Layered Aquifer Cutaway: Recharge, Water Table, Wells and…

What is an Aquifer?

An aquifer is a layer of permeable rock or soil that can store and transmit groundwater. In this cutaway, we explore the interaction between different layers such as gravel and clay.

The water table is the upper surface of the saturated zone in an aquifer where the hydraulic head is equal to atmospheric pressure.

Recharge and Water Table Dynamics

Rainfall recharges the aquifer, increasing the volume of water stored. The water table rises as more water enters the system.

When recharge stops or decreases, the water table drops, reflecting a decrease in available groundwater.

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Darcy's Law and Groundwater Flow

Darcy’s law describes the flow of fluid through porous media. It states that the flow rate is proportional to the hydraulic gradient.

In this simulation, Darcy's law helps us model how water moves from areas of higher pressure (higher water table) to lower pressure (lower water table).

Wells and River Baseflow

Wells can extract groundwater, causing the water table to drop around them. This can affect nearby wells and the river baseflow.

River baseflow is the minimum flow of a stream or river that persists during periods of low rainfall, largely supplied by groundwater.

Frequently asked questions

How does the water table respond to drought conditions?

During droughts, recharge rates decrease, causing the water table to drop. This can lead to reduced well yields and potential water shortages.

What role do wells play in groundwater management?

Wells are crucial for extracting groundwater but their use must be managed carefully to avoid over-extraction and subsequent depletion of the aquifer.

How does river baseflow contribute to ecosystem health?

River baseflow supports aquatic life, maintains stream temperature, and prevents channel incision by providing a minimum flow rate that sustains ecological functions.

Can the simulation predict long-term changes in groundwater levels?

The simulation can model short-term responses to specific events like rainfall or pumping but predicting long-term changes requires more complex models and data analysis.

Try it live

Everything above runs in your browser — open Layered Aquifer Cutaway: Recharge, Water Table, Wells and River Baseflow and change the parameters while it is running. Nothing is installed, nothing is uploaded, the whole model lives in one tab.

▶ Open Layered Aquifer Cutaway: Recharge, Water Table, Wells and River Baseflow simulation