Groundwater recharge: an overview of processes and challenges

Vries, J.J. de; Simmers, I.

doi:10.1007/s10040-001-0171-7

Cited by 733 publications

(420 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Das and Ars (1971) showed how groundwater recharge to the Deccan Trap Aquifer formation can be enhanced by creating small recharge basins. Recharge processes, however, are often poorly understood (De Vries and Simmers 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater recharge in Pleistocene sediments overlying basalt aquifers in the Palouse Basin, USA: modeling of distributed recharge potential and identification of water pathways

2011

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Groundwater levels in basalt aquifers around the world have been declining for many years. Understanding water pathways is needed for solutions like artificial drainage. Water supply in the Palouse Basin, Washington and Idaho, USA, primarily relies on basalt aquifers. This study presents a combination of modeling and field observations to understand the spatial distribution of recharge pathways in the overlying Pleistocene sediments. A spatially distributed model was used to quantify potential recharge rates. The model shows clearly that recharge predominantly occurs through non-argilic soils and soils that are not underlain by fine-grained sediments, i.e. the upper area of the watershed. A field survey was conducted to determine recharge pathways from this area. It revealed 83 perennial springs. Drillings near springs showed connection of coarse-grained layers within the fine-grained Sediments of Bovill to these springs. Such layers, with streambed-like features, act as paleo-channels. Water from one of these coarse-grained layers had a similar electrical conductivity (200 μS cm -1 ) to water from a downstream perennial spring, also suggesting the existence of a lateral conduit for deep percolation water.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater recharge in Pleistocene sediments overlying basalt aquifers in the Palouse Basin, USA: modeling of distributed recharge potential and identification of water pathways

2011

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“…groundwater recharge | subsurface heterogeneity | water resources | climate variability | climate change G roundwater recharge is a crucial component of the global water balance, feeding the world's groundwater storages and thereby supplying fresh water to large parts of the global population (1)(2)(3)(4). Comparing groundwater recharge with groundwater use and ecological water demand helps to distinguish between overused aquifer systems and aquifer systems that still allow for more abstraction in a sustainable way (5,6).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The importance of managing groundwater sustainably will increase in the future given the growing dependence on this resource in many parts of the world (7). Subsurface heterogeneity notably affects groundwater recharge (4), especially in weathered carbonate rock regions (8). Spatially variable soil thickness and hydraulic conductivity in the subsurface produce fast, localized vertical water movement, thereby enhancing groundwater recharge (9).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced groundwater recharge rates and altered recharge sensitivity to climate variability through subsurface heterogeneity

Hartmann

Gleeson

Wada

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

170

109

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Our environment is heterogeneous. In hydrological sciences, the heterogeneity of subsurface properties, such as hydraulic conductivities or porosities, exerts an important control on water balance. This notably includes groundwater recharge, which is an important variable for efficient and sustainable groundwater resources management. Current large-scale hydrological models do not adequately consider this subsurface heterogeneity. Here we show that regions with strong subsurface heterogeneity have enhanced present and future recharge rates due to a different sensitivity of recharge to climate variability compared with regions with homogeneous subsurface properties. Our study domain comprises the carbonate rock regions of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, which cover ∼25% of the total land area. We compare the simulations of two large-scale hydrological models, one of them accounting for subsurface heterogeneity. Carbonate rock regions strongly exhibit "karstification," which is known to produce particularly strong subsurface heterogeneity. Aquifers from these regions contribute up to half of the drinking water supply for some European countries. Our results suggest that water management for these regions cannot rely on most of the presently available projections of groundwater recharge because spatially variable storages and spatial concentration of recharge result in actual recharge rates that are up to four times larger for present conditions and changes up to five times larger for potential future conditions than previously estimated. These differences in recharge rates for strongly heterogeneous regions suggest a need for groundwater management strategies that are adapted to the fast transit of water from the surface to the aquifers.groundwater recharge | subsurface heterogeneity | water resources | climate variability | climate change

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“…Environmental tracers such as the stable isotopic ratios of oxygen (δ 18 O) and hydrogen (δ 2 H) are a valuable tool identify the sources of groundwater recharge by means of mixing calculations (e.g. de Vries and Simmers 2002;Gemitzi et al 2014;Gibson et al 2005;Liu et al 2004;Liu and Yamanaka 2012;Mizota and Kusakabe 1994;Nakaya et al 2007;Qin et al 2011;Rietti-Shati et al 2000;Weyhenmeyer et al 2002;Wilcox et al 2004) and thus to perform a physically based assessment of the intrinsic vulnerability. Such assessment of intrinsic vulnerability is based on the common hydrogeologic assumption that low permeability layers (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Migration of chlorinated hydrocarbons in multilayer unconsolidated porous media: a case study from the Po Plain, Italy

Filippini

2017

AS-ITJGW

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parole chiave: solventi clorurati, vulnerabilità intrinseca, integrità degli acquitardi, declorurazione riduttiva, sistemi multilivello. Keywords: chlorinated solvents, intrinsic vulnerability, aquitard integrity, reductive dechlorination, multilevel systems.Riassunto: I solventi clorurati sono i contaminanti organici più ubiquitari nelle acque sotterranee da sei decadi a questa parte. A causa del loro elevato grado di tossicità/cancerogenicità e della loro mobilità relativamente elevata e persistenza negli acquiferi, questi contaminanti rappresentano una seria minaccia nei confronti della salute umana e dell'ambiente. I solventi clorurati raggiungono generalmente le falde sotto forma di Dense NonAqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL), una fase in grado di migrare attraverso acquiferi ed acquitardi in modo molto più rapido e pervasivo rispetto ai contaminanti in fase disciolta. La complessa partizione multifase a cui possono essere sottoposti i solventi clorurati (dalla fase DNAPL a quella disciolta, gassosa o adsorbita), così come la loro trasformazione (es. degradazione), dipendono dalle proprietà fisico-chimiche dei composti stessi ma anche dalle caratteristiche del sistema idrogeologico in cui si trovano a migrare. Nell'ambito del presente lavoro, è stato investigato il sistema idrogeologico al di sotto della città di Ferrara (Pianura Padana), il quale è interessato da contaminazione da solventi clorurati in numerosi siti. In particolare, è stato selezionato un sito pilota, conosciuto come "Sito Caretti", in cui è stato applicato un approccio investigativo ad alta risoluzione e limitato nello spazio. In tale sito sono state raccolte molteplici informazioni ad alta risoluzione spaziale lungo profili verticali (dati stratigrafici, carichi idraulici, composizione idrochimica dell'acqua, isotopi stabili dell'acqua e di contaminanti), attraverso l'utilizzo di sistemi multilivello ed altre tecniche innovative di campionamento ed analisi. Gli obiettivi principali della ricerca erano quelli di stimare la vulnerabilità intrinseca degli acquiferi e di ricostruire le dinamiche di migrazione e trasformazione dei contaminanti clorurati in relazione alle caratteristiche del mezzo poroso ospitante. Gli acquiferi confinati sono risultati essere maggiormente vulnerabili ai contaminanti in fase DNAPL rispetto a contaminanti in fase acquosa, a causa della presenza di microfratture nei soprastanti acqutardi argillosi. Inoltre, la presenza di livelli ad alto contenuto di materia organica nella stratigrafia locale ha aumentato il potenziale biodegradativo del sistema nei confronti degli eteni clorurati, causando accumuli di Cloruro di Vinile. I risultati ottenuti sono utili non solo alla scala locale, es. per interpretare l'origine della contaminazione in altri siti sul territorio ferrarese, ma anche alla scala globale, al fine di indirizzare future azioni di protezione e bonifica in simili contesti idrogeologici.

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Groundwater recharge: an overview of processes and challenges

Cited by 733 publications

References 69 publications

Groundwater recharge in Pleistocene sediments overlying basalt aquifers in the Palouse Basin, USA: modeling of distributed recharge potential and identification of water pathways

Groundwater recharge in Pleistocene sediments overlying basalt aquifers in the Palouse Basin, USA: modeling of distributed recharge potential and identification of water pathways

Enhanced groundwater recharge rates and altered recharge sensitivity to climate variability through subsurface heterogeneity

Migration of chlorinated hydrocarbons in multilayer unconsolidated porous media: a case study from the Po Plain, Italy

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