Surface Water Groundwater Interactions: From Theory to Practice

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2015) | Viewed by 39688

Special Issue Editors

CHYN, University of Neuchatel, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Interests: hydrogeology and hydrogeological processes; numerical modelling; surface water groundwater interactions; remote sensing; water resources management
Department of Hydrogeology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research—UFZ Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
Interests: surface water groundwater interactions; numerical modeling; hyporheic zone; heat as a tracer; feedbacks between hydrology and biogeochemistry; water and solute dynamics in catchments

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ever-growing water demands and changing climatic conditions cause increasing pressure on surface water and groundwater resources. A rigorous quantitative understanding of the interactions and feedback mechanisms between surface water and groundwater is therefore essential for preserving our current water resources and the ecosystems that depend on them. However, the current state of the art suggests that our quantitative approaches are still far from adequate. For example, the influence of heterogeneity on flow and transport through the hyporheic zone and the transience of hydraulic streambed properties or feedback mechanisms between riparian vegetation and rivers have yet to be explored.

This Special Issue brings together contributions that address current deficits in the complex area of surface water/groundwater interaction. We especially encourage submissions concerning both the numerical modeling of flow and transport at all spatial scales and the integration of field data into quantitative frameworks. The submission of papers that discuss and develop approaches to bridge the gap between a scientific understanding of surface water and groundwater systems and water resources management is also encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Philip A. Brunner
Dr. Jan Fleckenstein
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • surface water groundwater interactions
  • hyporheic flow
  • contaminant transport
  • river bank filtration
  • modeling
  • field methods
  • management
  • remediation
  • sedimentation
  • heterogeneity

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

596 KiB  
Article
On the Modeling of Bank Storage in a Groundwater Model: The April, 1983, Flood Event in the Neuwieder Becken (Middle Rhine)
by Bernhard P. J. Becker, Matthias Jansen, Benjamin P. Sinaba and Holger Schüttrumpf
Water 2015, 7(3), 1173-1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/w7031173 - 17 Mar 2015
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5345
Abstract
For predictive numerical simulations of subsurface floods (groundwater head rise due to high water in a contiguous river), it is important to know how to represent the bank storage process in a numerical groundwater model. Whilst leakage approaches are frequently used for modeling [...] Read more.
For predictive numerical simulations of subsurface floods (groundwater head rise due to high water in a contiguous river), it is important to know how to represent the bank storage process in a numerical groundwater model. Whilst leakage approaches are frequently used for modeling bank storage, another option is the application of a head boundary condition. In order to get a better understanding of the bank storage process, we analyze the bank storage event in the Neuwieder Becken (Middle Rhine) in April 1983, which has been reported by Ubell (1987). We found the leakage function to be nonlinear and hysteretic. The evaluation of different model variants for Ubell’s bank storage event shows that both a head boundary condition and a leakage boundary condition are appropriate modeling approaches. For practical reasons, the leakage boundary condition is preferred. A linear leakage function represents the bank storage process for the analyzed event sufficiently. A hysteretic course of the leakage function can be achieved in a three-dimensional groundwater model by layering the hydraulic soil properties in the vicinity of the bank. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Water Groundwater Interactions: From Theory to Practice)
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2588 KiB  
Article
Benthic Uptake Rate due to Hyporheic Exchange: The Effects of Streambed Morphology for Constant and Sinusoidally Varying Nutrient Loads
by Daniele Tonina, Alessandra Marzadri and Alberto Bellin
Water 2015, 7(2), 398-419; https://doi.org/10.3390/w7020398 - 23 Jan 2015
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6628
Abstract
Hyporheic exchange carries reactive solutes, which may include biological oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and reactive dissolved inorganic nitrogen (Nr), into the sediment, where biochemical reactions consume DO. Here, we study the impact of streambed morphology, stream-reactive solute loads and their diel [...] Read more.
Hyporheic exchange carries reactive solutes, which may include biological oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and reactive dissolved inorganic nitrogen (Nr), into the sediment, where biochemical reactions consume DO. Here, we study the impact of streambed morphology, stream-reactive solute loads and their diel oscillations on the DO benthic uptake rate (BUR) due to hyporheic processes. Our model solves the hyporheic flow field and the solute transport equations analytically, within a Lagrangian framework, considering advection, longitudinal diffusion and reactions modeled as first order kinetics. The application of the model to DO field measurements over a gravel bar-pool sequence shows a good match with measured DO concentrations with an overall agreement of 58% and a kappa index of 0.46. We apply the model to investigate the effects of daily constant and sinusoidally time varying stream BOD, DO and Nr loads and of the morphodynamic parameters on BUR. Our modeling results show that BUR varies as a function of bedform size and of nutrient loads and that the hyporheic zone may consume up to 0.06% of the stream DO at the pool-riffle bedform scale. Daily oscillations of stream BOD and DO loads have small effects on BUR, but may have an important influence on local hyporheic processes and organisms’ distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Water Groundwater Interactions: From Theory to Practice)
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3266 KiB  
Article
Effects of Streambed Conductance on Stream Depletion
by Greg Lackey, Roseanna M. Neupauer and John Pitlick
Water 2015, 7(1), 271-287; https://doi.org/10.3390/w7010271 - 12 Jan 2015
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7473
Abstract
Stream depletion, which is the reduction in flow rate of a stream or river due to the extraction of groundwater in a hydraulically connected stream-aquifer system, is often estimated using numerical models. The accuracy of these models depends on the appropriate parameterization of [...] Read more.
Stream depletion, which is the reduction in flow rate of a stream or river due to the extraction of groundwater in a hydraulically connected stream-aquifer system, is often estimated using numerical models. The accuracy of these models depends on the appropriate parameterization of aquifer and streambed hydraulic properties. Streambed conductance is a parameter that relates the head difference between the stream and aquifer to flow across the stream channel. It is a function of streambed hydraulic conductivity and streambed geometry. In natural systems, streambed conductance varies spatially throughout the streambed; however, stream depletion modeling studies often ignore this variability. In this work, we use numerical simulations to demonstrate that stream depletion estimates are sensitive to a range of streambed conductance values depending on aquifer properties. We compare the stream depletion estimates from various spatial patterns of streambed conductance to show that modeling streambed conductance as a homogeneous property can lead to errors in stream depletion estimates. We use the results to identify feasible locations for proposed pumping wells such that the stream depletion due to pumping from a well within this feasible region would not exceed a prescribed threshold value, and we show that incorrect assumptions of the magnitude and spatial variability of streambed conductance can affect the size and shape of the feasible region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Water Groundwater Interactions: From Theory to Practice)
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1409 KiB  
Article
Economic Feasibility of Irrigated Agricultural Land Use Buffers to Reduce Groundwater Nitrate in Rural Drinking Water Sources
by Megan M. Mayzelle, Joshua H. Viers, Josué Medellín-Azuara and Thomas Harter
Water 2015, 7(1), 12-37; https://doi.org/10.3390/w7010012 - 23 Dec 2014
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 9417
Abstract
Agricultural irrigation leachate is often the largest source for aquifer recharge in semi-arid groundwater basins, but contamination from fertilizers and other agro-chemicals may degrade the quality of groundwater. Affected communities are frequently economically disadvantaged, and water supply alternatives may be too costly. This [...] Read more.
Agricultural irrigation leachate is often the largest source for aquifer recharge in semi-arid groundwater basins, but contamination from fertilizers and other agro-chemicals may degrade the quality of groundwater. Affected communities are frequently economically disadvantaged, and water supply alternatives may be too costly. This study aimed to demonstrate that, when addressing these issues, environmental sustainability and market profitability are not incompatible. We investigated the viability of two low impact crops, alfalfa and vineyards, and new recharge basins as an alternative land use in recharge buffer zones around affected communities using an integrated hydrologic, socio-geographic, and economic analysis. In the southern Central Valley, California, study area, alfalfa and vineyards currently constitute 30% of all buffer zone cropland. Economic analyses of alternative land use scenarios indicate a wide range of revenue outcomes. Sector output gains and potential cost saving through land use conversion and resulting flood control result in gains of at least $2.3 billion, as compared to costs of $0.3 to $0.7 billion for treatment options over a 20 year period. Buffer zones would maintain the economic integrity of the region and concur with prevailing policy options. Thus, managed agricultural recharge buffer zones are a potentially attractive option for communities facing financial constraint and needing to diversify their portfolio of policy and infrastructure approaches to meet drinking water quality objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Water Groundwater Interactions: From Theory to Practice)
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3601 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Future Climate Change and Baltic Sea Level Rise on Groundwater Recharge, Groundwater Levels, and Surface Leakage in the Hanko Aquifer in Southern Finland
by Samrit Luoma and Jarkko Okkonen
Water 2014, 6(12), 3671-3700; https://doi.org/10.3390/w6123671 - 28 Nov 2014
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 9793
Abstract
The impact of climate change and Baltic Sea level rise on groundwater resources in a shallow, unconfined, low-lying coastal aquifer in Hanko, southern Finland, was assessed using the UZF1 model package coupled with the three-dimensional groundwater flow model MODFLOW to simulate flow from [...] Read more.
The impact of climate change and Baltic Sea level rise on groundwater resources in a shallow, unconfined, low-lying coastal aquifer in Hanko, southern Finland, was assessed using the UZF1 model package coupled with the three-dimensional groundwater flow model MODFLOW to simulate flow from the unsaturated zone through the aquifer. The snow and PET models were used to calculate the surface water availability for infiltration from the precipitation data used in UZF1. Infiltration rate, flow in the unsaturated zone and groundwater recharge were then simulated using UZF1. The simulation data from climate and sea level rise scenarios were compared with present data. The results indicated changes in recharge pattern during 2071–2100, with recharge occurring earlier in winter and early spring. The seasonal impacts of climate change on groundwater recharge were more significant, with surface overflow resulting in flooding during winter and early spring and drought during summer. Rising sea level would cause some parts of the aquifer to be under sea level, compromising groundwater quality due to intrusion of sea water. This, together with increased groundwater recharge, would raise groundwater levels and consequently contribute more surface leakage and potential flooding in the low-lying aquifer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Water Groundwater Interactions: From Theory to Practice)
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