Stream‐Aquifer Interactions: Evaluation of Depletion Volume and Residual Effects from Ground Water Pumping

Abstract

Numerical modeling techniques were used to simulate stream-aquifer interactions from seasonal ground water pumping. We used stream-aquifer models in which a shallow stream penetrates the top of an aquifer that discharges ground water to the stream as base flow. Because of the pumping, the volume of base flow discharged to the stream was reduced, and as the pumping continued, infiltration from the stream to the aquifer was induced. Both base-flow reduction and stream infiltration contributed to total stream depletion. We analyzed the depletion rates and volumes of the reduced base flow and induced stream infiltration during pumping and postpumping periods. Our results suggested that for a shallow penetrating stream with a low streambed conductance, base-flow reduction accounts for a significant percentage of the total stream depletion. Its residual effects in postpumping can last very long and may continue into the next pumping season for areas where recharge is nominal. In contrast, the contribution of the induced stream infiltration to the total stream depletion is much smaller, and its effects often become negligible shortly after pumping was stopped. For areas where surface recharge replenishes the aquifer, the residual effects of base-flow reduction and thus its depletion volume will be significantly reduced. A stream of large conductance has a high hydraulic connection to the aquifer, but the relationship between stream conductance and stream depletion is not linear.

Effects of Streambed Conductance on Stream Depletion

“…Multiple studies have shown that stream depletion is sensitive to streambed conductance (e.g., [9,13,14,19,30]), while others have demonstrated an insensitivity of stream depletion to C (e.g., [33]). In this section, we demonstrate the relationship between stream depletion and streambed conductance to illustrate that there exist a range of streambed conductance values to which stream depletion is sensitive.…”

“…For a given change in the head difference, a higher C leads to a greater degree of stream depletion and a lower C leads to a lesser degree of stream depletion [13,14]. The correlation between C and the stream depletion makes it an important model parameter in numerical stream depletion simulations (e.g., [9][10][11][12]18,19]).…”

“…However, Spalding and Khaleel [11] demonstrated that, despite their convenience, analytical approaches often fail to account for conditions that exist in natural steam-aquifer systems. Since that time, numerical groundwater models have proven to more accurately estimate stream depletion as they can better account for the complex nature of true systems [12][13][14][15][16].…”

Influence d'un plan d'eau de surface sur la vulnérabilité de l'eau pompée d'un puits en milieu rural /

“…Des exemples sont décrits par Sophocleous et al (1995), Conrad et Beljin (1996), et Chen et Shu (2002 …”

Efeitos Da Extração De Água Subterrânea Na Vazão De Rios: Uma Abordagem Metodológica.

“…O conhecimento da inter-relação entre os fluxos superficial e subterrâneo de águas é de grande importância na gestão dos recursos hídricos disponíveis em uma região (Chen e Shu, 2002). A forma de conexão entre esses dois sistemas pode gerar impactos importantes como, por exemplo, o bombeamento intensivo de água subterrânea em uma área pode causar, a curto prazo, a redução drástica do fluxo superficial interrompendo a perenidade dos cursos d'água (Nyholm, et al, 2002).…”