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Numerical modeling of seawater intrusion into endorheic hydrological systems

Modélisation numérique d’une intrusion marine dans un système hydrologique endoréique

Modelado numérico de la intrusión de agua de mar en sistemas hidrológicos endorreicos

Modelação numérica de intrusão de água salina em sistemas hidrológicos endorreicos

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Abstract

Several groundwater endorheic base levels are known in different parts of the world. Some of them allow seawater encroachment into them. Two examples of such groundwater systems, at Lake Asal in the Afar Depression of East Africa and Lago Enriquillo in the Dominican Republic, have been modeled using FEFLOW. The simulated flow pattern reproduces the seawater encroachment all the way from the sea to the endorheic base level. When the water in that base level undergoes concentration to brine through evaporation, the dense brine starts to flow below the encroaching seawater body in the opposite direction toward the sea. These processes reach steady-state conditions in a relatively short time of several hundred years.

Résumé

On connaît plusieurs niveaux de base d’aquifères endoréiques dans différentes parties du globe. Quelques uns permettent une invasion marine. Deux systèmes aquifères ainsi pris pour exemples au lac Asal dans la dépression Afar en Afrique de l’Est et à Lago Enriquillo en République Dominicaine ont été modélisés en utilisant FEFLOW. Le modèle d’écoulement utilisé reproduit l’intrusion marine sur toute la distance entre la mer et le niveau de base endoréique. Quand l’eau de ce niveau de base subit une concentration en saumure par évaporation, la saumure dense commence à s’écouler sous la masse d’eau marine invasive en direction opposée vers la mer. Ce processus s’établit en régime permanent dans un temps relativement court de plusieurs centaines d’années.

Resumen

Diversos niveles de base endorreicos de aguas subterráneas se conocen en diferentes partes del mundo. Algunos de ellos permiten la invasión de agua de mar en ellos. Se modelan dos ejemplos de tales sistemas de agua subterránea, en el Lago Asal en la Depresión Afar de África del Este y en el Lago Enriquillo en la República Dominicana usando FEFLOW. El patrón de flujo simulado reproduce la invasión de agua de mar desde el mar hacia el nivel de base endorreico. Cuando el agua en el nivel de base sufre la concentración a salmuera por evaporación, la salmuera densa comienza a fluir por debajo del cuerpo de agua de mar invasora en dirección opuesta hacia el mar. Estos procesos alcanzan condiciones de estado estacionario en un tiempo relativamente corto de varios cientos de años.

Resumo

São conhecidos vários níveis de base de água subterrânea endorreicos em diversas partes do mundo. Alguns deles permitem a entrada de água marinha para dentro deles. Dois exemplos destes sistemas de água subterrânea, o Lago Asal, na Depressão de Afar, África Oriental, e o Lago Enriquillo, na República Dominicana, foram modelados com recurso ao FEFLOW. O padrão de fluxo simulado reproduz todo o caminho de entrada de água a partir do mar para o nível de base endorreico. Quando a água no nível de base atinge a concentração de salmoura através da evaporação, a salmoura densa começa a fluir por baixo da água marinha infiltrada na bacia, deslocando-se na direção oposta, em direção ao mar. Estes processos atingem as condições de estado estacionário no tempo relativamente curto de várias centenas de anos

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Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to Batsheva Cohen from the Geological Survey of Israel who helped with the drafting of the figures. Thanks are also due to associate editor Ward E. Sanford, editor Vincent Post, reviewer Tracy Nishikawa and to anonymous reviewers who contributed to the improvement of the manuscript.

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  1. Geological Survey of Israel, 30 Malchei Israel St, Jerusalem, 95501, Israel

    U. Kafri, E. Shalev, V. Lyakhovsky, S. Wollman & Y. Yechieli

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  1. U. Kafri
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  2. E. Shalev
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  3. V. Lyakhovsky
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  4. S. Wollman
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  5. Y. Yechieli
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Correspondence to V. Lyakhovsky.

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Kafri, U., Shalev, E., Lyakhovsky, V. et al. Numerical modeling of seawater intrusion into endorheic hydrological systems. Hydrogeol J 21, 1001–1010 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-013-0972-5

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