Reservoir with Groundwater Interaction
Model Description
Since the permeability of the bottom of a reservoir tends to decrease over time due to sedimentation, seepage from the reservoir into the surrounding groundwater aquifer is usually ignored. This said, it is possible for groundwater seepage to be a significant factor in overall reservoir losses for some sites and an appropriate method of seepage simulation should be considered. Some reservoirs are intentionally sited in locations were permeability is high as a way to inject water into the ground. This is referred to as aquifer storage recovery and it is becoming more popular as many groundwater aquifers are being mined of their water supply due to increased groundwater pumping.
One of the simplest ways to estimate seepage to groundwater is to develop a function related to reservoir depth. This usually requires the assumption that seepage flows are always a net loss from the reservoir, which is likely case for most sites. However, there are times when you might need to consider bi-directional flux due to seepage outflows and inflows, depending on the elevation of the reservoir pool compared to the surrounding groundwater levels.
This model allows for bi-directional flows between the reservoir and the groundwater under the reservoir.
Model Files
Screen Captures
Main model view:
Reservoir Operations Plot:
See Also
