Modélisation régionale et locale sur base des données de la carte géologique

in Renard, José (Ed.) La carte hydrogéologique de Wallonie : un outil au service de tous - Synthèse des exposés (2013, April)

Evaluation qualitative et quantitative des ressources en eau souterraine dasn le bassin de Dargol (Liptako – Niger)

Conference (2012, November)

Située dans la partie Sud-Ouest du Niger, le bassin de Dargol appartient à la région de socle précambrien du Liptako. L’étude du chimisme des eaux souterraines révèle trois types de faciès dont le plus ... [more ▼]

Située dans la partie Sud-Ouest du Niger, le bassin de Dargol appartient à la région de socle précambrien du Liptako. L’étude du chimisme des eaux souterraines révèle trois types de faciès dont le plus dominant est le type bicarbonaté calcique à magnésien (65%). Environ 47% d’ouvrages ont des teneurs en nitrates dépassant largement les normes OMS (50 mg/l). Les teneurs en isotopes stables (δ18O, δ2H) de la nappe indiquent deux mécanismes de recharge: une recharge directe par les eaux des pluies peu ou pas évaporées, et une recharge indirecte par les eaux évaporées issues des lits de koris et des eaux de surface. L’analyse des teneurs en tritium de la nappe indique que la recharge est récente pour la majorité des points investigués. En revanche, dans le secteur à faibles teneurs en tritium, le taux de renouvellement semble être faible voire nul. [less ▲]

Modélisation régionale des eaux souterraines dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre de la Directive Cadre sur l’Eau : exemple du projet Synclin’Eau

Conference (2012, October 10)

BIERSET – Réhabilitation de la carrière Lemaire - Piézomètres de contrôle - Prélèvements d’eau du 19 mars 2012

Report (2012)

How tracer tests simulations strongly constrain flow and solute transport models in fractured chalk aquifers

Conference (2012, May)

Flow and solute transport in the saturated zone of a micro-fissured and fractured chalk aquifer (Geer basin, Belgium) has been studied by more than 35 tracer tests in 11 sites. The tracer tests campaign ... [more ▼]

Flow and solute transport in the saturated zone of a micro-fissured and fractured chalk aquifer (Geer basin, Belgium) has been studied by more than 35 tracer tests in 11 sites. The tracer tests campaign was preceded by a morphostructural study associated to a geophysical survey including electrical resistivity and refraction seismic measurements. Results provided information on the main expected fracturation axis where a series of injection and monitoring wells were drilled. In each of the 11 sites, multi-tracer tests have been performed in groundwater convergent flow conditions to pumping wells or draining galleries (used for drinking water production). The analysis of the detailed quantitative breakthrough curves allowed identifying various transport behaviours, from rapid advective to dominant dispersive processes with immobile water effects. Groundwater flow and solute transport in such a fractured chalk can be simulated using different conceptual approaches. Using HYDROGEOSPHERE (Therrien and Sudicky, 1996), a comparison is made between two ways for representing the fracture zones: (1) high contrasted hydraulic conductivity zones with a classical REV approach and (2) the explicit representation of discrete fractures interacting with a porous medium. Promising results are found using the discrete approach for representing the fractures. In this last case, an aperture of the order of the millimetre is enough for creating, where it is needed, a fast advective peak combined with a long highly dispersive component due to the chalk matrix. The discrete fracture approach prevents the modeller from introducing unrealistic parameters values in the fracture zones as it is generally the case in the classical REV-based method where the fractured zones are simply represented by elongated REV. However, it is shown that the availability of field data, as multi-tracers test results, creates very high constraints to be taken into account in the calibration processes (i.e calibration on the measured groundwater flow and transport conditions). The detailed calibration on the different breakthrough curves is not an easy task and automatic calibration is not easy to organize. Results are particularly illustrative to show that a detailed parameterization and calibration of such a local situation remain difficult. Perspectives will be discussed about the potential use of automatic calibration tools as UCODE_2005 or PEST for solving such local situation models and the needed further steps for ‘upscaling’ local situation models at the scale of the whole aquifer or groundwater body. [less ▲]

A regional flux-based risk assessment approach for multiple contaminated sites on groundwater bodies

in Journal of Contaminant Hydrology (2012), 127(1-4), 65-75

In the context of the Water Framework Directive (EP and CEU, 2000), management plans have to be set up to monitor and to maintain water quality in groundwater bodies in the EU. In heavily industrialized ... [more ▼]

In the context of the Water Framework Directive (EP and CEU, 2000), management plans have to be set up to monitor and to maintain water quality in groundwater bodies in the EU. In heavily industrialized and urbanized areas, the cumulative effect of multiple contaminant sources is likely and has to be evaluated. In order to propose adequate measures, the calculated risk should be based on criteria reflecting the risk of groundwater quality deterioration, in a cumulative manner and at the scale of the entire groundwater body. An integrated GIS- and flux-based risk assessment approach for groundwater bodies is described, with a regional scale indicator for evaluating the quality status of the groundwater body. It is based on the SEQ-ESO currently used in the Walloon Region of Belgium which defines, for different water uses and for a detailed list of groundwater contaminants, a set of threshold values reflecting the levels of water quality and degradation with respect to each contaminant. The methodology is illustrated with first results at a regional scale on a groundwater body-scale application to a contaminated alluvial aquifer which has been classified to be at risk of not reaching a good quality status by 2015. These first results show that contaminants resulting from old industrial activities in that area are likely to contribute significantly to the degradation of groundwater quality. However, further investigations are required on the evaluation of the actual polluting pressures before any definitive conclusion be established. [less ▲]

Flux-based risk assessment of the impact of contamnants on water ressources and ecosystems - FRAC-WECO.

Report (2012)

Etude d’amélioration et d’extension du suivi piézométrique des nappes superficielles sur le territoire du Parc naturel transfrontalier du Hainaut (PNTH)

Report (2011)

Assessing the impacts of technical uncertainty on coupled surface/subsurface flow model predictions using a complex synthetic case

Poster (2011, September)

According to the EU Water Framework Directive, Member States have to manage surface water and groundwater at the water body scale and in an integrated way. Flow and transport models constitute useful ... [more ▼]

According to the EU Water Framework Directive, Member States have to manage surface water and groundwater at the water body scale and in an integrated way. Flow and transport models constitute useful management tools in this context since they can predict system responses to future stresses. However, numerical modelling at such a scale faces specific issues linked to (1) the representation of the geological and hydrogeological complexity, (2) the uneven level of characterisation knowledge, (3) the representativity of measured parameters and variables in the field, and (4) the CPU time needed for solving the numerical problem. Assumptions and simplifications made for dealing with these issues can lead to a series of models differing by their complexity and by the reliability of their predictions. Consequently, modellers have to find a compromise between complexity and reliability. The main objective of this research is to estimate the impacts of technical uncertainty, which is the uncertainty related to the numerical implementation, on groundwater flow model predictions. To reach that objective, the methodology consists in comparing reference predictions (hydraulic heads and flow rates) of a complex and close to reality synthetic case with the predictions provided by a series of simplified models (coarse spatial discretisation, coarse time discretisation, simplified law in the unsaturated zone). The synthetic case reflects the main characteristics found in groundwater bodies of South Belgium (Condroz region of Wallonia), characterised by a succession of limestone synclines and sandstone anticlines. The numerical model is developed with the fully-integrated surface/subsurface flow and transport code HydroGeoSphere using a mesh refined along the surface water network (153027 nodes and 269872 elements). A 5-year reference transient simulation, with daily stress factors is performed. The simulated hydraulic heads and flow rates constitute the reference observations and predictions for the comparison with the simplified models. The simplified models tested differ by their horizontal (500 m vs. 1000 m element size) and vertical (8 layers vs. 3 layers) spatial discretisations, their time discretisation (daily vs. monthly stress factors), and the type of constitutive law used for simulating the unsaturated flow (linear vs. van Genuchten). The models are run with the same parameter values than those used in the reference model to evaluate the deterioration in model predictions due to technical uncertainty. Additionally, some of the models are calibrated with the inverse modelling code PEST to distinguish how far a model calibration can possibly compensate for technical uncertainty. Then, predictions from each simplified model are compared with the reference predictions of the synthetic case. Then, the simplified models are ranked using several model performance criteria. Results of this research provide guidelines for the numerical implementation of groundwater flow models at the water body scale with respect to specific groundwater management objectives. [less ▲]

Regional scale groundwater flow and transport modelling: from conceptual challenges to pragmatic numerical solutions

Conference (2011, July 05)

National and international regulations require the management of groundwater resources at the regional scale, considering the physical limits of hydrogeological systems. Physically-based, spatially ... [more ▼]

National and international regulations require the management of groundwater resources at the regional scale, considering the physical limits of hydrogeological systems. Physically-based, spatially-distributed groundwater flow and transport models allow representing in a realistic and reliable way the dynamics of regional groundwater systems and processes and accounting for negative or positive feedbacks induced by a changed stress factors or particular measures set up in the basin such as increase in pumping, use of fertilizers or artificial recharge. Such models are complex and their development and implementation are challenging for several reasons related to numerical difficulties but also to data acquisition and management, conceptualization, calibration and validation. Variably-saturated, regional flow and transport models have been developed using two finite element simulators SUFT3D and HydroGeoSphere specifically suited to regional-scale applications. A complex synthetic case has been used as a reference model to test the impact on predictions made and computing times of various conceptual and technical choices such as spatial and time discretization, simplified unsaturated laws or boundary conditions. Real cases have been developed for regional groundwater bodies (from 500 to 1700 km²) to deliver relevant information such as the estimation and evolution with time of groundwater reserves, under different stress conditions such as climate changes and for the evaluation of regional groundwater quality status and nitrate trend assessment under alternative management scenarios and mitigation measures. Results provide guidelines for the conceptualisation, the calibration and the use of regional-scale groundwater flow and transport models for decision making. [less ▲]