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Title: A quantitative analysis of hydraulic interaction processes in stream-aquifer systems

Abstract

The hydraulic relationship between the stream and aquifer can be altered from hydraulic connection to disconnection when the pumping rate exceeds the maximum seepage flux of the streambed. This study proposes to quantitatively analyze the physical processes of stream-aquifer systems from connection to disconnection. A free water table equation is adopted to clarify under what conditions a stream starts to separate hydraulically from an aquifer. Both the theoretical analysis and laboratory tests have demonstrated that the hydraulic connectedness of the stream-aquifer system can reach a critical disconnection state when the horizontal hydraulic gradient at the free water surface is equal to zero and the vertical is equal to 1. A boundary-value problem for movement of the critical point of disconnection is established for an analytical solution of the inverted water table movement beneath the stream. The result indicates that the maximum distance or thickness of the inverted water table is equal to the water depth in the stream, and at a steady state of disconnection, the maximum hydraulic gradient at the streambed center is 2. In conclusion, this study helps us to understand the hydraulic phenomena of water flow near streams and accurately assess surface water and groundwater resources.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [4]
  1. Chang'an Univ., Xian (People's Republic of China)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  3. Chang'an Univ., Xian (People's Republic of China); Univ. College Dublin, Dublin (Ireland)
  4. Capital Normal Univ., Beijing (China)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)
OSTI Identifier:
1259304
Grant/Contract Number:  
20070441ER; 2009ZX07212-002-003-003; 41230314; 40472131; 40872163
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Scientific Reports
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; applied mathematics; hydrogeology

Citation Formats

Wang, Wenke, Dai, Zhenxue, Zhao, Yaqian, Li, Junting, Duan, Lei, Wang, Zhoufeng, and Zhu, Lin. A quantitative analysis of hydraulic interaction processes in stream-aquifer systems. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1038/srep19876.
Wang, Wenke, Dai, Zhenxue, Zhao, Yaqian, Li, Junting, Duan, Lei, Wang, Zhoufeng, & Zhu, Lin. A quantitative analysis of hydraulic interaction processes in stream-aquifer systems. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19876
Wang, Wenke, Dai, Zhenxue, Zhao, Yaqian, Li, Junting, Duan, Lei, Wang, Zhoufeng, and Zhu, Lin. Thu . "A quantitative analysis of hydraulic interaction processes in stream-aquifer systems". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19876. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1259304.
@article{osti_1259304,
title = {A quantitative analysis of hydraulic interaction processes in stream-aquifer systems},
author = {Wang, Wenke and Dai, Zhenxue and Zhao, Yaqian and Li, Junting and Duan, Lei and Wang, Zhoufeng and Zhu, Lin},
abstractNote = {The hydraulic relationship between the stream and aquifer can be altered from hydraulic connection to disconnection when the pumping rate exceeds the maximum seepage flux of the streambed. This study proposes to quantitatively analyze the physical processes of stream-aquifer systems from connection to disconnection. A free water table equation is adopted to clarify under what conditions a stream starts to separate hydraulically from an aquifer. Both the theoretical analysis and laboratory tests have demonstrated that the hydraulic connectedness of the stream-aquifer system can reach a critical disconnection state when the horizontal hydraulic gradient at the free water surface is equal to zero and the vertical is equal to 1. A boundary-value problem for movement of the critical point of disconnection is established for an analytical solution of the inverted water table movement beneath the stream. The result indicates that the maximum distance or thickness of the inverted water table is equal to the water depth in the stream, and at a steady state of disconnection, the maximum hydraulic gradient at the streambed center is 2. In conclusion, this study helps us to understand the hydraulic phenomena of water flow near streams and accurately assess surface water and groundwater resources.},
doi = {10.1038/srep19876},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
number = ,
volume = 6,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Thu Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}

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Works referenced in this record:

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journal, June 2013

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Interactions between groundwater and surface water: the state of the science
journal, April 2002


An integrated assessment of the impact of precipitation and groundwater on vegetation growth in arid and semiarid areas
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Probabilistic evaluation of shallow groundwater resources at a hypothetical carbon sequestration site
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journal, January 1958


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Modeling Surface Water-Groundwater Interaction with MODFLOW: Some Considerations
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Works referencing / citing this record:

Quantifying Disconnection of Groundwater From Managed‐Ephemeral Surface Water During Drought and Conjunctive Agricultural Use
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  • Water Resources Research, Vol. 55, Issue 7
  • DOI: 10.1029/2019wr024941

Response of the groundwater system in the Guanzhong Basin (central China) to climate change and human activities
journal, March 2018


Evaluation of surface water–groundwater interaction using environmental isotopes (D, 18O and 222Rn) in Chongli Area, China
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Factors influencing streambed hydraulic conductivity and their implications on stream–aquifer interaction: a conceptual review
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Hydrological simulation and uncertainty analysis using the improved TOPMODEL in the arid Manas River basin, China
journal, January 2018