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Assessment of potentially contaminated sites (PCS) can be expensive; hence, simple and less demanding methods and models are required. This work attempts to provide an approach that can aid in selecting the most appropriate model for the PCS. The developed method uses over 100 field site data to evaluate four test models (analytical/empirical) that provide the maximum plume length (L

Characterization of karst systems and forecast of their state variables are essential for groundwater management and engineering in karst regions. These objectives can be met by the use of process-based discrete-continuum models (DCMs). However, results of DCMs may suffer from inversion nonuniqueness. It has been demonstrated that the joint inversion of observations regulated by different natural processes can tackle the nonuniqueness issue in groundwater modeling. However, this has not been tested for DCMs thus far. This research proposes a methodology for the joint inversion of hydro-thermo-chemo-graphs, applying to two small-scale sink-to-spring experiments at Freiheit Spring, Minnesota, USA. In order to address conceptual uncertainty, a multimodel approach was implemented, featuring seven mutually exclusive variants. Spring hydro-thermo-chemo-graphs, for all the variants simulated by MODFLOW-CFPv2, were jointly inverted using a weighted least squares algorithm. Subsequently, models were compared in terms of inversion and forecast performances, as well as parameter uncertainties. Results reveal the suitability of the DCM approach for simultaneous inversion and forecast of hydro-physico-chemical behavior of karst systems, even at a scale of meters and seconds. The estimated volume of the tracer conduit passage ranges from approximately 46–51 m3, which is comparable to the estimate from the flood-pulse method. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the thermograph and hydrograph contain more information about aquifer characteristics than the chemograph. However, this finding can be site-specific and should depend on the analysis scale, the considered conceptual models, and the hydrological state, which are potentially affected by minor unaccountable processes and features.

Groundwater dependency is increasing globally, while millions of potentially contaminated sites are yet to be characterized for contamination levels. In particular, groundwater contamination due to light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) continues to be a global challenge. Mathematical approaches (i.e., analytical, semi-analytical, empirical, numerical) are preferred for an initial site assessment to circumvent the high characterization costs and limited site data availability. However, the site-specific nature of contamination restricts the generalization of any single approach. Hence, the requirement is for an easy-to-use computing interface that provides site-specific data management, the selection and use of multiple-model interfaces for computing, and site characterization, with extension for the latest models as they become available. This work provides one such interface called CAST or Contamination Assessment and Site-management Tool. CAST is an open-source browser-based (online/offline) tool that provides an interface for six different analytical models (e.g., BIOSCREEN-AT), a MODFLOW based numerical model, and two empirical models (including a hybrid numerical-analytical model). Additionally, CAST includes interfaces for site data management, their evaluation, and scenario-based modeling. CAST's development is in a modular format, which simplifies the addition of new computing or data interfaces. Furthermore, the entire code-base of CAST is based on open-source (dominantly Python programming) libraries and standards. This further simplifies the modification or extension of this tool. This paper introduces CAST, its different computing, and data management interfaces and provides examples of the tool's functionality primarily for the initial evaluation of contaminated sites.

Gravity-driven infiltration into the shallow subsurface via small-diameter wells (SDWs), i.e., wells with an inner diameter smaller than 7.5 cm (3 inches) and no gravel pack) has proven to be a cost-efficient and flexible tool for managed aquifer recharge (MAR), as it provides relatively high recharge rates with minimal construction effort. SDWs have a significantly smaller open filter area than larger diameter wells with gravel pack, making the infiltration of low-quality waters through these wells more at risk clogging. To investigate their susceptibility for biological and physical clogging, 24 physical models with different well setups were evaluated by infiltrating either nutrient-poor but turbid water or nutrient-rich but clear water. The experiments showed that smaller diameters and the lack of a gravel pack increase the well's susceptibility to both kinds of clogging. However, this effect was observed to be much more pronounced for physical than for biological clogging. Our conclusion is that SDWs show severe disadvantages with respect to the infiltration of highly turbid waters in comparison to large diameter wells with a gravel pack. Nevertheless, this disadvantage is much less severe when it comes to the infiltration of clear but nutrient-rich waters (e.g., treated wastewater). Depending on the economic and geological circumstances of a MAR-project, this disadvantage could be outweighed by the significantly lower construction costs of SDWs.

Locally collected precipitation water can be actively used as a groundwater tracer solution based on four inherent tracer signals: electrical conductivity, stable isotopic signatures of deuterium [δ2 H], oxygen-18 [δ18 O], and heat, which all may strongly differ from the corresponding background values in the tested groundwater. In hydrogeological practice, a tracer test is one of the most important methods for determining subsurface connections or field parameters, such as porosity, dispersivity, diffusion coefficient, groundwater flow velocity, or flow direction. A common problem is the choice of tracer and the corresponding permission by the appropriate authorities. This problem intensifies where tracer tests are conducted in vulnerable conservation or water protection areas (e.g., around drinking water wells). The use of (if required treated) precipitation as an elemental groundwater tracer is a practical solution for this problem, as it does not introduce foreign matters into the aquifer system, which may contribute positively to the permission delivery. Before tracer application, the natural variations of the participating end members' tracer signals have to be evaluated locally. To obtain a sufficient volume of tracer solution, precipitation can be collected as rain using a detached, large-scale rain collector, which will be independent from possibly existing surfaces like roofs or drained areas. The collected precipitation is then stored prior to a tracer experiment.

The reuse of treated wastewater (e.g. for irrigation) is a common practice to combat water scarcity problems world-wide. However, the potential spread of opportunistic pathogens and fecal contaminants like Enterococci within the subsoil could pose serious health hazards. Additional sources (e.g., leaky sewer systems, livestock farming) aggravate this situation. This study contributes to an understanding of pathogen spread in the environment, using a combined modelling and experimental approach. The impact of quartz sediment and certain wastewater characteristics on the dissemination of Enterococcus faecalis JH2–2 is investigated. The transport processes of advection-dispersion and straining were studied by injecting conservative saline tracer and fluorescent microspheres through sediment packed columns, and evaluating resulting breakthrough curves using models. Similarly, simultaneously occurring reactive processes of microbial attachment, decay, respiration and growth were studied by injecting Enterococcus faecalis JH2–2 suspended in water with or without dissolved oxygen (DO) and nutrients through sediment, and evaluating resulting inlet and outlet concentration curves. The processes of straining, microbial decay and growth, were important when DO was absent. Irreversible attachment was important when DO was present. Sensitivity analysis of each parameter was conducted, and field scale behavior of the processes was predicted, to facilitate future work.

The use of snowmelt as an inexpensive multi-component tracer solution for active aquifer characterization is investigated, creating a valid alternative to existing artificial water isotope labelling using enriched deuterium oxide (2H2O) and water-18O (H218O). The approach directly takes advantage of natural differences between groundwater and precipitation. It is shown, at laboratory-scale and small field-scale, that a direct injection of snowmelt into a porous medium allows for the tracing of water flow and, therefore, for the determination of transport parameters based on the stable isotope signatures (δ2H and δ18O) and on the sum parameter electrical conductivity (EC). The differences in the isotope signature between the snowmelt and groundwater applied in this study were significant, with ∆(δ2H) = 61.0‰ and ∆(δ18O) = 8.2‰, while the EC difference was ~0.5 mS/cm. Stable isotope breakthrough was observed to be almost congruent to sodium chloride (laboratory tracer experiment) and to uranine (field-scale push-drift-pull test), clearly supporting the assumption of conservative transport. A crosscheck of the isotope data in δ2H-δ18O plots revealed no significant biases in the tests. On the other hand, the snowmelt’s EC breakthrough suffered from a slight retardation due to ion exchange and mineral reactions.

Application of numerical models is a common method to assess groundwater resources. The versatility of these models allows consideration of different levels of complexity, but the accuracy of the outcomes hinges upon a proper description of the system behaviour. In seawater intrusion assessment, the implementation of the sea-side boundary condition is of particular importance. We evaluate the influence of the slope of the sea-side boundary on the simulation results of seawater intrusion in a freshwater aquifer by employing a series of slope variations together with a sensitivity analysis by varying additional sensitive parameters (freshwater inflow and longitudinal and transverse dispersivities). Model results reveal a multi-dimensional dependence of the investigated variables with an increasing relevance of the sea-side boundary slope for seawater intrusion (decrease of up to 32%), submarine groundwater discharge zone (reduction of up to 55%), and turnover times (increase of up to 730%) with increasing freshwater inflow or dispersivity values.

Karst groundwater vulnerability maps are important tools for the development of groundwater management and protection strategies. However, current methodologies do not always match regional characteristics and parameter adaptations are necessary. In addition, other important processes such as dilution and aquifer residence time are not included in vulnerability analysis for the complications of evaluating two or more criteria simultaneously. The integrated karst aquifer vulnerability approach (IKAV) project aims to develop an integrated approach to include these parameters and estimate global change implications in current and future scenarios. As a first step, intrinsic vulnerability methodologies are studied in order to highlight important parameters and the congruence with regional characteristics of the Yucatan karst. Results demonstrate agreement between methods for the evaluation of high and very high vulnerabilities and their relation with fissures and dolines. Moderate vulnerabilities are assigned to more than 50% of the area. However, moderate vulnerabilities, assigned to the coastal area and the Southern hill, are highly questionable. Intrinsic features affecting moderate classes vary according to the method. Parameter sensitivity analysis and overlap analysis demonstrate the influence of depth to the unsaturated zone, soils, precipitation, and slope on moderate values. Therefore, such parameters must be re-evaluated and discretized according to the characteristics of the study area to match Yucatan regional characteristics.

Karst aquifers are a major source of drinking water with intrinsic features that increase the pollution risk from anthropogenic and natural impacts. In Yucatan, Mexico, groundwater is the sole source of drinking water, also acting as receptor of untreated wastewater due to the low regional coverage of sewer systems. To protect karst groundwater, vulnerability methodologies are widely used. Worldwide, multiple karst vulnerability schemes have been developed and tested; however, none of these consider pollutant residence time or pollutant concentration as core parameters to estimate vulnerability. This work aims to define important considerations regarding the behavior of nitrates (NO3) in a real scenario, to be included in a new integrated vulnerability method. This work has two main objectives: to set up a groundwater model to depict as close as possible the groundwater behavior of the Yucatan karst system, and to introduce a transport model to estimate the behavior of a pollution plume. Model outcomes suggest that pollutants have a short residence time, reaching the coast in the north after 3 years. Well fields are also affected by pollution at variable NO3 concentrations. Results can be further discretized to establish a base and to include these parameters as part of a new integrated groundwater vulnerability approach.

A numerical discrete conduit-continuum model is employed to investigate large-scale groundwater abstraction in karst aquifers. The application of large-scale experiments is one approach to deal with the scale problem in hydraulic parameter assessment, caused by significant contrasts of hydraulic parameters in a karst aquifer. Here, conduit drawdown is evaluated by diagnostic plots and by considering the apparent flow dimension. These tools are frequently used for the interpretation of hydraulic borehole tests by analytical solutions. In contrast to existing analytical solutions, a numerical groundwater model allows the incorporation of the effect of complex parameter distributions. The objective is to demonstrate the application of diagnostic plots and flow dimension analysis for a systematic analysis of the effect of different boundary conditions as well as sink/source terms for idealized two-dimensional mixed karst aquifer systems, which ultimately extends existing analytical solutions and, therefore, contributes to the interpretation of measured field data. The analysis is focused on the apparent flow dimension and shows the extension of the cross-sectional flow area for selected models. The results are used to evaluate the large-scale pumping test of the karstified Cent Fonts catchment (Languedoc, France). The inverse calibration of two realistic, but still simplified, catchment models reveals that the apparent flow dimension supplies useful information about the general flow pattern during the Cent Fonts pumping test. The flow dimension after the end of the storage period can be explained by a large contribution of exchange flow resulting in a strong influence of radial flow on regional, i.e., kilometer scale.

An approach to establish the recharge component of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has recently been proposed that uses small-diameter shallow wells installed using relatively inexpensive drilling methods such as direct push. As part of further development of that approach, a generalized procedure is presented for a technical and economic assessment of the approach’s potential in comparison to other systems. Following this procedure, the use of small-diameter wells was evaluated both experimentally and numerically for a site located in southern Styria, Austria. MAR is currently done at the site using a horizontal pipe infiltration system, and system expansion has been proposed with a target rate of 12 l/s using small-diameter wells as one possible option. A short-duration single-well field recharge experiment (recharge rate 1.3–3.5 l/s) was performed (recharge by gravity only). Numerical modeling of the injection test was used to estimate hydraulic conductivity (K). Quasi-steady-state, single-well recharge simulations for different locations, as well as a long-term transient simulation, were performed using the K value calibrated from the field injection test. Results indicate that a recharge capacity of 4.1 l/s was achievable with a maximum head rise of 0.2 m at the injection well. Finally, simulations were performed for three different well fields (4, 6 and 8 wells, respectively) designed to infiltrate a target rate of 12 l/s. The experimental and numerical assessments, supported by a cost analysis of the small-diameter wells, indicate that the small-diameter wells are a viable, cost-effective recharge approach at this and other similar sites.

A large number of potentially contaminated sites reported worldwide require cost- and time-effective assessment of the extent of contamination and the threats posed to the water resources. A significant risk assessment metric for these sites can be the determination of the maximum (i.e., steady-state) contaminant plume length (Lmax). Analytical approaches in the literature provide an option for such an assessment, but they include a certain degree of uncertainty. Often, the causes of such uncertainties are the simplifications in the analytical models, e.g., not considering the influence of hydrogeological stresses such as recharge, which impact the plume development significantly. This may lead to an over- or underestimation of Lmax. This work includes the influence of the recharge for the effective estimation of Lmax. For that, several two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations have been performed by considering different aquifer thicknesses (1 m– 4 m) and recharge rates (ranging from 0 to 3.6 mm/day). From the numerical results of this work, it has been deduced that 1) the application of the recharge shortens Lmax, and the recharge entering the aquifer top causes the plume to tilt, 2) the reduction percentage in Lmax depends on the recharge rate applied and the aquifer thickness, and 3) the reduction percentage varies in a non-linear manner with respect to the recharge rate for a fixed aquifer thickness. Based on these results, a hybrid analytical-empirical solution has been developed for the estimation of Lmax with the inclusion of the recharge rate. The proposed hybrid analytical-empirical solution superimposes an empirically obtained correction factor onto an analytical solution. Although extensive confirmation steps of the developed model are required for including the effect of the recharge on aquifer hydraulics, the proposed expression improves the estimation of the Lmax significantly. The hybrid analytical-empirical solution has also been confirmed with a selection of limited field contamination sites data. The hybrid model result (Lhyb) provides a significant improvement in the estimation, i.e., an order of magnitude lower mean relative error compared to the analytical model.

Detailed analysis of Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) using remote sensing data in complex irrigated basins provides complete profile for better water resource management and planning. Using remote sensing data, this study provides detailed land use maps of the Lower Chenab Canal irrigated region of Pakistan from 2005 to 2012 for LULC change detection. Major crop types are demarcated by identifying temporal profiles of NDVI using MODIS 250 m × 250 m spatial resolution data. Wheat and rice are found to be major crops in rabi and kharif seasons, respectively. Accuracy assessment of prepared maps is performed using three different techniques: error matrix approach, comparison with ancillary data and with previous study. Producer and user accuracies for each class are calculated along with kappa coefficients (K). The average overall accuracies for rabi and kharif are 82.83% and 78.21%, respectively. Producer and user accuracies for individual class range respectively between 72.5% to 77% and 70.1% to 84.3% for rabi and 76.6% to 90.2% and 72% to 84.7% for kharif. The K values range between 0.66 to 0.77 for rabi with average of 0.73, and from 0.69 to 0.74 with average of 0.71 for kharif. LULC change detection indicates that wheat and rice have less volatility of change in comparison with both rabi and kharif fodders. Transformation between cotton and rice is less common due to their completely different cropping conditions. Results of spatial and temporal LULC distributions and their seasonal variations provide useful insights for establishing realistic LULC scenarios for hydrological studies.

Summary Reallocation of water resources in any irrigation scheme is only possible by detailed assessment of current irrigation performance. The performance of the Lower Chenab Canal (LCC) irrigation system in Pakistan was evaluated at large spatial and temporal scales. Evaporative Fraction (EF) representing the key element to assess the three very important performance indicators of equity, adequacy and reliability, was determined by the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm (SEBAL) using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images. Spatially based estimations were performed at irrigation subdivisions, lower and upper LCC and, whole LCC scales, while temporal scales covered months, seasons and years for the study period from 2005 to 2012. Differences in consumptive water use between upper and lower LCC were estimated for different crops and possible water saving options were explored. The assessment of equitable water distribution indicates smaller coefficients of variation and hence less inequity within each subdivision except Sagar (0.08) and Bhagat (0.10). Both adequacy and reliability of water resources are found lower during kharif as compared to rabi with variation from head to tail reaches. Reliability is quite low from July to September and in February/March. This is mainly attributed to seasonal rainfalls. Average consumptive water use estimations indicate almost doubled water use (546 mm) in kharif as compared to (274 mm) in rabi with significant variability for different cropping years. Crop specific consumptive water use reveals rice and sugarcane as major water consumers with average values of 593 mm and 580 mm, respectively, for upper and lower LCC, followed by cotton and kharif fodder. The water uses for cotton are 555 mm and 528 mm. For kharif fodder, corresponding values are 525 mm and 494 mm for both regions. Based on the differences in consumptive water use, different land use land cover change scenarios were evaluated with regard to savings of crop water. It is found that such analyses need to be complemented at more fine spatial resolutions (i.e. irrigation subdivisions).

Groundwater is inevitable for agricultural production in the Indus Basin of Pakistan. Its management on sustainable basis is only possible by careful appraisal of its recharge potential and dynamics. This study aimed at exploring pixel-based groundwater recharge at 1 km2 spatial resolution using remote sensing data through water balance method. Moreover, spatially distributed groundwater abstractions are estimated by new approach with the aid of remote sensing data and results are compared with the conventional utilization factor method. Groundwater abstraction estimation from conventional utilization factor method overstates results both for kharif and rabi cropping seasons. Recharge results obtained from water balance method and water table fluctuation approach are comparable both at irrigation subdivision and 1 km2 spatial scales. During the kharif cropping seasons, rainfall is the main source of recharge followed by field percolation losses while for rabi cropping seasons, canal seepage remains the major source. Net groundwater recharge is mainly positive during all kharif seasons. A gradual increase in groundwater level is observed in major parts of the study area. Improvement in results from water table fluctuation method is possible by better distribution and increased intensity of piezometers while for water balance approach, it is possible by adopting alternative buffer zones for canal seepage. Detailed sensitivity and uncertainty analyses of input/output variables are needed to present the results with confidence interval and hence to support sustainable and economical operation of irrigation system.

Understanding the effects of major hydrogeological controls on hyporheic exchange and bank storage is essential for river water management, groundwater abstraction, restoration and ecosystem sustainability. Analytical models cannot adequately represent complex settings with, for example, transient boundary conditions, varying geometry of surface water–groundwater interface, unsaturated and overland flow, etc. To understand the influence of parameters such as (1) sloping river banks, (2) varying hydraulic conductivity of the riverbed and (3) different river discharge wave scenarios on hyporheic exchange characteristics such as (a) bank storage, (b) return flows and (c) residence time, a 2-D hydrogeological conceptual model and, subsequently, an adequate numerical model were developed. The numerical model was calibrated against observations in the aquifer adjacent to the hydropower-regulated Lule River, northern Sweden, which has predominantly diurnal discharge fluctuations during summer and long-lasting discharge peaks during autumn and winter. Modelling results revealed that bank storage increased with river wave amplitude, wave duration and smaller slope of the river bank, while maximum exchange flux decreased with wave duration. When a homogeneous clogging layer covered the entire river–aquifer interface, hydraulic conductivity positively affected bank storage. The presence of a clogging layer with hydraulic conductivity < 0.001 m d−1 significantly reduced the exchange flows and virtually eliminated bank storage. The bank storage return/fill time ratio was positively related to wave amplitude and the hydraulic conductivity of the interface and negatively to wave duration and bank slope. Discharge oscillations with short duration and small amplitude decreased bank storage and, therefore, the hyporheic exchange, which has implications for solute fluxes, redox conditions and the potential of riverbeds as fish-spawning locations. Based on these results, river regulation strategies can be improved by considering the effect of certain wave event configurations on hyporheic exchange to ensure harmonious hydrogeochemical functioning of the river–aquifer interfaces and related ecosystems.

The International Water Research Alliance Saxony (IWAS) is addressing the global challenges concerning water quality in the areas of drinking water and sanitation, agricultural irrigation and the quality of surface and ground waters, as well as developing specific ecosystem-relevant services to be implemented on an exemplary basis in selected model regions. Locations (model regions) have been selected in Eastern Europe (R1), Central and Southeast Asia (R2 and R3), the Middle East (R4) and Latin America (R5) that are representative international regions with respect to climate, land use and demographic change (Ibisch et al., Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Department of Aquatic Ecosystem analysis and management, 2013). The causes of water problems and the relevant boundary conditions vary from region to region (Borchardt and Ibisch, Integrated water resources management in a changing world : lessons learnt and innovative perspectives, pp 225, 2013). Mongolia and Vietnam were selected model regions in the first IWAS phase; the research was transferred and continued in one of the cross-cutting projects in IWAS II (Vietnam → capacity development) or in the frame of related project activities in Central Asia (R2 Mongolia, Karthe et al., Environ Earth Sci, doi: 10.1007/s12665-014-3789-1 , 2014). The IWAS consortium exists on scientific institutions like the Technische Universitat Dresden and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, as well as partners from industry like the Stadtentwasserung Dresden GmbH (SE-DD), DREBERIS—Dresden consulting for international strategies, and itwh—institute for technical-scientific Hydrology, Hanover. This thematic issue compiles the most important scientific results of the second phase of the IWAS project. The project itself and findings of the first phase were already introduced in a previous special issue by Kalbus et al. (Environ Earth Sci 65:1363–1366, 2012). Main results: The IWAS project is structured by the model regions (R) as well as by cross-cutting activities scenario analysis (Q1), technology development (Q2), governance (Q3) and capacity development (Q4).

Summary Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) methods are increasingly used to overcome the temporal imbalance between water demand and availability. Common ASR recharge methods utilize large-diameter injection wells or surface infiltration basins and trenches, and can be costly to implement. A new low-cost ASR recharge method is currently being developed. This approach is based on recharge via gravity in small-diameter wells installed with direct-push (DP) technology. Numerical modeling is used here to assess the potential of this new approach under conditions commonly faced in field settings. The primary objective is to investigate if a battery of small-diameter DP wells can serve as a viable alternative to a surface basin under typical field conditions, while the secondary objective is to assess which subsurface parameters have the greatest control on DP well performance. Simulation results indicate that gravity recharge via small-diameter wells appears to have a distinct advantage over recharge via surface infiltration basins. For example, two 0.05-m shallow vadose-zone wells with 9-m screens can recharge water at a greater rate than a 60 m 2 basin. Also, results reveal that, contrary to an infiltration basin, the recharge rate in a DP well has a much stronger dependence on the horizontal component of hydraulic conductivity than on the vertical component. Moreover, near-surface layers of low hydraulic conductivity, which can significantly reduce the recharge capacity of a surface basin, have a relatively small impact on the recharge capacity of a well as long as a significant portion of the well screen is installed below those layers. Given that installation and operation costs can be low in comparison to common ASR recharge methods, this new approach appears to have great potential for recharging good quality water in shallow unconsolidated aquifers. A field investigation has recently been initiated to follow up the findings of this simulation assessment.

This paper evaluates the remediation potential of a salinized coastal aquifer by utilizing a scenario simulation. Therefore, the numerical model OpenGeoSys is first validated against analytical and experimental data to represent transient groundwater level development and variable density saline intrusion. Afterwards, a regional scale model with a three-dimensional, heterogeneous hydrogeology is calibrated for a transient state and used to simulate a best-case scenario. Water balances are evaluated in both the transient calibration and scenario run. Visualization techniques help to assess the complex model output providing valuable insight in the occurring density-driven flow processes. Furthermore, modeling and visualization results give information on the time scale for remediation activities and, due to limitations in data quality and quantity reveal potential for model improvement.

We present a novel approach for the numerical simulation of the gelation of silicate solutions under density-dependent flow conditions. The method utilizes an auxiliary, not density-dependent solute that is subject to a linear decay function to provide temporal information that is used to describe the viscosity change of the fluid. By comparing the modeling results to experimental data, we are able to simulate the behavior and the gelation process of the injected solute for three different compositions, including long-term stability of the gelated area, and non-gelation of low concentrations due to hydro-dynamic dispersion. This approach can also be used for other types of solutes with this gelling property and is useful in a variety of applications in geological, civil and environmental engineering.

Large thermal extractions and extensive implementation of groundwater heat pumps (GWHP) necessitate a validation of the sustainability of their use and possible detrimental effects on groundwater. The goal of this work is to develop a regional heat transport model (of ~13 km × 5 km) for real site conditions. This model should consider all relevant transport processes, despite the large area under investigation. The model is based on a two-dimensional, transient-calibrated groundwater flow model for the “Leibnitzer Feld” (Styria, Austria). The two-dimensional horizontal model is linked via the FEFLOW interface manager with a newly developed “Multi-Layer-Model”-tool, which reproduces thermal aquifer–atmosphere interaction. Based on the regional heat transport model, scenarios are delineated for heating and cooling purposes for large GWHPs, which are appropriate for a small manufacturing business, an administrative building and 10 family homes. First of all, these have large spacing and thereafter, effects of area-covering usage of geothermal systems are evaluated for five administrative buildings located in close proximity to one another (200–350 m) and also for a large number of smaller heat extractions (each representing a one family house system). Modeled spatial and temporal temperature effects on the shallow aquifer are discussed. It was possible to present a simulation of realistic heating and cooling scenarios. This simulation may be introduced into practice once some further simplifications to the system are made. Locally limited heat plumes (max. length: 625 m) were observed for the manufacturing business. Any thermal effects coming from the geothermal systems were shown to be temporally stable. As such, no distinct trend of reduced annual temperatures could be observed.

In this work, we present a framework for numerical modeling of CO2 injection into porous media for enhanced gas recovery (EGR) from depleted reservoirs. Physically, we have to deal with non-isothermal, compressible gas flows resulting in a system of coupled non-linear PDEs. We describe the mathematical framework for the underlying balance equations as well as the equations of state for mixing gases. We use an object-oriented finite element method implemented in C++. The numerical model has been tested against an analytical solution for a simplified problem and then applied to CO2 injection into a real reservoir. Numerical modeling allows to investigate physical phenomena and to predict reservoir pressures as well as temperatures depending on injection scenarios and is therefore a useful tool for applied numerical analysis.

Three commonly used thermal equations of state for carbon dioxide, as well as the ideal gas law, have been compared against a large number of measurement data taken from the literature. Complex equations of state reach a higher accuracy than simple ones. The inaccuracy of the density function can cause large errors in fluid property correlations, such as heat capacity or viscosity. The influence of this inaccuracy on the results of numerical simulations have been evaluated by two examples: The first one assumes isothermal gas expansion from a volume, while the second one considers heat transport along a fracture. For both examples, different equations of state have been utilized. The simulations have been performed on the scientific software platform OpenGeoSys. The difference among the particular simulation results is significant. Apparently small errors in the density function can cause considerably different results of otherwise identical simulation setups.

Coming from the zero inertia (ZI) equations, an analytical model to describe sheet flow phenomena with a special focus on rainfall runoff processes is developed. A slight modification of the ZI equations, which draws upon the concept of a momentum-representative cross-section of the moving water body, leads—after comprehensive mathematical calculus—to an analytical solution describing essentially one-dimensional, shallow overland flow. In a test series, the analytical ZI model is applied together with three numerical models, one based on the Saint-Venant equations, one on the kinematic wave equations, and another one on diffusion wave equations. The test application refers to a typical rainfall runoff situation, i.e., rather shallow overland flow on a hillslope as a consequence of excess rainfall. Contrary to the analytical model, the comparative analysis clearly shows the difficulties of the numerical solutions in terms of exactness and robustness when approaching typical shallow water depths. Th...

A surge running down a dry wadi bed as a consequence of a controlled water release from a reservoir—e.g., for artificial groundwater recharge—represents a free boundary problem. After some time, when aiming for groundwater recharge, the infiltration equals inflow and thus forms a kind of "standing" wave. The numerical solution of such phenomena generally involves considerable problems. For avoiding the numerical inconvenience resulting from the complex interacting surface/subsurface flow, we present an analytical solution of the slightly modified zero-inertia (ZI) equations. The development introduces a momentum-representative cross section for portraying the transient development of momentum and refers to a channel with constant slope, irregular geometry, and a permeable channel bed with significant infiltration. Due to the structure of the solution, any arbitrary infiltration model can be used for quantifying the infiltration losses. For both synthetic prismatic and nonprismatic test channels, the robust and easy-to-use analytical ZI model shows an excellent match with the results of a comparative numerical simulation. Finally, the ZI model is employed for simulating a surge flow downstream of the Wadi Ahin groundwater recharge dam (Oman), in order to perform a scenario for artificial groundwater recharge in a natural wadi channel reach. This realistic application illustrates the potential of the new approach by even computing an almost standing wave and shows its applicability for an accurate and robust evaluation of release strategies.

The estimation of the temporal distribution of recharge in karst aquifers is a challenge due to large heterogeneities in geometric and hydraulic parameters of the vadose and phreatic zone. This article provides a time-continuous approach for the estimation of inflow into the conduit system of a karst aquifer which consists of the sum of direct recharge and flow from the fissured matrix blocks into the conduit system. The approach employs the first time derivative of the spring hydrograph and the recession coefficient of the conduit system for the determination of this function. The first time derivative of the hydrograph describes the rate of change in spring discharge. It reflects the ratio of inflow to and outflow from the conduit system. The recession coefficient depends on the hydraulic diffusivity, which controls the velocity of the signal transmission through the system. As shown in parameter studies with a simplified serial two-reservoir model, direct recharge into the conduit system clearly dominates the early hydrograph response during recharge events even if the fraction of direct recharge represents just a few percent of total recharge. This behaviour is caused by a large contrast in recession coefficients between conduit system and fissured matrix blocks. The direct recharge component can therefore be separated from the estimated total inflow into the conduit system. Estimation of inflow into the conduit system of the Gallusquelle spring (Swabian Alb, Germany) after a storm event yields similar results as those obtained from parameter studies. The separation of the direct recharge component is in agreement with information from an independent isotope study. The methodology has been further applied to a recharge event initiated by snowmelt. As a result of daily variations of the air temperature, a clearly diurnal cycle of inflow into the conduit system is estimated that is not easily recognizable from the spring hydrograph. The applicability of the proposed methodology requires knowledge about the magnitude of the recession coefficient of the conduit system. The characteristics of the conduit system become also apparent in the rapid transport of tracers. The recession coefficient of the conduit system can, for example, directly be estimated from the reciprocal of the mean tracer travel time. However, for this type of analysis, only tracer experiments, covering the extent of the catchment should be taken into account. For the Gallusquelle catchment the recession coefficient obtained from the tracer experiment corresponds to that obtained from hydrograph recession analysis. The estimated inflow into the conduit system and interpretation of temporal distribution of recharge is therefore based on a plausible and physically based parameter.

Summary We present a hydraulic tomographic inversion strategy with an emphasis on the reduction of ambiguity of hydraulic travel time inversion results and the separation of the estimated diffusivity values into hydraulic conductivity and specific storage. Our tomographic inversion strategy is tested by simulated multilevel interference slug tests in which the positions of the sources (injection ports) and the receivers (observation ports) isolated with packers are varied. Simulations include the delaying effect of wellbore storage on travel times which are quantified and shown to be of increasing importance for shorter travel distances. For the reduction of ambiguity of travel time inversion, we use the full travel time data set, as well as smaller data subsets of specified source–receiver angles. The inversion results of data subsets show different resolution characteristics and improve the reliability of the interpretation. The travel time of a pressure pulse is a function of the diffusivity of the medium between the source and receiver. Thus, it is difficult to directly derive values for hydraulic conductivity and specific storage by inverting travel times. In order to overcome this limitation, we exploit the great computational efficiency of hydraulic travel time tomography to define the aquifer structure, which is then input into the underlying groundwater flow model MODFLOW-96. Finally, we perform a model calibration (amplitude inversion) using the automatic parameter estimator PEST, enabling us to separate diffusivity into its two components hydraulic conductivity and specific storage.

The development of gypsum maze caves under artesian conditions has been simulated. The numerical model simulations show that the evolution of maze caves in this type of setting requires structural preferences such as laterally extended fissure networks in a horizon of the gypsum layer. Without any structural preferences vertical shafts rather than maze caves are predicted to develop. The most important stage for the development of horizontal caves under artesian conditions is found to be the initial karstification period. During this period the structure of the mature conduit system is established. The solutional enlargement of conduits is spatially extended, total dissolution rates are higher than the later ones.

In recent years, natural attenuation (NA) has evolved into a possible remediation alternative, especially in the case of BTEX spills. In order to be approved by the regulators, biodegradation needs to be demonstrated which requires efficient site investigation and monitoring tools. Three methods—the Integral Groundwater Investigation method, the compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) and a newly developed combination of both—were used in this work to quantify at field scale the biodegradation of o -xylene at a former gasworks site which is heavily contaminated with BTEX and PAHs. First, the Integral Groundwater Investigation method [Schwarz, R., Ptak, T., Holder, T., Teutsch, G., 1998. Groundwater risk assessment at contaminated sites: a new investigation approach. In: Herbert, M. and Kovar, K. (Editors), GQ'98 Groundwater Quality: Remediation and Protection. IAHS Publication 250, pp. 68–71; COH 4 (2000) 170] was applied, which allows the determination of mass flow rates of o -xylene by integral pumping tests. Concentration time series obtained during pumping at two wells were used to calculate inversely contaminant mass flow rates at the two control planes that are defined by the diameter of the maximum isochrone. A reactive transport model was used within a Monte Carlo approach to identify biodegradation as the dominant process for reduction in the contaminant mass flow rate between the two consecutive control planes. Secondly, compound-specific carbon isotope analyses of o -xylene were performed on the basis of point-scale samples from the same two wells. The Rayleigh equation was used to quantify the degree of biodegradation that occurred between the wells. Thirdly, a combination of the Integral Groundwater Investigation method and the compound-specific isotope analysis was developed and applied. It comprises isotope measurements during the integral pumping tests and the evaluation of δ 13 C time series by an inversion algorithm to obtain spatially integrated mean isotope values at the control planes. It was shown that the Rayleigh equation is applicable to spatially integrated mean isotope values in order to obtain the mean biodegradation between the consecutive control planes. All three approaches yielded consistently a 98–99% degradation of o -xylene.

Karst aquifers are highly vulnerable to contamination due to the rapid transport of pollutants in conduit systems. Effective strategies for the management and protection of karst aquifers, therefore, require an adequate hydrogeological characterisation of the conduit systems. In particular, the identification and characterisation of conduits transmitting rapid, localised recharge to springs is of great interest for vulnerability assessments. In this work, it is demonstrated that localised recharge and conduit flow in a karst aquifer (Urenbrunnen catchment, southwest Germany) can be characterised by jointly analysing the hydraulic and physico-chemical responses of a spring to recharge events. Conduit volumes are estimated by evaluating time lags between increases in spring discharge and associated changes in the electrical conductivity and temperature of the discharged water. These estimates are confirmed by the results of a combined tracer and recharge test. Variations in electrical conductivity are also shown to assist in the quantification of the fast recharge component associated with short-term recharge pulses. However, spectral analysis of temperature fluctuations reveals that highly mineralised surface waters locally infiltrate into the aquifer during the winter and spring without causing significant electrical conductivity variations in the spring water. Hence, the most consistent conceptual model is obtained by a combined analysis of both physico-chemical parameters.

A new reactive transport modelling approach and examples of its application are presented, dealing with the impact of sorption/desorption kinetics on the spreading of solutes, e.g. organic contaminants, in groundwater. Slow sorption/desorption is known from the literature to be strongly responsible for the retardation of organic contaminants. The modelling concept applied in this paper quantifies sorption/desorption kinetics by an intra-particle diffusion approach. According to this idea, solute uptake by or release from the aquifer material is modelled at small scale by a "slow" diffusion process where the diffusion coefficient is reduced as compared to the aqueous diffusion coefficient due to (i) the size and shape of intra-particle pores and (ii) retarded transport of solutes within intra-particle pores governed by a nonlinear sorption isotherm. This process-based concept has the advantage of requiring only measurable model parameters, thus avoiding fitting parameters like first-order rate coefficients. In addition, the approach presented here allows for modelling of slow sorption/desorption in lithologically nonuniform media. Therefore, it accounts for well-known experimental findings indicating that sorptive properties depend on (i) the grain size distribution of the aquifer material and (ii) the lithological composition (e.g. percentage of quartz, sandstone, limestone, etc.) of each grain size fraction. The small-scale physico-chemical model describing sorption/desorption is coupled to a large-scale model of groundwater flow and solute transport. Consequently, hydraulic heterogeneities may also be considered by the overall model. This coupling is regarded as an essential prerequisite for simulating field-scale scenarios which will be addressed by a forthcoming publication. This paper focuses on mathematical model formulation, implementation of the numerical code and lab-scale model applications highlighting the sorption and desorption behavior of an organic contaminant (Phenanthrene) with regard to three lithocomponents exhibiting different sorptive properties. In particular, it is shown that breakthrough curves (BTCs) for lithologically nonuniform media cannot be obtained via simple arithmetic averaging of breakthrough curves for lithologically uniform media. In addition, as no analytical solutions are available for model validation purposes, simulation results are compared to measurements from lab-scale column experiments. The model results indicate that the new code can be regarded as a valuable tool for predicting long-term contaminant uptake or release, which may last for several hundreds of years for some lithocomponents. In particular, breakthrough curves simulated by pure forward modelling reproduce experimental data much better than a calibrated standard first-order kinetics reactive transport model, thus indicating that the new approach is of high quality and may be advantageously used for supporting the design of remediation strategies at contaminated sites where some lithocomponents and/or grain size classes may provide a long-term pollutant source.

The investigation of flow and transport parameters in fractured porous material is difficult due to the high permeability contrast between the fracture networks and the porous material, and due to the question of the scale dependency of the parameters determined. Here experimental methods and new experimental equipment are presented using a pneumatic technique for the experimental tomographical investigation of highly fractured bench scale porous sandstone samples. The procedure allows a great deal of flexibility in the determination of the spatially variable flow and transport parameters and allows the question of scale to be addressed. Examples of the results gained from the application of these new techniques are given for both flow and transport parameter determination.

Surge flow phenomena. e.g.. as a consequence of a dam failure or a flash flood, represent free boundary problems. ne extending computational domain together with the discontinuities involved renders their numerical solution a cumbersome procedure. This contribution proposes an analytical solution to the problem, It is based on the slightly modified zero-inertia (ZI) differential equations for nonprismatic channels and uses exclusively physical parameters. Employing the concept of a momentum-representative cross section of the moving water body together with a specific relationship for describing the cross sectional geometry leads, after considerable mathematical calculus. to the analytical solution. The hydrodynamic analytical model is free of numerical troubles, easy to run, computationally efficient. and fully satisfies the law of volume conservation. In a first test series, the hydrodynamic analytical ZI model compares very favorably with a full hydrodynamic numerical model in respect to published results of surge flow simulations in different types of prismatic channels. In order to extend these considerations to natural rivers, the accuracy of the analytical model in describing an irregular cross section is investigated and tested successfully. A sensitivity and error analysis reveals the important impact of the hydraulic radius on the velocity of the surge, and this underlines the importance of an adequate description of the topography, The new approach is finally applied to simulate a surge propagating down the irregularly shaped Isar Valley in the Bavarian Alps after a hypothetical dam failure. The straightforward and fully stable computation of the flood hydrograph along the Isar Valley clearly reflects the impact of the strongly varying topographic characteristics on the How phenomenon. Apart from treating surge flow phenomena as a whole, the analytical solution also offers a rigorous alternative to both (a) the approximate Whitham solution, for generating initial values, and (b) the rough volume balance techniques used to model the wave tip in numerical surge flow computations.

Within the framework of a comprehensive investigation concerning the use of surfactants to enhance the in situ remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contaminations in the subsurface, SMART (Streamtube Model for Advective and Reactive Transport), a multicomponent transport model, was developed to study the processes (interactions) taking place when surfactants and PAH migrate through porous media as solutes. The model is an adaption of a Lagrangian method allowing for separate treatment of conservative transport and reactive processes. It accounts for the hydraulic as well as physico-chemical heterogeneity of porous aquifers. The system of processes implemented in the model has been shown to be able to represent the behaviour of PAH and surfactants in porous media at the laboratory scale. Here the transport model is applied to a simplified two-dimensional remediation scenario (field scale). It is shown how surfactants may influence the clean-up of PAH contaminated aquifers. Emphasis is put on the effect of hydraulic and physico-chemical aquifer properties on the coupled transport of PAH and surfactants.

[1] A coupled continuum-pipe flow model is employed to simulate the development of karst conduits in an artesian setting, where aggressive water flows upward from an insoluble aquifer into a gypsum unit. Speleogenetic processes and controlling parameters are identified first for single conduit development. It is demonstrated that transient flow from the conduit into the surrounding fissured system of the rock enhances solutional conduit enlargement. Moreover, single conduit development is found to be highly sensitive to variations in initial diameter and hydraulic gradient. Simulating the solutional enlargement of pipe networks reveals that these two factors determine the resulting conduit pattern. Structural preferences are found to be essential for horizontal conduit development, otherwise flow paths are solely enlarged in vertical direction following the hydraulic gradient. Hydraulic gradients that increase with time can limit the extension or completely inhibit the development of horizontal caves even if lateral conduit development was structurally preferred.

This paper deals with numerical modeling of density-dependent flow of saltwater intrusion in coastal groundwater systems. We present the implementation of an approach to solve a moving boundary problem for a dynamic water table within an invariant finite element mesh. The model is successfully validated against laboratory experiment data for an unconfined, density-dependent benchmark. The validated software is applied to a regional-scale study area and sufficiently calibrated for a steady state of pre-development conditions. Transient mass transport scenario simulations show good concordance with salinity measurements satisfyingly supporting the model setup.