Numerical Modeling of Groundwater Flow in Karst Aquifer, Makeng Mining Area

Abstract

Problem statement: Making iron ore is one of the largest mining projects in south east of china. Due to the development of mining activities in that site, it has become necessary to increase the depth of exploration. Increase the exploration depth makes the mining tunnels subjected to the karst water inrush. Approach: A hydrological and a hydrogeological model for the Makeng area have been developed, which yield information on relevant parameters such as groundwater recharge and margins' lateral inflow, to estimate aquifer yield. USGS flow code, MODFLOW 2000, was used to produce the numerical model. Collected GIS based information was synthesized in a finite difference numerical model. The regional steady and transient-state flow was calibrated under pre-development conditions assuming an equivalent porous medium approach. Results: Water budget calculations show that the total groundwater flow in regional aquifers amounts to 2.98 mm 3 year −1 . Infiltration from precipitation provides 61.7% of the groundwater supply, while 21% comes from lateral inflow and the remaining 17.3% is induced recharge from surface waters. Discharge from regional aquifers occurs through springs outflow 88.5% and flow to streams 11.5%. Conclusion/Recommendations: Although the karstic nature of the limestone aquifer the equivalent porous-medium flow model is appropriate to represent hydraulic heads and recharge/discharge relationships on a regional scale. The results of this study can be used to predict the required amounts of pumping and the possible locations to dewater the groundwater around the mining tunnels.

Assessment of Groundwater Flow Dynamics Using MODFLOW in Shallow Aquifer System of Mahanadi Delta (East Coast), India

“…Similarly, the numerical model (MOCDENS3D) study helped to calculate the fluctuations in coastal groundwater flow [10,22,23]. Numerical models have been used by several researchers to estimate the regional groundwater budget in different aquifer systems [24][25][26][27], to predict the consequences of proposed development actions, to link any connection between locations and aquifer boundaries, and to assess the groundwater quality within the aquifer system and the amount of natural recharge to a particular aquifer [12]. A visual MODFLOW software package has been used worldwide for groundwater flow simulation as it is user-friendly and robust [28,29].…”

Groundwater Flow Modeling of a Hard Rock Aquifer: Case Study

“…This inherently renders the discretization of the medium and interpolation of the hydrogeological parameters to be relatively difficult and at times unrealistic. In spite of these difficulties, many researchers have successfully used numerical models in estimating the regional groundwater budget in hard rocks, mountainous regions, and in karst aquifer groundwater systems (Rani and Chen 2010;Majumdar et al 2009;Bridget et al 2003;Surinaidu et al 2013a, b). Therefore, in the present study, various hydrogeological factors are appropriately considered to represent the hard rock aquifer system to a satisfactory degree on a regional scale using a USGS finite difference numerical model.…”

Groundwater Resources Management in Various Scenarios Using Numerical Model

“…A model renders a general view of an aquifer and its conditions enabling the hydro-geologist or model maker to predict the model's response to probable different stresses as well as making appropriate decision. Significance of groundwater model in obtaining optimum and reasonable results has been expressed by several scientists such as Owen et al (1996); Christensen and Cooley (2003); Brewer et al (2003); Tiedeman and Hill (2007); Hinkelmann (2005); Saghravani et al (2010); and Rani and Chen (2010).…”