A Geology-Based Estimate of Connate Water Salinity Distribution

Abstract

The purpose of this Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) is to document a geology-based interpolation method developed to estimate the salinity distribution of connate water with limited number of field data, where the estimated salinity distribution can be used subsequently in groundwater modeling for decision making. Connate water is the water entrapped in the interstices of sedimentary rocks at the time of deposition (when the rocks were formed). This water often has a high mineral content and can be exceedingly saline in rock formed under marine conditions. This poses serious environmental concerns if connate water is mobilized into shallow aquifers or surface water systems. Estimating the distribution of connate water is necessary for evaluating connate water migration due to disturbances, whether or not they are human induced. The estimation method presented in this technical note was developed to provide an estimated distribution of connate water by associating limited salinity data with the layered geologic model developed using much more comprehensive information. The goal of this approach is to use alternative information sources (in this case, the geologic layering) to inform the estimation of the salinity distribution throughout the model domain rather than simply interpolating from a limited set of data points. The connate water distribution estimated with this method has been used in simulating for density-dependent groundwater flow and salinity transport near the Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) surrounding Lake Okeechobee in Florida. The simulations were conducted using the subsurface module of the WASH123D model (Yeh et al. 2006). The HHD groundwater modeling was conducted to investigate the impact from the installation of a cutoff wall along the HHD on the groundwater flow patterns near the HHD.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA609371

Entities

People

  • Hwai-ping Cheng
  • Kevin D. Winters
  • Mark D. Shafer
  • Ryan E. Pickett
  • Stephen M. England
  • Tricia M. North

Organizations

  • Engineer Research and Development Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army
  • Boreholes
  • Coefficients
  • Engineers
  • Flow Fields
  • Fluids
  • Geologic Models
  • Groundwater
  • Interpolation
  • Salinity
  • Salt Water
  • Sampling
  • Sedimentary Rocks
  • Simulations
  • Water
  • Water Quality
  • Water Supplies

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Coastal and Marine Engineering/Sediment Transport/Hydraulic Engineering
  • Geotechnical Engineering.
  • Groundwater Contamination Remediation.