Improved water resource management for a highly complex environment using three-dimensional groundwater modelling

Moeck, Christian; Affolter, Annette; Radny, Dirk; Dressmann, Horst; Auckenthaler, Adrian; Huggenberger, Peter; Schirmer, Mario

Improved water resource management for a highly complex environment using three-dimensional groundwater modelling | Amélioration de la gestion des ressources en eau pour un environnement très complexe en utilisant une modélisation tridimensionnelle des eaux souterraines Mejora de la gestión de los recursos hídricos para un ambiente altamente complejo mediante el modelado tridimensional del agua subterránea 采用三维地下水模拟提高高度复杂环境下的水资源管理水平 Gerenciamento de recursos hídricos aprimorado para um ambiente altamente complexo usando modelagem tridimensional de águas subterrâneas

2018

A three-dimensional groundwater model was used to improve water resource management for a study area in north-west Switzerland, where drinking-water production is close to former landfills and industrial areas. To avoid drinking-water contamination, artificial groundwater recharge with surface water is used to create a hydraulic barrier between the contaminated sites and drinking-water extraction wells. The model was used for simulating existing and proposed water management strategies as a tool to ensure the utmost security for drinking water. A systematic evaluation of the flow direction between existing observation points using a developed three-point estimation method for a large number of scenarios was carried out. It is demonstrated that systematically applying the developed methodology helps to identify vulnerable locations which are sensitive to changing boundary conditions such as those arising from changes to artificial groundwater recharge rates. At these locations, additional investigations and protection are required. The presented integrated approach, using the groundwater flow direction between observation points, can be easily transferred to a variety of hydrological settings to systematically evaluate groundwater modelling scenarios.

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