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Controls on groundwater flow in the Bengal Basin of India and Bangladesh: regional modeling analysis

Contrôles de l’écoulement de l’eau souterraine dans le Bassin du Bengale en Inde et au Bengladesh : analyse d’une modélisation régionale

Controles sobre el flujo de agua subterránea en la cuenca de Bengala de India y Bangladesh: análisis de modelado regional

孟加盆地地下水流动的控制因素 : 区域模拟分析

Controladores do fluxo de água subterrânea na Bacia de Bengala (Índia e Bangladesh): análise de um modelo regional

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Abstract

Groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes is produced primarily from shallow parts of the Bengal Basin aquifer system (India and Bangladesh), which contains high concentrations of dissolved arsenic (exceeding worldwide drinking water standards), though deeper groundwater is generally low in arsenic. An essential first step for determining sustainable management of the deep groundwater resource is identification of hydrogeologic controls on flow and quantification of basin-scale groundwater flow patterns. Results from groundwater modeling, in which the Bengal Basin aquifer system is represented as a single aquifer with higher horizontal than vertical hydraulic conductivity, indicate that this anisotropy is the primary hydrogeologic control on the natural flowpath lengths. Despite extremely low hydraulic gradients due to minimal topographic relief, anisotropy implies large-scale (tens to hundreds of kilometers) flow at depth. Other hydrogeologic factors, including lateral and vertical changes in hydraulic conductivity, have minor effects on overall flow patterns. However, because natural hydraulic gradients are low, the impact of pumping on groundwater flow is overwhelming; modeling indicates that pumping has substantially changed the shallow groundwater budget and flowpaths from predevelopment conditions.

Résumé

L’eau souterraine à usage domestique et destinée à l’irrigation est fournie essentiellement par les parties peu profondes du système aquifère du Bassin du Bengale (Inde et Bengladesh), qui renferme des concentrations élevées en arsenic dissous (dépassant les normes du monde entier pour l’eau potable), alors que l’eau souterraine plus profonde est en général pauvre en arsenic.Une première démarche essentielle pour déterminer la gestion durable de la ressource en eau souterraine profonde est l’identification des contrôles hydrogéologiques de l’écoulement et la quantification des schémas d’écoulement de l’eau souterraine à l’échelle du bassin. Les résultats de la modélisation de l’eau souterraine, dans laquelle le système aquifère du Bassin du Bengale est représenté comme un aquifère unique avec une conductivité horizontale supérieurs à la verticale, indiquent que cette anisotropie est le principal contrôle hydrogéologique des longueurs des lignes d’écoulement naturel. En dépit de gradients hydrauliques extrêmement faibles du fait d’une topographie avec un relief minime, l’anisotropie implique un écoulement à grande échelle (dizaines à centaines de kilomètres) en profondeur. D’autres facteurs hydrogéologiques, incluant des modifications latérales et verticales de la conductivité hydraulique, ont des effets mineurs sur les schémas d’ensemble de l’écoulement. Cependant, parce que les gradients hydrauliques sont faibles, l’impact du pompage sur l’eau souterraine est dévastateur ; la modélisation montre que le pompage a modifié de façon substantielle la ressource en eau souterraine et les directions d’écoulement par rapport aux conditions précédant l’exploitation.

Resumen

El agua subterránea para uso doméstico e irrigación proviene básicamente de las partes poco profundas del sistema acuífero de la cuenca de Bengala (India y Bangladesh), la cual contiene altas concentraciones de arsénico disuelto (que exceden los estándares internacionales para agua potable), aunque el agua subterránea más profunda posee generalmente un contenido bajo en arsénico. Un primer paso esencial para determinar el manejo sustentable del recurso subterráneo profundo es la identificación de los controles hidrogeológicos sobre el flujo y la cuantificación de los esquemas de flujo subterráneo en la escala de la cuenca. Los resultados del modelado de las aguas subterráneas, en el cual el sistema acuífero de la cuenca de Bengala está representado por un acuífero simple con una conductividad hidráulica horizontal mayor que la vertical, indican que esta anisotropía es el control hidrogeológico básico en la trayectoria natural del flujo. A pesar de los extremadamente bajos gradientes hidráulicos debido al relieve topográfico mínimo, la anisotropía implica flujo a gran escala en profundidad (decenas a cientos de kilómetros). Otros factores hidrogeológicos, que incluyen cambios laterales y verticales en la conductividad hidráulica, tienen efectos menores en el esquema global de flujo. Sin embargo, debido a que los gradientes hidráulicos naturales son bajos, el impacto del bombeo sobre el flujo de agua subterránea es abrumador; el modelado indica que el bombeo ha cambiado sustancialmente el balance del agua subterránea poco profunda y los flujos con respecto a las condiciones prevalentes con anterioridad al desarrollo.

摘要

作为生活和灌溉用水的地下水主要取自孟加盆地含水层系统 (印度和孟加拉) 的浅部, 其溶解砷含量较高 (超过世界饮用水标准), 而该含水层深部地下水的砷含量通常较低. 确定深层地下水资源可持续管理方案的第一个必要步骤是查明水文地质条件对水流的控制作用和量化流域尺度的地下水流场. 将孟加拉盆地含水层系统概化为单层含水层, 其水平方向渗透系数大于垂向. 地下水模拟结果表明, 各项异性是控制自然径流路径长度的主要水文地质因素. 尽管由于地形起伏很小导致水力梯度极低, 各项异性预示深部存在大尺度的径流 (数十至数百千米). 其它水文地质因素, 包括渗透系数的横向和垂向变化, 对整个流场影响较小. 但因自然水力梯度小, 抽水对地下水流的影响显著. 模拟表明, 与开采前相比, 抽水已显著改变了浅层地下水的均衡和径流路径.

Resumo

A água subterrânea para fins domésticos e de irrigação é produzida, principalmente, a partir das zonas mais superficiais do sistema aquífero da Bacia de Bengala (Índia e Bangladesh), as quais contém altas concentrações de arsénio dissolvido (excedendo os valores mundiais de referência para a água potável), embora as águas subterrâneas mais profundas apresentem, geralmente, valores mais baixos em arsénio. Um primeiro passo, essencial para a determinação de uma gestão sustentável dos recursos hídricos subterrâneos profundos, é a identificação dos controladores hidrogeológicos do fluxo e a quantificação, à escala da bacia, dos principais fluxos das águas subterrâneas. Os resultados da modelação numérica das águas subterrâneas, em que o sistema aquífero da Bacia de Bengala é representado como um único aquífero, com condutividade hidráulica horizontal maior que a condutividade vertical, indicam que esta é a anisotropia hidrogeológica primária que controla o escoamento subterrâneo. Apesar dos gradientes hidráulicos serem extremamente baixos, devido ao facto do relevo topográfico ser mínimo, a anisotropia implica fluxos em profundidade em larga escala (dezenas a centenas de quilómetros). Outros factores hidrogeológicos, incluindo mudanças laterais e verticais da condutividade hidráulica, têm efeitos menores sobre os padrões globais de fluxo. No entanto, devido aos gradientes hidráulicos naturais serem baixos, o impacte do bombeamento no fluxo subterrâneo é extraordinário; a modelação dos escoamentos indica que o bombeamento mudou substancialmente o balanço hidrológico subterrâneo mais próximo da superfície e os escoamentos, quando comparados com as condições iniciais.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to K.M. Ahmed (University of Dhaka), A. Zahid (Bangladesh Water Development Board and University of Dhaka), M.A. Hoque (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), S.P. Sinha Ray (Centre for Groundwater Studies), P. Sikdar and P. Sahu (Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management) and S. Chakraborty (Bengal Engineering and Science University) for technical advice and ongoing cooperation; to J. Whitney and D. Clark (U.S. Geological Survey) for initiating and supporting this project; to G. Howard, R. Johnston, and R. Nickson for their support, to M. Allison (Tulane University) and S. Goodbred (Vanderbilt University) for insights into Bengal Basin geology; and to C. West, A.H.M. Shamsuddin, and J. Coleman of UNOCAL for geologic information. The project was funded by UNICEF, the Arsenic Policy Support Unit of the British Department for International Development, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Thanks are also due to the Government of Bangladesh through the Department of Public Health and Engineering and the Bangladesh Water Development Board. We also thank the technical reviewers of this manuscript. This work was conducted, in part, while H.M. was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associate at the U.S. Geological Survey (2005–2006).

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  1. Department of Geological Sciences, College of Marine and Earth Studies, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA

    Holly A. Michael

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, VA, 20192, USA

    Holly A. Michael & Clifford I. Voss

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  1. Holly A. Michael
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Michael, H.A., Voss, C.I. Controls on groundwater flow in the Bengal Basin of India and Bangladesh: regional modeling analysis. Hydrogeol J 17, 1561–1577 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-008-0429-4

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