Application of multi‑method approach to assess groundwater–surface water interactions, for catchment management

Globally, the dependence of river systems to delayed discharge of subsurface water to augment flows during dry seasons is well documented. Discharge of fresh subsurface water can dilute concentrated river flow quality during reduced flow. Observed and reported results on the Berg River’s declining water quantity and quality are a concern to the regions socio-economic growth and environmental integrity. Understanding the role of subsurface water discharges on the quantity and quality of receiving surface water courses can improve their management during dry periods. A case study was designed and implemented in the upper Berg River catchment in the Western Cape Province of South Africa to assess the influence of groundwater–surface water interaction on water quantity and quality. This study aimed to quantify and characterize the quality of subsurface water available in the upper catchment to improve observed declining water quality downstream. Hydrograph separation provided estimates of water fluxes during 2012–2014 low and high flow periods, while hydrochemical analysis provided insights on impacts of major land use activity in this catchment on water resources. Hydrograph separation analysis indicated that the Berg River is 37.9% dependent on subsurface water discharges annually. Dominant Na–Cl-type water indicates the quality of water from the upper Berg River is largely affected by natural processes including short residence times of aquifer water, rock–water interactions and atmospheric deposition of NaCl ions. These results provide insights for suggesting management options to be implemented to protect subsurface water for continued dilution and water resources management in the lower catchments

Reduced Sediments: A Factor in the Design of Subsurface Oxidant Delivery Systems

A preliminary field performance evaluation of in situ bioremediation of a contaminated aquifer at the Libby, Montana, Superfund site, a former wood preserving site, was conducted for the Bioremediation Field Initiative sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). The current approach for site remediation involves injecting oxygen and nutrients into the aquifer to stimulate microbial degradation of target compounds that include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pentachlorophenol. The preliminary field evaluation determined that, in addition to the oxygen demand associated with the microbial oxidation of the organic contamination, uncontaminated aquifer sediments at the site are naturally reduced and also exert a significant oxygen demand. This conclusion is supported by three types of information: (1) analyses of ground water samples; (2) results from a field‐scale tracer test; and (3) results of laboratory evaluations of oxygen use by reduced aquifer sediment samples. An estimate of the cost of supplying hydrogen peroxide to satisfy the oxygen demand of the uncontaminated reduced sediments is provided to demonstrate that the additional cost of oxidizing the reduced sediments could be significant. The presence of naturally occurring reduced sediments at a contamination site should be considered in the design of subsurface oxidant delivery systems