Flow systems analysis in stratified porous media
bookPart
In numerical regional flow systems analysis based on finite difference or finite element computer codes, the horizontal spatial scale of the grid squares is large (say the kilometre-scale). Nonuniformities in the phreatic groundwater level cannot be represented on scales smaller than the large-scale grid square. Based upon this large-scale phreatic level, the large-scale groundwater flow velocity field, flow paths and residence times can be determined. The important question is whether these calculated flow paths are representative of the real flow paths which are affected by the small-scale velocity pattern superimposed on the large-scale velocity field. It is shown that in the deeper layers of the basin the calculated large-scale velocities and resulting flow paths are close to the real flow paths. The large-scale relief in the phreatic groundwater level is related to the steady-state topography of the land surface, whereas the small-scale nonuniformities in the relief are dependent on seasonally fluctuating rates of effective precipitation and fluctuating levels of surface waters.
Topics
TNO Identifier
231285
ISBN
038752701X
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Source title
Computational Methods in Subsurface Hydrology: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computational Methods in Water Resources, 11 June 1990 through 15 June 1990, Venice, Italy
Editor(s)
Gambolati, G.
Rinaldo, A.
Brebbia, C.A.
Gray, W.G.
Pinder, G.F.
Rinaldo, A.
Brebbia, C.A.
Gray, W.G.
Pinder, G.F.
Place of publication
Berlin
Pages
57-62
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