Transit time determination for a riverbank filtration system using oxygen isotope data and the lumped-parameter model

The mathematical description of the lumped-parameter Dispersion Model is presented, and its use for estimating transit time and proportion of river water in a riverbank filtration system on Szentendre Island (in the Danube River, Hungary) is assessed by applying stable oxygen isotope data. The modelling approach could only be used to analyse single oxygen-isotope peaks observed during a 6-month-long time series, because the mean input (Danube) concentration was very close to the output (well) concentration. The water level in the Danube varied, but the lumped-parameter approach is only applicable for steady-state conditions. Isotope data observed during quasi steady-state hydraulic conditions selected at medium and higher water levels were modelled. At low water levels the method could not be used because the 18O content of the Danube water and of collector wells was similar.Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor M.D. FidelibusCitation Kármán, K., Maloszewski, P., Deák, J., Fórizs, I. and Szabó, C., 2014. Transit time determination for a riverbank filtration system using oxygen isotope data and the lumped-parameter model.