Solute transport modelling to manage groundwater pollution from surface water resources

Abstract

This article provides an analytical solute transport model to investigate the potential of groundwater contamination by polluted surface water in a two dimensional domain. The clogging of streambed which makes the aquifer partially penetrated by the stream, is considered in the model. The impacts of pumping process, hydraulic conductivity and clogging layer on the quality of water produced from nearby drinking water wells are evaluated. It is found that results are consistent with numerical simulation conducted by MODFLOW software. Moreover, the model is applied using data of contamination occurrence in Malaysia, where high contaminants concentrations are found close to streams. Results show that the pumping activities (rate and time period) are crucial factors when evaluating the risk of groundwater contamination from surface water. Additionally, this study illustrates that the increase in either hydraulic conductivity or leakance coefficient parameters due to the clogging layer will enlarge the area of contamination. The model is able to determine the suitable pumping rate and location of the well so that the contamination plume never reaches the extraction well, which is useful in constructing riverbank filtration sites.