Groundwater flow and solute movement to drain laterals, western San Joaquin Valley, California. 2. Quantitative hydrologic assessment

Book · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6895892

Fio, J L; Deverel, S J ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Sacramento, CA (United States)

Groundwater flow modeling was used for the estimation of groundwater flow paths and travel times to quantitatively assess the hydrologic processes affecting groundwater and solute movement to drain laterals. Modeling results were used to calculate the depth distribution of groundwater flowing into drain laterals at 1.8 meters and 2.7 meters below the land surface. These simulations indicated that under nonirrigated conditions, about 89% of the flow in drain lateral 2 was from groundwater originating at depths [gt] 6m below the land surface. Deep groundwater was found to have higher selenium concentrations than shallow groundwater. Simulation of irrigated conditions indicates that as recharge increases, the proportion of deep ground-water entering the drain laterals decreases. Groundwater flow modeling also was used to estimate selenium loads in drain laterals for varying drain lateral flow rates. Simulated loads were in general agreement with measured loads and increase with increasing drain lateral flow. Simulations further indicated that groundwater containing high selenium concentrations probably will continue to enter drain lateral 2 for more than 8 years.

• OSTI ID: 6895892
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
CALIFORNIA
CONTAMINATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
IRRIGATION
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SIMULATION
USA
WATER
WATER POLLUTION