A Method Combining Seepage Theory and Model Simulation for the Identification of Potential Groundwater Resources
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 12
Abstract
In recent years, climate change has caused extreme weather all over the world, including in Taiwan. Rainfall in Taiwan is distributed unevenly in both time and space, leading to a shortage of water resources which has become a pressing issue for the island. Groundwater plays a vital role as a backup and supplementary water resource. This study proposes a method that combines the seepage theorem, field observations, and a numerical simulation to identify high-potential groundwater resource regions to meet the demand for water supplies in future development. The Taichung Chingshui Coastal Plain (TCCP) was selected as a study area for testing the method. Two new wells were drilled in the area to obtain additional information to supplement the analysis of groundwater levels (GLs). Results indicate that the hydrological and hydrogeological parameters (e.g., Manning’s coefficients, hydraulic conductivity, and formation thickness) can be obtained reasonably by comparing the numerical simulation with the observed GLs. It was found that the Dadu, Waipu, and Qingshui districts are the top three areas with higher potential groundwater resources in the TCCP. Data from the observations wells and in situ pumping stations verified our simulation results, which showed that our proposed methodology is advantageous. The research results can help improve the effective use of existing groundwater resources and assist with water resource development and sustainable usage.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Water Resources Planning Institute, Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs, under Grant No. MOEAWRA1090264.
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Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 27 • Issue 12 • December 2022
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Apr 1, 2022
Accepted: Jul 18, 2022
Published online: Sep 27, 2022
Published in print: Dec 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Feb 27, 2023
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