Premium
Ground‐Water Modeling for Salinity Management: An Australian Case Study
Author(s) -
Ghassemi Fereidoun,
Jakeman Anthony J.,
Thomas Geoffrey A.
Publication year - 1989
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/j.1745-6584.1989.tb00462.x
Subject(s) - interception , environmental science , salinity , hydrogeology , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , irrigation , range (aeronautics) , water resource management , engineering , geology , ecology , geotechnical engineering , oceanography , biology , aerospace engineering
Recognition of the severity of land and stream salinity problems in Australia over the past few decades has resulted in the application of a range of mitigation strategies. In terms of stream salinity management, ground‐ water interception has proved the most cost‐effective strategy, and a number of ground‐water interception schemes have now been implemented. In all cases, the scheme design and assessment of feasibility were based on hydrogeological investigations only. This paper presents an analysis of ground‐water behavior associated with the Mildura interception scheme, illustrating the development and use of mathematical models of ground‐water flow in simulating a range of management options for the mitigation of river salinity. The study found that: over the period of simulation, the interception scheme had been operating below its achievable operational effectiveness, 48 compared to 72 percent; effectiveness could be further enhanced to 80 percent by judicious placement of three additional well fields; and improved irrigation practices in the area would significantly reduce the flow of salt to the river. The modeling approach applies to similar river salinity problems elsewhere.