Search

This chapter begins by examining general patterns of groundwater flow, recharge and discharge patterns, flow in layered systems, and crustal-scale flow patterns. The next topic covered is surface water hydrology and groundwater/surface water interaction, including examination of stream hydrographs and estimation of baseflow. The distribution of recharge in space and time is studied and common methods for estimating recharge are covered. The chapter has sections focused on the characteristics of groundwater flow in specific geologic environments. Case studies of many specific aquifers and hydrogeologic settings are presented: the High Plains Aquifer, New Jersey coastal plain aquifers, Western Cape Cod sand and gravel aquifers, the Dakota sandstone aquifer, karst systems near Mammoth Cave, and the Columbia Plateau basalts. The chapter closes with coverage of groundwater in permafrost environments.

This chapter introduces heat flow in the subsurface. It begins with defining heat, energy, and enthalpy and proceeds to an overview of conductive and advective heat transport. It then reviews the general equations of heat flow and examines two analytic solutions for one-dimensional heat flow, which are useful for examining vertical groundwater flow rates. The chapter continues with discussion of crustal-scale heat flow followed by discussion of shallow heat flow and temperature profiles. This latter discussion includes an examination of evidence of climate change, and methods for estimating recharge rates and groundwater discharge rates. The following section describes hydrothermal systems, hot springs, and geysers. The chapter concludes with sections covering geothermal energy production and ground-source heat pump systems.

Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss is impacting connected terrestrial and marine hydrologic systems with global consequences. Groundwater is a key component of water cycling in the Arctic, underlying the 1.7e6 km2 ice sheet and forming offshore freshwater reserves. However, despite its vast extent, the response of Greenland’s groundwater to ongoing ice sheet change is unknown. Here we present in-situ observations of deep groundwater conditions under the Greenland Ice Sheet, obtained in a 651-metre-long proglacial bedrock borehole angled under the ice sheet margin. We find that Greenland’s groundwater system responds rapidly and sensitively to relatively minor ice sheet forcing. Hydraulic head clearly varies over multi-annual, seasonal and diurnal timescales, which we interpret as a response to fluid pressure forcing at the ice/bed interface associated with changes in overlying ice loading and ice sheet hydrology. We find a systematic decline in hydraulic head over the eight-year observational period is linked primarily to ice sheet mass loss. Ongoing and future ice thinning will probably reduce groundwater discharge rates, with potential impacts to submarine freshwater discharge, freshwater delivery to fjords and biogeochemical fluxes in the Arctic. Greenland’s groundwater system responds rapidly to ice-sheet change, according to borehole observations from underneath the ice-sheet margin.

Lake water level changes are relatively sensitive to the climate-born events that rely on numerous phenomena, e.g., surface soil type, adjacent groundwater discharge, and hydrogeological situations. By incorporating the streamflow, groundwater, evaporation, and precipitation parameters into the models, Urmia lake water depth is simulated in the current study. For this, 40 years of streamflow and groundwater recorded data, respectively collected from 18 and 9 stations, are utilized together with evaporation and precipitation data from 7 meteorological stations. Extreme learning machine (ELM) is hybridized with four different optimizers, namely artificial bee colony (ABC), ant colony optimization for continuous domains (ACOR), whale optimization algorithm (WOA), and improved grey wolf optimizer (IGWO). In the analysis, 13 various scenarios with multiple input combinations are used to train and test the employed models. The best scenarios are then opted based on the performance metrics which are applied to assess the accuracy of the methods. According to the results, the hybrid ELM-IGWO shows better performance compared to the ELM-ABC, ELM-ACOR, and ELM-WOA approaches. Results indicate that the groundwater and persistence of the lake water depth have effective roles in models while incorporating higher number of variables can lower the performance of the models. Statistical analysis showed a 62% improvement in the performance of ELM-IGWO in comparison to the ELM-WOA with regard to the root mean square error. The promising outcomes obtained in this study may encourage the application of the utilized algorithms for modeling alternative hydrological problems.

Groundwater pumping can reduce streamflow by reducing groundwater discharge and/or inducing streamflow infiltration, which together are referred to as streamflow depletion. Recently, analytical depletion functions (ADFs) have been suggested as rapid and accurate tools for streamflow depletion assessment, but their performance has only been tested in a few hydrogeological settings. To evaluate whether they will be useful tools for other regions with contrasting stream network and hydrogeological characteristics, we compared ADFs to calibrated MODFLOW models in BX Creek and Peace Region with distinct hydrogeological settings (interior plateaus & highlands, and boreal plains, respectively) and spatial scales (165 km2 and 1952 km2, respectively) in British Columbia, Canada. Results showed that ADFs can accurately identify streams most affected by pumping for 100% and 83% of wells in the BX Creek and Peace Region, respectively, and had small prediction errors compared with MODFLOW. Specifically, the mean absolute error of predicted depletion ranged from 2% to 14% of the highest simulated pumping rate over the study period of 30 years, with improved accuracy during the pumping season. We also found contrasting responses of ADF performance to hydrostratigraphic properties such as hydraulic conductivity, aquifer thickness, streambed conductance, and well depth across two domains, indicating that different drivers control ADF accuracy in different hydrogeological settings. Therefore, we conclude that ADFs are useful tools for conjunctive water management, but a good understanding of local hydrogeological conditions is needed to address the potential uncertainty of ADFs for decision-making.

This paper deals with the results of a pilot study conducted to estimate the shallow groundwater resource potential and irrigation capacity at the household level in Tahtay Koraro Woreda, northwestern zone of Tigray, Ethiopia. The potential evapotranspiration and actual evapotranspiration of the study area are estimated to be 1484 mm/year and 814 mm/year respectively. The runoff is approximately calculated to be 280 mm/year and the annual groundwater recharge is estimated to be 29 mm/year. The total annual groundwater abstraction for human, livestock, and irrigation is estimated to be 25 mm/year. It should be noted that the groundwater recharge rate is expected to remain constant while the total annual groundwater discharge is expected to increase from year to year. This relation when projected over a long period may result in a negative groundwater budget which can result in depletion of groundwater (lowering of groundwater levels), reduced baseflow to streams, and deterioration of water quality. The computed values for hydraulic conductivity of the aquifers range from 1.63 m/day to 7.27 m/day with an average value of 4.9 m/day and transmissivity from 48.9 m2/day to 218.1 m2/day with an average value of 147.14 m2/day. The aquifers in the highly weathered basalt and highly weathered siltstone – sandstone intercalation have transmissivity values ranging from 99 m2/day to 218.1 m2/day with an average value of 157 m2/day and are grouped into the moderate potentiality aquifers category. The aquifers in the slightly weathered and fractured metavolcanics grouped under low potentiality based on the lower transmissivity values (

Eutrophic lowland swamp was investigated in the southern taiga within the Ostashkovskaya terminal moraine ridges of the Valdai Upland in the Novgorod Region. Obtained characteristics of the landscape–geochemical barrier of the swamp must be taken into account both in the search for minerals and in planning of rational nature management. The chemical composition of peats and drainage water is determined by a complex spatiotemporal interaction of surface and groundwater runoffs with the peat formation, decomposition of mineral impurities, and sorption–desorption features of peat. Si, Al, Ti, Na, K are mainly supplied with surface runoff and accumulated under the influence of a mechanical barrier and subsequent leaching of mineral impurities and sorption by peat. This results in their exponential decrease with distance from the moraine range. The distribution of Ca, Mg, S, Fe, and Mn in the lowland peat is mainly controlled by migration with groundwater. Under the influence of filtration and sorption, their contents in peat clearly mark the groundwater discharge zone. The contrast of the studied geochemical barrier calculated as the ratio of the element contents in water before and after the barrier is determined as KAl ~ 12–10, KСa ~ 8–4, KFe ~ 6–4, KMn ~ 4–3, KS ~ 2–1.5 for concentrating elements; KCl, K, Na ~ 1.5–0.8 for weakly concentrating elements; and KSi ~ 1–0.3 for non-concentrating elements. In the humid climate, the complex geochemical barrier of the eutrophic swamp during the Holocene effectively absorbed elements as dissolved and suspended species. Moreover, the geochemical barrier is undersaturated in all elements, which indicates the high water treatment abilities of lowland eutrophic peatland.

Ancient river channels or subglacial drainage networks infilled with younger sediments can include significant deposits of highly permeable sands and gravels. Despite being hidden at surface, such systems are ubiquitous globally, can form highly productive groundwater reservoirs and have significant influence on regional hydrogeology, contaminant transport and local water resources. Consequently, the hydraulic characteristics of such buried-valley or “paleovalley” aquifers have been the subject of increasing study. In this study, the hydrogeology of the Sunset Paleovalley in Northeast British Columbia (NEBC, Canada) was conceptualized using data from newly installed, scientifically designed monitoring wells and available hydrogeological data for buried-valley aquifer systems in NEBC and the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Using this conceptual model, a regional-scale, steady-state, groundwater-flow model was constructed to assess recharge magnitude and mechanisms, fluxes and residence times to inform aquifer management. The calibrated average aerial recharge rate was 16 mm/year, within the range of recharge estimates previously reported for NEBC (0.5–78 mm/year). The average residence times for buried valley sand/gravel and weathered bedrock aquifers were estimated at 3,200 and 2,900 years, respectively, and are indicative of a slowly flushed system, consistent with the 1,300 mg/L average total dissolved solids groundwater chemistry. The current groundwater extraction rates are a small fraction of the simulated groundwater discharge to the Kiskatinaw River. The findings can support management of groundwater resources in similar hydrogeological settings common to NEBC.

Increasing concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs; CO2, CH4, N2O) cause climate change. Depending on the conditions, soils have the potential to store carbon or to be a source of GHGs to the atmosphere. Riparian soils in particular have high potential to store carbon, but also to be sources of CH4 and N2O. Headwater streams make up a large proportion of stream length in a drainage network, and their riparian zones have valuable ecosystem functions. In parallel, the riparian zones of headwater streams are particularly vulnerable to forest harvest. Studies of GHG fluxes from these unique ecosystems remain limited. Our objective was to quantify the effects of forestry practices and groundwater discharge (DIS) areas on GHG emissions from riparian forest soils in coastal British Columbia. We compared nine sites with three different forest management protocols: (1) harvesting with a riparian buffer, (2) no buffer, and (3) reference sites without harvesting. We measured gas fluxes, soil temperature, soil moisture and depth to the groundwater table alongside headwater streams monthly over one growing season. We found that CH4 uptake rates were 65% lower at the no buffer sites, and N2O emission rates were 52% lower at the no buffer sites, when compared to the reference sites. Additionally, CH4 uptake was 54% lower at DIS areas than in non-DIS areas. The results of our research help inform forest management by demonstrating that maintaining riparian buffers can be effective in protecting the ecosystem functions contributing to soil GHG fluxes.

Modern rates of water discharge often exceed groundwater recharge in arid catchments. This apparent mass imbalance within a catchment may be reconciled through either groundwater flow between topographic drainages and/or the draining of stored groundwater recharged during pluvial periods. This study investigates discrepancies in the modern hydrologic budget of catchments along the west flank of the Andes in northern Chile (21–25° S), focusing on the endorheic Salar de Atacama basin and adjacent basins. Uncertainty-bounded estimates of modern recharge rates are presented, which do not come close to balancing observed modern groundwater discharge within topographic catchments. Two conceptualizations of hydrogeologic catchments discharging to Salar de Atacama were explored with a simplified two-dimensional groundwater model. Results from the models support the interpretation that subsurface interbasin flow and transient drainage of groundwater from storage are required to balance water budgets along the plateau margin. The models further examine whether this system is still responding to climatic forcing (on paleoclimatic time scales) from pluvial periods and highlight general characteristics for similar plateau margin systems including: (1) water level changes at the plateau margin that are highly sensitive to long-term (100–1,000 years) changes in recharge on the plateau, (2) extent and magnitude of the changes in water table, which are controlled by the distribution of hydraulic conductivity at the margin, and (3) the contributing area to the lower-elevation catchment, which is itself dynamic and not coincident with the topographic boundary.

Landsat 4–5 Thematic Mapper, Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, and RapidEye-3 data sets were used to identify potential groundwater discharge zones, via icings, in the Central Mackenzie Valley (CMV) of the Northwest Territories. Given that this area is undergoing active shale oil exploration and climatic changes, identification of groundwater discharge zones is of great importance both for pinpointing potential contaminant transport pathways and for characterizing the hydrologic system. Following the work of Morse and Wolfe (2015), a series of image algorithms were applied to imagery for the entire CMV and for the Bogg Creek watershed (a sub watershed of the CMV) for selected years between 2004 and 2017. Icings were statistically examined for all of the selected years to determine whether a significant difference in their spatial occurrence existed. It was concluded that there was a significant difference in the spatial distribution of icings from year to year (α = 0.05), but that there were several places where icings were recurring. During the summer of 2018, these recurrent icings, which are expected to be spring sourced, were verified using a thermal camera aboard a helicopter, as well as in situ measurements of hydraulic gradient, groundwater geochemistry, and electroconductivity. Strong agreement was found between the mapped icings and summer field data, making them ideal field monitoring locations. Furthermore, identifying these discharge points remotely is expected to have drastically reduced the field efforts that would have been required to find them in situ. This work demonstrates the value of remote sensing methods for hydrogeological applications, particularly in remote northern locations.

Drought can be described as a temporary decrease in water availability over a significant period that affects both surface and groundwater resources. Droughts propagate through the hydrological cycle and may impact vulnerable ecosystems. This paper investigates drought propagation in the hydrological cycle, focusing on assessing its impact on a groundwater-fed wetland ecosystem. Meteorological drought indices were used to analyze meteorological drought severity. Moreover, a method for assessing groundwater drought and its propagation in the aquifer was developed and applied. Groundwater drought was analyzed using the variable threshold method. Furthermore, meteorological drought and groundwater drought on recharge were compared to investigate drought propagation in the hydrological cycle. This research is carried out in the Doode Bemde wetland in central Belgium. The results of this research show that droughts are attenuated in the groundwater system. The number and severity of drought events on groundwater discharge were smaller than for groundwater recharge. However, the onset of both drought events occurred at the same time, indicating a quick response of the groundwater system to hydrological stresses. In addition, drought propagation in the hydrological cycle indicated that not all meteorological droughts result in groundwater drought. Furthermore, this drought propagation effect was observed in the wetland. ispartof: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS) vol:21 issue:1 pages:39-51 status: published

The continuous time scale model SWAT was established to determine the stream flow discharge, nutrient loads of water quality and reservoir sediment loads in the watershed. Due to its limitation on estimating groundwater recharge, optimum water allocation, and instantaneous peak flow in the river and groundwater discharge during low flow period become the prime cause for the enhancement of the coupled SWAT model. According to the objective and state of the problem, the integrated SWAT model was established and applied for the watershed scenarios. Coupled SWAT-MODFLOW applied to determine the recharge rate and groundwater parameters. The integrated SWAT-TOP defines the topographic index and its detailed hydrological processes. SWAT-MODSIM and SWAT-WEAP allows to estimate the optimum water allocation for the present and future demand in the watershed. In this study, the following integrated models SWAT-MODFLOW, SWAT-MODSIM, SWAT-TOP, and coupled SWAT machine learning techniques were interpreted and its application was evaluated to determine its limitations for the future scope of research.

We propose a dye tracer method to characterize fluid and solute fluxes across the sediment-water interface. Zones of groundwater discharge within the streambed are first identified, and small volume slugs of 0.5 to 1 mL fluorescein dye are released at known subsurface depths. Fluorescein dye allows for visual identification of interface breakthrough locations and times, and dye concentrations at the point of discharge are recorded over time by a fluorometer to generate high resolution breakthrough curves. Groundwater velocities and dispersivities at the demonstration site are estimated by numerically fitting dye breakthroughs to the classical advection-dispersion equation, although the methodology is not limited to a specific transport model. Breakthroughs across the stream-sediment interface at the demonstration site are nonlinear with tracer release depth, and velocity estimates from breakthrough analysis are significantly more reliable than visual dye (time to first dye expression) and Darcy methods which tend to overestimate and underestimate groundwater velocity, respectively. The use of permanent injection points within the streambed and demonstrated reproducibility of dye breakthroughs allow for study of fluid and solute fluxes under seasonally varying hydrologic conditions. The proposed approach also provides a framework for field study of nonconservative, reactive solutes and allows for the determination of characteristic residence times at various depths in the streambed to better understand chemical and nutrient transformations.

Lokasi penambangan bawah tanah Ciurug L.450 selatan terdapat banyak air yang masuk atau tergenang di dalam lubang bukaan tambang. Pada Ciurug L.450 selatan terdapat 10 mine sump. Sistem pemompaan mengalirkan dari satu mine sump ke mine sump berikutnya sampai mine sump utama. Pompa yang digunakan 24 unit dan dipakai secara bergantian karena daya listrik terbatas dan satu pompa bekerja 15 jam/hari. Tujuan penelitian ini mengurangi jumlah pompa yang tidak bekerja secara maksimal dan pemakaian daya listrik. Pengukuran debit air tanah dilakukan secara manual di tiga lokasi yaitu Ramp Down A, Ramp Down B, dan Ramp Down C menggunakan paritan. Berdasarkan pengamatan dan analisis data, debit air tanah XC 445 2.899 (m3/m), XC 438 B 8.940 (m3/m), dan XC 438 A 1.440 (m3/m). Konsumsi listrik aktual 1561,7 Kw berkurang setelah dirancang menjadi 1061.5 Kw, dan hasil rancangan 19 unit pompa yang digunakan.Kata Kunci: Sistem Penyaliran, Pompa, Debit Air

Submarine groundwater discharge and associated trace element fluxes from the Coleroon River estuary to south bay, India, has been attempted, because increasing trace elements could result in harmful algal blooms and eutrophication. Trace elements (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Mo, Ba, Pb, Th, and U) in surface water, pore, and groundwater samples were monitored for 10 days in three locations (A, B, and C) by considering tidal fluctuations. The trace elements Al, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, Sr, Mo, Pb, Th, and U were greater and found to be influenced by processes, such as fresh groundwater discharge and seawater intrusion. Lower Mn, Cu, and Ba signifies impact due to sediment adsorption, mixing, and elemental exchange during fresh groundwater and seawater mixing. Salinity versus trace element plot infers greater trace element mobility with cumulative salinity influenced by the conformist behavior of freshwater, seawater, and mixing. The calculated submarine groundwater discharge supported dissolved trace elements fluxes were 107,047.8 n mol d−1 m−1 for location A, 183,520.2 n mol d−1 m−1 for location B, and 181,474.4 n mol d−1 m−1 for location C, respectively. Variations in dissolved trace elements fluxes are attributed to variations in pH, free redox environment in the aquifer, adsorption or desorption by sediments, and the environmental cycle of marine organisms.

Water sustainability is a major challenge on the Loess Plateau of China, since the drying of soil and loss of surface water is threatening regional water security. Fundamental to effective water management is an understanding of groundwater recharge mechanisms. Based on a time series of stable isotopes data for precipitation, surface water and groundwater, the groundwater recharge ratios and water transmission times were quantitatively identified for the studied region. The results showed that groundwater discharge to surface water was a common phenomenon during the dry and wet seasons. However, groundwater could also be recharged by precipitation and surface water during specific months when experiencing large precipitation events. Over shorter time scales ( 1 year), precipitation was the primary recharge source of groundwater in small watersheds due to the general flow direction of groundwater to surface water. Groundwater recharge by precipitation mostly occurred through a combination of piston flow and preferential flow, where preferential flow was the primary recharge mechanism for groundwater replenished by precipitation in this region. Surface water could quickly recharge groundwater by lateral flow through fractures in the aquifer and vertical piston flow. These findings could, therefore, be used to provide a reference for the utilization and protection of groundwater resources in the small watersheds of the loess hilly regions of the Loess Plateau.

Groundwater and saline water interaction is the most common processes in the coastal aquifers that alters the quality of aquifer waters. The quaternary alluvium aquifer system is a significant water resource of southeast coastal Tamil Nadu that provides water supplies for industrial, agriculture, and domestic utilities. Hydrogeochemical investigations were attempted to analyze groundwater–saline water interactions for which a total of three hundred and sixty samples representing surface water, pore water, and groundwater samples collected from three significant locations (location A, B, and C) and analyzed for major ion concentrations. Piper plot infers surface and pore water samples representing saline water type (Na-Cl) in all the three locations due to tidal variation and sand dominant surface layer. Groundwater samples represent (Ca-HCO3) type at location A due to fresh groundwater discharge, mixed or subterranean estuary (Ca, Mg-Cl, HCO3) at location B due to conversion of freshwater (Ca-HCO3) at low tide to saline water (Na-Cl) at high tide, and saline (Na-Cl) water at location C due to proximity and influence of tides. The Cl−/HCO3− vs. Cl− plot represents two water types, such as fresh groundwater (0.5) and strongly affected by seawater intrusion (6.6). The plot (Ca2++Mg2+)/(K++Na+) vs. log Cl− represents freshwater in location A, mixing in location B, and saline water in location C. Groundwater samples observed to be fresh in location A (20.0 km away from the coast), recirculated in location B (9.0 km away from the coast), and saline in location C (0.5 km away from the coast).

Coastal lagoons are significant wetland environments found on coastlines throughout the world. Groundwater seepage may be a key component of lagoon water balances, though only a few studies have investigated large (>100 km²) coastal lagoons. In this study, we combined airborne thermal infrared imagery with continuous measurements of radon (²²²Rn—a natural groundwater tracer), conductivity, water temperature and dissolved oxygen to map groundwater seepage to a large coastal lagoon in New Zealand. We found evidence of seepage along the margins of the lagoon but not away from the margins. Our findings confirmed previously known seepage zones and identified new potential locations of groundwater inflow. Both point source and diffuse seepage occurred on the western and northwestern margins of the lagoon and parallel to the barrier between the lagoon and sea. These observations imply geologic controls on seepage. The combination of remote sensing and in‐situ radon measurements allowed us to effectively map groundwater discharge areas across the entire lagoon. Combined, broad‐scale qualitative methods built confidence in our interpretation of groundwater discharge locations in a large, dynamic coastal lagoon.

Meteoric and mixing-zone diagenesis can dramatically alter the geochemical signatures of shallow marine carbonates. Most preserved pre-Cretaceous carbonates were deposited in shallow marine environments and thus may have been susceptible to meteoric and mixing-zone diagenesis. However, a quantitative understanding of how the geochemical composition of carbonates changes during diagenesis still requires further development. Here, we present a new two-dimensional (2D) reactive transport model coupled with a 2D coastal hydrology model to simulate carbonate diagenesis and provide insights into its impact on the isotopic and elemental compositions of carbonates in the geological record. Using this model, we have simulated the stratigraphic trends and relationship between isotopic records (for example, δ13C and δ18O values) observed in modern (Recent-Miocene) sections where the impact of meteoric diagenesis has been clearly characterized. Our model can also reproduce anomalous Neoproterozoic carbonate geochemical profiles where the effects of meteoric diagenesis have been debated. Further, our model indicates that linear carbonate C-O isotope co-variations can either be generated in the mixing zone between freshwater and marine pore waters, or in the freshwater phreatic zone with a downward decrease in recrystallization (with no net carbonate dissolution or precipitation) rate. In addition, numerous processes were observed to decouple δ18Ocarb values from other isotopic and elemental signatures during carbonate diagenesis, indicating that a lack of linear correlation between δ18Ocarb values and other geochemical variables does not necessarily suggest limited meteoric alteration. Sensitivity analyses show that the steady-state timescale is controlled by compositional differences between fluid endmembers, the calcite-water element distribution coefficient, the recrystallization rate, porosity, and the groundwater discharge rate. Given that reactive transport models have proven to be powerful theoretical tools in many disciplines of Earth sciences, our hope is that this model will promote a more quantitative understanding of meteoric and mixing zone diagenesis of marine carbonates.

When a radial collector well is installed and operated for agricultural purposes, negative impacts may be observed over time due to the clogging of horizontal arms, such as reduced groundwater discharge and water quality deterioration. When radial collector well No. 2 was rehabilitated using the high-pressure impulse generation technique, the specific capacity and transmissivity were increased by 43.1 and 100.6%, respectively. In contrast, according to air surging, the specific capacity and transmissivity increased by 33.8 and 85.8%, respectively, compared to the initial rate before rehabilitation. During the operation of radial collector wells since construction, the time of well rehabilitation can be effectively determined by continuously monitoring the groundwater level and pumping rate of the radial collector wells, thereby preventing a decrease in productivity.

Projected sea-level rise will raise coastal water tables, resulting in groundwater hazards that threaten shallow infrastructure and coastal ecosystem resilience. Here we model a range of sea-level rise scenarios to assess the responses of water tables across the diverse topography and climates of the California coast. With 1 m of sea-level rise, areas flooded from below are predicted to expand ~50–130 m inland, and low-lying coastal communities such as those around San Francisco Bay are most at risk. Coastal topography is a controlling factor; long-term rising water tables will intercept low-elevation drainage features, allowing for groundwater discharge that damps the extent of shoaling in ~70% (68.9–82.2%) of California’s coastal water tables. Ignoring these topography-limited responses increases flooded-area forecasts by ~20% and substantially underestimates saltwater intrusion. All scenarios estimate that areas with shallow coastal water tables will shrink as they are inundated by overland flooding or are topographically limited from rising inland. Sea-level rise raises water tables, causing flooding from below and saltwater intrusion. A modelling study predicts that coastal California groundwater flooding will expand 50–130 m inland with 1 m of sea-level rise, with areal flooding extent strongly dependent on topography and drainage capacity.

Nonylphenol is a typical endocrine-disrupting chemical that has received considerable attention from government officials, scientists and the public due to its estrogenicity and ubiquitous occurrence in water environments. Here we review the current knowledge on nonylphenol occurrence, distribution, toxic effects and water quality criteria related to the protection of freshwater organisms. Nonylphenol enters the water ecosystem mainly via wastewater treatment plant effluents, agricultural runoff, groundwater discharge from air, soil, water and agricultural sources. Toxic effects of nonylphenol on aquatic organisms include acute toxic effects, growth and development effects, estrogenic effect and reproductive effects, neurotoxicity, liver toxicity and immunotoxicity.

Lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD) can play an important role in water and contaminant mass balance of lakes. Dongting Lake is the second largest fresh lake in China which is connected to Yangtze River and has quite prominent ecological status and function within Yangtze River basin. However, the effect of groundwater discharge on the balance of water and contaminant in Dongting Lake has long been overlooked. This study estimated the groundwater discharge and associated contaminants input into Dongting Lake during the dry season using multiple tracers (222Rn, 18O, Cl−). After sensitivity analysis of different models, it is found that the result of 222Rn mass balance model is the most reliable. Based on the 222Rn mass balance model, the groundwater discharge rate is estimated to be 73.94 mm/d and the contribution of LGD to water balance is 10.94%. As the main nutrient components, NH3-N, P and Si from groundwater input account for 23.65%, 5.12% and 30.15% % of the total input, respectively. As the main heavy metal components, Fe, Mn and As from groundwater input all account for more than 50% of the total input. Although the LGD rate is relatively small, the contaminant input from LGD is significant enough, which may be a potential threat to the ecological stability of Dongting Lake. In this study, the mass balance models of multiple tracers were integrated to understand the role of groundwater in maintaining the water balance and pollution status of Dongting Lake, which has certain reference significance for the LGD study in plain lakes or reservoirs with complex water systems in humid regions.

A risk assessment of the reduction of streamflow in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) from potential increased groundwater extraction has been conducted. This incorporates the uncertainty of future extraction and connectivity between groundwater and surface water. The predicted impact from forty years of growth in extraction is less than 580 Gl/y, and likely to be in range of 100–400 Gl/y. Over 80% of this impact will result from extraction under limits existing before the Basin Plan, with most impact from extraction outside these limits occurring later. Groundwater units with high risk lie within a range of river valleys and hydrogeological domains, and particularly the Goulburn valley and zones of fresher groundwater discharge. Management rules in the new groundwater management plans are designed to reduce use in high impact zones. Monitoring is required to assess effectiveness of these as use increases and conjunctive water management becomes more common.

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is widely acknowledged as a key driver of environmental change in tropical island coral reefs. Previous work has addressed SGD and groundwater-reef interactions at isolated submarine springs; however, there are still many outstanding questions about the mechanisms and distribution of groundwater discharge to reefs. To understand how groundwater migrates to reefs, a series of offshore 222Rn (radon) and submarine electrical resistivity (ER) surveys were performed on the tropical volcanic island of Mo’orea, French Polynesia. These surveys suggest that fresher water underlies the fringing reef, apparently confined by a

Rock glaciers are the most prominent landforms of alpine permafrost and comprise complex shallow aquifer systems in (high) alpine catchments. Recession analyses of groundwater discharge of four active rock glaciers that contain permafrost ground ice show that they have a base flow component of the order of a few liters per second, similar to that of a relict rock glacier in which permafrost ground ice is absent. This is related to an unfrozen (fine-grained) base layer with a thickness of about 10 m. Based on a threshold analysis of precipitation events and event water discharge, depressions atop the bedrock or the permafrost table seem to play only a minor role in storing groundwater. This important finding has rarely been documented, but is highly relevant for optimal groundwater resources management in sensitive (high) alpine catchments and ecosystems. All the rock glaciers analyzed here are located in the Austrian Alps and represent the nationwide sites where suitable discharge data are available. The analysis highlights the hydrogeological importance of these discrete permafrost-derived debris accumulations as complex shallow groundwater bodies with important—but limited—storage and buffer capabilities.

Excessive nutrient discharge to tropical island coastlines drives eutrophication and algal blooms with significant implications for reef ecosystem condition and provision of ecosystem services. Management actions to address nutrient pollution in coastal ecosystems include setting water-quality standards for surface waters discharging to the coast. However, these standards do not account for the effects of groundwater discharge, variability in flow, or dilution, all of which may influence the assessment of true nutrient impacts on nearshore reef habitats. We developed a method to estimate dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) loads to coastal zones by integrating commonly available datasets within a geospatial modeling framework for Tutuila, American Samoa. The DIN-loading model integrated an open-source water budget model, water-sampling results, and publicly available streamflow data to predict watershed-scale DIN loading to the island’s entire coastline. Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) was found to deliver more terrigenous DIN to the coastal zone than surface water pathways, supporting findings from other tropical islands. On-site wastewater disposal systems were also found to be the primary anthropogenic sources of DIN to coastal waters. Our island-wide DIN-loading model provides a simple and robust metric to define spatially explicit sources and delivery mechanisms of nutrient pollution to nearshore reef habitats. Understanding the sources and primary transport modes of inorganic nitrogen to nearshore reef ecosystems can help coastal resource managers target the most impactful human activities in the most vulnerable locations, thereby increasing the adaptive capacity of unique island ecosystems to environmental variation and disturbances.

Lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD) can be an important pathway for delivering pollutants to large lakes but this pathway is often neglected. This is in part because characterizing the magnitude and spatial variability of LGD to large lakes is highly resource intensive. To better target efforts, particularly in glacial environments where the hydrogeology is often highly complex, there is a need to understand linkages between spatial LGD patterns and hydrogeological features. The objective of this study was to evaluate the magnitude and spatial variability of nearshore LGD to Lake Simcoe (area = 722 km2) and use this information to explore hydrogeological controls on the observed spatial LGD patterns. LGD was quantified by applying a steady state mass balance model to radon-222 (222Rn) data obtained from boat surveys conducted along ~80% of the lake’s shoreline. Overall, LGD was highly spatially variable with total LGD to Lake Simcoe estimated to range from 7 ± 1% to 16 ± 2%, respectively, of the total volume of tributary inputs during summer. No large regional scale differences in LGD were found despite the diverse hydrogeological conditions around the lake. Rather, discrete shoreline areas with high LGD were observed around the lake. Areas with high LGD were related to permeable nearshore surficial sediments and tunnel channel aquifers which provide connectivity between large recharge features (moraines), regional aquifer units, and the lake. The study findings are needed to inform actions aimed at managing non-point pollution sources to large glacial lakes including LGD.

Investigations at Hat Head in northern New South Wales, Australia, have shown that the depth and location of the saline interface changes significantly in response to storm-induced wave runup, rainfall recharge and regional groundwater discharge. The interplay between these three factors creates moving zones of fresh and salty water that displace each other over time, leading to the development of complex geochemical patterns. The results of an extensive hydrogeological investigation incorporating surface and borehole geophysics, drilling, monitoring and hydrochemical sampling on multiple occasions has demonstrated that the mixing zone between fresh groundwater and seawater occurs as zones of variable chemical composition which extend further inland and to greater depths than anticipated. The location and magnitude of these mixing zones varies over time scales of weeks. The chemical processes within these mixing zones are dominated by redox reactions that may never reach an equilibrium, with the system being episodically disturbed by new storm events. Diel changes from tides do not have an observable impact on the interface. An improved understanding of these processes will require regular monitoring and sampling from a range of vertical sampling points in the coastal zone, combined with routine monitoring using borehole induction logs.

Groundwater discharge in alpine headwaters sustains baseflow in rivers originating in mountain ranges of the world, which is critically important for aquatic habitats, run-of-river hydropower generation, and downstream water supply. Groundwater storage in alpine watersheds was long considered negligible, but recent field-based studies have shown that aquifers are ubiquitous in the alpine zone with no soil and vegetation. Talus, moraine, and rock glacier aquifers are common in many alpine regions of the world, although bedrock aquifers occur in some geological settings. Alpine aquifers consisting of coarse sediments have a fast recession of discharge after the recharge season (e.g., snowmelt) or rainfall events, followed by a slow recession that sustains discharge over a long period. The two-phase recession is likely controlled by the internal structure of the aquifers. Spatial extent and distribution of individual aquifers determine the groundwater storage-discharge characteristics in first- and second-order watersheds in the alpine zone, which in turn govern baseflow characteristics in major rivers. Similar alpine landforms appear to have similar hydrogeological characteristics in many mountain ranges across the world, suggesting that a common conceptual framework can be used to understand alpine aquifers based on geological and geomorphological settings. Such a framework will be useful for parameterizing storage-discharge characteristics in large river hydrological models.

Existing studies show that drinking high-iodine or low-iodine groundwater on a long-term basis may cause goiter and other health problems. However, currently there is a lack of systematic research on the distribution, formation and health effects of iodine in groundwater at the basin scale. Taking the Wei River Basin in the Loess Plateau as a typical study area, this paper used hydrogeological surveys, sample collection, multivariate statistical analysis, health effect evaluations, and other methods, and found that iodine content in groundwater in 60.3% of the region poses potential risks to human health. Groundwater recharge areas were iodine-deficient, mainly located on the upstream Loess Plateau of the Wei River Basin in the vicinity of the Liupan Mountain watershed, and at the piedmont of the Qinling Mountains. Groundwater was low mineralization, neutral, and low-F bicarbonate, and was controlled by the weathering and dissolution of silicate minerals and evaporites, the dissolution and precipitation of carbonates, and active water circulation conditions. Iodine-deficient endemic goiter had a potential incidence of 5–38% in these areas. Groundwater runoff areas had suitable groundwater iodine content, and the groundwater hydrochemical type was dominated by HCO3–Ca, HCO3–Na, and HCO3·SO4–Na type water. The mineralization degree was modest and the I− content distribution of suitable iodine content areas was controlled by relatively active water circulation conditions. Groundwater discharge areas were high-iodine groundwater areas, where the groundwater hydrochemical type was dominated by meta-alkaline and alkaline HCO3·SO4, SO4·Cl, and Cl·SO4 type water, and controlled by the evaporation–concentration of shallow groundwater, the biodegradation of enriched organic matter, and the competitive adsorption of HCO3− and I−. Here iodine-excess endemic goiter had a potential incidence of 5–100%. Considering the results from the study area, this paper recommends that the groundwater iodine safety range for endemic goiter be set to 10.0–300.0 μg/L.

This study aims to adapt the Soil and Watershed Assessment Tool (SWAT), a ubiquitously used watershed model, for groundwater dominated surface waterbodies by accounting for recharge from the aquifers. Using measured flow to a headwater slope wetland in Alabama’s coastal plain region as a case study, we present challenges and relatively simple approaches in using the SWAT model to predict flows from the draining watershed and relatively simple approaches to model groundwater upwelling. SWAT-simulated flow at the study watershed was limited by precipitation, and consequently, simulated flows were several times smaller in magnitude than observed flows. Thus, our first approach involved a separate stormflow and baseflow calibration which included the use of a regression relationship between observed and simulated baseflow (ENASH = 0.67). Our next approach involved adapting SWAT to simulate upwelling groundwater discharge instead of deep aquifer losses by constraining the range of deep losses, βdeep parameter, to negative values (ENASH = 0.75). Finally, we also investigated the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) in conjunction with SWAT to further improve calibration performance. This approach used SWAT-calibrated flow, evapotranspiration, and precipitation as inputs to ANN (ENASH = 0.88). The methods investigated in this study can be used to navigate similar flow calibration challenges in other groundwater dominant watersheds which can be very useful tool for managers and modelers alike.

Vertical leakage (discharge to upper aquifers) is an important but poorly constrained component of water balance in the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), Australia. It ranges from negligible discharge where the GAB is overlain by aquitards, to high discharge where artesian water feeds the shallow unconfined aquifer (thereby raising the water table) causing elevated surface soil moisture and extensive surface salinisation. Adequately representing the temporal and spatial variability of vertical leakage is difficult due to the large scale over which the discharge occurs. An innovative method is presented that integrates a supervised classification of high-discharge zones using time-series Landsat data with landform mapping information to improve classification results. ‘Wetness persistence’ and ‘salt persistence’ classes, determined from the time series data, are related to groundwater discharge processes through a discharge framework that allows scaling up of field-based discharge estimates. The results show that using multi-image classification integrated with landform data will significantly reduce uncertainty by reducing false positives. No significant temporal trends were found in a time series assessment, with results featuring high variability, most likely due to image normalisation issues. The lack of a clear temporal signal suggests that an assumption of steady-state discharge is valid for estimating annual fluxes of vertical leakage. Supervised classification and landform outputs provide updated knowledge on GAB vertical leakage rates by providing useful lower and upper bounds of discharge rates respectively. Additionally, groundwater-dependent ecosystem classification, covering the full extent of the basin margins, is a new source of information resulting from the work.

A hydrogeologic characterization and impact analysis was performed for a proposed quarry at the Hitch Rack Ranch located in the Little Turkey Creek watershed southwest of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Continuous multiple channel tubing, nested piezometers, stream flow measurements, and mapping of known seeps were used to define the three-dimensional potentiometric distribution and areas of groundwater recharge and discharge. Water balance considerations, mass balance calculations, and potentiometric response to earth tides and barometric fluctuations confirmed that the granite fracture system in the ridge area of the proposed quarry has an extremely low bulk hydraulic conductivity resulting in minimal groundwater discharge to sustain the baseflow of Little Turkey Creek. The Little Turkey Creek valley forms the major conduit for groundwater flow exiting from the upper part of watershed underlain by granite. This conclusion has significant implications with respect to mine planning to minimize projected impacts to the hydrologic system and preserve this recharge component to downgradient Denver Basin sedimentary deposits.

Over a hundred sizable lakes, some even larger than ~1 km2, are distributed across the lowlands between megadunes in the southeastern Badain Jaran Desert (BJD), northwest China. With rather limited precipitation and hardly any surface runoff, these lakes are fed mainly by groundwater. However, the source of the groundwater and the groundwater discharge rates to these lakes are poorly understood. Water level and temperature of four representative lakes in the southeastern BJD were monitored continuously between 2013 and 2017. Water surface evaporation and rainfall in this area were also measured. Combining these acquired data, groundwater discharge rates were estimated using water balance models. The results show that the four lakes have similar recharge and discharge patterns, but at different average net groundwater discharge rates ranging from 1.79 to 3.09 mm d−1. The lake level variation mainly depends on groundwater discharge and lake surface evaporation. We found that diurnal lake level variation may be controlled by earth tide and atmospheric pressure change, and is five times greater than the evaporation. The desert precipitation and deep confined groundwater with high temperature were found also recharging the desert lakes. An Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) method was used to identify the lake level trend. All lake levels increased over the last four years, except one decreased in 2015 and 2016. The lake levels’ increasing trend is synchronously similar with the precipitation in north China. This study analyzes annual and seasonal lake level variations, and also finds the diurnal water cycle between the groundwater and lake water for the first time.

Nutrient enrichment can slow growth, enhance bioerosion rates, and intensify algal competition for reef-building corals. In areas of high human population density and/or limited waste management, submarine groundwater discharge can transfer anthropogenic nutrients from polluted groundwater to coastal reefs. In this case study, we investigate the impact of submarine groundwater discharge on a near-shore reef in Bermuda, where over 60% of sewage generated by the island’s 64,000 residents enters the groundwater through untreated cesspits. Temperature, salinity, pH, and alkalinity were monitored at a groundwater discharge vent, three locations across the adjacent coral reef (0–30 m from shore), and a comparison patch reef site 2 km from shore. Groundwater discharge was characterized by low salinity, low aragonite saturation state (Ω_(ar)), high alkalinity, elevated nitrate + nitrite (NO₃₋ + NO₂₋; hereafter, “NO₃₋”) concentrations (> 400 µM), and an elevated ¹⁵N/¹⁴N ratio of NO₃₋ (δ¹⁵N = 10.9 ± 0.02‰ vs. air, mean ± SD). Rainfall and tidal cycles strongly impacted groundwater discharge, with maximum discharge during low tide. NO₃₋ concentrations on the near-shore reef averaged 4 µM, ten times higher than that found at the control site 2 km away, and elevated NO₃₋ δ¹⁵N at the near-shore reef indicated sewage-contaminated groundwater as a significant nitrogen source. Tissue δ¹⁵N of Porites astreoides, a dominant reef-building coral, was elevated by ~ 3‰ on the near-shore reef compared to the control site, indicating that corals across the near-shore reef were assimilating groundwater-derived nitrogen. In addition, coral skeletal density and calcification rates across the near-shore reef were inversely correlated with NO₃₋ concentration and δ¹⁵N, indicating a negative coral health response to groundwater-borne nutrient inputs. P. astreoides bioerosion rates, in contrast, did not show an effect from the groundwater input.

Geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs) are commonly reported as having hardpan or low hydraulic conductivity units underneath that produce perched groundwater, which can sustain surface water levels independently of regional aquifer fluctuations. Despite the potential of GIW‐perched aquifer systems to provide important hydrological and ecological functions such as groundwater storage and native amphibian habitat, little research has studied the hydrologic controls and dynamics of these systems. We compared several ridge‐top depressional GIW‐perched groundwater systems to investigate the role of watershed morphology on hydroregime and groundwater‐surface water interaction. Ridge‐top depressional wetlands in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky were chosen because they offer natural controls such as lack of apparent connection to surface water bodies, similar climate, and similar soils. Three wetlands with different topographic slopes and hillslope structures were mapped to distinguish key geomorphic parameters and monitored to characterize groundwater‐surface water interaction. Wetlands with soil hummocks and low upland slopes transitioned from infiltration to groundwater discharge conditions in the spring and during storm events. The magnitude and duration of this transition fell along a continuum, where higher topographic slopes and steeper uplands produced comparably smaller and shorter head reversals. This demonstrates that ridge‐top GIW‐perched groundwater systems are largely sensitive to the runoff‐recharge relationship in the upland area which can produce significant groundwater storage on a small‐scale.

Modelling and forecasting of groundwater level fluctuation are essential for sustaining groundwater availability. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out mechanisms and methods that can predict the groundwater level precisely. This study investigates the comparative potential of FL (Fuzzy Logic) and ANN (Artificial Neural Network) to predict the seasonal groundwater table depth (GWTD) between the Ganga and Hindon rivers area located in Uttar Pradesh State, India. The groundwater recharge (GWR), groundwater discharge (GWD), and the antecedent groundwater level data of 21-years (1994–2014) have been utilized to formulate 18 models (nine for pre-monsoon, and nine for post-monsoon) for training and testing of FL and ANN techniques. The outcomes of FL-based models were evaluated against the ANN models based on performance indicators and graphical inspection for the prediction of seasonal GWTD. The comparison of results reveals that the FL-based models performed better than the ANN models during both seasons for GWTD prediction in the study region. The results derived from this study would help the hydrologists and policymakers to formulate a better plan of action for governance under extreme conditions and conservation of groundwater resources in the study region.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo servir como um guia orientador àqueles que desejam utilizar os isótopos de rádio (228Ra, 226Ra, 224Ra, 223Ra) e o 222Rn, como traçadores naturais, em estudos envolvendo a descarga de água subterrânea para a região costeira (Submarine Groundwater Discharge, SGD) e, também, para rios e lagoas. Nota- se, uma carência de estudos hidrogeológicos desenvolvidos no Brasil empregando- se tais traçadores. Como potenciais razões para tal estão a necessidade de conhecimento e de equipamentos especializados. Dessa forma, o leitor irá encontrar nesse trabalho uma breve descrição dos métodos de medição empregados e os fundamentos básicos que norteiam essas aplicações.

Persistent surface water pools along non-perennial rivers represent an important water resource for plants, animals, and humans. While ecological studies of these features are not uncommon, these are rarely accompanied by a rigorous examination of the hydrological and hydrogeological characteristics that create or support the pools. Here we present an overarching framework for understanding the hydrology of persistent pools. We identified perched water, alluvial through flow and groundwater discharge as mechanisms that control the persistence of pools along river channels. Groundwater discharge is further categorized into that controlled by a geological contact or barrier (not previously described in the literature), and discharge controlled by topography. Emphasis is put on clearly defining through-flow pools and the different drivers of groundwater discharge, as this is lacking in the literature. A suite of diagnostic tools (including geological mapping, hydraulic data and hydrochemical surveys) is generally required to identify the mechanism(s) supporting persistent pools. Water fluxes to pools supported by through-flow alluvial and bedrock aquifers can vary seasonally and resolving these inputs is generally non-trivial. This framework allows the evaluation of the susceptibility of persistent pools along river channels to changes in climate or groundwater withdrawals. Finally, we present three case studies from the Hamersley Basin of north-western Australia to demonstrate how the available diagnostic tools can be applied within the proposed framework.

Groundwater pollution by agrochemicals such as nitrogen fertilizers can cause complex biogeochemical transformations to take place in groundwater-dependent ecosystems. To explore the interaction between nitrogen load and groundwater-dependent, spring-fed ecosystems, a study was conducted in Latvia in an area of suspected high nitrate (NO3−) vulnerability due to its geological settings. A map of NO3− vulnerability along the margins of the carbonate aquifer in Latvia is presented. The map is based on a conceptual model that was developed during an extensive case study involving hydrological, hydrochemical, and habitat investigation of springs discharging from a karst aquifer and spring-fed ecosystems. Areas that should be prime targets for restricting fertilizer application are highlighted on the map. Although the case study revealed increased nitrogen pollution (up to 51 mg L−1, standard deviation of 9 mg L−1, in the springs discharging from the karst aquifer), no clear evidence of adverse effects due to NO3− pollution on the groundwater-dependent ecosystems using biotic indicators was found, highlighting the resilience of spring-fed ecosystems against high nitrogen inputs. In the case study, downstream groundwater-dependent ecosystems retained 70% of the reactive nitrogen during the vegetation season, but only a small proportion during the cold season. Thus, NO3− pollution can be partly mitigated by restoring wetlands along valley slopes where natural groundwater discharge takes place. The conceptual model developed for groundwater NO3− vulnerability is applicable to other areas in the Baltic region and other places with similar climatic and geological conditions.

For a better understanding of the effects of regional groundwater management for different land-use types on nitrogen content in groundwater, we investigated the Miyakonojo River Basin in south of Japan where the Nitrate Directive Plan has been in practice since 2004. For this purpose, we used nitrogen concentrations from 420 wells between 2000 and 2017 together with 8 different land-use categorizations. The data were analyzed using self-organizing maps (SOM) and results showed that forest recharge areas have lowest mean nitrogen concentrations of about 2.9 mg/L. Urban areas displayed a mean nitrogen concentration of about 4.4 mg/L. Agricultural land such as paddy fields had a mean nitrogen concentration of about 5.1 mg/L. Groundwater discharge and residential areas had mean groundwater nitrogen concentrations of 8.2 and 7.1 mg/L, respectively. Intensive agricultural land-use and wastewater discharge from urban areas caused the main groundwater nitrogen contamination in these areas. About 70% of the wells had a decreasing trend of groundwater nitrogen concentration (p

Coastal lagoons are important for ecological, cultural, economic and recreational reasons. Globally, they are subject to significant anthropogenic pressures. Our understanding of the importance of groundwater discharge into coastal lagoons for water and solute budgets is evolving, yet key gaps remain. This study resolves sources of groundwater seepage and estimates nutrient loads from direct groundwater discharge into a large hypertrophic coastal lagoon in New Zealand. We analysed major ions, stable water isotopes and nutrients in lagoon surface water, porewater, groundwater wells and springs. Groundwater and porewater samples split into two distinct groups: (1) inland samples that were MgHCO3 dominated with more negative δ2H:δ18O ratios and lower ion concentrations, and (2) permeable barrier samples that were NaCl dominated with more positive δ2H:δ18O ratios and higher ion concentrations. Porewater entering the lagoon is sourced from alpine river and rainfall recharge on the plains. Barrier porewater appears to be sourced from infiltration from the lagoon through the barrier and local rainfall. Despite higher nitrate in deeper groundwater wells, low nitrate in shallow porewater indicates potential denitrification before groundwater discharges to the lagoon. Our observations support efforts to restore and construct wetlands around the lagoon to remove nutrients. However, wetland restoration will need to be carried out by maintaining a balance between enhancing denitrifying conditions while preventing phosphorus release from sediments. Nutrient load calculations revealed that direct groundwater seepage to the lagoon provides ~ 3% of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and ~ 30% of dissolved reactive phosphorus compared to river inputs, indicating that groundwater discharge may play an important role in phosphorus transport to the lagoon.

Groundwater decrease and quality deterioration are common phenomena at coastal areas with subway tunnels in the world. This study investigated the problems in Busan Metropolitan City of Korea, using the integrated techniques of hydrogeological, hydro-geochemical, geostatistical, multivariate statistical and isotopic analyses. Groundwater around the subway was heavily discharged, and the groundwater level around the subway was fallen to −25.3 m on basis of mean sea level. The deep drawdown of groundwater level spurred the induction of seawater and salinized river water toward the inland area, and the groundwater was contaminated around the subway. This study identified that groundwater-level largely descended due to the excessive utilization of groundwater and the severe groundwater discharge from the subway tunnels, and that seawater and salinized river water intruded the inland groundwater and contaminated the groundwater around the subway. It is considered that this study will contribute to the investigation for the causes of groundwater decrease and contamination around subway tunnels in the worldwide metropolitan cities as well as the Busan City of Korea.

A time-lapse study involving VES, TEM, and remote sensing measurements during 2003, 2013, and 2017 was conducted to investigate changes in groundwater content in the coastal aquifers in El Arish area where the change rate of the groundwater content reflects the aquifer ability for the success or failure of future development plans. Two multi-temporal Landsat images were used, one from the Multispectral Landsat 8-OLI and one from the Enhanced Thematic Mapper ETM+, to calculate the total cultivated land and it is annually changing during the relevant times. In addition to VES and TEM measurements to identify the aquifer(s) properties, all data were processed and interpreted. The inferred information from the processed satellite images showed the reclaimed land grows at a rate of about 11km2/yr without noticeable changes in the shoreline. Moreover, the VES and TEM modeling and interpretation elucidate that the study area contains three successive and separated coastal aquifers represented by Sand dunes, Old Beach, and Kurkar layers. These aquifers can be utilized, but the dunes layer is less important than the others. The comparative aquifer thicknesses were decreased by 4 meters during the total period. Finally, the integration between results produced two statistical relations describing the decreasing of aquifer thickness with annual groundwater discharge and changing of cultivated land rates, and these relations confirmed that the groundwater in the relevant area could be in line with the current rate of development process during the current century. Therefore, the Rafah coastal aquifers are suitable for short to medium sustainable development plans.

Hydrological processes at hillslope and catchment scales explain a large part of stream chemistry dynamics through source-transport mechanisms from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems. Riparian zones play a central role, as they exert a strong influence on the chemical signature of groundwater discharge to streams. Especially important are riparian areas where upslope subsurface flow paths converge, because they connect a large part of the catchment to a narrow section of the stream. Recent research shows that both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, riparian convergence zones fulfill important biogeochemical functions that differ from surrounding riparian zones. Most catchment-scale conceptual frameworks focus on generalized hillslope-riparian-stream transects and do not explicitly consider riparian convergence zones. This study integrates collective work on hydrology, groundwater chemistry, vegetation and soils of discrete riparian inflow points (DRIPs) in a boreal landscape. We show that compared to adjacent riparian forests, DRIPs have groundwater levels that are consistently near the surface, and supply organic-rich water to streams. We suggest that interactions between hydrology, wetland vegetation, and peat soil development that occur in DRIPs leads to their unique groundwater chemistry and runoff dynamics. Stream-based studies show that across flow conditions, groundwater inputs from DRIPs to headwater reaches influence stream temperature, water chemistry and biology. As such, accounting for DRIPs can complement existing hillslope and stream observations, which would allow better representation of chemical and biological interactions associated with convergence of subsurface flow paths in riparian zones.

The supply of terrestrial dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to aquatic ecosystems affects local in-stream processes and downstream transport of DOC in the fluvial network. However, we have an incomplete understanding on how terrestrial DOC inputs alter longitudinal variations of DOC concentration along headwater stream reaches because groundwater discharge, groundwater DOC concentration and in-stream DOC uptake vary at relatively short spatial and temporal scales. In the riparian zone, the convergence of subsurface flow paths can facilitate the inflow of terrestrial DOC from large upslope contributing areas to narrow sections of the stream. We refer to these areas of flow path convergence as discrete riparian inflow points (DRIPs). In this study, we ask how longitudinal patterns of stream DOC concentrations are affected by DRIPs, as they are major inputs of terrestrial DOC and important locations for in-stream processes. We used a mixing model to simulate stream DOC concentrations along a 1.5 km headwater reach for fifteen sampling campaigns with flow conditions ranging from droughts to floods. Four sets of model scenarios were used to compare different representations of hydrology (distributed inputs of DRIPs vs diffuse groundwater inflow), and in-stream processes (passive transport vs in-stream biological uptake). Results showed that under medium (10–50 l/s) and high flow conditions (> 50 l/s), accounting for lateral groundwater inputs from DRIPs improved simulations of stream DOC concentrations along the reach. Moreover, in-stream biological uptake improved simulations across low to medium flow conditions (