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Analytical Solutions of Travel Time to a Pumping Well with Variable Evapotranspiration
Author(s) -
Chen TianFei,
Wang XuSheng,
Wan Li,
Li Hailong
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/gwat.12069
Subject(s) - modflow , evapotranspiration , aquifer , groundwater , water table , groundwater model , environmental science , dimensionless quantity , groundwater flow , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , geology , mechanics , geotechnical engineering , physics , ecology , biology
Analytical solutions of groundwater travel time to a pumping well in an unconfined aquifer have been developed in previous studies, however, the change in evapotranspiration was not considered. Here, we develop a mathematical model of unconfined flow toward a discharge well with redistribution of groundwater evapotranspiration for travel time analysis. Dependency of groundwater evapotranspiration on the depth to water table is described using a linear formula with an extinction depth. Analytical solutions of groundwater level and travel time are obtained. For a typical hypothetical example, these solutions perfectly agree with the numerical simulation results based on MODFLOW and MODPATH . As indicated in a dimensionless framework, a lumped parameter which is proportional to the pumping rate controls the distributions of groundwater evapotranspiration rate and the travel time along the radial direction.