Premium
A Multiscale Investigation of Ground Water Flow at Clear Lake, Iowa
Author(s) -
Simpkins William W.
Publication year - 2005
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.1745-6584.2005.00084.x
Subject(s) - inflow , outflow , hydrology (agriculture) , base flow , environmental science , groundwater , water quality , water level , hydraulic head , geology , geotechnical engineering , drainage basin , ecology , oceanography , cartography , geography , biology
Ground water flow was investigated at Clear Lake, a 1468‐ha glacial lake in north‐central Iowa, as part of a comprehensive water quality study. A multiscale approach, consisting of seepage meters (and a potentiomanometer), Darcy's law, and an analytic element (AE) model, was used to estimate ground water inflow to and outflow from the lake. Estimates from the three methods disagreed. Seepage meters recorded a median‐specific discharge of 0.25 μm/s, which produced a lake inflow rate between 90,750 and 138,200 m 3 /d, but no detectable outflow. A wave‐induced Bernoulli effect probably compromised both inflow and outflow measurements. Darcy's law was applied to 11 zones around the lake, producing inflow and outflow values of 10,500 and 5000 m 3 /d, respectively. The AE model, GFLOW, coupled with the parameter estimation model, UCODE, simulated ground water flow in a 700‐km 2 region using 31 hydraulic head and base flow measurements as calibration targets. The model produced ground water inflow and outflow rates of 14,300 and 9200 m 3 /d, respectively. Although not a substitute for field data, the model's ability to simulate ground water flow to the lake and the region, estimate uncertainty for model parameters, and calculate a lake stage and associated lake water balance makes it a powerful tool for water quality management and an attractive alternative to the traditional methods of ground water/lake investigation.