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Groundwater Flow Modeling in Coastal Aquifers
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Groundwater Flow Modeling in Coastal Aquifers

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Oceans and Coastal Zones".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 16606

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Thomas M. Missimer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Emergent Technologies Institute, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, 16301 Innovation Lane, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33913, USA
Interests: hydrogeology; artificial recharge/aquifer storage and recovery; desalination; groundwater and surface water quality; sedimentary geology; water management and policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Weixing Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
President and Principal Hydrogeologist/Modeler, Groundwater Tek, Inc., Naples, FL; Courtesy Faculty, Florida Gulf Coast University, USA
Interests: hydrogeology; groundwater flow and solute transport modeling; principal author of the SEAWAT code that is widely used in flow with variable density; saltwater intrusion and coastal aquifer management

Special Issue Information

The issues of population growth and rising global sea levels will make the management of coastal zone freshwater resources a major challenge over the next century. This Special Issue of Water will focus on groundwater modeling for the evaluation of various water management problems within coastal zones, including but not limited to: saltwater intrusion related to freshwater/brackish water pumping for water supply; the response of the saltwater–freshwater interface to rising sea levels; induced upconing of saline water in coastal zones by pumping; submarine groundwater discharge; assessment of economic changes to water supply when rising sea levels impact coastal aquifers; modeling of coastal zone salinity barriers in order to control saltwater intrusion; modeling of aquifer storage and recovery systems in coastal zones in order to enable the storage of stormwater or treated wastewater to improve the sustainability of water supplies; and modeling of new managed aquifer recharge schemes in coastal zones.

Prof. Dr. Thomas M. Missimer
Dr. Weixing Guo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • groundwater modeling
  • solute transport modeling
  • saltwater intrusion
  • salinity barriers
  • managed aquifer recharge

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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27 pages, 14298 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Feedwater Quality Change on the Oldest Continuously Operated Brackish-Water Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant in the United States
by Jeffrey L. Pearson, Michael Hegy and Thomas M. Missimer
Water 2021, 13(19), 2654; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13192654 - 26 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2139
Abstract
Brackish groundwater is abundant in many coastal zones of the world. The water can be economically treated with low-pressure reverse osmosis. A key issue is the stability of the feedwater pumped from groundwater systems. Commonly, groundwater solute-transport models are used to evaluate the [...] Read more.
Brackish groundwater is abundant in many coastal zones of the world. The water can be economically treated with low-pressure reverse osmosis. A key issue is the stability of the feedwater pumped from groundwater systems. Commonly, groundwater solute-transport models are used to evaluate the long-term changes in salinity with time that impact brackish-water reverse osmosis (BWRO) desalination system process design. These models are run to assess changes over a 20- to 40-year period. The City of Cape Coral, Florida operates two regional BWRO facilities with the South Plant being the oldest continuously operated system in the world. This facility has a capacity of 68,182 m3/d and can treat raw water with a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration up to 4000 mg/L. Two solute transport models were constructed to evaluate future salinity change in the groundwater source. The first model conducted in 1991 produced a range of probable changes with a high, most probable (mid), and low range. Actual data confirm the low range of the model produced an accurate result (within 15%) and that the 4000 mg/L threshold would not be exceeded until beyond 2031. The second modeling effort conducted in 2014 suggested that the 4000 mg/L TDS threshold would be reached in 2018, which did not happen. The use of real data and regression analyses for all wells suggests that the 4000 mg/L TDS concentration will not be exceeded until after 2060. Once the TDS threshold is reached, the plant would require a process change to allow treatment of higher TDS water. The current analysis shows that plant process design modification would not be required for up to 40 years into the future. The standard conceptual model assuming predominantly upward recharge during pumping was accurate with the addition of an enhanced zone of leakage caused by a fracture zone or a fault. A key issue that contributed to the success of the facility was the use of groundwater solute transport modeling prior to the final design of the membrane process during plant expansions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Groundwater Flow Modeling in Coastal Aquifers)
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25 pages, 4995 KiB  
Article
A New Normalized Groundwater Age-Based Index for Quantitative Evaluation of the Vulnerability to Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers: Implications for Management and Risk Assessments
by Mohammed Adil Sbai, Abdelkader Larabi, Marwan Fahs and Joanna Doummar
Water 2021, 13(18), 2496; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13182496 - 11 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3236
Abstract
The vulnerability of coastal aquifers to seawater intrusion has been largely relying on data-driven indexing approaches despite their shortcomings to depict the complex processes of groundwater flow and mass transport under variable velocity conditions. This paper introduces a modelling-based alternative technique relying on [...] Read more.
The vulnerability of coastal aquifers to seawater intrusion has been largely relying on data-driven indexing approaches despite their shortcomings to depict the complex processes of groundwater flow and mass transport under variable velocity conditions. This paper introduces a modelling-based alternative technique relying on a normalized saltwater age vulnerability index post-processed from results of a variable density flow simulation. This distributed index is obtained from the steady-state distribution of the salinity and a restriction of the mean groundwater age to a mean saltwater age distribution. This approach provides a novel way to shift from the concentration space into a vulnerability assessment space to evaluate the threats to coastal aquifers. The method requires only a sequential numerical solution of two steady state sets of equations. Several variants of the hypothetical Henry problem and a case study in Lebanon are selected for demonstration. Results highlight this approach ability to rank, compare, and validate different scenarios for coastal water resources management. A novel concept of zero-vulnerability line/surface delineating the coastal area threatened by seawater intrusion has shown to be relevant for optimal management of coastal aquifers and risk assessments. Hence, this work provides a new tool to sustainably manage and protect coastal groundwater resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Groundwater Flow Modeling in Coastal Aquifers)
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15 pages, 3253 KiB  
Article
Investigating Groundwater Condition and Seawater Intrusion Status in Coastal Aquifer Systems of Eastern India
by Subrata Halder, Lingaraj Dhal and Madan K. Jha
Water 2021, 13(14), 1952; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13141952 - 16 Jul 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3854
Abstract
Providing sustainable water supply for domestic needs and irrigated agriculture is one of the most significant challenges for the current century. This challenge is more daunting in coastal regions. Groundwater plays a pivotal role in addressing this challenge and hence, it is under [...] Read more.
Providing sustainable water supply for domestic needs and irrigated agriculture is one of the most significant challenges for the current century. This challenge is more daunting in coastal regions. Groundwater plays a pivotal role in addressing this challenge and hence, it is under growing stress in several parts of the world. To address this challenge, a proper understanding of groundwater characteristics in an area is essential. In this study, spatio-temporal analyses of pre-monsoon and post-monsoon groundwater levels of two coastal aquifer systems (upper leaky confined and underlying confined) were carried out in Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal, India. Trend analysis of seasonal groundwater levels of the two aquifers systems was also performed using Mann-Kendall test, Linear Regression test, and Innovative Trend test. Finally, the status of seawater intrusion in the two aquifers was evaluated using available groundwater-quality data of Chloride (Cl−) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Considerable spatial and temporal variability was found in the seasonal groundwater levels of the two aquifers. Further, decreasing trends were spotted in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon groundwater-level time series of the leaky confined and confined aquifers, except pre-monsoon groundwater levels in Contai-I and Deshpran blocks, and the post-monsoon groundwater level in Ramnagar-I block for the leaky confined aquifer. The leaky confined aquifer in Contai-I, Contai-III, and Deshpran blocks and the confined aquifer in Nandigram-I and Nandigram-II blocks are vulnerable to seawater intrusion. There is an urgent need for the real-time monitoring of groundwater levels and groundwater quality in both the aquifer systems, which can ensure efficient management of coastal groundwater reserves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Groundwater Flow Modeling in Coastal Aquifers)
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24 pages, 7733 KiB  
Article
Changes in Pumping-Induced Groundwater Quality Used to Supply a Large-Capacity Brackish-Water Desalination Facility, Collier County, Florida: A New Aquifer Conceptual Model
by Quillan L. Arico, Zoie R. Kassis, Robert G. Maliva, Weixing Guo, W. Scott Manahan and Thomas M. Missimer
Water 2021, 13(14), 1951; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13141951 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2709
Abstract
Brackish-water reverse osmosis (BWRO) desalination facilities are designed to treat feedwater within a fixed range in salinity. If the salinity and ion concentrations of the feedwater rises above the maximum design concentrations, then the plant may ultimately fail. BWRO plants typically use groundwater [...] Read more.
Brackish-water reverse osmosis (BWRO) desalination facilities are designed to treat feedwater within a fixed range in salinity. If the salinity and ion concentrations of the feedwater rises above the maximum design concentrations, then the plant may ultimately fail. BWRO plants typically use groundwater as a feedwater source. Prior to the process design, a detailed groundwater assessment is made to characterize the source aquifer system and to develop a solute-transport model that is used to project the changes in water quality over the expected useful life of the facility. Solute transport-modeling performed for the Collier County (Florida) South BWRO facility, which was designed to produce 30,303 m3/d with an expansion to 75,758 m3/d, used an aquifer system conceptual model that assumed upwards migration over time of brackish waters with higher salinities into the production zones. This conceptual model is typical of how most BWRO systems developed in the United States operate. The original solute transport model predicted a range of increases in dissolved chloride concentrations over a 20-year period from a low of 5 mg/L/yr, a mid-range of 35 mg/L/yr, and a high range of 85 mg/L/yr. Actual data collected over a 11- to 13.5-year period showed that the dissolved chloride concentration average of the feed water decreased by 16 mg/L/yr. The original conceptual model was found to be inaccurate in that it suggested an upwards recharging system, whereas downward leakage (or perhaps lateral migration) of fresher water appears to be occurring in the system. This is an example of a long-term solute-transport model audit, which is rarely performed, in which a new conceptual model was found to be applicable to an aquifer system used to feed a BWRO facility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Groundwater Flow Modeling in Coastal Aquifers)
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12 pages, 956 KiB  
Technical Note
Density Slopes in Variable Density Flow Modeling
by Weixing Guo
Water 2021, 13(22), 3292; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13223292 - 20 Nov 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3320
Abstract
Variable density flow (VDF) modeling is a valuable tool for assessing the potential impacts of global climate change and sea level rise on coastal aquifers. When using any of these modeling tools, a quantitative relationship is needed to compute the fluid density from [...] Read more.
Variable density flow (VDF) modeling is a valuable tool for assessing the potential impacts of global climate change and sea level rise on coastal aquifers. When using any of these modeling tools, a quantitative relationship is needed to compute the fluid density from salt concentration. A full understanding of the relationship between fluid density and solute concentration and the correct implementation of the equation of state are critical for variable density modeling. The works of Baxter and his colleagues in the early 20th century showed that fluid density could be linearly correlated to salt concentrations. A constant density slope of 0.7 is often assumed and applied. The assumption is reasonable when the salinity is less than 100‰. The density slope can also be defined from chloride concentration data with the assumption of a constant ratio (55%) between chloride and total dissolved solids (TDS). Field data from central Florida indicate that the chloride/TDS ratio can be as low as 5%. Therefore, TDS is the preferred water quality data for fluid density determination in variable density modeling. Other issues with density slope are also discussed, and some commonly used values of density slope are provided in this technical note. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Groundwater Flow Modeling in Coastal Aquifers)
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