The old and the new: the use of classical regional groundwater flow models to address problems of the future (Invited)
Abstract
Achieving the sustainable use of groundwater resources is guided by knowledge of not only how much is volumetrically available but also of its age or turnover time. This information can be achieved using a variety of approaches, e.g., recharge studies, groundwater age dating, and sophisticated physics-based models. Here we highlight some recent insight based on analysis of regional groundwater flow models following the classic Toth scenarios and other related simple cases of basin flows. Analytical and numerical modeling results highlight controls of key but quantifiable parameters such as basin length and depth, water table gradient, surface permeability, and permeability and porosity-depth functions on groundwater age and residence time distribution. Further, we use these results to guide the possible estimation of the availability of ';young' groundwater, i.e., that whose age is less than 50 years. Despite of or rather because of their relative simplicity, the regional flow models allow for rapid assessment of groundwater resources.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFM.H14E..05C
- Keywords:
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- 1829 HYDROLOGY Groundwater hydrology;
- 1828 HYDROLOGY Groundwater hydraulics;
- 1847 HYDROLOGY Modeling;
- 1884 HYDROLOGY Water supply