Verification of Surface-Groundwater Connectivity in an Irrigation Canal Using Geophysical, Water Balance and Stable Isotope Approaches

Abstract

Descriptions of the surface-groundwater interactions are required for enhanced water resource management in the irrigation canals of the Kerian Scheme. The current study aims to find the hidden aquifer, determine the water loss/gain in an irrigation system, and identify the hydraulic interconnection between aquifer systems using geophysical, water balance, and stable isotope methods. The Resistivity Image Profiling (RIP) method is a common geophysical survey technique used to find a potential groundwater bearing zone in the study area. RIP results show that the thickness of the aquifer varies between 5 and 10 m at a depth of 10-30 m. The results are compared against borehole drilling data. Water loss and/or water gain in an irrigation system is an important component of the water balance for planning and operation. The water level at the Selinsing Canal system increases, clearly indicating that the catchment is very responsive to rainfall events. The use of stable isotopes to trace water movement in hydrology, including surface water and groundwater, is an important task within the environmental field. Thus, the results plotted for both water samples from Selinsing Canal and groundwater are linearly similar to those in the Global Meteoric Water Line and the Malaysian Meteoric Water Line. Thus, the samples are revealed to come from evaporated samples. This indicates that there is a connection between the surface and the groundwater in the catchment area.

Determination of aquifer parameters using geoelectrical sounding and pumping test data in Khanewal District, Pakistan

“…The use of resistivity survey to determine an aquifer's potential has increased due to advancement in numerical modeling solutions [2,19]. Vertical electrical sounding (VES) is a technique which has been used in various lithological settings successfully [20][21][22].…”

“…Due to a rapid increase in population and agriculture, the exploitation of groundwater resources is expanding worldwide [2,3]. The subsurface characteristics like lithology, structure and texture control the occurrence and movement of groundwater [2].…”

“…Due to a rapid increase in population and agriculture, the exploitation of groundwater resources is expanding worldwide [2,3]. The subsurface characteristics like lithology, structure and texture control the occurrence and movement of groundwater [2]. Aquifer parameters including hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity and storativity are commonly applied in groundwater modeling [4][5][6].…”

Comprehensive hydrologic calibration of SWAT and water balance analysis in mountainous watersheds in northwest China

“…Therefore, understanding the water balance is very important for studies on the operational management of reservoirs and river basins. Moreover, water balance studies provide an evaluation of an unknown water balance component from the difference between the known components (Dor et al, 2011).…”

Preserving Urmia Lake in a changing world : reconciling anthropogenic and climate drivers by hydrological modelling and policy assessment

“…Promoting irrigation efficiency often not only reduces withdrawals, but also decreases return flows. Changes in return flows link field hydrology to basin hydrology (Arumí et al, 2009, Dor et al, 2011, Nasri et al, 2015, De Graaf et al, 2014. If surface irrigation systems are replaced by sprinkler or drip systems, the return flow decreases, which in turn reduces downstream water availability (Scott et al, 2014, Lankford, 2012 and can amount to up to 60% (77% in rice fields) of the water applied for irrigation (De Graaf et al, 2014).…”