Heat was used as a tracer to measure infiltration rates from a recharge basin. The propagation of diurnal oscillation of surface water temperature into the basin bed was monitored along a transect using Fiber Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FODTS). The propagation rate was related to downward specific discharge using standard theory of heat advection and dispersion in saturated porous media. An estimate of the temporal variation of heat propagation was achieved using a wavelet transform to find the phase lag between the surface temperature diurnal oscillation and the correlated oscillation at 0.33 and 0.98 m below the bed surface. The wavelet results compared well to a constant velocity model of thermal advection and dispersion during periods of relatively constant discharge rates. The apparent dispersion of heat was found to be due primarily to hydrodynamic mechanisms rather than thermal diffusion. Specific discharge estimates using the FODTS technique also compared well to water balance estimates over a four month period, although there were occasional deviations that have yet to be adequately explained. The FODTS technique is superior to water balance in that it produces estimates of infiltration rate every meter along the cable transect, every half hour. These high resolution measurements highlighted areas of low infiltration and demonstrated the degradation of basin efficiency due to source waters of high suspended solids. FODTS monitoring promises to be a useful tool for diagnosing basin performance in an era of increasing groundwater demand.
Abstract:Determining hydraulic connections and travel times between recharge facilities and production wells has become increasingly important for permitting and operating managed aquifer recharge (MAR) sites, a water supply strategy that transfers surface water into aquifers for storage and later extraction. This knowledge is critical for examining water quality changes and assessing the potential for future contamination. Deliberate tracer experiments are the best method for determining travel times and identifying preferential flow paths between recharge sites over the time scales of weeks to a few years. This paper compares the results of two deliberate tracer experiments at Kraemer Basin, Orange County, CA, USA. Results from the first experiment, which was conducted in October 1998, showed that a region of highly transmissive sedimentary material extends down gradient from the basin for more than 3 km [1]. Mean groundwater velocities were determined to be approximately 2 km/year in this region based on the arrival time of the tracer center of mass. A second experiment was initiated in January 2008 to determine if travel times from this basin to monitoring and production wells changed during the past decade in response to new recharge conditions. Results indicate that flow near Kraemer Basin was stable, and travel times to most wells determined during both experiments agree within the experimental uncertainty.
Clogging due to the accumulation of suspended solids is a major constraint that limits the capacity of Orange County Water District's (OCWD) surface water recharge system. In order to decrease clogging and increase system capacity, OCWD is testing the ability of riverbed filtration to reduce suspended solids concentrations and improve recharge rates. Riverbed filtration is achieved through a shallow subsurface collector system placed approximately one meter below the surface. Filtered water from the collector system is conveyed by gravity to the receiving recharge basin. Initial results show that riverbed filtration is highly effective in removing suspended solids in the recharge water, which in turn also greatly increases the recharge capacity of the receiving basin. Some other water quality benefits are also achieved. Data collected thus far indicate that it will be cost-effective to use this approach at a larger scale to capture and recharge increased quantities of storm flow obtained from the Santa Ana River.
Managed aquifer recharge is used to augment groundwater resources and provide resiliency to water supplies threatened by prolonged droughts. It is important that recharge facilities operate at their maximum efficiency to increase the volume of water stored for future use. In this study, we evaluate the use of distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technology as a tool to measure high‐resolution infiltration rates at a large‐scale recharge facility. Fiber optic cable was laid out inside a spreading basin in a spiral pattern, at two different depths. The cables measured the propagation of diurnal surface water temperature oscillations into the basin depth. The rate of heat propagation is proportional to the velocity of the water, making it possible to estimate the infiltration rate from the temperature measurements. Our results showed that the infiltration rate calculated from DTS, averaged over the entire basin, was within 5% of the infiltration rate calculated using a conventional metering method. The high‐resolution data obtained from DTS, both spatially and temporally, revealed heterogeneous infiltration rates throughout the basin; furthermore, tracking the evolution of infiltration rates over time revealed regions with consistently high infiltration rates, regions with consistently low infiltration rates, and regions that evolved from high to low rates, which suggested clogging within that region. Water utilities can take advantage of the high‐resolution information obtained from DTS to better manage recharge basins and make decisions about cleaning schedule, frequency, and extent, leading to improved basin management strategies, reduced O&M costs, and increased groundwater recharge.
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