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How preferential flow delivers pre‐event groundwater rapidly to streams
Author(s) -
Worthington Stephen R.H.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.13520
Subject(s) - aquifer , groundwater , geology , bedrock , streams , hydrograph , groundwater flow , flood myth , hydrology (agriculture) , flow (mathematics) , groundwater discharge , soil science , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , mechanics , computer network , philosophy , theology , computer science , physics
Groundwater often accounts for a substantial fraction of flood hydrographs, but the processes responsible for this have been unclear. However, many aquifers have preferential flow and this explains how aquifers can be so responsive. In bedrock aquifers, weathering enhances the connectivity and apertures along the most efficient flow paths and hence enhances the permeability. This results in celerities and velocities of the preferential flow in these dual‐porosity aquifers that are two to three orders of magnitude higher than if the aquifers behaved as single‐porosity media. The celerities have been determined from artificial and natural flood pulses, from tidal lags, and from pumping tests. Preferential‐flow velocities have been calculated from tests using applied tracers. Celerities in bedrock aquifers are typically one to two orders of magnitude faster than velocities. The ubiquitous preferential flow in aquifers provides an additional explanation, besides groundwater ridging, for the rapid release of groundwater to streams during storm events.