A unified hydrogeological conceptual model of the Milk River transboundary aquifer, traversing Alberta (Canada) and Montana (USA)

Petre, Marie-Amélie; Rivera, Alfonso; Lefebvre, René; Hendry, M. Jim; Folnagy, Attila J.B.

doi:10.1007/s10040-016-1433-8

Cited by 14 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(73 reference statements)

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“…Buried valleys locally constitute productive aquifers where the fill material is predominantly sand and gravel (Cummings et al, 2012a;Farvolden et al, 1963;HCL consultants, 2004). The extent of the numerical model described in this paper follows the hydrogeological limits of the MRA previously defined by Pétré et al (2016) in the west, north and east (Fig. 1).…”

Section: Study Area and Conceptual Hydrogeological Model 21 Study Areamentioning

confidence: 87%

“…A steady-state numerical model of the regional groundwater flow system comprising the MRA was developed with the objective of understanding the impact of major and long-term exploitation on the entire aquifer system and to identify the processes controlling the sustainable exploitation of the MRA. The numerical model was based on a previously developed 3D geological model (Pétré et al, 2015) and a hydrogeological conceptual model (Pétré et al, 2016) of the aquifer system integrating the MRA. A simulation of conditions without groundwater exploitation and three scenarios of groundwater extraction in the MRA are simulated to assess the impact of the MRA exploitation.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This model must first verify the plausibility of the previously formulated conceptual model and then determine whether the regional flow system can adjust to the MRA exploitation so that a new sustainable flow pattern is established. Knowing that direct recharge to the MRA does not compensate groundwater abstraction (Pétré et al, 2016), this study also involves the determination of groundwater capture and long-term storage loss. This paper presents first the study area and the conceptual hydrogeological model of the MRA.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Numerical modeling of a regional groundwater flow system to assess groundwater storage loss, capture and sustainable exploitation of the transboundary Milk River Aquifer (Canada – USA)

Petre

Rivera

Lefebvre

2019

Journal of Hydrology

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Groundwater capture and storage loss play a major role in the sustainable exploitation of a regional aquifer. This study aimed to identify the impact of major and long-term groundwater exploitation on a regional aquifer system to understand the processes controlling the sustainable exploitation of the transboundary Milk River Aquifer (MRA). The MRA extends over 26,300 km 2 , being a major water resource across southern Alberta (Canada) and northern Montana (USA). Concerns about the sustainability of the MRA were raised as the century-old exploitation has led to important drawdowns and the local loss of historical artesian conditions. A steady-state numerical model of the regional flow system was developed and calibrated against hydraulic heads, groundwater fluxes, and the area with flowing artesian wells. Four groundwater abstraction scenarios were simulated: 1) natural flow conditions without exploitation; 2) the mean abstraction rate over the last 108 years; 3) the historical maximum global abstraction rate of the 2 MRA; and 4) a theoretical high abstraction rate based on the maximum rate estimated for each MRA exploitation zone. The numerical model agrees with the previously formulated conceptual model and supports its hydraulic plausibility. Results show that MRA exploitation has led to a major change in flow patterns to sustain groundwater abstraction. The MRA water balance under exploitation indicates that more recharge and reduced seepage to bedrock valleys compensate groundwater withdrawals. Based on its impact on regional discharge and the reduction in MRA storage, the mean historical level of exploitation of the MRA appears sustainable. Larger exploitation rates would significantly reduce groundwater discharge to surface seepage locations and lead to a larger reduction in groundwater storage in the MRA. Modeling also illustrates that the MRA is an internationally shared resource. This situation would justify a joint management of the aquifer system between Canada and USA; especially in the area comprised between the recharge area in Montana and the Canadian reach of the Milk River.

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Section: Study Area and Conceptual Hydrogeological Model 21 Study Areamentioning

confidence: 87%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Numerical modeling of a regional groundwater flow system to assess groundwater storage loss, capture and sustainable exploitation of the transboundary Milk River Aquifer (Canada – USA)

Petre

Rivera

Lefebvre

2019

Journal of Hydrology

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“…This idea is consistent with inverse estimates of shale

K

of ∼10 −13 m s −1 [ Swanick , ] implying a Pe of ∼5 and advection‐dominated transport. However, salinity data from confining shale at two sites [ Hendry and Schwartz , ] are inconclusive and other models for the aquifer geochemistry have been proposed [ Schwartz and Muehlenbachs , ; Hendry and Schwartz , ; Pétré et al ., ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reexamining ultrafiltration and solute transport in groundwater

Neuzil

Person

2017

Water Resources Research

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Geologic ultrafiltration-slowing of solutes with respect to flowing groundwater-poses a conundrum: it is consistently observed experimentally in clay-rich lithologies, but has been difficult to identify in subsurface data. Resolving this could be important for clarifying clay and shale transport properties at large scales as well as interpreting solute and isotope patterns for applications ranging from nuclear waste repository siting to understanding fluid transport in tectonically active environments. Simulations of one-dimensional NaCl transport across ultrafiltering clay membrane strata constrained by emerging data on geologic membrane properties showed different ultrafiltration effects than have often been envisioned. In relatively high-permeability advection-dominated regimes, salinity increases occurred mostly within membrane units while their effluent salinity initially fell and then rose to match solute delivery. In relatively low-permeability diffusion-dominated regimes, salinity peaked at the membrane upstream boundary and effluent salinity remained low. In both scenarios, however, only modest salinity changes (up to $3 g L 21) occurred because of self-limiting tendencies; membrane efficiency declines as salinity rises, and although sediment compaction increases efficiency, it is also decreases permeability and allows diffusive transport to dominate. It appears difficult for ultrafiltration to generate brines as speculated, but widespread and less extreme ultrafiltration effects in the subsurface could be unrecognized. Conditions needed for ultrafiltration are present in settings that include topographically-driven flow systems, confined aquifer systems subjected to injection or withdrawal, compacting basins, and accretionary complexes. By the early 20th century, it had been found that clay aggregates exhibit semipermeability [e.g., Lynde, 1912] and at least as early as 1933 it was suggested that clay-rich formations might behave as ultrafilters on a grand scale [Russell, 1933]. The idea resurfaced in succeeding years [e.g., Mackay, 1946; De Sitter, 1947; Berry, 1959], and for about two decades starting in the 1960s there was substantial interest in the notion of clay-rich formations as geologic membranes. Numerous experiments using refined, reconstituted, and occasional undisturbed clay materials demonstrated ultrafiltration [

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“…For the sustainable management and monitoring of the use of transboundary resources, providing an effective mechanism for cross-border cooperation is necessary (Mason et al 2020). Pétré et al (2016) defines the main problems of transboundary environmental and economic cooperation in the sphere of water resources use and protection. Rai et al (2017aRai et al ( , 2017b, Al-Faraj and Tigkas (2016) examine the regional aspects of the protection of environmental waters and the prerequisites for improving the economic mechanism of water management.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulation aspects of development and the use of energy resources in the transboundary zones by international business

Hnatkovych

Hoblyk

Лазарєва

et al. 2021

Polityka Energetyczna – Energy Policy Journal

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The article presents aspects of the legal characterization and regulation of the natural resource's treatment that are under the joint tenancy of two or more states. The scientific novelty of the study is determined by that fact that shows the aspects of international interaction and the formation of the practice of legislative regulation of the use of natural resources, not only in the field of state and legal regulation but also within the context of private-public partnership. The relevance is determined by the fact that the main problem of the development of energy resources is an opportunity to determine and accordingly implement certain provisions for international business enterprises. The purpose of this article is to study the question of how representatives of international business can implement projects for the extraction of natural resources across boundary areas and under various conditions within the framework of cross-border cooperation. In the work, the methods of mathematical statistics, historical and legal methods were used. A three-level model was presented. This model determines the possibility of ensuring cooperation, then it forms its legal and regulatory framework and then determines instruments of an economic and legal nature that can be implemented in this field. The final point of the model is the finding of opportunities for investing in the development of natural energy resources on a parity basis, as well as the formation of an integrated environment that determines the possibility of integrating the subjects of international business into the economic environment of the state.

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A unified hydrogeological conceptual model of the Milk River transboundary aquifer, traversing Alberta (Canada) and Montana (USA)

Cited by 14 publications

References 45 publications

Numerical modeling of a regional groundwater flow system to assess groundwater storage loss, capture and sustainable exploitation of the transboundary Milk River Aquifer (Canada – USA)

Numerical modeling of a regional groundwater flow system to assess groundwater storage loss, capture and sustainable exploitation of the transboundary Milk River Aquifer (Canada – USA)

Reexamining ultrafiltration and solute transport in groundwater

Regulation aspects of development and the use of energy resources in the transboundary zones by international business

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