Evolving concepts and communication: what do we need to evaluate better regional groundwater flow?
- 1Department of Geology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary (judit.szonyi@ttk.elte.hu)
- 2Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- 3College of Science & Engineering, National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- 4Independent Expert, Pressure and Fluid Flow Systems, Delft, The Netherlands
- 5MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
- 6Institute of Geography, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- 7Department of Geology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
The theory of regional groundwater flow is sixty years old in 2023, which has made it possible to evaluate groundwater flow systems and evolution in sedimentary basins. Recently, the approach has been extended to different environments in the Earth's crust. By applying regional groundwater flow theory, we can solve groundwater issues on a larger scale than for single aquifers. Application of the concept contributes to all practical aspects of groundwater topics, including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for water.
However, the developed terms related to groundwater flow evaluation need to be more strictly defined and clarified for interpreting complex hydrogeological flow systems. The presentation summarizes the results of discussions among RGFC-IAH board members on this topic and tries to provide some necessary frameworks for the future application of the concept.
At regional scales, groundwater flow evaluation should include the concept of aquifer systems. The term artesian basin has become obsolete because it implies impermeable layers in natural environments; groundwater basin is preferred instead. Sedimentary basin is a broader term which can contain more than one groundwater basin. For the goals of flow system evaluation, the term groundwater basins can be used, which are characterized by siliciclastic basin fill and basement aquifer systems. The full-groundwater basin is required for 2D and 3D interpretations, because half- (or symmetric-) basin assessment can provide misleading results. Hydraulic continuity is a fundamental principle in groundwater flow evaluation, it can be assumed in groundwater basins across multiple aquifers, aquitards and faults, as long as one has no contradicting evidence. Conceptual groundwater flow models need to be tested with specific field data, numerical simulations and groundwater flow-related manifestations.
The presentation aims to initiate a discussion on improving the application of regional groundwater flow theory. The conference presentation is supported by the National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, RRF-2.3.1- 21-2022-00014 project.
How to cite: Mádl-Szőnyi, J., Molson, J., Batelaan, O., Verweij, H., Jiang, X.-W., Carrillo-Rivera, J. J., and Tóth, Á.: Evolving concepts and communication: what do we need to evaluate better regional groundwater flow?, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-14159, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-14159, 2023.
