Partitioning and sourcing of evapotranspiration using coupled MARMITES-MODFLOW model, La Mata catchment (Spain)

The new, two-way coupled, distributed and transient MARMITES-MODFLOW (MM-MF) model, coupling land surface and soil zone domains with groundwater, is presented. It implements model-based partitioning and sourcing of subsurface evapotranspiration (ETss) as part of spatio-temporal water balance (WB). The partitioning of ETss involves its separation into evaporation (E) and transpiration (T), while the sourcing of E and T involves separation of each of the two into soil zone (Esoil and Tsoil) and groundwater (Eg and Tg) components. The objective of that development was to understand the system dynamics of a catchment with shallow water table, through spatio-temporal quantification of water fluxes and evaluation of their importance in water balances, focusing on the Eg and Tg components of ETss. While the Eg is computed using formulation from published study, the Tg is obtained through a novel phenomenological function, based on soil moisture availability and transpiration demand driven by climatic conditions. The MM-MF model was applied in the small La Mata catchment (~4.8 km2, Salamanca Province, Spain), characterized by semi-arid climate, granitic bedrock, shallow water table and sparse oak woodland. The main catchment characteristics were obtained using remote sensing, non-invasive hydrogeophysics and classical field data acquisition. The MM-MF model was calibrated in transient, using daily data of five hydrological years, between 1st October 2008 and 30th September 2013. The WB confirmed dependence of groundwater exfiltration on gross recharge. These two water fluxes, together with infiltration and Esoil, constituted the largest subsurface water fluxes. The Eg was higher than the Tg, which is explained by low tree coverage (~7%). Considering seasonal variability, Eg and Tg were larger in dry seasons than in wet season, when solar radiation was the largest and soil moisture the most depleted. A relevant observation with respect to tree transpiration was that during dry seasons, the decline of Tsoil, associated with the decline of soil moisture, was compensated by increase of Tg, despite continuously declining water table. However, in dry seasons, T was far below the atmospheric evaporative demand, indicating that the groundwater uptake by the tree species of this study constituted a survival strategy and not a mechanism for continued plant growth. The presented MM-MF model allowed to analyze catchment water dynamics and water balance in detail, accounting separately for impacts of evaporation and transpiration processes on groundwater resources. With its unique capability of partitioning and sourcing of ETss, the MM-MF model is particularly suitable for mapping groundwater dependent ecosystems, but also for analyzing impacts of climate and land cover changes on groundwater resources

Aplicação de um SIG na selecção de locais para implantação de aterros sanitários em áreas vulneráveis à contaminação de aquíferos

No âmbito de um estágio profissionalizante da licenciatura de Engenharia do Ambiente foi desenvolvida e testada uma metodologia para a selecção de possíveis locais de implantação de aterros sanitários, recorrendo aos sistemas de informação geográfica. A localização deste tipo de infra-estruturas obedece a critérios diversos de natureza geológica, geomorfológica, topográfica, pedológica, biológica, hídrica, hidrogeológica, climatológica, demográfica, usos de solo e acessibilidades. O armazenamento, a integração e a manipulação de toda a informação de base foi possível graças ao desenvolvimento de um SIG, que permitiu igualmente a produção de informação intermédia e a geração do output final de acordo com os critérios exigidos. Para o efeito foi seleccionada uma área de 640 km2 no nordeste alentejano, tendo sido testadas as respostas dadas por este método em locais vulneráveis à contaminação de aquíferos. As áreas geradas pelo Sistema foram validadas no campo verificando-se estarem em conformidade com os condicionalismos introduzidos no sistema. A metodologia que se coloca à discussão tem como objectivo evidenciar as potencialidades dos SIG em análises de macroescala, no contexto do planeamento e do ordenamento do território, em consonância com a gestão de recursos hídricos

Reabilitação de aquíferos contaminados pela indústria : resultados preliminares no caso de estudo do Seixal

O Projecto PCTI/CTA/36496/99, Desenvolvimento e Aplicação de Técnicas Mistas Químicas e de Bioremediação na Reabilitação de Aquíferos, foi concebido com o objectivo de contribuir para a eeabilitação das águas subterrâneas do aquífero superior do Seixal, contaminadas pela fábrica de explosivos da Sociedade Portuguesa de Explosivos Lda. (SPEL) e simultaneamente desenvolver metodologias de tratamento in situ. Essas metodologias deveriam ser eficazes e de baixo custo, recorrendo a processos geoquímicos e bioquímicos, utilizando estirpes bacterianos adequadas e/ou residentes. O presente artigo pretende fazer o ponto de situação dos trabalhos realizados, nomeadamente de caracterização hidrogeoquímica, geofísica e do microbiota do aquífero superficial, tendo sido possível isolar estirpes com potencial para a remediação biológica da contaminação detectada

Partitioning and sourcing of evapotranspiration using coupled MARMITES-MODFLOW model, La Mata catchment (Spain)

The new, two-way coupled, distributed and transient MARMITES-MODFLOW (MM-MF) model, coupling land surface and soil zone domains with groundwater, is presented. It implements model-based partitioning and sourcing of subsurface evapotranspiration (ETss) as part of spatio-temporal water balance (WB). The partitioning of ETss involves its separation into evaporation (E) and transpiration (T), while the sourcing of E and T involves separation of each of the two into soil zone (Esoil and Tsoil) and groundwater (Eg and Tg) components. The objective of that development was to understand the system dynamics of a catchment with shallow water table, through spatio-temporal quantification of water fluxes and evaluation of their importance in water balances, focusing on the Eg and Tg components of ETss. While the Eg is computed using formulation from published study, the Tg is obtained through a novel phenomenological function, based on soil moisture availability and transpiration demand driven by climatic conditions. The MM-MF model was applied in the small La Mata catchment (~4.8 km2, Salamanca Province, Spain), characterized by semi-arid climate, granitic bedrock, shallow water table and sparse oak woodland. The main catchment characteristics were obtained using remote sensing, non-invasive hydrogeophysics and classical field data acquisition. The MM-MF model was calibrated in transient, using daily data of five hydrological years, between 1st October 2008 and 30th September 2013. The WB confirmed dependence of groundwater exfiltration on gross recharge. These two water fluxes, together with infiltration and Esoil, constituted the largest subsurface water fluxes. The Eg was higher than the Tg, which is explained by low tree coverage (~7%). Considering seasonal variability, Eg and Tg were larger in dry seasons than in wet season, when solar radiation was the largest and soil moisture the most depleted. A relevant observation with respect to tree transpiration was that during dry seasons, the decline of Tsoil, associated with the decline of soil moisture, was compensated by increase of Tg, despite continuously declining water table. However, in dry seasons, T was far below the atmospheric evaporative demand, indicating that the groundwater uptake by the tree species of this study constituted a survival strategy and not a mechanism for continued plant growth. The presented MM-MF model allowed to analyze catchment water dynamics and water balance in detail, accounting separately for impacts of evaporation and transpiration processes on groundwater resources. With its unique capability of partitioning and sourcing of ETss, the MM-MF model is particularly suitable for mapping groundwater dependent ecosystems, but also for analyzing impacts of climate and land cover changes on groundwater resources

Contribuciones de la hidrogeofísica al modelo hidrogeológico conceptual del acuífero costero de la Albufeira-Ribeira de Quarteira en Algarve, Portugal

Geoelectrical and electromagnetic (time and frequency domains) hydrogeophysical methods were applied and jointly interpreted together with auxiliary information such as regional piezometric maps, borehole lithological logs and offshore data. The objective was to retrieve the structure and geometry of the Albufeira-Ribeira de Quarteira coastal aquifer system (Algarve, Portugal) and to upgrade the current hydrogeological conceptual model. The results allowed for the detection of the freshwater–saltwater interface along the coastline and identification of the water-bearing layers and aquitards and their hydraulic relationships. An explanation for the location of the inter- and subtidal fresh groundwater discharge is also presented and a new modeling unit is proposed for groundwater flow modeling. Limitations of the used hydrogeophysical methods are indicated and recommendations are made for follow-up studies