Migration of induced-infiltrated stream water into nearby aquifers due to seasonal ground water withdrawal

Abstract

Analysis of stream-aquifer interaction due to ground water extraction has traditionally focused on the determination of the amount of water depleted in the stream. Less attention has been paid to the movement of infiltrated stream water inside aquifer, particularly for agricultural areas. This paper presents a method of using particle-tracking techniques to evaluate the transport of the leaked stream water in the nearby aquifers. Simple stream-aquifer conditions are used to demonstrate the usefulness of the analysis. Travel times, pathlines, and influence zones of stream water were determined between a stream and nearby pumping wells for seasonal ground water extraction areas. When water quantity is a concern, the analyses provide additional information about stream depletion; when water quality is an issue, they offer information for wellhead protection. Analyses were conducted for transient conditions, and both pumping and nonpumping periods were considered. According to the results from the simulation examples, migration of infiltrated stream water into the nearby aquifers is generally slow and most infiltrated stream water does not arrive at the pumping well at the end of a 90-day irrigation season. Infiltrated stream water may remain in the aquifer for several years before arriving at the pumping well. For aquifers with a regional hydraulic gradient toward streams, part of the infiltrated stream water may discharge back to streams during a recovery period.