Estimation of Aquifer Diffusivity from Stream Stage Variation

Swamee, Prabhata K.; Singh, Sushil K.

doi:10.1061/(asce)1084-0699(2003)8:1(20)

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Analytical solutions for aquifer response to river stage fluctuations are numerous, and the practice of estimating aquifer hydraulic properties from water-table fluctuations is common (e.g. Rowe, 1960;Swamee and Singh, 2003;Srivastava, 2006). Consider a homogeneous, unconfined aquifer adjacent to a river with periodic stage fluctuations.…”

Section: Aquifer Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of dam operations on hyporheic exchange in the riparian zone of a regulated river

Sawyer

Cardenas

Bomar

et al. 2009

Hydrological Processes

179

103

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Dam operations commonly cause large, frequent fluctuations in river stage, which persist for long distances downstream. The stage fluctuations force river water into and out of the banks, defining lateral hyporheic exchange paths. To evaluate the penetration distance and rates of dam-induced hyporheic exchange, we monitored water-table elevation, temperature, and specific conductivity along a transect perpendicular to the Colorado River (Austin, Texas, USA), 15 km downstream of the Longhorn dam. Stage fluctuates daily by almost a metre. The daily hyporheic exchange volume per metre of bank is 1Ð0 m 3 . Dam-induced hyporheic exchange penetrates several metres into the riparian aquifer, while water-table fluctuations propagate 30 m into the riparian aquifer. Water chemistry and temperature fluctuate near the channel in response to the flow oscillations. In the absence of dam operations, groundwater would flow steadily through the riparian aquifer towards the river, laterally limiting hyporheic exchange and stabilizing temperatures and water chemistry near the channel. Therefore, dam operations fundamentally change the hydrological, thermal, and geochemical dynamics of riparian aquifers and their hyporheic zones. Figure 2. Map of Hornsby Bend piezometer transect. Bank piezometers are numbered in order of distance from the river, and the river stage recorder is denoted as (R). Dashed lines indicate the estimated extent of dam influence on the water table

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Section: Aquifer Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of dam operations on hyporheic exchange in the riparian zone of a regulated river

Sawyer

Cardenas

Bomar

et al. 2009

Hydrological Processes

179

103

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These stream stage fluctuations are known to influence hydraulic gradients in the region surrounding the stream. Time varying surface water stage is frequently used to estimate aquifer hydraulic diffusivity (Ferris 1952; Rowe 1960; Pinder et al 1969; Reynolds 1987; Swamee and Singh 2003). Associated with these fluctuations is a physical increase in stream water creating a mechanical load on the surface of the earth.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poroelastic Loading of an Aquifer Due to Upstream Dam Releases

Boutt

2010

Groundwater

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Short-term changes in the hydraulic head of surface water bodies are known to influence the shallow response of hydraulically connected groundwaters. Associated with these fluctuations is the physical increase in stream water creating a mechanical load on the ground surface. This load is supported by the geologic materials (sediment or rock) and the pore fluid contained within the pores. Changes in this surface load have a direct effect on the total stress of the aquifer causing either a change in effective stress or fluid pressure. This response, predicted by the framework of linear poroelasticity, is a well-understood phenomenon in geologic materials. Currently, field measurements of the hydraulic response (i.e., fluid pressure) of aquifer materials are undergoing poroelastic loading due to dam releases in the Deerfield River Watershed in Massachusetts. An increase in stream stage from upstream dam releases causes an instantaneous pore fluid pressure increase at multiple depths and locations in the aquifer. This increase lasts anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes depending on the magnitude of the rise in the stream stage. Pore-pressure changes are well correlated to stream stage fluctuations for all of the recorded events. Poroelastic models created using basin stratigraphy and hydraulic properties of the aquifer response match the field observations well. Model results suggest that the overall stratigraphy is important in controlling the magnitude and duration of the poroelastic response. An improved understanding of responses such as these can be used to constrain uncertainties in model calibration and simulations of the contaminant migration in low permeability fine-grained (compressive) materials.

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“…These stream stage fluctuations are known to influence hydraulic gradients in the region surrounding the stream. In fact, time varying surface water stage is frequently used to estimate aquifer hydraulic diffusivity [ Ferris , 1952; Rowe , 1960; Pinder et al , 1969; Reynolds , 1987; Swamee and Singh , 2003].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of anthropogenic river stage fluctuations on mass transport in a valley fill aquifer

Boutt

Fleming

2009

Water Resources Research

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[1] In humid regions a strong coupling between surface water features and groundwater systems may exist. In these environments the exchange of water and solute depends primarily on the hydraulic gradient between the reservoirs. We hypothesize that daily changes in river stage associated with anthropogenic water releases (such as those from a hydroelectric dam) cause anomalous mixing in the near-stream environment by creating large hydraulic head gradients between the stream and adjacent aquifer. We present field observations of hydraulic gradient reversals in a shallow aquifer. Important physical processes observed in the field are explicitly reproduced in a physically based two-dimensional numerical model of groundwater flow coupled to a simplistic surface water boundary condition. Mass transport simulations of a conservative solute introduced into the surface water are performed and examined relative to a stream condition without stage fluctuations. Simulations of 20 d for both fluctuating river stage and fixed high river stage show that more mass is introduced into the aquifer from the stream in the oscillating case even though the net water flux is zero. Enhanced transport by mechanical dispersion leads to mass being driven away from the hydraulic zone of influence of the river. The modification of local hydraulic gradients is likely to be important for understanding dissolved mass transport in near-stream aquifer environments and can influence exchange zone processes under conditions of high-frequency stream stage changes.

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Estimation of Aquifer Diffusivity from Stream Stage Variation

Cited by 16 publications

References 9 publications

Impact of dam operations on hyporheic exchange in the riparian zone of a regulated river

Impact of dam operations on hyporheic exchange in the riparian zone of a regulated river

Poroelastic Loading of an Aquifer Due to Upstream Dam Releases

Implications of anthropogenic river stage fluctuations on mass transport in a valley fill aquifer

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