observed at the site from infiltration and geophysical data (Newcomer et al, 2016;Ulrich et al, 2015).…”

Section: Riverbed Sediment Characteristics and Their Control On Subsumentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO₂ and N₂

et al. 2018

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Rivers in climatic zones characterized by dry and wet seasons often experience periodic transitions between losing and gaining conditions across the river‐aquifer continuum. Infiltration shifts can stimulate hyporheic microbial biomass growth and cycling of riverine carbon and nitrogen leading to major exports of biogenic CO2 and N2 to rivers. In this study, we develop and test a numerical model that simulates biological‐physical feedback in the hyporheic zone. We used the model to explore different initial conditions in terms of dissolved organic carbon availability, sediment characteristics, and stochastic variability in aerobic and anaerobic conditions from water table fluctuations. Our results show that while highly losing rivers have greater hyporheic CO2 and N2 production, gaining rivers allowed the greatest fraction of CO2 and N2 production to return to the river. Hyporheic aerobic respiration and denitrification contributed 0.1–2 g/m2/d of CO2 and 0.01–0.2 g/m2/d of N2; however, the suite of potential microbial behaviors varied greatly among sediment characteristics. We found that losing rivers that consistently lacked an exit pathway can store up to 100% of the entering C/N as subsurface biomass and dissolved gas. Our results demonstrate the importance of subsurface feedbacks whereby microbes and hydrology jointly control fate of C and N and are strongly linked to wet‐season control of initial sediment conditions and hydrologic control of seepage direction. These results provide a new understanding of hydrobiological and sediment‐based controls on hyporheic zone respiration, including a new explanation for the occurrence of anoxic microzones and large denitrification rates in gravelly riverbeds.

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Section: Riverbed Sediment Characteristics and Their Control On Subsumentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO₂ and N₂

et al. 2018

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“…Streambed flow processes were analyzed using TOUGH2 to examine the pattern of pumping-induced desaturation beneath the streambed along the Russian River, California . The model calibration relied on 1-D and 2-D heatbased estimates of hydraulic conductivities for shallower sediments on the basis of VS2DH simulations [Su et al, 2004], to constrain seepage and hydraulic parameters within the 3-D TOUGH2 model. Most recently TOUGH2 has been successfully used for analyzing streambed fluxes beneath the Consumnes River, CA , where the complex streambed heterogeneity and nonperennial streamflow patterns were modeled using streambed temperature data and the versatility embodied in TOUGH2.…”

Section: Physical Simulation Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[56] The range and robust nature of the types of temperature measurement devices, especially in terms of resolution and spatial coverage, and a choice of heat and water transport models, create opportunities to broaden heat tracing investigations beyond gross accounting of stream/ streambed water exchanges for comparison with nearby seepage meters [Su et al, 2004] or reach-scale differential streamflow measurements [Thomas et al, 2000]. Creative deployment of temperature equipment holds great practical promise for the use of heat as a tracer to catalog and potentially predict the diverse spatial and temporal patterns of streambed water flow critical to fields ranging from stream ecology to water-treatment plant operations.…”

Section: Summary and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat as a tracer to determine streambed water exchanges

Constantz

2008

Water Resources Research

411

348

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[1] This work reviews the use of heat as a tracer of shallow groundwater movement and describes current temperature-based approaches for estimating streambed water exchanges. Four common hydrologic conditions in stream channels are graphically depicted with the expected underlying streambed thermal responses, and techniques are discussed for installing and monitoring temperature and stage equipment for a range of hydrological environments. These techniques are divided into direct-measurement techniques in streams and streambeds, groundwater techniques relying on traditional observation wells, and remote sensing and other large-scale advanced temperatureacquisition techniques. A review of relevant literature suggests researchers often graphically visualize temperature data to enhance conceptual models of heat and water flow in the near-stream environment and to determine site-specific approaches of data analysis. Common visualizations of stream and streambed temperature patterns include thermographs, temperature envelopes, and one-, two-, and three-dimensional temperature contour plots. Heat and water transport governing equations are presented for the case of transport in streambeds, followed by methods of streambed data analysis, including simple heat-pulse arrival time and heat-loss procedures, analytical and time series solutions, and heat and water transport simulation models. A series of applications of these methods are presented for a variety of stream settings ranging from arid to continental climates. Progressive successes to quantify both streambed fluxes and the spatial extent of streambeds indicate heat-tracing tools help define the streambed as a spatially distinct field (analogous to soil science), rather than simply the lower boundary in stream research or an amorphous zone beneath the stream channel.

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“…In sufficiently permeable formations, where heat transport processes are dominated by advection, coupling the solution of the heat propagation problem with a groundwater flow model allows constraining hydraulic parameters and fluxes estimations 10 , 14 , either using analytical 15 , 16 or numerical methods. Some early studies 17 , 18 demonstrated that combining observed water levels with natural groundwater temperature fluctuations, measured by point sensors in piezometers, proved to be an effective means for estimating hydraulic conductivity through numerical model calibration. Since aquifer hydraulic properties are likely to vary much more than the rock and pore fluid thermal properties 19 , these latter do not have necessarily to be involved in the calibration procedure 10 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fiber optics passive monitoring of groundwater temperature reveals three-dimensional structures in heterogeneous aquifers

Furlanetto,

Camporese,

Schenato

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Alluvial aquifers often exhibit highly conductive embedded formations that can act as preferential pathways for the transport of solutes. In this context, a detailed subsurface characterization becomes crucial for an effective monitoring of groundwater quality and early detection of contaminants. However, small-scale heterogeneities are seldom detected by traditional nondestructive investigations. Heat propagation in porous media can be a relatively inexpensive tracer for groundwater flow, potentially offering valuable information in various applications. In this study, we applied passive Fiber Optics Distributed Temperature Sensing (FO-DTS) to a group of observation wells in a highly heterogeneous phreatic aquifer to uncover structures with different hydraulic conductivity, relying on their response to temperature fluctuations triggered by natural and anthropogenic forcings. A comprehensive data analysis approach, combining statistical methods and physics-based numerical modeling, allowed for a three-dimensional characterization of the subsurface at the experimental site with unprecedentedly high resolution.

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Estimation of Hydraulic Conductivity in an Alluvial System Using Temperatures

Cited by 74 publications

References 19 publications

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO₂ and N₂

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO₂ and N₂

Heat as a tracer to determine streambed water exchanges

Fiber optics passive monitoring of groundwater temperature reveals three-dimensional structures in heterogeneous aquifers

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Estimation of Hydraulic Conductivity in an Alluvial System Using Temperatures

Cited by 74 publications

References 19 publications

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO2 and N2

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO2 and N2

Heat as a tracer to determine streambed water exchanges

Fiber optics passive monitoring of groundwater temperature reveals three-dimensional structures in heterogeneous aquifers

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO₂ and N₂

Influence of Hydrological Perturbations and Riverbed Sediment Characteristics on Hyporheic Zone Respiration of CO₂ and N₂