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Assessing Lakebed Hydraulic Conductivity and Seepage Flux by Potentiomanometer
Author(s) -
Ong John B.,
Zlotnik Vitaly A.
Publication year - 2011
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.1745-6584.2010.00717.x
Subject(s) - hydraulic conductivity , piezometer , penetrometer , aquifer , hydraulic head , geology , head (geology) , flux (metallurgy) , soil science , geotechnical engineering , hydrology (agriculture) , mineralogy , geomorphology , materials science , groundwater , soil water , metallurgy
Potentiomanometers (PMs) are commonly used to determine flux directions across interfaces between surface waters and aquifers. We describe a complementary function: estimating small‐scale hydraulic conductivity ( K ) in a lakebed, using the constant‐head injection test (CHIT) by Cardenas and Zlotnik (2003) with the PM designed by Winter et al. (1988). A piezometer with a small screen is inserted into the lakebed. Local head potential is obtained by measuring the head difference between the test point and the aquifer interface. The piezometer is then used for water injection. This technique is illustrated by measurements taken from Alkali Lake in the Sand Hills, Nebraska, United States. Lakebed K and seepage fluxes ranged from 0.037 to 0.090 m/d and Darcy velocities ranged from 0.004 to 0.027 m/d. Results were consistent with the supplementary data gathered using a modified CHIT and a cone penetrometer. The compact size of the device and the small volumes used for injection enable this method to estimate lakebed K values as low as 0.01 to 0.1 m/d, a range seldom explored in lake‐aquifer interface systems.