Modeling Stream-Aquifer Interactions Under Seasonal Groundwater Pumping and Managed Aquifer Recharge

In South Korea, a significant amount of groundwater is used for the heating of water-curtain insulated greenhouses during the winter dry season, which had led to problems of groundwater depletion. A managed aquifer recharge (MAR) project is currently underway with the goal of preventing such groundwater depletion in a typical cultivation area, located on an alluvial aquifer near the Nam River. In the present study, FEFLOW, a three-dimensional finite element model, was used to evaluate different strategies for MAR of the cultivation areas. A conceptual model was developed to simulate the stream-aquifer dynamics under the influence of seasonal groundwater pumping and MAR. The optimal rates and duration of MAR were assessed by analyzing the recovery of the groundwater levels and the change in the groundwater temperature. The simulation results indicate that a MAR rate of 8000 m³ /d effectively restores the groundwater level when the injection wells are located inside the groundwater depletion area. It is also demonstrated that starting the MAR before the beginning of the seasonal pumping is more effective. Riverbank filtration is preferable for securing the injection water owing to plentiful source of induced recharge from the river. Locating the pumping wells adjacent to the river where there are thick permeable layers could be a good strategy for minimizing decreases in the groundwater level and temperature.