M. Motallebian; H. Ahmadi; A. Rauf; N. Cartwright
Abstract
Introduction: Aquifers are the major source of freshwater in many parts of the world. Saltwater intrusion (SWI) is a serious environmental issue since 80% of the world’s population live along the coast and utilize local aquifers for their water supply. Globally, coastal aquifers are under threat from ...
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Introduction: Aquifers are the major source of freshwater in many parts of the world. Saltwater intrusion (SWI) is a serious environmental issue since 80% of the world’s population live along the coast and utilize local aquifers for their water supply. Globally, coastal aquifers are under threat from saltwater intrusion (SWI). SWI is caused by changes in coastal aquifer conditions resulting from ground water extraction, climate drivers, sea-level rise, oceanic over topping events, and land use change. Under natural conditions, these coastal aquifers are recharged by rainfall events, and the regional groundwater flow towards the ocean counters the intrusion of saltwater into the freshwater region. However, over-exploitation of coastal aquifers in some regions has resulted in a reduction in fresh groundwater levels (and hence reduced natural flow) and this has led to an increase in saltwater intrusion. Saltwater intrusion degrades the quality of coastal aquifer groundwater resource which can lead to a reduction in crop yield efficiency, limitation on the drinking water resource as well as soil fertility and salinity of operated wells. Such problems are more crucial where groundwater aquifers are shallow.
Materials and Methods: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Lake Urmia water-level fluctuations on groundwater table and rate of the intruding or receding of salt water to the coastal aquifer. In order to achieve this purpose, Rashakan coastal aquifer in the vicinity of Lake Urmia in the northwest of Iran was simulated. In this study, SEAWAT model was used to simulate the problem. SEAWAT was specifically designed for the simulation of SI, although it has many other applications as well, notably the combined simulation of groundwater flow and heat transfer. SEAWAT as a widely used, three-dimensional variable-density groundwater flow and transport model has been developed by the USGS based on MODFLOW and MT3DMS and includes two additional packages: Variable-Density Flow (VDF) and Viscosity (VSC). First, the model was calibrated and then the simulations were defined in four scenarios as follows: a) The rate of the intruding or receding of salt water to the coastal aquifer during recent years b) The effect of the drop-in lake water level on groundwater level changes trend regardless of changes in lake water density c) The effect of the drop-in lake water level on groundwater level changes trend in view of changes in lake water density d) The effect of the drop-in lake water level on the rate of the intruding or receding of salt water.
Results and Discussion: In this study, simulations were carried out under four scenarios in order to investigate the effect of Lake Urmia water-level fluctuations on groundwater table and rate of the intruding or receding of salt water to the coastal aquifer. In the first scenario, in order to assess the rate of the intruding or receding of salt water to the coastal aquifer in recent years, three profiles have been investigated in the north and the center and south of the study area, and the results showed that in recent years there has been no significant change in the displacement of the salt-water wedge and this change was less than 50 meters and only the upper part of wedge connected to the lake was more affected by dropping water level of lake, which was due to retreat of the boundary imposed by lake water recession. In the second scenario, the effect of the drop-in lake water level on groundwater level changes trend, regardless of changes in lake water density, was investigated. The findings of the study showed that if the concentration of lake water is considered constant, the increase and decrease in groundwater level across the aquifer would be almost equal to the increase and decrease the lake water level. In the third scenario, the effect of the drop-in lake water level on groundwater level changes trend in view of changes in lake water density was investigated and the findings was also made with the second scenario, where the results showed that when the effect of the density changes is neglected, the groundwater level is affected by the lake water level changes more than about 2 times that when the density changes are considered. However, increasing and decreasing concentrations, and consequently increasing and decreasing the density, may have a great effect on the reduction and increase of groundwater levels. In the fourth scenario, the effect of the drop-in lake water level on the rate of the intruding or receding of salt water was also investigated. It can be concluded that when concentration changes and as a result of variations in density are affected, by decreasing the level of the lake, saltwater wedge would be intruded and when the effect of the density changes is neglected, saltwater wedge would be receded.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that during recent years there has been no significant change in the location of the salt water wedge, and this change is less than 50 meters. The upper part of wedge connected to the lake is more affected by dropping water level of lake, which is due to retreat of the boundary imposed by lake water recession. Also, the findings of the study showed that if the concentration of lake water is considered constant, the increase and decrease in groundwater level across the aquifer will be almost equal to the increase and decrease of the lake water level. When the effect of the density changes is neglected, the groundwater level is affected by the lake water level changes more than by about 2 times that when the density changes are considered. Despite the decreasing of about 7 meters of lake Urmia water level, due to increase the density of water, the wedge has intruded. This research shows that in the event of an increase in the water level of Lake and consequently a decrease in water density, Saltwater wedge would be receded.
Hojjat Ahmadi; Mohammad Hemmati; Mehdi Motallebian
Abstract
Introduction: Coastal aquifers are major source of freshwater in many parts of the world. Saltwater intrusion is a serious environmental issue since 80% of the world’s population live along the coast and utilize local aquifers for their water supply.Under natural conditions, these coastal aquifers ...
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Introduction: Coastal aquifers are major source of freshwater in many parts of the world. Saltwater intrusion is a serious environmental issue since 80% of the world’s population live along the coast and utilize local aquifers for their water supply.Under natural conditions, these coastal aquifers are recharged by rainfall events, and the recharged water flowing towards the ocean would prevent saltwater from encroaching into the freshwater region. However, over exploitation of coastal aquifers has resulted in reducing groundwater levels (hence reduced natural flow) and this has led to severe saltwater intrusion. Saltwater intrusion from the sea into below the freshwater of aquifer impairs the quality of these resources. Cause ofthe complexity of saltwater intrusion issues and generally they cannot be solved analytically, so numerical methods can be useful tools for simulation and prediction of salt water intrusion.
Materials and Methods: CTRAN/W is a finite element software product that can be used to model the movement of contaminants through porous materials such as soil and rock. The comprehensive formulation of CTRAN/W makes it possible to analyze problems varying from simple particle tracking in response to the movement of water, to complex processes involving diffusion, dispersion, adsorption, radioactive decay and density dependencies. SEAWAT is a three-dimensional variable density groundwater flow and transport model developed by the USGS based on MODFLOW and MT3DMS. SEAWAT is based on MODFLOW and MT3DMS. SEAWAT includes two additional packages: Variable-Density Flow (VDF) and Viscosity (VSC).In this study, the precision of CTRAN / W and SEAWAT models to simulation and prediction of saltwater wedge were investigated in three states: a) steady state salt-wedge data observed underdifferenthydraulic gradient conditions; b) transient salt-wedge data observed underintruding-wedge conditions; and c) transient salt-wedge data observed under receding-wedge conditions. Both models were initially calibrated and then the models were performed for the above conditions. The simulation results of the two models with the experimental results of Goswami and Clement (2007) have been compared. For comparing the measured data and simulated data, statistical indicators were used: root-mean-square error (RMSE), a measure of Nash-Sutcliffe (CE), the Correlation Coefficient (R^2), the ratio of difference (r) and the General Standard Deviation (GSD).
Results and Discussion: In this study, the precision of CTRAN / W and SEAWAT models to predict saltwater wedge wasinvestigated. At first step, both models were calibrated and the best values for longitudinal and transverse dispersion were obtained 0.5 and 0.05, respectively.Then simulation was performed with both models for all three modes(a- steady state salt-wedge data observed underdifferenthydraulic gradient conditions; b- transient salt-wedge data observed underintruding-wedge conditions; and c- transient salt-wedge data observed under receding-wedge conditions). The results showed thatCTRAN/W and SEAWAT models have high precision for simulation of position and movement of saltwater wedge in steady state with average of root mean square error (RMSE) equal to 1.05 and 1 cm, respectively and Both models have a higher estimate than the actual value for a steady state. As well as for transient state under the underintruding-wedge conditionsCTRAN/W and SEAWAT models have high precisionwith average of root mean square error (RMSE) equal to 0.65 and 0.44 cm, respectively and other statistical indicators were acceptable. The results of prediction of position and movement of saltwater wedgeunder receding-wedge conditionswith average of root mean square error (RMSE) equal to 0.54 and 0.56 cm, respectively provided acceptable estimates of both models. Finally, in order to determine the accuracy of the models in estimating the flow rate from the source of fresh water to the source of salt water, a comparison was made between the results of the models and the laboratory data, which showed that The CTRAN/W revealed appropriate estimation of amount of transferring discharge from freshwater reservoir to saltwater reservoir in compared with SEAWAT model. In general, according to statistical indicators, the results of both models were acceptable
Conclusion: The results showed thatCTRAN/W and SEAWAT models have high precision for simulation and prediction of position and movement of saltwater wedge with average of root mean square error equal to 0.67 and 0.58 cm (less than 10% of the average of measured data), respectively. The CTRAN/W revealed appropriate estimation of amount of transferring discharge from freshwater reservoir to saltwater reservoir in compared with SEAWAT model. In general, according to statistical indicators, the results of both models were acceptable.
