Abstract
The Mancha Oriental System (MOS, 7,260 km2) is one of the largest aquifers within Spain, and is encompassed by the Jucar River Basin. Over the past 30 years, socioeconomic development within the region has been largely due to intensive use of groundwater resources for irrigating crops (1,000 km2). Groundwater pumping (406 million m3/year) has provoked a steady drop in the groundwater level and a reduction of MOS discharge to the Jucar River. The study aims to characterize the river–aquifer relationship, to determine the influence that groundwater abstraction has on the river discharge. This research has advanced a three-dimensional large-scale numerical groundwater-flow model (MODFLOW 2000) in order to spatially and temporally evaluate, quantify and predict the river–aquifer interactions that are influenced by groundwater abstraction in MOS. It is demonstrated that although groundwater abstraction increased considerably from the early 1980s to 2000, the depletion of water stored in the aquifer was lower than might be expected. This is mainly due to aquifer recharge from the Jucar River, induced by groundwater abstraction. The area of disconnection between the river and the water table (i.e. where groundwater head is lower than the riverbed) is found to have spread 20 km downstream from its position before pumping started.
Résumé
Le Système Mancha Oriental (SMO, 7,260 km2), inclus dans le Bassin de la Rivière Jucar, est l’un des aquifères les plus étendus d’Espagne. Durant les 30 dernières années, le développement socio-économique de la région a été largement dû à l’utilisation intensive des ressources en eau souterraine pour les cultures irriguées (1,000 km²). Le pompage des eaux souterraines (406 millions m3/an) a provoqué un abaissement permanent du niveau de l’eau souterraine et une réduction de la décharge du SMO vers la Rivière Jucar. L’étude vise à caractériser la relation rivière-nappe, afin de déterminer l’influence de ce prélèvement en eau souterraine sur le drainage par la rivière. Cette recherche a conduit à un modèle numérique tridimensionnel à grande échelle de l’écoulement souterrain (MODFLOW 2000), visant à évaluer dans l’espace et dans le temps, à quantifier et à prédire les interactions rivière–aquifère, qui sont influencées par les prélèvements souterrains dans le SMO. Il est démontré que, bien que les prélèvements aient considérablement augmenté entre le début des années 1980 et 2000, la baisse de l’eau stockée dans l’aquifère a été plus faible que ce à quoi l’on pouvait s’attendre. Ceci est principalement dû à la recharge de l’aquifère par la Rivière Jucar, induite par les prélèvements d’eau souterraine. On constate que la zone où se produit la discontinuité entre la rivière et la surface piézométrique (c’est à dire où la surface de la nappe est en-dessous du lit de la rivière) s’est étendue sur 20 km à l’aval de la position qu’elle occupait avant le début des pompages.
Resumen
El Sistema de la Mancha Oriental (MOS, 7,260 km2) es uno de los acuíferos más grandes dentro de España, y está comprendido por la Cuenca del Río Jucar. Durante los 30 años pasados, el desarrollo socioeconómico dentro de la región ha sido mayormente debido al uso intensivo de los recursos de agua subterránea para la irrigación de los cultivos (1,000 km2). El bombeo de agua subterránea (406 millones de m3/año) ha provocado una caída estacionaria en los niveles de agua subterránea y una reducción de la descarga del MOS al Río Jucar. El objetivo del estudio es caracterizar la relación acuífero–río, para determinar la influencia que la extracción de agua subterránea tiene sobre la descarga del río. Esta investigación ha recurrido a un modelo numérico de flujo de agua subterránea, tridimensional, a gran escala (MODFLOW 2000) con el objeto de evaluar, cuantificar y predecir temporal y espacialmente las interacciones río–acuífero que están influenciadas por la extracción de agua subterránea en el MOS. Se demuestra que a pesar que la extracción de agua subterránea se incrementó considerablemente a partir de los principios de 1980s a 2000, el agotamiento del agua almacenada en el acuífero fue menor que lo esperable. Esto es principalmente debido a la recarga del acuífero a partir del Río Jucar, inducida por la extracción de agua subterránea. Se encontró que el área de desconexión entre el río y el nivel freático (es decir donde la carga del agua subterránea es menor que el lecho del río) se había extendido 20 km aguas abajo desde su posición previa al comienzo del bombeo.
摘要
Mancha Oriental 地下水系统 (MOS , 面积为 7,260 km2) 是西班牙最大的含水层系统之一,且其被胡卡尔河盆地包围。在过去 30 年,该地区的社会经济发展很大程度上依赖了地下水资源的高强度利用,用于灌溉农作物 (1000 km2)。地下水 采 (406 × 106 m3/a) 引起地下水位的逐步下降以及 MOS 向胡卡尔河的排泄量的减少。本研究主要通过讨论河水–地下水相互作用 系,明确地下水 采对河流排泄量的影响。为了从空间和时间尺度来评价,本研究也优化了三维、大尺度的地下水数值模型 (MODFLOW2000),并在此基础上定量化研究及预测了MOS 地下水 采影响条件下河水与地下水相互作用 系。结果表明虽然从 1980 年初期到 2000 年来地下水 采量大幅增加,含水层中水量的消耗比想象中要少。这可能主要是由于地下水开采导致的胡卡尔河向含水层的补给。河流和地下水位分离的地区 (如地下水位低于河床的地区)与地下水开采前相比向下游蔓延了20 km。
Resumo
O Sistema da Mancha Oriental (SMO, 7,260 km2) é um dos maiores aquíferos de Espanha, e está enquadrado na Bacia do Rio Jucar. Nos últimos 30 anos, o desenvolvimento socioeconómico da região tem sido em grande parte suportado num uso intensivo dos recursos hídricos subterrâneos para rega (1,000 km2). A exploração de águas subterrâneas (406 milhões de m3/ano) tem provocado uma diminuição constante do nível freático e uma redução da descarga do SMO para o Rio Jucar. Este estudo pretende caracterizar a relação rio–aquífero, de modo a determinar a influência que os volumes de água subterrânea extraídos têm no caudal do rio. Para esse efeito foi implementado um modelo numérico de fluxo de água subterrânea (MODFLOW 2000), com base numa representação tridimensional do aquífero, a fim de avaliar espacial e temporalmente, quantificar e prever, as interacções rio–aquífero, que são influenciados pela captação de águas subterrâneas no SMO. Os resultados mostram que, apesar dos volumes captados terem aumentado consideravelmente desde o início de 1980 até 2000, o esgotamento da água armazenada no aquífero foi menor do que se poderia esperar. Este facto deve-se principalmente à recarga do aquífero pelo Rio Jucar, induzida pela exploração de água subterrânea. A área de desconexão entre o rio e o nível freático (isto é, onde a cota piezométrica é menor que a cota do fundo do rio) situa-se agora 20 km a jusante da sua posição original antes do inicio da bombagem no aquífero.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the Spanish Government under research grant CGL2008-06394-C02-02/BTE. Special thanks go to the Jucar Water Authority (CHJ) and stakeholders (JCRMO) in the Mancha Oriental System for providing the information necessary. The content of this report does not represent the view of CHJ and JCRMO.
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Sanz, D., Castaño, S., Cassiraga, E. et al. Modeling aquifer–river interactions under the influence of groundwater abstraction in the Mancha Oriental System (SE Spain). Hydrogeol J 19, 475–487 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-010-0694-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-010-0694-x