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Can Karst Conduit Models Be Calibrated? A Dual Approach Using Dye Tracing and Temperature
James L Berglund1, Laura Toran2, Ellen K Herman3
1Now at Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Montana Tech, Butte, MT, 59701.
Ground Water
|February 14, 2020
Summary
This study reveals that forked conduit models are crucial for accurately simulating dye transport in karst systems. Combining dye tracing and temperature data enhances understanding of karst network geometry and contaminant storage.
Area of Science:
- Hydrogeology
- Environmental Science
- Geology
Background:
- Karst networks are complex hydrological systems.
- Understanding flow and transport in karst is essential for water resource management and contaminant transport studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model karst networks using both dye tracing and temperature data.
- To evaluate the impact of conduit morphology on dye transport.
- To constrain karst conduit geometries and understand contaminant storage.
Main Methods:
- Simulated laminar flow and transport using the finite element subsurface flow model.
- Employed Latin hypercube sampling to assess parameter sensitivity.
- Incorporated high-resolution temperature logger data into conduit models.
Main Results:
- Forked conduit models accurately simulated dye transport, unlike tortuous models.
- Thermal models showed sensitivity to conduit cross-sectional area and matrix transmissivity.
- Dual approach (dye and temperature) effectively constrained karst conduit geometries.
Conclusions:
- Dual dye tracing and thermal modeling improve karst network understanding.
- This approach is valuable for contaminant storage analysis and quantifying seasonal effects.
- Accurate karst conduit geometry is critical for reliable hydrological modeling.
