Strategies for Offsetting Seasonal Impacts of Pumping on a Nearby Stream

Abstract

Ground water pumping from aquifer systems that are hydraulically connected to streams depletes streamflow. The amplitude and timing of stream depletion depend on the stream depletion factor (SDF(i)) of the pumping wells, which is a function of aquifer hydraulic characteristics and the distance from the wells to the stream. Wells located at different locations, but having the same SDF and the same rate and schedule of pumping, will deplete streamflow equally. Wells with small SDF(i) deplete streamflow approximately synchronously with pumping. Wells with large SDF(i) deplete streamflow at approximately a constant rate throughout the year, regardless of the pumping schedule. For large values of SDF(i), artificial recharge that occurs on a different schedule from pumping can offset streamflow depletion effectively. The requirements are (1) that the pumping and recharge wells both have the same SDF(i) and (2) that the annual total quantities of recharge and pumping be equal. At larger SDF(i) values, it takes longer for pumping to impact streamflow in a wide aquifer than it does in a narrow aquifer. In basins that are closed to further withdrawals because streamflow is fully allocated, water-use changes replace new allocations as the source of water for new developments. Ground water recharge can be managed to offset the impacts of new ground water developments, allowing for changes in the timing and source of withdrawals from a basin without injuring existing users or instream flows.

A combined-water-system approach for tackling water scarcity: application to the Permilovo groundwater basin, Russia

“…Seasonal groundwater pumping has been practiced in many parts of the world predominantly for irrigation (Bredehoeft and Kendy 2008;Kumsiashvily 1980;Maknoon and Burges 1978;Konsebovskiy and Minkin 1989;Mirzaev et al 1991;Young and Bregehoeft 1972;Wu et al 2015). Several investigations regarding the application of combined water use have been undertaken with a view to managing drinking-water demands such as Downing 1993;Law 1965;Owen and Robinson 1978;Filimonova 2009;Khublaryan et al 2005;Velikanov et al 1994;Zektser et al 1996, or processing-water supplies (Bolgov and Ratkovich 1997;Bolgov et al 2012).…”

Groundwater: Recharge is Not the Whole Story

“…Furthermore, the effect occurs at a more or less constant rate during the entire year; there are only small seasonal fluctuations in the rate of depletion. As time elapses, the rate of depletion is approximately equal to the volume of pumping averaged over the entire year, This is important since now the effect of pumping occurs during the entire year, not only during the growing season (Bredehoeft and Kendy 2008).…”

Impacts of groundwater pumping and climate variability on groundwater availability in the Rio Grande Basin

“…Once pumping starts, the aquifer system will adjust itself and try to reach a new equilibrium after some time, called aquifer system response time or time to full capture (Bredehoeft and Durbin 2009), which is defined as the time that it takes for water level and storage changes throughout the aquifer system to become negligible after an increase or decrease in withdrawal (Walton 2011). Aquifer system response time can range from days to centuries or more (Bredehoeft et al 1982, Sophocleous 2000, Alley et al 2002, Bredehoeft and Kendy 2008, depending on many factors, such as aquifer system dimensions, aquifer transmissivity and storativity, confining layer storage, confining layer leakance, aquifer system boundary conditions, and well location and penetration.…”