 2c c c

D 2 v  R
x x t
 Subsurface Hydrology

Unsaturated Zone Hydrology

Groundwater Hydrology
(Hydrogeology)
 R = P - ET - RO
ET
ET
P

E RO

R waste

Water Table

Groundwater
 Processes we need to model
• Groundwater flow
calculate both heads and flows (q)
v = q /  = K I /

• Solute transport – requires

information on flow (velocities)
calculate concentrations
 Types of Models

• Physical (e.g., sand tank)

• Analog (electric analog, Hele-Shaw)
• Mathematical
 Types of Solutions of Mathematical
Models

• Analytical Solutions: h= f(x,y,z,t)

(example: Theis eqn.)

• Numerical Solutions
Finite difference methods
Finite element methods

• Analytic Element Methods (AEM)

 Finite difference models
may be solved using:

• a computer programs (e.g., a

FORTRAN program)

• a spreadsheet (e.g., EXCEL)

Components of a Mathematical Model
• Governing Equation
• Boundary Conditions
• Initial conditions (for transient problems)
In full solute transport problems, we have two
mathematical models: one for flow and one for
transport.

The governing equation for solute transport

problems is the advection-dispersion equation.
 Flow Code: MODFLOW

 USGS code
 finite difference code to solve the
groundwater flow equation

• MODFLOW 88
• MODFLOW 96
• MODFLOW 2000
 Transport Code: MT3DMS

 Univ. of Alabama
 finite difference code to solve the
advection-dispersion eqn.

• Links to MODFLOW
 The pre- and post-processor
Groundwater Vistas
links and runs MODFLOW and MT3DMS.
Introduction to solute transport modeling
and
Review of the governing equation
for groundwater flow
 Conceptual Model

A descriptive representation
of a groundwater system that
incorporates an interpretation of
the geological, hydrological, and
geochemical conditions, including
information about the boundaries
of the problem domain.
 Toth Problem

Head specified along the water table

Groundwater Groundwater
divide Homogeneous, isotropic aquifer divide

Impermeable Rock

2D, steady state

 Toth Problem with contaminant source

Contaminant source

Groundwater Groundwater
divide Homogeneous, isotropic aquifer divide

Impermeable Rock

2D, steady state

 Processes to model
1. Groundwater flow
2. Transport
(a) Particle tracking: requires velocities
and a particle tracking code.
calculate path lines
(b) Full solute transport: requires
velocites and a solute transport model.
calculate concentrations
Topo-Drive

Finite element model of a version of the

Toth Problem for regional flow in cross
section. Includes a groundwater flow
model with particle tracking.
 Toth Problem with contaminant source

Contaminant source

Groundwater Groundwater
divide advection-dispersion eqn divide

Impermeable Rock

2D, steady state

 Processes we need to model
• Groundwater flow
calculate both heads and flows (q)
v = q/n = K I / n

• Solute transport – requires

information on flow (velocities)
calculate concentrations

Requires a flow model and a solute transport model.

 Groundwater flow is described by Darcy’s law.
This type of flow is known as advection.

Linear flow paths

assumed in Darcy’s law

True flow paths

The deviation of flow paths from

the linear Darcy paths is known
as dispersion. Figures from Hornberger et al. (1998)
In addition to advection, we need to consider
two other processes in transport problems.

• Dispersion
• Chemical reactions

Advection-dispersion equation
with chemical reaction terms.
Allows for multiple
chemical species
Dispersion Chemical
Advection
Reactions

Change in concentration
with time
Source/sink term
 is porosity;
D is dispersion coefficient;
v is velocity.
advection-dispersion equation

groundwater flow equation

h  h  h  h
Ss  ( Kx )  ( Ky )  ( Kz )  W *
t x x y y z z
advection-dispersion equation

groundwater flow equation

h  h  h  h
Ss  ( Kx )  ( Ky )  ( Kz )  W *
t x x y y z z
 Flow Equation:

 2hh
T 2  S
x t

1D, transient flow; homogeneous, isotropic,

confined aquifer; no sink/source term

Transport Equation:

 2cc c
D 2 v  R
x x t

Uniform 1D flow; longitudinal dispersion;

No sink/source term; retardation
 Flow Equation:

 2hh
T 2  S
x t

1D, transient flow; homogeneous, isotropic,

confined aquifer; no sink/source term

Transport Equation:

 2cc c
D 2 v  R
x x t

Uniform 1D flow; longitudinal dispersion;

No sink/source term; retardation
 Assumption of the
Equivalent Porous Medium
(epm)

REV

Representative Elementary Volume

Dual Porosity Medium

Figure from Freeze & Cherry (1979)

Review of the derivation of the
governing equation for
groundwater flow
 General governing equation
for groundwater flow

 h  h  h h
( Kx )  ( Ky )  ( Kz )  Ss W *
x x y y z z t

Kx, Ky, Kz are components

of the hydraulic conductivity
tensor. Specific Storage
Ss = V / (x y z h)
 Law of Mass Balance + Darcy’s Law =
Governing Equation for Groundwater Flow
---------------------------------------------------------------

div q = - Ss (h t) +R* (Law of Mass Balance)

q = - K grad h (Darcy’s Law)

div (K grad h) = Ss (h t) –R*

 Darcy column

h/L = grad h

Q is proportional
to grad h

q = Q/A

Figure taken from Hornberger et al. (1998)

 q = - K grad h

K is a tensor with 9 components

 Kxx Kxy Kxz

K= Kyx Kyy Kyz

Kzx Kzy Kzz

Principal components of K
 Darcy’s law

q = - K grad h

q equipotential line

grad h q grad h

Isotropic Anisotropic
Kx = Ky = Kz = K Kx, Ky, Kz
 q = - K grad h
h h h
qx   Kxx  Kxy  Kxz
x y z

h h h
qy   Kyx  Kyy  Kyz
x y z

h h h
qz   Kzx  Kzy  Kzz
x y z
 global local
z
z’

x’


x
Kxx Kxy Kxz K’x 0 0
Kyx Kyy Kyz 0 K’y 0
Kzx Kzy Kzz 0 0 K’z

[K] = [R]-1 [K’] [R]

 h h h
qx   Kxx  Kxy  Kxz
x y z

h h h
qy   Kyx  Kyy  Kyz
x y z

h h h
qz   Kzx  Kzy  Kzz
x y z
 h
qx   Kx
x

h
qy   Ky
y

h
qz   Kz
z
 Law of Mass Balance + Darcy’s Law =
Governing Equation for Groundwater Flow
---------------------------------------------------------------

div q = - Ss (h t) +R* (Law of Mass Balance)

q = - K grad h (Darcy’s Law)

div (K grad h) = Ss (h t) –R*

OUT – IN =
qx qy qz
(    W *) x y z
x y z

= change in storage

= - V/ t

Ss = V / (x y z h)

V = Ss h (x y z)
t t
 OUT – IN =
qx qy qz
(    W *)
x y z
= - V h
qx   Kx
h   Ss
x t t
h
qy   Ky
y
h
qz   Kz
z

 h  h  h h
( Kx )  ( Ky )  ( Kz )  Ss W *
x x y y z z t
 Law of Mass Balance + Darcy’s Law =
Governing Equation for Groundwater Flow
---------------------------------------------------------------

div q = - Ss (h t) +W* (Law of Mass Balance)

q = - K grad h (Darcy’s Law)

div (K grad h) = Ss (h t) –W*

  h  h  h h
( Kx )  ( Ky )  ( Kz )  Ss W *
x x y y z z t

 h  h h
2D confined: (Tx )  (Ty )  S W
x x y y t

 h  h h
2D unconfined: (hKx )  (hKy )  S W
x x y y t

Storage coefficient (S) is either storativity or specific yield.

S = Ss b & T = K b