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Although renewed interest in flow around groundwater circulation wells is a positive development, the multiple and unacknowledged republication of previously published results is not. This is what has happened in a recent paper published in Water Resources Research by Tu et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR027529). The paper repeats results that appeared in Ni et al. (2011, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2011.04.030) as well as in the lead authors' own earlier work: Tu et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2018.09.029). And all three papers fail to acknowledge that the same ideas and closely related solutions were published in this Journal much earlier by Kabala (1993, https://doi.org/10.1029/92WR01820) and Zlotnik and Ledder (1996, https://doi.org/10.1029/95WR03813). Key Points: Tu et al. (2020) conducted a superficial literature review for flow around groundwater circulation well and missed numerous relevant publications, including those that previously published their resultsAll results claimed as novel by Tu et al. (2020) have been published earlier [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on deriving new approximate analytical solutions in wedge‐shaped aquifers. The proposed methodology is applicable to any type of aquifer namely, leaky, confined and unconfined, under both steady state and transient flow conditions. By applying the method of images and separating the flow field into sections using physical arguments, approximate analytical expressions are obtained for the drawdown function, which in contrast to the conventional theory, are applicable to any arbitrary wedge angle. Moreover, the solutions fully observe the boundary conditions, while they preserve the continuity of the drawdown, which can be calculated directly at any point of the flow field. Nevertheless, comparison of the results of the new approximate analytical solutions to numerical ones, has been considered necessary to check their validity. MODFLOW, a well‐known numerical tool is used to calculate the numerical results. The discrepancies between the numerical results and those of the approximate analytical solution are negligible. The main advantages of the proposed methodology are the following: (a) The model needs only finite number of terms compared to conventional analytical and numerical solutions that involve infinite series, (b) The computational load is low, so it can be easily used in conjunction with meta‐heuristic algorithms to solve groundwater resources optimization problems, (c) Stream depletion rate can be calculated rather accurately and (d) The method is applicable to related flow problems. Key Points: New functions for drawdown calculation in wedge‐shaped aquifers are presentedThe proposed functions are suitable to be used in conjuction with meta‐heuristic algorithms to solve groundwater optimization problemsConvergence of the results obtained from the set of functions and numerical methods (MODFLOW) point out the validity of the proposed solutions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the approach applied by Rumer and Shiau (1968) to interface flow in a layered coastal aquifer. The authors match the boundary conditions along the interfaces between layers of different hydraulic conductivities by changing the vertical scale of the layers, which causes violation of the governing equations. In particular, the mass balance equation is not met in each of the transformed layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive transport models (RTMs) are essential tools that simulate the coupling of advective, diffusive, and reactive processes in the subsurface, but their complexity makes them difficult to understand, develop and improve without accompanying statistical analyses. Although global sensitivity analysis (SA) can address these issues, the computational cost associated with most global SA techniques limits their use with RTMs. In this study, we apply distance‐based generalized sensitivity analysis (DGSA), a novel and computationally efficient method of global SA, to a floodplain‐scale RTM and compare DGSA results to those from local SA. Our test case focuses on the impact of 17 uncertain environmental parameters on spatially and temporally variable redox conditions within a floodplain aquifer. The input parameters considered include flow and diffusion rates, geochemical reaction rates, and the spatial distribution of sediment facies. Sensitivity was evaluated for three distinct components of the model response, encompassing both multidimensional and categorical output. Parameter rankings differ between local SA and DGSA, due to nonlinear effects of individual parameters and interaction effects between parameters. DGSA results show that fluid residence time, which is controlled by aquifer permeability, generally exerts a stronger control on redox conditions than do geochemical reaction rates. Sensitivity indices also demonstrate that sulfate reduction is key for establishing and maintaining reducing conditions throughout the aquifer. These results provide insights into the key drivers of heterogeneous redox processes within floodplain aquifers, as well as the main sources of uncertainty when modeling complex subsurface systems. Plain Language Summary: Models that simulate the movement of groundwater and contaminants in aquifers, known as reactive transport models (RTMs), are complex. Multiple competing processes, including the physics of groundwater flow and the chemistry of microbial interactions, make the results of such models difficult to understand without additional statistical analyses. Sensitivity analysis, a technique for calculating the effect of each input variable on model output, is one potential tool for interpreting complex models, but it is rarely performed on RTMs due to the computational resources required. In this paper, we show that distance‐based generalized sensitivity analysis (DGSA) can be used to interpret reactive transport models and has several advantages over other techniques. As a case study, we use DGSA to measure the effect of 17 input variables on a model that simulates iron cycling within a shallow aquifer. Results show that groundwater flow rates control dissolved iron concentrations and are generally more influential than geochemical reaction rates. Though we focus on iron, the findings are relevant for other microbially driven reactions, which can control the mobility of many nutrients, contaminants, and metals in groundwater. Key Points: Global sensitivity analysis is a valuable tool for improving process understanding in subsurface biogeochemical modelsParameter rankings from local and global sensitivity analyses can differ when applied to reactive transport modelsIn certain settings, sediment permeability exerts a more dominant control on redox cycling than do geochemical reaction rates [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiently measuring groundwater flow in bedrock aquifers is inherently challenging due to the irregular distribution and fine scale of fractures. Recent advances in Active Distributed Temperature Sensing (A‐DTS) in boreholes temporarily sealed with liners have made it possible to quantify flow rates in such aquifers at many different depths using heat as a tracer, but until now only data collected under a single hydraulic condition have been published. This paper presents the first field data from multiple A‐DTS field tests conducted under different hydraulic conditions to quantify groundwater flow redistribution within a bedrock aquifer. Three separate quasi steady state A‐DTS tests were collected in a sealed borehole: (1) natural gradient condition where all boreholes were sealed with flexible and impermeable liners, (2) cross‐connected condition where a nearby borehole was open allowing vertical flow within the borehole, and (3) forced gradient condition where the nearby open borehole was pumped at a constant rate of 54 L/min. The depth‐discrete hydraulic head responses were also measured during the three tests using a string of transducers in a sealed borehole. Results provide quantifiable insights as to how the bedrock aquifer responds, including A‐DTS‐derived measurements of flow changes in fractures at multiple depths driven by changes in gradients. The results confirm that a single open borehole or long‐screened well can significantly alter the site hydraulics and demonstrate that not all large or transmissive fractures show evidence of active flow and thus, transmissivity and aperture should not be used alone to infer active flow zones. Plain Language Summary: Measuring groundwater flow in fractured bedrock aquifers is difficult because flow is primarily controlled by small and irregularly spaced fractures. Very few tools exist to measure the natural flow through fractures in these aquifers, which is essential for understanding contaminant transport flow paths. One emerging technique, called Active Distributed Temperature Sensing (A‐DTS), uses a type of fiber optic sensor that can measure temperature at many different intervals along a fiber optic cable. This cable is lowered into a borehole, and a flexible inflatable liner is installed to prevent vertical flow within the borehole. The cable is then heated using integrated heating wires for an extended period, and the temperature response can be used to locate and estimate groundwater flow rates. This study collects field data under three different flow conditions at a site to demonstrate how the flow in a bedrock aquifer responds when it is stressed and the sensitivity of the A‐DTS technique. Results demonstrate highly variable flow with depth and that having a single open borehole on a site can strongly affect the natural flow system. A‐DTS allows efficient measurement of this variable flow with depth and provides a better understanding of these complex bedrock groundwater systems. Key Points: A‐DTS in sealed boreholes can effectively quantify changes in fracture flow with depth in a bedrock aquiferAn open and cross‐connected borehole can significantly affect the site hydraulicsUnder natural gradient conditions, transmissive fractures are not always hydraulically active [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an approach for reducing saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers by artificially reducing the hydraulic conductivity in the upper part of selected areas by using a precipitate. We apply a previously presented analytical approach to develop formulas useful for the design of artificial barriers. Equations for the location of the tip of the saltwater wedge are presented and verified through a sand-tank experiment. The analysis is capable of computing discharges exactly, but requires the Dupuit-Forchheimer approximation to compute points of the interface between flowing fresh and stationary saltwater. We consider a vertical coastline and boundaries in the freshwater zone of either given discharge or given head. We demonstrate in the paper that reduction of the hydraulic conductivity in the upper part of a coastal aquifer will result in a decrease of saltwater intrusion, and present analytic expressions that can be used for design purposes. The previously presented analytical approach can be applied to design systems to reduce saltwater intrusion caused by pumping inland from the zone that contains saline groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contains a new formulation for infiltration inside domains bounded by polygons and its application to problems of steady multiaquifer flow, using the Dupuit-Forchheimer approximation and assuming vertical flow in the separating layers. An alternative formulation is presented for leaky aquifer systems where infiltration or extraction is given. Existing formulations of multiaquifer flow involve a system of equations that must be solved for the heads in the aquifers. These formulations are abstract, and the relation between the parameters in the solution and physical quantities is hidden. The formulation in the paper aims at linking the system of equations to physical quantities; we have done this in two ways. First, we formulate the problem in terms of leakage potentials, related directly to the leakage through the leaky layers. Second, we introduce the concept of 'equilibrated leakage,' leakage that is either the result of infiltration or of some disturbance in the flow pattern, such as that caused by a well. The leakage through the leaky layers tends to some constant value far from a disturbance, e.g., a well, or the boundary of an area of constant infiltration. This concept of equilibrated leakage is useful in practice and helps in understanding the distribution of leakage; we explain this in detail in the paper. The study of problems of steady flow in leaky aquifer systems is inspired by problems of groundwater sustainability, where the overall distribution of flow over long periods of time is important, rather than detailed information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a methodology to predict the shape of solute breakthrough curves in heterogeneous aquifers at early times and/or under high degrees of heterogeneity, both cases in which the classical macrodispersion theory may not be applicable. The methodology relies on the observation that breakthrough curves in heterogeneous media are generally well described by lognormal distributions, and mean breakthrough times can be predicted analytically. The log‐variance of solute arrival is thus sufficient to completely specify the breakthrough curves, and this is calibrated as a function of aquifer heterogeneity and dimensionless distance from a source plane by means of Monte Carlo analysis and statistical regression. Using the ensemble of simulated groundwater flow and solute transport realizations employed to calibrate the predictive regression, reliability estimates for the prediction are also developed. Additional theoretical contributions include heuristics for the time until an effective macrodispersion coefficient becomes applicable, and also an expression for its magnitude that applies in highly heterogeneous systems. It is seen that the results here represent a way to derive continuous time random walk transition distributions from physical considerations rather than from empirical field calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial heterogeneity of hydraulic conductivity ( K) exerts a major control on groundwater flow and solute transport. The heterogeneous spatial distribution of K can be imaged using indirect geophysical data as long as reliable relations exist to link geophysical data to K. This paper presents a nonparametric learning machine approach to predict aquifer K from cone penetrometer tests (CPT) coupled with a soil moisture and resistivity probe (SMR) using relevance vector machines (RVMs). The learning machine approach is demonstrated with an application to a heterogeneous unconsolidated littoral aquifer in a 12 km2 subwatershed, where relations between K and multiparameters CPT/SMR soundings appear complex. Our approach involved fuzzy clustering to define hydrofacies (HF) on the basis of CPT/SMR and K data prior to the training of RVMs for HFs recognition and K prediction on the basis of CPT/SMR data alone. The learning machine was built from a colocated training data set representative of the study area that includes K data from slug tests and CPT/SMR data up-scaled at a common vertical resolution of 15 cm with K data. After training, the predictive capabilities of the learning machine were assessed through cross validation with data withheld from the training data set and with K data from flowmeter tests not used during the training process. Results show that HF and K predictions from the learning machine are consistent with hydraulic tests. The combined use of CPT/SMR data and RVM-based learning machine proved to be powerful and efficient for the characterization of high-resolution K heterogeneity for unconsolidated aquifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents two methods for joint inversion of aquifer test data, magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) data, and transient electromagnetic data acquired from a multilayer hydrogeological system. The link between the MRS model and the groundwater model is created by tying hydraulic conductivities ( k) derived from MRS parameters to those of the groundwater model. Method 1 applies k estimated from MRS directly in the groundwater model, during the inversion. Method 2 on the other hand uses the petrophysical relation as a regularization constraint that only enforces k estimated for the groundwater model to be equal to MRS derived k to the extent that data can be fitted. Both methodologies can jointly calibrate parameters pertaining to the individual models as well as a parameter pertaining to the petrophysical relation. This allows the petrophysical relation to adapt to the local conditions during the inversion. The methods are tested using a synthetic data set as well as a field data set. In combination, the two case studies show that the joint methods can constrain the inversion to achieve estimates of k, decay times, and water contents for a leaky confined aquifer system. We show that the geophysical data can assist in determining otherwise insensitive k, and vice versa. Based on our experiments and results, we mainly advocate the future application of method 2 since this seems to produce the most reliable results, has a faster inversion runtime, and is applicable also for linking k of 3-D groundwater flow models to multiple MRS soundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrologists routinely analyze pumping test data using conventional interpretation methods that are based on the assumption of homogeneity and that, consequently, yield single estimates of representative flow parameters. However, natural subsurface formations are intrinsically heterogeneous, and hence, the flow parameters influencing the drawdown vary as the cone of depression expands in time. In this paper a novel procedure for the analysis of pumping tests in heterogeneous confined aquifers is developed. We assume that a given heterogeneous aquifer can be represented by a homogeneous system whose flow parameters evolve in time as the pumping test progresses. At any point in time, the interpreted flow parameters are estimated using the ratio of the drawdown and its derivative observed at that particular time. The procedure is repeated for all times, yielding time-dependent estimates of transmissivity Ti( t) and storativity, Si( t). Based on the analysis of the sensitivity of drawdown to inhomogeneities in the T field, the time-dependent interpreted transmissivity values are found to be a good estimate of Tg( r), the geometric mean of the transmissivity values encompassed within a progressively increasing radius r from the well. The procedure is illustrated for Gaussian heterogeneous fields with ln( T) variances up to a value of 2. The impact of the separation distance between the pumping well and observation point on data interpretation is discussed. The results show that information about the spatial variability of the transmissivity field can be inferred from time-drawdown data collected at a single observation point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common‐pool nature of groundwater resources creates incentives to over pump that contribute to their rapid global depletion. In transboundary aquifers, users are separated by a territorial border and might face substantially different economic and hydrogeologic conditions that can alternatively dampen or amplify incentives to over pump. We develop a theoretical model that couples principles of game theory and groundwater flow to capture the combined effect of well locations and user asymmetries on pumping incentives. We find that heterogeneities across users (here referred to as asymmetries) in terms of either energy cost, groundwater profitability or aquifer response tend to dampen incentives to over pump. However, combinations of two or more types of asymmetry can substantially amplify common‐pool overdraft, particularly when the same user simultaneously faces comparatively higher costs (or aquifer response) and profitability. We use this theoretical insight to interpret the emergence of the Disi agreement between Saudi Arabia and Jordan in association with the Disi‐Amman water pipeline. By using bounded non‐dimensional parameters to encode user asymmetries and groundwater connectivity, the theory provides a tractable generalized framework to understand the premature depletion of shared aquifers, whether transboundary or not. Key Points: Economic and hydrogeologic differences between users affect common‐pool externalities in shared aquifersWhen combined, asymmetries in energy cost, groundwater profitability and aquifer response can exacerbate incentives to overpumpChanging asymmetry conditions might have facilitated the world's first distance‐based groundwater treaty [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal deltaic aquifers are vulnerable to degradation from seawater intrusion, geogenic and anthropogenic contamination, and groundwater abstraction. The distribution and transport of contaminants are highly dependent on the subsurface sedimentary architecture, such as the presence of channelized features that preferentially conduct flow. Surface deposition changes in response to sea‐level rise (SLR) and sediment supply, but it remains unclear how these surface changes affect the distribution and transport of groundwater solutes in aquifers. Here, we explore the influence of SLR and sediment supply on aquifer heterogeneity and resulting effects on contaminant transport. We use realizations of subsurface heterogeneity generated by a process‐based numerical model, DeltaRCM, which simulates the evolution of a deltaic aquifer with different input sand fractions and rates of SLR. We simulate groundwater flow and solute transport through these deposits in three contamination scenarios: (a) vertical transport from widespread contamination at the land surface, (b) vertical transport from river water infiltration, and (c) lateral seawater intrusion. The simulations show that the vulnerability of deltaic aquifers to seawater intrusion correlates to sand fraction, while vertical transport of contaminants, such as widespread shallow contamination and river water infiltration, is influenced by channel stacking patterns. This analysis provides new insights into the connection between the depositional system properties and vulnerability to different modes of groundwater contamination. It also illustrates how vulnerability may vary locally within a delta due to depositional differences. Results suggest that groundwater management strategies may be improved by considering surface features, location within the delta, and the external forcings during aquifer deposition. Plain Language Summary: The findings of this study provide insight into the vulnerability of deltaic aquifers to three contamination processes: (a) widespread contaminant transport from the land surface, (b) river water infiltration, and (c) seawater intrusion. We consider how contamination is affected by the location of contaminants and the processes associated with the accumulation of sediments in deltas. Our work shows that vulnerability to contamination depends on how the aquifer is deposited. The results also demonstrate that the distribution of sandy channels preserved in the subsurface, as well as rivers on the surface, controls vertical contaminant transport. We find that these effects vary from upstream to downstream in the delta because of spatial differences in depositional processes. These findings will help to improve predictions of groundwater contamination and manage groundwater development in deltas around the world. Key Points: In deltaic aquifers, contaminant distribution is controlled by the sand fraction and channel stacking patternsRivers on the surface have a strong influence on vertical contaminant transport in aquifersDue to differences in channel distribution, vertical contamination varies nonlinearly from upstream to downstream regions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater dynamics in continental rift zone settings remain poorly understood because of the spatial heterogeneity in flow, storage, and recharge dynamics. The Central Kenya Rift is an excellent example where, though groundwater is important for domestic, irrigation, and geothermal energy exploitation, its hydrogeological properties remain largely unknown. Existing conceptual groundwater models assume flow from the high‐elevation, humid rift flanks to the low‐elevation, semiarid rift floor, but the role of the faults that fracture the aquifers is commonly unaccounted for. We applied geochemical, isotopic (δ18O, δD, 87Sr/86Sr, 3H‐3He), multivariate statistical methods, and knowledge of geological structures to determine recharge sources, flow, and residence times to revise the conceptual flow model. Results show that groundwater is primarily recharged by meteoric waters, river input, and Lake recharge. The faults impart a control on the groundwater flow within four sub‐compartments. Major differences in flow patterns exist between the eastern and western rift flanks: surface and groundwater transfer from the eastern flanks to the rift floor occurs via relay ramp structures, and flow on the west side takes place laterally from the high escarpment. Although 3H‐3He dating shows that the age of groundwater ranges from a few to >>50 years, most of the groundwater in the rift‐floor area is free of 3H and was recharged before the 1960s. Hence, we propose that these areas receive episodic recharge and represent the most sensitive groundwater resources in the rift. To inform sustainable groundwater development, a robust monitoring network is required to capture the heterogeneous groundwater dynamics. Key Points: Fault ramps are important groundwater transfer zones within the rift blocksFault displacements exert control on recharge and groundwater availability within the rift floorMajority of the water samples from the rift floor lack tritium, meaning that active recharge is minimal [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many irrigated agricultural areas seek to prolong the lifetime of their groundwater resources by reducing pumping. However, it is unclear how lagged responses, such as reduced groundwater recharge caused by more efficient irrigation, may impact the long‐term effectiveness of conservation initiatives. Here, we use a variably saturated, simplified surrogate groundwater model to: (a) analyze aquifer responses to pumping reductions, (b) quantify time lags between reductions and groundwater level responses, and (c) identify the physical controls on lagged responses. We explore a range of plausible model parameters for an area of the High Plains aquifer (USA) where stakeholder‐driven conservation has slowed groundwater depletion. We identify two types of lagged responses that reduce the long‐term effectiveness of groundwater conservation, recharge‐dominated and lateral‐flow‐dominated, with vertical hydraulic conductivity (KZ) the major controlling variable. When high KZ allows percolation to reach the aquifer, more efficient irrigation reduces groundwater recharge. By contrast, when low KZ impedes vertical flow, short term changes in recharge are negligible, but pumping reductions alter the lateral flow between the groundwater conservation area and the surrounding regions (lateral‐flow‐dominated response). For the modeled area, we found that a pumping reduction of 30% resulted in median usable lifetime extensions of 20 or 25 years, depending on the dominant lagged response mechanism (recharge‐ vs. lateral‐flow‐dominated). These estimates are far shorter than estimates that do not account for lagged responses. Results indicate that conservation‐based pumping reductions can extend aquifer lifetimes, but lagged responses can create a sizable difference between the initially perceived and actual long‐term effectiveness. Key Points: The long‐term effectiveness of pumping reduction‐based groundwater conservation is dependent on lagged processesVertical hydraulic conductivity (KZ) controls if lagged responses are lateral‐flow dominated or recharge‐dominatedIgnoring lagged processes overestimates aquifer lifetime by 32 and 133 years in lateral‐flow and recharge‐dominated settings, respectively [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steady well‐type flow was monitored in an aquifer that was artificially packed in order to reproduce a given, highly heterogeneous, statistical distribution of the log‐conductivity Y. In particular, we focus on pumping tests carried out at 10 volumetric flow rates. The experimental arrangement was composed by a pumping well and several surrounding observation piezometers. The unique feature of this experimental study is that the high heterogeneity structure of Y is known fairly well. Thus, the study lends itself as a valuable tool to corroborate theoretical findings about flows driven by sources through porous formations, where the variance σY2 ${\sigma }_{Y}^{2}$ (in the present study equal to 3.79) of Y is large. Besides discussing experimental findings, we tackle the crucial issue of upscaling the hydraulic conductivity in a well‐flow configuration. In particular, we deal with the equivalent conductivity (EC) as that pertaining to a homogeneous (fictitious) medium which conveys the same volumetric flow rate of the real one, under the same boundary conditions. Hence, the EC can be identified straightforwardly by means of head measurements. Even if we show that the EC is a proper parameter to reproduce measurements, it is experimentally shown (in line with the theoretical results) to be position‐dependent, and therefore, it cannot be regarded (unlike groundwater‐type flow) as a formation's property. This implies that the EC applies only to the configuration at stake. Then, we show that the EC, combined with a recent model of effective conductivity in well‐flows through highly heterogeneous porous formation, leads to a reasonably reliable estimate of σY2 ${\sigma }_{Y}^{2}$, some limitations and approximations, notwithstanding. It is hoped that the present experimental study will be useful for other researchers who are engaged with similar research‐topics. Key Points: Steady well‐flow through a strongly heterogeneous formation is investigated by means of an experimental studyThe formation was artificially packed to reproduce a given, statistical distribution of the hydraulic conductivityThe equivalent conductivity is proved to be a proper parameter to simulate the average flow [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1986, a seminal data set from the Canadian Forces Base (C.F.B.) Borden aquifer, Ontario, Canada, was published, illustrating, in unprecedented detail, the spatial distribution of hydraulic conductivity (K). Among many contributions attached to that data set was a geostatistical examination of field‐based data for comparison with theoretical predictions of macro‐dispersivity. However, that work treated K as a static parameter and the sole source of flow variability. Here, point velocity probes (PVPs) are used to extend the earlier work by collecting a novel high‐resolution data set of groundwater velocity (v) measurements in the C.F.B. Borden aquifer. Velocity is a dynamic parameter of fundamental importance, closely tied to solute dispersion. Over 400 velocity measurements were collected along a transect perpendicular to flow, analyzed geostatistically, and compared with the analysis of the B‐B′ cross‐section of K reported by Sudicky (1986), https://doi.org/10.1029/wr022i013p02069. The PVP measurements exhibited geostatistics similar to those previously estimated by Sudicky (1986), https://doi.org/10.1029/wr022i013p02069. This finding suggests, as implicitly assumed in the previous work, the distribution of v is primarily controlled by K. PVPs also provided a novel, high‐resolution data set of groundwater flow directions. Since the ultimate objective of aquifer characterization includes the definition of velocity fields, this work not only extends the 1986 work, but also demonstrates a viable alternative for characterizing flow patterns in aquifers—with the advantage that direct v measurements reflect variability in porosity and hydraulic gradient, as well as K. This could ultimately be advantageous at sites with greater heterogeneity or other dynamic hydrogeological variabilities more pronounced than those at the Borden site. Plain Language Summary: Transport of contaminants in the ground is dominated by groundwater flow. This is typically investigated using conventional methods based on water‐level measurements and other indirect techniques. This article outlines an alternative method for investigating groundwater flow by direct measurements of groundwater velocity. A chief advantage of the approach is a reduction of measurement uncertainty. Geostatistics describing aquifer structure based on the two methods were shown to be similar. This illustrates the advantages of making direct velocity measurements are not offset by a loss of data quality or geostatistical value. This new method may have application in the characterization and monitoring of contaminants transporting by groundwater or undergoing clean‐up efforts. Key Points: Geostatistics of direct groundwater velocity measurements are consistent with those from hydraulic conductivity at Canadian Forces Base BordenCorrelation lengths of groundwater velocity magnitude and direction shown to be similarHigh‐resolution velocity data set shows plume spreading (i.e., dispersion), without Fickian dispersion, based solely on advective processes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical models of variable‐density groundwater flow and salt transport are a primary tool for predicting salinity distributions in coastal aquifers and estimating submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Models are particularly useful to estimate the saline component of SGD, which can occur far offshore and is difficult to measure directly. Depending on the system and application, the level of geologic detail represented can range from homogeneous or layered to fully heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity fields. These features strongly affect model results, limiting understanding of subsurface salinity distributions and associated density‐driven saltwater circulation along coasts worldwide. In this study, the impact of the scale of representation of heterogeneity on salinity distributions and SGD was investigated using numerical simulations. Upscaling hydraulic conductivity can significantly modify salinity distributions and flow paths, resulting in unpredictable variations in simulated SGD, though the values for homogeneous fields with equivalent hydraulic conductivity show consistent trends. Simulated density distributions control both the rate and direction of subsurface saltwater circulation. The length of the mixing zone perimeter, a measure of salinity distribution complexity, is shown to correlate with both the rate of subsurface saltwater circulation and the amount of groundwater circulating in the reverse direction from homogeneous cases. Overall, the results demonstrate a strong dependence of salinity distributions and saltwater circulation on the scale and distribution of geologic heterogeneity represented in numerical models. This suggests that numerical models with simplified geologic structure may substantially underestimate saltwater circulation, and attempts to calibrate them using salinity distributions or SGD measurements may be problematic. Plain Language Summary: Groundwater flow and solute transport models that simulate how groundwater moves across the land‐ocean interface and seabed are important to science and engineering because these processes affect our coastal water resources as well as the chemical composition of the ocean. These models have been applied over different domain sizes, simulation grid resolutions, and geologic representations. We show that simulation results are strongly scale‐dependent, which makes it difficult to develop general conclusions that are independent of model setup. We simulated saltwater distributions and groundwater flow across a range of scales and detail of geologic representation. This work improves the understanding of scale‐dependent heterogeneity in simulations of saltwater circulation and cautions those modeling these processes to carefully consider how results relate to the model itself. Key Points: Upscaling hydraulic conductivity alters circulation direction and affects geometry of mixing zone where saltwater circulation occursFresh submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) tends to increase and saline SGD tends to decrease with upscaling; mixing zone area and perimeter do not vary systematicallyModels with simplified geologic structure may underestimate density‐driven saltwater circulation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of coastal groundwater dynamics often assume two‐dimensional (2D) flow and transport along a shore‐perpendicular cross‐section. We show that along‐shore movement of groundwater may also be significant in heterogeneous coastal aquifers. Simulations of groundwater flow and salt transport incorporating different geologic structure show highly three‐dimensional (3D) preferential flow paths. The along‐shore movement of groundwater on average accounts for 40%–50% of the total flowpath length in both conduit‐type (e.g., volcanic) heterogeneous aquifers and statistically equivalent (e.g., deltaic) systems generated with sequential indicator simulation (SIS). Our results identify a critical role of three‐dimensionality in systems with connected high‐permeability geological features. 3D conduit features connecting land and sea cause more terrestrial groundwater flow through the inland boundary and intensify water exchange along the land‐sea interface. Therefore, conduits increase the rate of SGD compared to equivalent homogeneous, SIS and corresponding 2D models. In contrast, in SIS‐type systems, less‐connected high‐permeability features produce mixing zones and SGD nearer to shore, with comparable rates in 3D and 2D models. Onshore, 3D heterogeneous cases have longer flowpaths and travel times from recharge to discharge compared to 2D cases, but offshore travel times are much shorter, particularly for conduit‐type models in which flow is highly preferential. Flowpath lengths and travel times are also highly variable in 3D relative to 2D for all heterogeneous simulations. The results have implications for water resources management, biogeochemical reactions within coastal aquifers, and subsequent chemical fluxes to the ocean. Plain Language Summary: The findings of this study provide insight into the complex patterns of groundwater flow under the influence of geologic variability in coastal aquifers. In coastal regions, studies of solute transport processes mainly rely on an assumption of 2D groundwater flow and solute transport in the shore‐perpendicular direction. Our results reveal that groundwater does not only flow toward the sea, it also can flow along‐shore, especially in aquifers with features that connect the onshore and offshore. This affects exchange and mixing between fresh and saline groundwater, which can strongly impact delivery of contaminants and nutrients to sensitive nearshore marine ecosystems. Results highlight the importance of characterizing the geology of coastal aquifers and representing it in models of groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Key Points: Geologic heterogeneity causes substantial along‐shore movement of groundwater in coastal heterogeneous aquifersAlong‐shore groundwater flow in heterogeneous aquifers increases variability of travel length and time of groundwater prior to dischargeConnected, high‐permeability features increase the rate of SGD compared to equivalent homogeneous, SIS, and corresponding 2D models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterized horizontal hydraulic conductivity (K) of a fractured granitic aquifer using single‐ and cross‐hole hydraulic tests to evaluate "scale effect." For selected boreholes, K estimates were obtained using single‐hole FLUTe liner and slug tests. Several cross‐hole pumping tests were carried out at various durations. Drawdown responses were first interpreted using analytical well‐test solutions to obtain an effective horizontal conductivity (Keff) assuming a homogeneous and infinite aquifer. The same drawdowns were then numerically inverted using transient hydraulic tomography (THT) to delineate spatial distributions of K and storativity in the area encompassing the boreholes. Papadopulos (1965) and a nonlinear least squares minimization method produced a similar principal Keff direction that is consistent with the dominant fracture strike observed from outcrop and borehole televiewer data. However, principal direction and magnitude of this Keff depend on the pumping test duration and the number of monitoring boreholes used in the interpretation. As a group, K obtained from cross‐hole tests is larger than that obtained from single‐hole tests. However, because cross‐hole tests stressed the aquifer at both interwell and larger scales, Keff obtained from interpreting cross‐hole data is observed to decrease with pumping time, likely due to the dominance of less permeable fractures at larger scale. This lateral reduction of mean K is also revealed by THT as low K zones surrounding the test boreholes. Overall, K is found to increase from single‐hole to the interwell scale and then decrease at larger scale, exhibiting a non‐monotonic scale effect. Plain Language Summary: Knowledge of hydrological properties, particularly hydraulic conductivity (K), which controls groundwater flow in aquifers, is limited by the lack of subsurface data. Scientists have long observed that K estimated using field‐testing methods that stimulate different volumes of aquifers can vary by several orders of magnitude, which creates a conundrum for how groundwater flow should be analyzed. To determine if scale effect is apparent in a fractured granitic aquifer in the Laramie Range, Wyoming, testing methods that stressed the aquifer with different water volumes were employed. Our results indicate that K increases from single‐hole to the interwell scale but decreases at larger scale, with an overall nonmonotonic, albeit mild, scale effect. Compared to similar studies performed at other fractured rock sites, scale effect appears to be site‐specific and is not generally transferable across different aquifers. Key Points: In a granitic aquifer, K anisotropy identified from cross‐hole drawdown data is consistent with site geological dataAnalytical and hydraulic tomography interpretations of cross‐hole data suggest a reduced mean K at large scaleK increases from single‐hole to the interwell scale and then decreases at a larger scale, exhibiting a nonmonotonic scale effect [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite reduction measures, nitrate and aluminum concentrations remain high in aquifers in northwestern Europe. To evaluate the effectiveness of groundwater protection policies, the long‐term fate of these contaminants in groundwater needs to be understood. The groundwater catchment of the Haren water works, NW Germany, was characterized hydrogeochemically in the late 1990s, which provides an opportunity to study the solute fronts over a two‐decade period and conduct a post‐audit of the predicted front movement. Results indicate that, despite a significant reduction of the atmospheric acid loads, the acidification of soil and groundwater at the forest site persists. Removal of sorbed aluminum is required to induce a noticeable improvement, which will take at least several decades. The unexpected appearance of nitrate at the site, caused by a land use change in 1998, highlights the need for long‐term monitoring. Core data at the agricultural site show that the denitrification front has moved very little between 1998 and 2017, in accordance with previous forecasts. Denitrification by‐products, mainly sulfate and nitrogen, have migrated from the upper into the lower aquifer. A reactive transport model demonstrated how the link between the regional groundwater flow, pyrite oxidation, and the temporal variability of the nitrate concentration in recharge water, as reconstructed from age tracers, result in the observed vertical distribution of sulfate and nitrogen. This study demonstrates how long‐term monitoring, aided by model‐based data interpretation, can be used to successfully study and predict the fate of contaminants in groundwater. Key Points: Position of reaction fronts for nitrate and acidification in aquifers checked after 20+ yearsAcidification of soil and groundwater still strong, despite reductions of atmospheric inputNitrate front has moved very slowly over last 20 years but denitrification products have migrated into lower aquifer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, many mathematical models based on the dual‐porosity (DP) concept were developed to describe the groundwater flow in fractured aquifer systems. Most of them seemingly have problems in predicting accurate drawdown at the early and/or intermediate times as compared with field measured data. Thus, this study proposes a new analytical model with a generalized transfer term (GTT) to describe the flow induced by pumping in such systems. The new model is nonlinear because the GTT representing the matrix‐to‐fracture flux gives different weights to the fracture and matrix drawdowns. The GTT reduces to the existing first‐order transfer term if the weight equals zero and second‐order term if the weight is one. The present model also includes a leakage term accounting for flow from the overlain or underlain acquitard. The drawdown solution of the model is developed based on the Laplace transform method and integration by parts formula and then verified through the comparison with the finite‐element solution. The effect of different weight values in the GTT on the DP flow is investigated. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the impact of the change in each of the aquifer parameters on the flow. Furthermore, the present solution is used to analyze two sets of pumping drawdown data from test sites in Canada and India. We found that the drawdown predictions from the present solution fit field measured data very well, suggesting that the present model can adequately describe the real‐world DP flow system. Key Points: A generalized nonlinear water transfer term is proposed for describing the matrix‐to‐fracture flux in a dual‐porosity (DP) system subject to pumpingThe present term reduces to the existing first‐order or second‐order transfer term for weighting factor of 0 or 1, respectivelyThe drawdown solution of the model is used to analyze field drawdown data for estimating the aquifer parameters [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors appreciate Dr. Kabala's interest in our work and his commitment to protecting research work integrity and scientific records accuracy. They are of the utmost importance to us as well. After receiving the Comment, we made it our highest priority to respond, address the concerns raised, and carefully re‐examine our manuscript. This reply is to "Comment on 'An analytical solution of groundwater flow in a confined aquifer with a single well circulation system, by Tu et al.'" Key Points: The approaches and contributions in our work are different from the work of Kabala (1993)We overcame the problems associated with the well configuration functions and their convergence of Ni et al. (2011) and Tu et al. (2019)The analytical solution in our study has been rigorously derived by employing a combination of the Laplace and Fourier cosine transforms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing analytical models, which have assumed a fully penetrating stream (FPS), give significant error in predicting stream depletion/filtration rate (SDR) for the typical case of a partially penetrating stream. In addition, existing source terms, embedded in flow equations for stream treatment, neglect the effect of small‐scale streambed storage. This study develops two new models for describing three‐dimensional (3D) flow in a pumped confined aquifer connected to a stream with shallow penetration. One model treats a finite‐width stream as a modified source term reflecting the streambed storage effect for the case of near‐stream groundwater extraction. The finite element solution of the model is built. The other model considers a rectilinear stream as a source term neglecting the streambed storage effect for the case of far‐from‐stream groundwater extraction. The semi‐analytical solution of the model is derived by the Laplace transform and Fourier transform. The time‐domain approximate solution for SDR is also derived. Results suggest the modified source term serves as a convenient and efficient alternative to existing stream treatments in incorporating the streambed storage effect and achieving both accurate solution prediction and coarse aquifer discretization. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates the response of SDR more sensitive to the change in vertical aquifer hydraulic conductivity than that in horizontal one due to shallow penetration of stream. A shallow stream can be regarded as a FPS in predicting SDR under three quantitative conditions. As concluded, this study provides hydrologists with a better understanding of SDR behavior subject to 3D flow in typical stream‐aquifer system. Key Points: A new approach is proposed for three‐dimensional (3D) flow in a pumped confined aquifer connected to a shallow stream with clogged streambed in betweenA modified source term is derived to reflect small‐scale streambed storage effect for the case of near‐stream groundwater extractionA new semi‐analytical solution is built to describe 3D confined flow and stream filtration rate due to pumping far from a shallow stream [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground rupture due to groundwater pumping is a major environmental hazard accompanying land subsidence in some areas. Ground ruptures usually develop when a significant compaction affects a sedimentary sequence with peculiar geological conditions, for example, the presence of a shallow bedrock with buried ridges. A laboratory test was developed with the aim at improving our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for rupture generation in this particular hydrogeological setting, typical, for instance, of the Guangming village, China. A 0.8‐m high concrete prism, representing a rocky ridge, was placed in a 4.0‐m long, 1.8‐m wide, and 1.4‐m high box and buried by alluvial material. The box was saturated and then drained, with the formation of a main crack above the prism‐shaped ridge. The measured water content, vertical displacements, strains, rupture initiation, and growth are analyzed through an original coupled 3D‐numerical model, simulating the variably saturated groundwater flow in a deformable and fractured porous medium. To our knowledge, this is the first application of such a kind of model to a lab‐scale experiment. Despite the uncertainty on the material parameters, the numerical model allows satisfactorily reproducing the observed groundwater flow, land subsidence, and rupture features (depth and width). The rupture dynamics is captured in part as well, despite the employment of a simple Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion and although other forces (e.g., electrochemical) may likely play a role at the metric scale of the lab test. The modeling outcomes provide a clear view on how the rupture develops from the surface and propagates downward. Key Points: A large lab experiment was carried out to reproduce rupture development due to aquifer exploitation above a bedrock ridgeA novel coupled 3D model of variably saturated flow in deformable and fractured porous media was developed and applied to the lab experimentThe numerical model allows to describe the brittle rupture initiation and growth over time [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depth of active groundwater circulation is a fundamental control on stream flows and chemistry in mountain watersheds, yet it remains challenging to characterize and is rarely well constrained. We collected hydraulic conductivity, hydraulic head, temperature, chemical, noble gas, and 3H/3He groundwater age data from discrete levels in two boreholes 46 and 81 m deep in an alpine watershed, in combination with chemical and age data from shallow groundwater discharge, to discern groundwater flow rates at different depths and directly observe active and inactive groundwater. Vertical head gradients are steep (average of 0.4) and thermal profiles are consistent with typical linear conductive continental geotherms. Groundwater deeper than ∼20 m is distinct from shallow groundwater and creek water in its chemistry, noble gas signature, and age (dominantly >65 years compared to <9 years). Together these results suggest low vertical groundwater flow velocities and a relatively shallow active circulation depth of ∼20 m. This hypothesis is tested with a simple 2‐D numerical fluid flow and heat transport model representing a hillslope transect through the two boreholes. The modeling indicates that the subhorizontally bedded sedimentary rocks underlying the basin are highly anisotropic with low vertical hydraulic conductivity, and at most ∼10% of bedrock recharge (equivalent to <2% of stream baseflow) flows below a depth of 20 m. The study demonstrates the considerable value of discrete‐depth hydrogeologic, chemical, and age data for determining active circulation depth, and illustrates an approach for maximizing the utility of individual boreholes drilled for mountain bedrock aquifer characterization. Key Points: The depth of active groundwater circulation is a fundamental characteristic of mountain watersheds, yet is rarely well constrainedHydrogeologic, groundwater chemistry, and 3H/3He age data were collected at discrete depths from two boreholes 46 and 81 m deepBorehole data combined with shallow groundwater data and numerical modeling indicate an active circulation depth of ∼20 m [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preferential flow can result in rapid contamination of groundwater resources. This is particularly true in aquifers with connected, high permeability geologic structures and in coastal systems where the oceanic source of contamination is ubiquitous. We consider saltwater intrusion due to pumping in volcanic aquifers with lava tubes represented as connected high‐K structures and compare salinization responses to those of heterogeneous aquifers with different structure and equivalent homogeneous systems. Three‐dimensional simulations of variable‐density groundwater flow and salt transport show that conduits formed by lava flows create preferential groundwater flow in volcanic aquifers. These conduits allow fresh groundwater to extend further offshore than in other systems. However, onshore pumping causes saltwater to migrate landward quickly through the conduits relative to the other models, resulting in more severe saltwater intrusion, particularly at shallow depths. The geometry of geologic heterogeneity in volcanic aquifers leads to increased risk of salinization of fresh groundwater as well as substantial uncertainty due to significant spatial variation in saltwater intrusion. The findings illustrate the importance of considering geologic heterogeneity in assessing the vulnerability of coastal freshwater resources in volcanic and other aquifers with connected high‐permeability geologic structures. Plain Language Summary: The findings of this study provide insight into vulnerability of volcanic coastal aquifers to salinization due to groundwater pumping. Our results reveal significant landward movement of saltwater due to onshore pumping, which has important implications for vulnerability of coastal freshwater resources in volcanic and other aquifers with connected geologic structures. In coastal regions, the control of saltwater intrusion often relies on salinity detection in monitoring wells located near the shoreline. Our results demonstrate significant spatial variations in saltwater intrusion along the coastline that are strongly correlated to geologic heterogeneity. These variations are difficult to predict; thus, intrusion may easily bypass monitoring wells. These results highlight the importance of considering geologic heterogeneity in studies of saltwater intrusion in volcanic and other heterogeneous aquifers. Key Points: Nearshore groundwater pumping induces greater saltwater intrusion in volcanic aquifers compared to other aquifer typesPattern of saltwater intrusion is controlled by spatial distribution of geologically connected high‐permeability conduitsAdequate representation of connected structure is essential to capture saltwater intrusion dynamics in highly heterogeneous aquifers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed an alternative boundary element method (BEM) to simulate the transient flow behavior of groundwater induced by well extraction in a confined fractured aquifer containing a network of discrete or connected fractures. The matrix flow, network‐fracture flow, and matrix‐fracture fluid exchange were considered. The aquifer was treated as a heterogeneous whole that consisted of fracture and matrix blocks with locally homogeneous hydraulic properties. The fractures were explicitly represented to be of true finite volume rather than nonrepresentational line sources. A semianalytical solution was developed based on the theory of a BEM in the Laplace transform domain, but the analytical Green's function was used for the bounded domain rather than the free‐space Green's function in a conventional BEM. Case studies were presented in order to investigate the flow exchange behavior between the matrix and fractures and the corresponding transient drawdown response. The results showed that (1) exchange flux distribution calculated with the classical infinitesimal fracture model was consistent with the difference of the normal drawdown derivative values on both sides of the fracture body in our model. (2) When the well was in the matrix, the fractures acted as both highly conductive conduits and leaky faults, and the drawdown derivative behaviors resembled the characteristics of a dual‐porosity reservoir model. (3) When the well was in the network fracture and when the volume of fracture was of the same order of magnitude as the matrix, the drawdown derivative might exhibit the look‐alike behavior of a dual‐porosity model. Key Points: Without any upscaling or homogenization, the fractures are explicitly represented to be of true finite volumeThe approach treats the fractured reservoir as a whole, which consists of fracture and matrix blocks with locally homogeneous propertiesThe mess‐free semianalytical solution based on BEM is flexible to capture the details of flow exchange between the matrix and fracture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is the world's most important freshwater resource. Despite this importance, groundwater flow and interactions between groundwater and other parts of the hydrological cycle are often neglected or simplified in large‐scale hydrological models. One of the challenges in simulating groundwater flow and continental to global scales is the lack of consistent globally available hydrogeological data. These input data are needed for a more realistic physical representation of the groundwater system, enabling the simulation of groundwater head dynamics and lateral flows. A realistic representation of the subsurface is especially important as large‐scale hydrological models move to finer resolutions and aim to provide accurate and locally relevant hydrologic information everywhere. In this study, we aim at improving and extending on current available large‐scale data sets providing information of the subsurface. We present a detailed aquifer representation for the continental United States and Canada at hyper resolution (250 × 250 m). We integrate local hydrogeological information, including observations of aquifer layer thickness, conductivity, and vertical structure, to obtain representative aquifer parameter values applicable to the continental scale. The methods used are simple and can be expanded to other parts of the world. Hydrological simulations were performed using the integrated hydrological model ParFlow and demonstrated improved model performance when using the new aquifer parameterization. Our results support that more detailed and accurate aquifer parameterization will advance our understanding of the groundwater system at larger scales. Plain Language Summary: Groundwater is the largest available freshwater resource humans can use for drinking and growing food. It is stored beneath our feet in thick layers of sand or rock; we call these layers aquifers. For a realistic estimation of how much groundwater is stored and flows through these aquifers, detailed information on the properties of these layers is essential. However, this information is often missing, or not detailed enough, at the larger scales. In this study, we introduce a new method to obtain this detailed data by including information from observations and local‐scale studies what we upscaled to the continent of North America. We estimate aquifer parameters at very high spatial resolution over a large domain. These data were not available previously. We evaluate our newly obtained aquifer parameterization against other existing data sets and tested model sensitivity to different horizontal and vertical resolutions and conductivity values. We used the integrated hydrological model ParFlow. Our results show that estimates of water table depth improved using our new parameterization. The methods we introduce here can be used by other modelers looking to improve their aquifer parameterization. We hope that our study can be used as a road map towards improved and more detailed aquifer parameterization used in current large‐scale hydrological models. Key Points: We integrate local hydrogeological information into a continental‐scale aquifer parameterization for the continental United States and CanadaAquifer thickness and vertical structure are estimated at a level of detail not available beforeHydrological modeling confirmed accurate large‐scale aquifer parameterization will improve our understanding of the hydrological system [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riparian lowlands act as interfaces between the streams and upland areas. This study identified and quantified local flow paths in four transects of a 26 ha Danish riparian lowland in a glacial till landscape. The riparian lowland was fed by drain water from the upland agricultural drainage catchments. Precipitation, stream stage, and drainage discharge into the riparian lowland were measured continuously, while groundwater hydraulic heads were measured in piezometer pipes twice per month. A water balance model was developed to quantify water fluxes leaving the riparian lowland area via evapotranspiration, leakage to a deeper aquifer, and via groundwater flow, drain flow, and overland flow to the adjacent stream. Overland flow originating from the tile drains was the main flow path in all four transects, and also fluxes to the stream via groundwater or lowland tile drains were significant in some subareas. The presence of a secondary tile drainage network within parts of the riparian lowland reduced overland flow and increased interaction with the riparian lowland soils. Area‐normalized fluxes varied greatly between transects, largely reflecting variations in hydraulic loading rate (ratio of water input rate to the area of the receiving riparian lowland). This, combined with the significance of groundwater flow and riparian lowland tile drain flow in some of the investigated transects, revealed a heterogeneous distribution of flow paths within the small headwater lowland. The rate of overland flow was highly correlated to the hydraulic loading rate, which in turn was dominated by the drainage discharge rate at the hillslope boundary. Key Points: Overland flow, bypassing the riparian lowland, is produced when the hydraulic loading exceeds riparian lowland infiltrationMagnitudes of overland flow are correlated with the ratio of catchment area to riparian lowland areaRiparian lowland drains reduce overland flow and increase water residence times [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid and semiarid regions, persistent hydrological imbalances illuminate the considerable gaps in our spatiotemporal understanding of fundamental catchment‐scale governing mechanisms. The Salar de Atacama basin is the most extreme example of groundwater‐dominated continental basins and therefore is an ideal place to probe these unresolved questions. Geochemical and hydrophysical observations indicate that groundwaters discharging into the basin reflect a large regional system integrated over 102–104 year timescales. The groundwater here, as in other arid regions, is a critical freshwater resource subject to substantial demand from competing interests, particularly as development of its world‐class lithium brine deposit expands. Utilizing a uniquely large and comprehensive set of H and O isotopes in water, we demonstrate that much of the presumed recharge area on the Altiplano‐Puna plateau exhibits isotopic signatures quite distinct from waters presently discharging within the endorheic Salar de Atacama watershed. δ18O values of predicted inflow source waters are 3.6‰ to 5.6‰ higher than modern plateau waters, and 3H data from 87 discrete samples indicate that nearly all of this inflow is composed of premodern recharge (i.e., fossil water). Under plausible conditions, these distinctions cannot be explained solely by natural variability in modern meteoric inputs or by steady state groundwater flow. We present a conceptual model revealing the extensive influence of transient draining of fossil groundwater storage augmented by regional interbasin flow from the Andes. Our analysis provides robust constraints on fundamental mechanisms governing this arid continental groundwater system and a framework within which to address persistent uncertainties in similar systems worldwide. Plain Language Summary: Groundwater in the driest places on Earth is a vital resource for both humans and ecosystems, yet fundamental characteristics of this water such as where it originates and how it moves in the ground remain unresolved. This water often lies deep underground and flows across great distances and over long periods of time; as a result, it is quite difficult to study. Using the 1,000 water samples in the Salar de Atacama basin in northern Chile at the border of the driest desert on Earth, we trace the origin and traveltime of water across a large region. Groundwater in the Salar de Atacama region is fundamental to sustaining natural and human systems; therefore, developing a better understanding of how this water moves will be critical for their management, particularly as development of its world‐class lithium brine deposit expands. We find that "fossil water," which entered the ground hundreds or thousands of years ago, makes up most of the water now flowing into the basin. Our analysis also defines the area that contributes water to the basin, much of which incorporates flow through mountains and from other higher‐elevation basins. By improving our understanding of how these large flow systems develop and function, this work will aid efforts to sustainably manage these critical freshwater resources for all who rely on them. Key Points: Analysis of tritium in water discharging within Salar de Atacama basin shows that it is composed predominantly of water >60 years oldWater entering the Salar de Atacama basin is spatially distinct and decoupled from recharge on the Altiplano‐Puna plateauAnalysis of stable O and H isotope ratios in 900 water samples constrains the spatiotemporal dimensions of modern and fossil groundwaters [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tides and seasonally varying inland freshwater input, with different fluctuation periods, are important factors affecting flow and salt transport in coastal unconfined aquifers. These processes affect submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and associated chemical transport to the sea. While the individual effects of these forcings have previously been studied, here we conducted physical experiments and numerical simulations to evaluate the interactions between varying inland freshwater input and tidal oscillations. Varying inland freshwater input was shown to induce significant water exchange across the aquifer‐sea interface as the saltwater wedge shifted landward and seaward over the fluctuation cycle. Tidal oscillations led to seawater circulations through the intertidal zone that also enhanced the density‐driven circulation, resulting in a significant increase in the total SGD. The combination of the tide and varying inland freshwater input, however, decreased the SGD components driven by the separate forcings (e.g., tides and density). Tides restricted the landward and seaward movement of the saltwater wedge in response to the varying inland freshwater input in addition to reducing the time delay between the varying freshwater input signal and landward‐seaward movement in the saltwater wedge interface. This study revealed the nonlinear interaction between tidal fluctuations and varying inland freshwater input will help to improve our understanding of SGD, seawater intrusion, and chemical transport in coastal unconfined aquifers. Key Points: The lower and upper part of the saltwater‐freshwater interface are, respectively, affected by varying inland freshwater input and tidesInteraction between tidal fluctuations and varying inland freshwater input is nonlinearTide reduces the time lags in the response of the saltwater wedge and submarine groundwater discharge to the varying inland freshwater input [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing numerical research on tide‐induced groundwater dynamics assumes a constant surface water salinity on the seaward boundary (constant salinity case). Few studies have investigated the influence of tidally varying salinity on shallow groundwater dynamics in coastal aquifers (tidal salinity case). We compiled field observations of tidally varying salinity in multiple estuaries across the eastern coast of China and a tidal creek in North Inlet‐Winyah Bay, United States. Numerical simulations were then conducted to explore the effect of tidally varying salinity on groundwater flow and salt transport in an idealized creek marsh aquifer. Results showed that the upper saline plume and classical saltwater wedge appeared in all cases, but the salinity in the saltwater wedge was diluted in the tidal salinity cases. Notably, groundwater transit times were shorter in the tidal salinity case than in the constant salinity case, especially under the creek bottom. Quantitative analyses indicated that tidally varying salinity significantly enhanced surface water‐groundwater exchange, increasing submarine groundwater discharge by 10% and the total inflow of surface water across the water‐sediment interface by 7%. As the density of groundwater differs from that of the overlying surface water, fingered saltwater flow formed in sediments under the creek bottom, leading to some small local water circulation cells. These small cells reduced groundwater transit times and almost doubled the water exchange rate. Coupling the density‐dependent flow to a simplified nitrogen reaction network revealed that the tidally varying salinity may have the potential to influence nitrogen biogeochemical transformations that modify nitrogen loads prior to discharge. Key Points: A large salinity gradient causes unstable density fingering in sediments under the creek bottomUnstable flow enhances local water circulation and reduces groundwater transit timesTidally varying salinity enhances surface water‐groundwater exchange and has the potential to modify nitrogen loads prior to discharge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain‐block recharge (MBR) is the subsurface inflow of groundwater to lowland aquifers from adjacent mountains. MBR can be a major component of recharge but remains difficult to characterize and quantify due to limited hydrogeologic, climatic, and other data in the mountain block and at the mountain front. The number of MBR‐related studies has increased dramatically in the 15 years since the last review of the topic was conducted by Wilson and Guan (2004), generating important advancements. We review this recent body of literature, summarize current understanding of factors controlling MBR, and provide recommendations for future research priorities. Prior to 2004, most MBR studies were performed in the southwestern United States. Since then, numerous studies have detected and quantified MBR in basins around the world, typically estimating MBR to be 5–50% of basin‐fill aquifer recharge. Theoretical studies using generic numerical modeling domains have revealed fundamental hydrogeologic and topographic controls on the amount of MBR and where it originates within the mountain block. Several mountain‐focused hydrogeologic studies have confirmed the widespread existence of mountain bedrock aquifers hosting considerable groundwater flow and, in some cases, identified the occurrence of interbasin flow leaving headwater catchments in the subsurface—both of which are required for MBR to occur. Future MBR research should focus on the collection of high‐priority data (e.g., subsurface data near the mountain front and within the mountain block) and the development of sophisticated coupled models calibrated to multiple data types to best constrain MBR and predict how it may change in response to climate warming. Key Points: Mountain‐block recharge confirmed as important source of recharge to basin aquifers in a variety of climatic and geologic settings globallyRecent work advanced understanding of fundamental controls on mountain‐block recharge and somewhat improved methods for characterizationFuture research should aim to acquire subsurface data in mountain block and at the mountain front [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an approach for solving problems of saltwater intrusion in aquifers with an hydraulic conductivity that varies in the vertical direction. The approach is based on the concept of a comprehensive potential, whose gradient exactly represents the vertically integrated discharge, which is, by definition, a two‐dimensional vector. We apply the approach to an island in Sweden and use it to estimate maximum allowable pumping rates of wells that recover part of the infiltration on the island. Key Points: We present a discharge potential for interface flow in crystalline rock with exponentially varying hydraulic conductivityWe examined the effect of exponentially varying hydraulic conductivity on the interface between fresh and salt groundwater at restWe applied the approach to an island in Sweden in the Baltic Sea [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A study is made of a steady, two‐dimensional groundwater flow with a horizontal well (drain), which pumps out freshwater from an aquifer sandwiched between a horizontal bedrock and ponded soil surface, and containing a lens‐shaped static volume of a heavier saline water (DNAPL‐dense nonaqueous phase liquid) as a free surface. For flow toward a line sink, an explicit analytical solution is obtained by a conformal mapping of the hexagon in the complex potential plane onto a reference plane and the Keldysh‐Sedov integral representation of a mixed boundary‐value problem for a complex physical coordinate. The interface is found as a function of the pumping rate, the well locus, the ratio of liquid densities, and the hydraulic heads at the soil surface and in the well. The shape with two inflexion points and fronts varies from a small‐thickness bedrock‐spread pancake to a critical curvilinear triangle, which cusps toward the sink. The problem is mathematically solvable in a relatively narrow band of geometric and hydraulic parameters. A similar analytic solution for a static heavy bubble confined by a closed‐curve interface (no contact with the bedrock) is outlined as an illustration of the method to solve a mixed boundary‐value problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional groundwater flow models play an important role in decision making regarding water resources; however, the uncertainty embedded in model parameters and model assumptions can significantly hinder the reliability of model predictions. One way to reduce this uncertainty is to collect new observation data from the field. However, determining where and when to obtain such data is not straightforward. There exist a number of data-worth and experimental design strategies developed for this purpose. However, these studies often ignore issues related to real-world groundwater models such as computational expense, existing observation data, high-parameter dimension, etc. In this study, we propose a methodology, based on existing methods and software, to efficiently conduct such analyses for largescale, complex regional groundwater flow systems for which there is a wealth of available observation data. The method utilizes the well-established d-optimality criterion, and the minimax criterion for robust sampling strategies. The so-called Null-Space Monte Carlo method is used to reduce the computational burden associated with uncertainty quantification. And, a heuristic methodology, based on the concept of the greedy algorithm, is proposed for developing robust designs with subsets of the posterior parameter samples. The proposed methodology is tested on a synthetic regional groundwater model, and subsequently applied to an existing, complex, regional groundwater system in the Perth region of Western Australia. The results indicate that robust designs can be obtained efficiently, within reasonable computational resources, for making regional decisions regarding groundwater level sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unsaturated flow is an important process in base flow recessions and its effect is rarely investigated. A mathematical model for a coupled unsaturated-saturated flow in a horizontally unconfined aquifer with time-dependent infiltrations is presented. The effects of the lateral discharge of the unsaturated zone and aquifer compressibility are specifically taken into consideration. Semianalytical solutions for hydraulic heads and discharges are derived using Laplace transform and Cosine transform. The solutions are compared with solutions of the linearized Boussinesq equation (LB solution) and the linearized Laplace equation (LL solution), respectively. A larger dimensionless constitutive exponent [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave-induced water exchange and groundwater flows in beach aquifers impact the fate of contaminants including nutrients, fecal bacteria, and nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Waves induce high-frequency fluxes in shallow beach sediments. In addition, the phase-averaged effect of waves (wave setup) drives deeper flow recirculations through a beach aquifer. Field data of shallow instantaneous and time-averaged vertical head gradients (fluxes) are first compared with deeper time-averaged fluxes over a period of varying wave conditions. The time-averaged fluxes are equivalent to that which would be simulated assuming a phase-averaged water surface (i.e., wave setup). Based on this comparison, the need to simulate phase-resolved wave motion versus the simplified phase-averaged water surface in predicting contaminant fate is evaluated. While high-frequency fluxes cause large surface water volumes to filter through beach sediments, the exchanging water has a short residence time (<1-70 s). The time-averaged flow behavior captures exchanging water with longer residence time (hours to months) and deeper flow paths. Therefore, consideration of the time-averaged behavior may be sufficient for evaluating dissolved reactive constituents. In contrast, calculations indicate that instantaneous fluxes may need to be considered in evaluating colloidal contaminants (e.g., particulate organic matter and fecal bacteria) as sediment interactions affect their transport and residence time. Finally, multiphase simulations illustrate the differential effect of considering instantaneous versus time-averaged fluxes on the downward migration of NAPL in beach sediments. This study provides an important foundation for future field and modeling efforts focused on understanding and predicting contaminant transport in wave-influenced beaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneity of the hydraulic properties is one of the main causes of the seemingly random distribution of solute concentration observed in contaminated aquifers, with macrodispersivity providing a global measure of spreading. Earlier studies on transport of solutes in heterogeneous formations, either theoretical or numerical, expressed dispersivity as a function of the geostatistical properties of the hydraulic conductivity K. In most cases, K follows a second-order statistical characterization, which may not be adequate when heterogeneity is high. In this work, we adopt the Multi-Indicator Model-Self Consistent Approach (MIMSCA) to compute the longitudinal and transverse macrodispersivity. This methodology enables to model the K field by using geological inclusions of different shapes and orientation (defined here as the microstructure), while replicating the heterogeneous macrostructure obtained by the second-order statistics. The above scheme attempts to reproduce the effect on macrodispersion of different distribution and orientation of local facies, and for instance it may represent the orientation and spatial features of the layers that are often observed in aquifers. The relevant impact of the microstructure on effective conductivity, longitudinal and transverse macrodispersivities is analyzed and discussed, for both binary and lognormally distributed K fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmonic pumping tests consist in stimulating an aquifer by the means of hydraulic stimulations at some discrete frequencies. The inverse problem consisting in retrieving the hydraulic properties is inherently ill posed and is usually underdetermined when considering the number of well head data available in field conditions. To better constrain this inverse problem, we add self-potential data recorded at the ground surface to the head data. The self-potential method is a passive geophysical method. Its signals are generated by the groundwater flow through an electrokinetic coupling. We showed using a 3-D saturated unconfined synthetic aquifer that the self-potential method significantly improves the results of the harmonic hydraulic tomography. The hydroelectric forward problem is obtained by solving first the Richards equation, describing the groundwater flow, and then using the result in an electrical Poisson equation describing the self-potential problem. The joint inversion problem is solved using a reduction model based on the principal component geostatistical approach. In this method, the large prior covariance matrix is truncated and replaced by its low-rank approximation, allowing thus for notable computational time and storage savings. Three test cases are studied, to assess the validity of our approach. In the first test, we show that when the number of harmonic stimulations is low, combining the harmonic hydraulic and self-potential data does not improve the inversion results. In the second test where enough harmonic stimulations are performed, a significant improvement of the hydraulic parameters is observed. In the last synthetic test, we show that the electrical conductivity field required to invert the self-potential data can be determined with enough accuracy using an electrical resistivity tomography survey using the same electrodes configuration as used for the self-potential investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isometric log ratios of proportions of major ions, derived from intuitive sequential binary partitions, are used to characterize hydrochemical variability within and between coal seam gas (CSG) and surrounding aquifers in a number of sedimentary basins in the USA and Australia. These isometric log ratios are the coordinates corresponding to an orthonormal basis in the sample space (the simplex). The characteristic proportions of ions, as described by linear models of isometric log ratios, can be used for a mathematical-descriptive classification of water types. This is a more informative and robust method of describing water types than simply classifying a water type based on the dominant ions. The approach allows (a) compositional distinctions between very similar water types to be made and (b) large data sets with a high degree of variability to be rapidly assessed with respect to particular relationships/compositions that are of interest. A major advantage of these techniques is that major and minor ion components can be comprehensively assessed and subtle processes-which may be masked by conventional techniques such as Stiff diagrams, Piper plots, and classic ion ratios-can be highlighted. Results show that while all CSG groundwaters are dominated by Na, HCO3, and Cl ions, the proportions of other ions indicate they can evolve via different means and the particular proportions of ions within total or subcompositions can be unique to particular basins. Using isometric log ratios, subtle differences in the behavior of Na, K, and Cl between CSG water types and very similar Na-HCO3 water types in adjacent aquifers are also described. A complementary pair of isometric log ratios, derived from a geochemically-intuitive sequential binary partition that is designed to reflect compositional variability within and between CSG groundwater, is proposed. These isometric log ratios can be used to model a hydrochemical pathway associated with methanogenesis and/or to delineate groundwater associated with high gas concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loading efficiency (sometimes called the tidal efficiency) is often neglected when simulating the head response in an aquifer to water level changes in lakes and streams. This is not appropriate when the lake or stream only partially penetrates the aquifer. In such cases, the aquifer extends below the lake or stream and is hydraulically connected through a semiconfining layer of lower permeability. The loading efficiency is the ratio between the instantaneous head response below a lake or stream and the water level change in the lake or stream. In sand and clay, whose particles are not cemented together, the instantaneous head response below a stream or lake is nearly equal to the stage change, and the loading efficiency is close to 1. New semianalytic solutions are presented for the groundwater response to water level changes in shallow lakes and streams that account for the loading efficiency of the aquifer. It is shown that the loading efficiency may have a significant effect on the head response. The effect is larger for larger values of the vertical resistance of the semiconfining layer and larger width of the stream and is much more pronounced in confined aquifers than in unconfined aquifers. The importance of the loading efficiency declines with time and with distance from the lake or stream. Graphs are presented that may be used to determine whether a certain combination of parameters gives a significant difference in the head at the lake shore or river bank when the loading efficiency is taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations of beach morphology in both the cross-shore and alongshore directions, associated with tidal creeks, are common at natural coasts, as observed at a field site on the east coast of Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Field investigations and three-dimensional (3-D) numerical simulations were conducted to study the nearshore groundwater flow and solute transport in such a system. The results show that the beach morphology, combined with tides, induced a significant alongshore flow and modified local pore water circulation and salt transport in the intertidal zone substantially. The bathymetry and hydraulic head of the creek enabled further and more rapid landward intrusion of seawater along the creek than in the aquifer, which created alongshore hydraulic gradient and solute concentration gradient to drive pore water flow and salt transport in the alongshore direction within the aquifer. The effects of the creek led to the formation of a saltwater plume in groundwater at an intermediate depth between fresher water zones on a cross-shore transect. The 3-D pore water flow in the nearshore zone was also complicated by the landward hydraulic head condition, resulting in freshwater drainage across the inland section of the creek while seawater infiltrating the seaward section. These results provided new insights into the complexity, intensity, and time scales of mixing among fresh groundwater, recirculating seawater and creek water in three dimensions. The 3-D characteristics of nearshore pore water flow and solute transport have important implications for studies of submarine groundwater discharge and associated chemical input to the coastal sea, and for evaluation of the beach habitat conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-dimensional (1-D) analytic solution is developed for heat transport through an aquifer system where the vertical temperature profile in the aquifer is nearly uniform. The general anisotropic form of the viscous heat generation term is developed for use in groundwater flow simulations. The 1-D solution is extended to more complex geometries by solving the equation for piece-wise linear or uniform properties and boundary conditions. A moderately complex example, the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP), is analyzed to demonstrate the use of the analytic solution for identifying important physical processes. For example, it is shown that viscous heating is variably important and that heat conduction to the land surface is a primary control on the distribution of aquifer and spring temperatures. Use of published values for all aquifer and thermal properties results in a reasonable match between simulated and measured groundwater temperatures over most of the 300 km length of the ESRP, except for geothermal heat flow into the base of the aquifer within 20 km of the Yellowstone hotspot. Previous basal heat flow measurements (∼110 mW/m2) made beneath the ESRP aquifer were collected at distances of >50 km from the Yellowstone Plateau, but a higher basal heat flow of 150 mW/m2 is required to match groundwater temperatures near the Plateau. The ESRP example demonstrates how the new tool can be used during preliminary analysis of a groundwater system, allowing efficient identification of the important physical processes that must be represented during more-complex 2-D and 3-D simulations of combined groundwater and heat flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although aquifers are naturally heterogeneous, the interpretation of pumping tests is commonly performed under the assumption of aquifer homogeneity. This yields interpreted hydraulic parameters averaged over a domain of uncertain extent which disguises their relation to the underlying heterogeneity. In this study, we numerically investigate the sensitivity of the transient drawdown at the pumping well, to nonuniform distributions of transmissivity in confined aquifers. Frechet kernels and their time derivative are used to estimate two spatially averaged transmissivities, denoted the equivalent and interpreted transmissivity, Teq and Tin, respectively, for the case of single-well pumping tests. Interrelating Teq and Tin is achieved by modeling Tin in terms of a distance dependent, radially heterogeneous field. In weakly heterogeneous aquifers, Teq approximates TPW, the local transmissivity at the pumped well. With increasing degree of heterogeneity, Teq deviates from TPW as pumping propagates. Tin starts at TPW, approaching the spatial geometric mean of transmissivity during late pumping times. Limits of the proposed spatial weighting functions are investigated by treating the interpreted storativity, Sest, as an indicator for flow connectivity. It is shown numerically that the spatial weights for Teq and Tin agree well to the underlying heterogeneity if . Finally, implications for applying the concepts of Teq and Tin to heterogeneous domains, and, for real world applications are discussed. It is found that time-dependent spatial averages of Tin agree well with estimates of the interpreted transmissivity from the Continuous-Derivation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity and applicability of various methods to infer hydraulic properties of sloping aquifers in alpine settings using the power law relationship between the discharge recession and its first time derivative is explored. For this purpose, a synthetic spring catchment implemented in the numerical groundwater flow model MODFLOW as well as the example of a relict rock glacier in an alpine setting is examined. The various approaches are found to differ particularly in the late time domain, whereas most of them agree fairly well in the early time domain and at the transition point between the two time domains. As the early recession may be affected by uncertainties from inappropriate initial conditions, it is proposed to use the transition point for estimating aquifer thickness and transmissivity. Using only prolonged winter recessions in the analysis of the field data from the relict rock glacier yields estimates of aquifer thickness and hydraulic conductivity consistent with results from a geophysical survey and tracer tests, respectively. In the other seasons, the recession is frequently interrupted by minor recharge events, and using the lower envelope of the entire data is found to yield estimates that are too high in the given case. It is thus recommended to focus on the winter recession in the analysis of hydrograph data from alpine settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the comprehensive discharge potential for steady three-dimensional flow in horizontally stratified coastal aquifers with a horizontal base and a vertical coastline. The gradient of this comprehensive potential gives the vertically integrated discharge throughout the aquifer, i.e., the specific discharge vector as a function of three-dimensional space integrated over the saturated portion of the aquifer. The boundary values of the comprehensive potential along the coast can be computed precisely, given the geometry of the aquifer: the hydraulic conductivities of the strata, the elevations of the horizontal planes that separate the strata, and the elevation of the impermeable base of the aquifer relative to sea level. Boundary conditions of the comprehensive potential may either be given in terms of its gradient, or computed from given heads along the boundaries. The governing equation of the comprehensive potential is the Poisson equation in areas of infiltration and the Laplace equation elsewhere. The computation of interface elevations, piezometric heads, and the vertical distribution of flow requires that an assumption be made regarding the relation between the comprehensive potential and piezometric heads. We adopt the Dupuit-Forchheimer approximation for this purpose and make use of the Ghyben-Herzberg equation. We present several applications of the approach and find that the stratification may have a significant effect on the boundary value of the comprehensive potential, and thus on the flow rates in the aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solute transport in three-dimensional aquifers, with spatially varying hydraulic conductivity of arbitrary point distribution is investigated. The basis of our study is a multiindicator model (MIM) representation of the heterogeneity, combined with a self-consistent approximation for groundwater flow and particle transport. A time-domain random walk (TDRW) approach is presented for computing the expected mass arrival along the longitudinal transport direction that is simple and honors the hydrodynamics of flow for any variability. Using hydraulic conductivity measurements at the MADE site and the MIM, it is shown that the travel time distribution for large variability, cannot be well reproduced by the common distributions used for modeling hydrological transport, such as the log-normal distribution, or the inverse-Gaussian distribution. The proposed TDRW approach directly relates to the Lagrangian trajectory formulation and is appropriate for applications where occurrence of negative flow velocities is small. These results open new possibilities for modeling solute transport in aquifers of arbitrary variability by the time-domain random walk that can readily account for a wide range of mass transfer reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gran Sasso massif is a carbonate fractured aquifer with a spring discharge of more than 18 m3 s−1. The water table has been partially drained by two motorway tunnels and an underground laboratory (UL), located into the core aquifer. Karst features have limited role below the water table, where groundwater flow is mainly regulated by the fracture network. Two paired laser extensometers (BA and BC) recorded ground deformation in the UL. Changes in deformation correlate with the seasonal recharge/discharge cycle of groundwater flow and its long-term changes. Hydrostatic conditions prevail during the recharge phases because of the low permeability of local fractures, favoring compression, and hydraulic gradient increase above the UL. Fast groundwater flow through the high-permeability fault outcropping in the UL can enhance local dilatation for short periods. Spring discharge during exhaustion periods is fed by the low-permeability fracture network, fostering hydrodynamic conditions by hydraulic gradient decrease, diminishing compression and consequently favoring dilatation. Independent support to this conceptual model comes from local tests and a numerical model which highlights the hydromechanical strain effects induced by the hydrological cycle on the jointed rock mass along BA and the role of the hydraulic gradient on the rock mass deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]