scholarly journals Electrical Resistivity Dynamics beneath a Fractured Sedimentary Bedrock Riverbed in Response to Temperature and Groundwater/Surface Water Exchange

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colby Steelman ◽  
Celia S. Kennedy ◽  
Donovan Capes ◽  
Beth L. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Rock Properties ◽  
Invasive Technique ◽  
Rock Surface ◽  
Groundwater Temperature ◽  
Thermal Transients ◽  
Thaw Cycle

Abstract. Bedrock rivers occur where surface water flows along an exposed rock surface. Fractured sedimentary bedrock can exhibit variable groundwater residence times, anisotropic flow paths, heterogeneity, along with diffusive exchange between fractures and rock matrix. These properties of the rock will affect thermal transients in the riverbed and groundwater–surface water exchange. In this study, surface electrical methods were used as a non-invasive technique to assess the scale and temporal variability of riverbed temperature and groundwater–surface water exchange beneath a sedimentary bedrock riverbed. Conditions were monitored on a semi-daily to semi-weekly interval over a full annual period that included a seasonal freeze-thaw cycle. Surface electromagnetic induction and electrical resistivity imaging methods captured conditions beneath the riverbed along a pool-riffle sequence within the Eramosa River, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Geophysical datasets were accompanied by continuous measurements of aqueous specific conductance, temperature and river stage. Vertical temperature profiling conducted in an inclined borehole underlying the river revealed active groundwater flow zones through fracture networks within the upper 10 m of rock. Resistivity measurements during cooler high-flow and warmer low-flow conditions identified a spatiotemporal riverbed response that was largely dependent upon riverbed morphology and groundwater temperature. Time-lapse resistivity profiles collected across the pool and riffle identified seasonal transients within the upper 2 m and 3 m of rock, respectively, with spatial variations controlled by riverbed morphology (pool verses riffle) and dominant surficial rock properties (competent verses weathered rock rubble surface). While the pool and riffle both exhibited a dynamic resistivity through seasonal cooling and warming cycles, conditions beneath the pool were more dynamic, largely due to the formation of river ice. Although seasonal resistivity trends beneath the riverbed suggest groundwater discharge may be influencing the spatiotemporal extent of a groundwater-surface water mixing zone, intraseasonal resistivity transience suggest potential groundwater–surface water exchange across the upper few meters of rock.

scholarly journals Electrical resistivity dynamics beneath a fractured sedimentary bedrock riverbed in response to temperature and groundwater–surface water exchange

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 3105-3123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colby M. Steelman ◽  
Celia S. Kennedy ◽  
Donovan C. Capes ◽  
Beth L. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Specific Conductance ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Invasive Technique ◽  
Thermal Transients ◽  
Thaw Cycle

Abstract. Bedrock rivers occur where surface water flows along an exposed rock surface. Fractured sedimentary bedrock can exhibit variable groundwater residence times, anisotropic flow paths, and heterogeneity, along with diffusive exchange between fractures and rock matrix. These properties of the rock will affect thermal transients in the riverbed and groundwater–surface water exchange. In this study, surface electrical methods were used as a non-invasive technique to assess the scale and temporal variability of riverbed temperature and groundwater–surface water interaction beneath a sedimentary bedrock riverbed. Conditions were monitored at a semi-daily to semi-weekly interval over a full annual period that included a seasonal freeze–thaw cycle. Surface electromagnetic induction (EMI) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) methods captured conditions beneath the riverbed along a pool–riffle sequence of the Eramosa River in Canada. Geophysical datasets were accompanied by continuous measurements of aqueous specific conductance, temperature, and river stage. Time-lapse vertical temperature trolling within a lined borehole adjacent to the river revealed active groundwater flow zones along fracture networks within the upper 10 m of rock. EMI measurements collected during cooler high-flow and warmer low-flow periods identified a spatiotemporal riverbed response that was largely dependent upon riverbed morphology and seasonal groundwater temperature. Time-lapse ERT profiles across the pool and riffle sequence identified seasonal transients within the upper 2 and 3 m of rock, respectively, with spatial variations controlled by riverbed morphology (pool versus riffle) and dominant surficial rock properties (competent versus weathered rock rubble surface). While the pool and riffle both exhibited a dynamic resistivity through seasonal cooling and warming cycles, conditions beneath the pool were more variable, largely due to the formation of river ice during the winter season. We show that surface electrical resistivity methods have the capacity to detect and resolve electrical resistivity transience beneath a fractured bedrock riverbed in response to porewater temperature and specific conductance fluctuations over a complete annual cycle.

scholarly journals A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 4397-4417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Coluccio ◽  
Leanne Kaye Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Hyporheic Exchange ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Multi Method Approach ◽  
Remote Sensing Techniques

Abstract. Braided rivers, while uncommon internationally, are significant in terms of their unique ecosystems and as vital freshwater resources at locations where they occur. With an increasing awareness of the connected nature of surface water and groundwater, there have been many studies examining groundwater–surface water exchange in various types of waterbodies, but significantly less research has been conducted in braided rivers. Thus, there is currently limited understanding of how characteristics unique to braided rivers, such as channel shifting, expanding and narrowing margins, and a high degree of heterogeneity affect groundwater–surface water flow paths. This article provides an overview of characteristics specific to braided rivers, including a map showing the regions where braided rivers are mainly found at the global scale: Alaska, Canada, the Japanese and European Alps, the Himalayas, Russia, and New Zealand. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first map of its kind. This is followed by a review of prior studies that have investigated groundwater–surface water interactions in braided rivers and their associated aquifers. The various methods used to characterise these processes are discussed with emphasis on their effectiveness in achieving the studies' objectives and their applicability in braided rivers. We also discuss additional methods that appear promising to apply in braided river settings. The aim is to provide guidance on methodologies most suitable for future work in braided rivers. In many cases, previous studies found a multi-method approach useful to produce more robust results and compare data collected at various scales. Given the challenges of working directly in braided rivers, there is considerable scope for the increased use of remote sensing techniques. There is also opportunity for new approaches to modelling braided rivers using integrated techniques that incorporate the complex river bed terrain and geomorphology of braided rivers explicitly. We also identify a critical need to improve the conceptual understanding of hyporheic exchange in braided rivers, rates of recharge to and from braided rivers, and historical patterns of dry and low-flow periods in these rivers.

Seasonal Shifts in Surface Water-Groundwater Connections in a Ferricrete-Impacted Stream Estimated from Electrical Resistivity

Geophysics ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-55
Author(s):  
Ariel Rickel ◽  
Beth Hoagland ◽  
Alexis Navarre-Sitchler ◽  
Kamini Singha
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Hyporheic Zone ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Breakthrough Curves ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
High Discharge ◽  
Storage Area ◽  
And Storage

The efficacy of the hyporheic zone (HZ) — where surface water and groundwater mix — for processing nutrients or uptake of metals is dependent on streambed hydraulic conductivity and stream discharge, among other characteristics. Here, we explore electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) of hyporheic exchange in Cement Creek near Silverton, Colorado, which is affected by ferricrete precipitation. To quantify flows through the HZ, we conducted four-hour salt injection tracer tests and collected time-lapse ERT of the streambed and banks of Cement Creek at high and low flow. We installed piezometers to conduct slug tests, which suggested a low permeability zone at 44-cm depth likely comprised of ferricrete that cemented cobbles together. Based on the ERT, the tracer released into the stream was constrained within the shallow streambed with little subsurface flow through the banks. Tracer was detected in the HZ for a longer time at high flow compared to low flow, suggesting that more flow paths were available to connect the stream to the HZ. Tracer was confined above the ferricrete layer during both the high- and low-flow tests. Mass transfer and storage area parameters were calculated from combined analysis of apparent bulk conductivity derived from ERT and numerical modeling of the tracer breakthrough curves. The hyporheic storage area estimated at low discharge (0.1 m2) was smaller than at high discharge (0.4 m2) and residence times were 2.7 h at low discharge and 4.1 h at high discharge. During high discharge, in-stream breakthrough curves displayed slower breakthrough and longer tails, which was consistent with the time-lapse electrical inversions and One-dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage (OTIS) modeling. Our findings indicate that ferricrete reduces the hydraulic conductivity of the streambed and limits the areal extent of the HZ, which may lower the potential for pollutant attenuation from the metal-rich waters of Cement Creek.

scholarly journals A review of methods for measuring groundwater–surface water exchange in braided rivers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Coluccio ◽  
Leanne Kaye Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Hyporheic Exchange ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Multi Method Approach ◽  
Remote Sensing Techniques

Abstract. Braided rivers, while uncommon internationally, are significant in terms of their unique ecosystems and as vital freshwater resources at locations where they occur. With an increasing awareness of the connected nature of surface water and groundwater, there have been many studies examining groundwater–surface water exchange in various types of waterbodies, but significantly less research has been conducted in braided rivers. Thus, there is currently limited understanding of how characteristics unique to braided rivers, such as channel shifting; expanding and narrowing margins; and a high degree of heterogeneity affect groundwater–surface water flow paths. This article provides an overview of characteristics specific to braided rivers, including a map showing the regions where braided rivers are concentrated at the global scale: Alaska, Canada, the Japanese and European Alps, the Himalayas and New Zealand. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first map of its kind. This is followed by a review of prior studies that have investigated groundwater-surface water interactions in braided rivers and their associated aquifers. The various methods used to characterise these processes are discussed with emphasis on their effectiveness in achieving the studies' objectives and their applicability in braided rivers. The aim is to provide guidance on methodologies most suitable for future work in braided rivers. In many cases, previous studies found a multi-method approach useful to produce more robust results and compare data collected at various scales. Ultimately, the most appropriate method(s) for a given study will be based on several factors, including the scale of interactions that need to be observed; site-specific characteristics; budget; and time available. Given these considerations, we conclude that it is best to begin braided river studies with broad-scale methods such as airborne thermal imaging, differential flow gauging or tracer analysis and then focus the investigation using finer scale techniques such as groundwater well observations or temperature sensors. Given the challenges of working directly in braided rivers, there is considerable scope for the increased use of remote sensing techniques and geophysics. There is also opportunity for new approaches to modelling braided rivers using integrated techniques that incorporate the often-complex river bed terrain and geomorphology of braided rivers explicitly. We also identify a critical need to improve understanding of the role of hyporheic exchange in braided rivers; rates of recharge to/from braided rivers; and historical patterns of dry and low-flow periods in these rivers.

scholarly journals The effect of streambed heterogeneity on groundwater-surface water exchange fluxes inferred from temperature time series

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 198-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan J. Irvine ◽  
Roger H. Cranswick ◽  
Craig T. Simmons ◽  
Margaret A. Shanafield ◽  
Laura K. Lautz
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Temperature Time Series ◽  
Temperature Time ◽  
Streambed Heterogeneity

scholarly journals Comparison between electrical resistivity tomography and tunnel seismic prediction 303 methods for detecting the water zone ahead of the tunnel face: A case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1094-1104
Author(s):  
Nima Dastanboo ◽  
Xiao-Qing Li ◽  
Hamed Gharibdoost
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Geological Structure ◽  
Rock Properties ◽  
Electrical Tomography ◽  
Tunnel Face ◽  
Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Geological Conditions ◽  
Seismic Prediction

AbstractIn deep tunnels with hydro-geological conditions, it is paramount to investigate the geological structure of the region before excavating a tunnel; otherwise, unanticipated accidents may cause serious damage and delay the project. The purpose of this study is to investigate the geological properties ahead of a tunnel face using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and tunnel seismic prediction (TSP) methods. During construction of the Nosoud Tunnel located in western Iran, ERT and TSP 303 methods were employed to predict geological conditions ahead of the tunnel face. In this article, the results of applying these methods are discussed. In this case, we have compared the results of the ERT method with those of the TSP 303 method. This work utilizes seismic methods and electrical tomography as two geophysical techniques are able to detect rock properties ahead of a tunnel face. This study shows that although the results of these two methods are in good agreement with each other, the results of TSP 303 are more accurate and higher quality. Also, we believe that using another geophysical method, in addition to TSP 303, could be helpful in making decisions in support of excavation, especially in complicated geological conditions.

ALLUVIAL CHARACTERISTICS, GROUNDWATER–SURFACE WATER EXCHANGE AND HYDROLOGICAL RETENTION IN HEADWATER STREAMS

1997 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN A. MORRICE ◽  
H. MAURICE VALETT ◽  
CLIFFORD N. DAHM ◽  
MICHAEL E. CAMPANA
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Headwater Streams
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