Work

Simulating Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts in Groundwater: Three-Dimensional Advection–Dispersion Versus Quasi-3D Streamline Transport Approach

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Numerical models are commonly used to support the management of diffuse pollution sources in large agricultural landscapes. This paper investigates the suitability of a three-dimensional groundwater streamline-based nonpoint source (NPS) assessment tool for agricultural aquifers. The streamline approach is built on the assumption of steady-state groundwater flow and neglects the effect of transverse dispersion but offers considerable computational efficiency. To test the practical applicability of these assumptions, two groundwater transport models were developed using the standard three-dimensional advection–dispersion equation (ADE): one with steady-state flow and the other with transient flow conditions. The streamline approach was compared with both ADE models, under various nitrate management practice scenarios. The results show that the streamline approach predictions are comparable to the steady-state ADE, but both steady-state methods tend to overestimate the concentrations across wells by up to 10% compared to the transient ADE. The prediction of long-term attenuation of nitrate under alternative land management scenarios is identical between the streamline and the transient ADE results.

Source: Hydrology

DOI: 10.3390/hydrology12030042

Authors: Georgios Kourakos, Mehrdad Bastani, Thomas Harter

Institutions: University of California, Davis, California Department of Water Resources

Language: English

Topic: Groundwater flow and contamination studies

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172