Planning MAR Schemes Using Physical Models: Comparison of Laboratory and Field Experiments

Infiltration experiments in the context of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) are often conducted to assess the processes influencing the operation of full-scale MAR schemes. For this, physical models such as laboratory experiments and, less often, field experiments are used to determine process specifics or operational parameters. Due to several assumptions, scale-related limitations, and differing boundary conditions, the upscaling of results from the physical models is not straightforward. Investigations often lead to over- or underestimations of flow processes that constrain the translation of results to field-like conditions. To understand the restrictions and potential of different physical models for MAR assessment, surface infiltration experiments in different scales and dimensions, which maintained the same operational parameters, were conducted. The results from the different setups were compared against each other regarding the reproduction water flow in the vadose zone and the influence of parameters such as soil type and climate. Results show that mostly qualitative statements can be made, whereas quantitative analysis through laboratory experiments is limited.

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Managed aquifer recharge of treated wastewater: Water quality changes resulting from infiltration through the vadose zone

Water Research ◽

10.1016/j.watres.2011.08.058 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 45 (17) ◽

pp. 5764-5772 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Elise Bekele ◽

Simon Toze ◽

Bradley Patterson ◽

Simon Higginson

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Vadose Zone ◽

Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽

Treated Wastewater ◽

Quality Changes ◽

Aquifer Recharge

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Assessing Managed Aquifer Recharge Processes under Three Physical Model Concepts

Water ◽

10.3390/w11010107 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 107 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Thomas Fichtner ◽

Felix Barquero ◽

Jana Sallwey ◽

Catalin Stefan

Keyword(s):

Unsaturated Soil ◽

Real World ◽

Water Saturation ◽

Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽

Physical Models ◽

Aquifer Recharge ◽

Water Flow Velocity ◽

Soil Zone ◽

Set Up ◽

The Impact

Physical models such as surface infiltration experiments in the lab and field are an approach to understand processes in the unsaturated soil zone. In the case of mapping processes influencing the operation of real-world managed aquifer recharge schemes they are helpful tools to determine interactions between processes in the unsaturated soil zone, and site-specific as well as operational parameters. However, the multitude of assumptions and scale-related limitations of downscale investigations often lead to over- or underestimations, rendering their results useless when translated to field-like conditions. Various real-world managed aquifer recharge operational scenarios were simulated in three physical models, a 1D-lab column, a rectangular shaped stainless steel 3D-lab infiltration tank and a rectangular shaped 3D-field unit, to understand the impact of the experimental set-up on the assessment of processes and to identify the experimental set-up which is most-suitable to describe these processes. Results indicate that water flow velocity, water saturation and oxygen consumption are often overestimated in 1D-column experiments due to sidewall effects and no existing lateral flow. For precise analysis of infiltration processes in general as well as during operation of managed aquifer recharge, 3D experiments are recommended due to their more realistic representation of flow processes.

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Low Trihalomethane Formation during Managed Aquifer Recharge with Chlorinated Desalinated Water

Water ◽

10.3390/w12030711 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 711 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anat Bernstein ◽

Raz Studny ◽

Vinolia Shyntychea ◽

Daniel Kurtzman ◽

Yonatan Ganot ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Vadose Zone ◽

Large Scale ◽

Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽

Small Scale ◽

Aquifer Recharge ◽

Unique Case ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

By Products

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are toxic disinfection by-products, formed in the reaction of chlorine with organic matter. This work aimed to study THM formation during a unique case study of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) with chlorinated desalinated seawater. THM formation was tested in the field, along a 3.0 m deep vadose zone gallery. Two small-scale experiments were conducted in the site, with untreated and with bromide spiked desalinated seawater. These were accompanied by a large-scale, ~1-month long operational MAR event. In the small-scale experiments, THM concentrations were shown to increase with bromide concentrations, with increasing dominance of the brominated species. Nevertheless, concentrations remained within the single µg/L range, which is an order of magnitude lower than drinking water regulations. Such low THM concentrations were also determined in the large-scale event. In both cases, THM formation occurred in the ponding water, without significant formation or degradation in the upper 3.0 m of the vadose zone. This study shows that MAR with chlorinated (<0.5 mg/L) desalinated seawater through sandy infiltration basins does not pose a threat to drinking water quality at this site.

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Risk of physical clogging induced by low-density suspended particles during managed aquifer recharge with reclaimed water: Evidences from laboratory experiments and numerical modeling

Environmental Research ◽

10.1016/j.envres.2020.109527 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 186 ◽

pp. 109527 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yuxuan Xie ◽

Yang Wang ◽

Mingxin Huo ◽

Zhi Geng ◽

Wei Fan

Keyword(s):

Numerical Modeling ◽

Laboratory Experiments ◽

Reclaimed Water ◽

Suspended Particles ◽

Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽

Low Density ◽

Aquifer Recharge

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Arsenic and Boron Hydrogeochemistry behaviour during Managed Aquifer Recharge Operations.

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-15774 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Esteban Caligaris ◽

Rudy Rossetto

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽

Aquifer Recharge ◽

Geophysical Research ◽

Aquifer System ◽

Social Interventions ◽

Hydrologic System ◽

Concentration Changes ◽

High Concentrations ◽

One Year

The Cornia Valley aquifer system (Tuscany, Italy) is the main source for irrigation, industrial purposes, and for potable water supply for the zone and the Elba island. Sixty years of its overexploitation caused a remarkable potentiometric drawdown accompanied with a wide seawater intrusion and a severe degradation of the quality of the groundwater (Rossetto et al., 2018; 2019).In the early 2000s, extensive research regarding anomalous high concentrations of Boron in the Cornia Valley was carried out. These studied the hydrochemistry of the area, determining also anomalous high concentrations of Arsenic (Pennisi et al., 2009). In addition, one of the biggest schemes treating Arsenic for drinking water started operating with other two plants for Boron (Comune di Suvereto, 2013). Furthermore, in 2015 the LIFE REWAT project was started in order to set a strategy to recover and improve the availability of water in the area through a series of technical and social interventions (Rossetto et al., 2018).Within LIFE REWAT, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) was identified as a solution to counterbalance the stressed hydrologic system. Thus, a pilot MAR scheme infiltrating harvested rainwater from the Cornia River was implemented. It is provided by a hi-tech high-frequency automated and remotely controlled system for operating the plant and monitoring water quantity and quality. This system is supported by the data gathered from different sensors installed in the area, recording into a database. Additionally, discrete groundwater sampling takes place monthly (Rossetto et al., 2018; 2019).The database contains recordings from two consecutive hydrological years. The first year measurements and samplings were done under natural recharge conditions, while during the second year the MAR scheme was under operation. This initial data provides insights on concentration variations of Boron and Arsenic after one-year operation of the MAR scheme. However, the main processes involved still need to be understood. Therefore, long-term and short-term dedicated field experiments are designed to analyse the induced variations. This work presents a model based hydrogeochemical approach for the behaviour analysis of these elements under MAR operations to determine the transiency of these concentration changes.AcknowledgementsThis paper is presented within the framework of MARSoluT ITN (www.marsolut-itn.eu), a Marie Sk&#322;odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Innovative Training Network (ITN) funded by the European Commission (Grant Agreement 814066).ReferencesComune di Suvereto (2013). Impianti per Arsenico e Boro in Val di Cornia. http://www.comune.suvereto.li.it/moduli/output_immagine.php?id=709 [Webpage. Italian. Accessed the 14/01/2020]Pennisi, M., Bianchini, G., Kloppmann, W., & Muti, A. (2009). Chemical and isotopic (B, Sr) composition of alluvial sediments as archive of a past hydrothermal outflow. Chemical Geology, 266(3-4), 114-125.Rossetto, R., De Filippis, G., Piacentini, S. M., Matani, E., Sabbatini, T., Fabbrizzi, A., ... & Menonna, V. (2018). Using flood water in Managed Aquifer Recharge schemes as a solution for groundwater management in the Cornia valley (Italy). Geophysical Research Abstracts (Vol. 20).Rossetto, R., De Filippis, G., Piacentini, S. M., Neri, S., Continanza, D., Brilli, M., ... & Lazzaroni, F. (2019). Increasing reliability and safety of Managed Aquifer Recharge schemes for tackling water scarcity. Geophysical Research Abstracts (Vol. 21).

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Effects of Decaying Hydraulic Conductivity on the Groundwater Flow Processes in a Managed Aquifer Recharge Area in an Alluvial Fan

Water ◽

10.3390/w13121649 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 1649

Author(s):

Peipeng Wu ◽

Lijuan Zhang ◽

Bin Chang ◽

Shuhong Wang

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Groundwater Flow ◽

Artificial Recharge ◽

Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽

Alluvial Fan ◽

Travel Times ◽

Aquifer Recharge ◽

Recharge Area ◽

Flow Processes ◽

Ambient Groundwater

Groundwater artificial recharge and medium characteristics represent the major factors in controlling the groundwater flow processes in managed aquifer recharge areas. According to the depositional features of alluvial fans, an analogous homogeneous phreatic sand tank aquifer and the corresponding inhomogeneous scale numerical models were established to investigate the groundwater flow under the combined influence of artificial recharge (human activities) and decaying hydraulic conductivity (medium characteristics). In this study, groundwater flow through a managed aquifer recharge area in an alluvial fan was analyzed under the conditions of decaying hydraulic conductivity (K) with depth or length from apex to apron. The results showed that groundwater flow processes induced by artificial recharge were significantly controlled by the increasing decay exponents of K. The decaying K with depth or length in alluvial fan areas expanded the degree of influence of artificial recharge on groundwater flow. With the increase of decay exponents, the flow directions gradually changed from a horizontal to vertical direction. Groundwater age and spatial variability could also be increased by the increasing decay exponents. The residence time distributions (RTDs) of ambient groundwater and artificially recharged water exhibited logarithmic, exponential, and power law behavior. Penetration depth and travel times of ambient groundwater flow could be affected by artificial recharge and decay exponents. Furthermore, with the increase of decay exponents, the thickness of the artificially recharged water lens and travel times of artificially recharged water were increased. These findings have important implications for the performance of managed aquifer recharge in alluvial fan areas as well as the importance of considering the gradual decrease of K with depth and length.

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Concentration of Impurities during Melting of Snow Made from Secondary Sewage Effluent

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1986.0024 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 151-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

R. Zapf-Gilje ◽

S. O. Russell ◽

D. S. Mavinic

Keyword(s):

Potassium Chloride ◽

Chloride Solution ◽

Laboratory Experiments ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Low Cost ◽

Sewage Effluent ◽

Potassium Chloride Solution ◽

Laboratory Results ◽

Solution Field ◽

Concentration Of Impurities

When snow is made from sewage effluent, the impurities become concentrated in the early melt leaving the later runoff relatively pure. This could provide a low cost method of separating nutrients from secondary sewage effluent. Laboratory experiments showed that the degree of concentration was largely independent of the number of melt freeze cycles or initial concentration of impurity in the snow. The first 20% of melt removed with it 65% of the phosphorus and 90% of the nitrogen from snow made from sewage effluent; and over 90% of potassium chloride from snow made from potassium chloride solution. Field experiments with a salt solution confirmed the laboratory results.

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