Spatial Variability of Hydraulic Properties and Sediment Characteristics in a Deep Alluvial Unsaturated Zone

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farag E. Botros ◽  
Thomas Harter ◽  
Yuksel S. Onsoy ◽  
Atac Tuli ◽  
Jan W. Hopmans
Author(s):  
Guglielmo Federico Antonio Brunetti ◽  
Samuele De Bartolo ◽  
Carmine Fallico ◽  
Ferdinando Frega ◽  
Maria Fernanda Rivera Velásquez ◽  
...  

AbstractThe spatial variability of the aquifers' hydraulic properties can be satisfactorily described by means of scaling laws. The latter enable one to relate the small (typically laboratory) scale to the larger (typically formation/regional) ones, therefore leading de facto to an upscaling procedure. In the present study, we are concerned with the spatial variability of the hydraulic conductivity K into a strongly heterogeneous porous formation. A strategy, allowing one to identify correctly the single/multiple scaling of K, is applied for the first time to a large caisson, where the medium was packed. In particular, we show how to identify the various scaling ranges with special emphasis on the determination of the related cut-off limits. Finally, we illustrate how the heterogeneity enhances with the increasing scale of observation, by identifying the proper law accounting for the transition from the laboratory to the field scale. Results of the present study are of paramount utility for the proper design of pumping tests in formations where the degree of spatial variability of the hydraulic conductivity does not allow regarding them as “weakly heterogeneous”, as well as for the study of dispersion mechanisms.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Castellini ◽  
Anna Maria Stellacci ◽  
Matteo Tomaiuolo ◽  
Emanuele Barca

Spatial variability of soil properties at the field scale can determine the extent of agricultural yields and specific research in this area is needed. The general objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between soil physical and hydraulic properties and wheat yield at the field scale and test the BEST-procedure for the spatialization of soil hydraulic properties. A simplified version of the BEST-procedure, to estimate some capacitive indicators from the soil water retention curve (air capacity, ACe, relative field capacity, RFCe, plant available water capacity, PAWCe), was applied and coupled to estimates of structure stability index (SSI), determinations of soil texture and measurements of bulk density (BD), soil organic carbon (TOC) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). Variables under study were spatialized to investigate correlations with observed medium-high levels of wheat yields. Soil physical quality assessment and correlations analysis highlighted some inconsistencies (i.e., a negative correlation between PAWCe and crop yield), and only five variables (i.e., clay + silt fraction, BD, TOC, SSI and PAWCe) were spatially structured. Therefore, for the soil–crop system studied, application of the simplified BEST-procedure did not return completely reliable results. Results highlighted that (i) BD was the only variable selected by stepwise analysis as a function of crop yield, (ii) BD showed a spatial distribution in agreement with that detected for crop yield, and (iii) the cross-correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship between BD and wheat yield up to a distance of approximately 25 m. Such results have implications for Mediterranean agro-environments management. In any case, the reliability of simplified measurement methods for estimating soil hydraulic properties needs to be further verified by adopting denser measurements grids in order to better capture the soil spatial variability. In addition, the temporal stability of observed spatial relationships, i.e., between BD or soil texture and crop yields, needs to be investigated along a larger time interval in order to properly use this information for improving agronomic management.


Radiocarbon ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Guttman ◽  
J Kronfeld ◽  
I Carmi

Radiocarbon and tritium determinations were carried out in 2 adjacent small aquifers in Israel. These aquifers have small storage capacities and good hydraulic properties. Darcy calculations suggest that the aquifers contain young waters, ≃50 yr in age. 14C concentrations in the Pleistocene aquifer are between 23–60 pMC, with the lowest activity related to contamination by petroleum-based fertilizers with no 14C. 14C concentrations in the Judea Group aquifer range from 62 to 95 pMC. An apparent difference of ≃1000 yr is indicated for the average recharge age between the 2 aquifers. The tritium data suggests that the water in both aquifers is quite young. The 1000-yr difference is an artifact of initial isotopic fractionation differences through the unsaturated zone as established elsewhere for these 2 aquifers. When these individual fractionation factors (0.54 for the Pleistocene and 0.62 for the Judea Group) are used, it is revealed that both aquifers contain young water, in agreement with the Darcy calculation, which was recharged at the beginning of the period of thermonuclear atmospheric testing in the early 1960s.


1999 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hendrayanto ◽  
Ken'ichirou Kosugi ◽  
Taro Uchida ◽  
Sakiko Matsuda ◽  
Takahisa Mizuyama

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document