Journal of Ecohydrology

Journal of Ecohydrology

Evaluation of saline water intrusion treatment strategies using numerical simulation (Case study: Astaneh Kuchesfahan plain aquifer)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Javid beheshti 1
Saman Javadi
Seyed abbas Hosseini 2
Hamid kardan moghaddam 3
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch
3 Department of Water resources research, Water research institute, Ministry of energy, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/ije.2022.331995.1563
Abstract
One of the new challenges in exploiting groundwater resources is seawater intrusion. Unplanned increase in exploitation reduced the groundwater level, which reduced the hydraulic gradient of the shoreline and in some areas reverses the groundwater flow and leads to groundwater salinization. This study examine the seawater intrusion strategies in the Astana-Kuchesfahan coastal aquifer using numerical simulation. Examination of the current status of this aquifer using SEAWAT package was indicated the intrusion of 740 meters of seawater to the aquifer over a 5 years period showed that in order to manage this pressing matter, 19 management strategies (reduction of groundwater exploitation), structural and subsurface dam) and integrated (managerial and structural) to reduce the seawater intrusion was presented. The simulation results of different treatment strategies were evaluated using the aquifer qualitative stability index, which is based on the amount of saline water regression. The results showed that this index was calculated between 14% and 65% for the defined solutions. The highest relative aquifer improvement is related to S18 solution with 20% reduction in groundwater exploitation, artificial recharge and subsurface dam and the lowest relative aquifer improvement is related to S1 solution with 5% reduction in operation. The results showed that S1 solution was associated with 100 m water retreat and S18 solution was associated with 480 m saline water retreat. The results can be used for groundwater exploitation management in this coastal aquifer.
Keywords
SEAWAT package
management strategy
saline water intrusion
harvest reduction
simulation
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Journal of Ecohydrology
Volume 9, Issue 1
Spring 2022
Pages 211-225

  • Receive Date 23 September 2021
  • Revise Date 30 November 2021
  • Accept Date 31 January 2022
  • First Publish Date 21 March 2022
  • Publish Date 21 March 2022