| Title | A numerical study of barometric loading |
| Download | Download (whole publication) |
| |
| Licence | Please note the adoption of the Open Government Licence - Canada
supersedes any previous licences. |
| Author | Walsh, R; Milloy, C |
| Source | Regional-scale groundwater geoscience in southern Ontario: an Ontario Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and Conservation Ontario geoscientists open house; by Russell, H A J ; Ford, D; Priebe, E H; Holysh, S; Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8363,
2018 p. 41, https://doi.org/10.4095/306576  Open
Access |
| Year | 2018 |
| Publisher | Natural Resources Canada |
| Meeting | Regional-Scale Groundwater Geoscience in Southern Ontario: Open House; Guelph; CA; February 28 - March 1, 2018 |
| Document | open file |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| Related | This publication is contained in Regional-scale groundwater
geoscience in southern Ontario: an Ontario Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and Conservation Ontario geoscientists open house |
| File format | pdf |
| Subjects | hydrogeology; environmental geology; mathematical and computational geology; groundwater; aquifers; groundwater resources; resource management; groundwater regimes; groundwater levels; water wells; well
level fluctuations; modelling; computer simulations; software; formation water; pore fluids; groundwater flow; observation wells; surface waters; Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN); TOUGH2 |
| Program | Groundwater Geoscience Aquifer Assessment & support to mapping |
| Released | 2018 02 16 |
| Abstract | This work was inspired by a presentation by RVCA at last year's Groundwater Open House, which was a literature review of barometric pressure responses in groundwater level time series data. Barometric
pressure changes are known to produce water level fluctuations in monitoring wells while the water level in the aquifer does not change. Last year's review identified barometric loading signals in some PGMN wells, and recommended further research. As
it happened, Geofirma had developed modelling tools for other purposes which were well suited to modelling barometric loading phenomena. In particular, we have added a one-dimensional hydromechanical coupling algorithm to TOUGH2, a general-purpose
numerical simulation program for multi-phase fluid and heat flow. Unlike many geotechnical and hydrogeological codes, this model explicitly accounts for compressibility of the pore fluid (gas, water, or both). Out of interest, we undertook a small
modeling project using this code to simulate barometric loading. This work demonstrates several different possible barometric loading scenarios using an idealized model of a well and aquifer system.
There are two mechanisms responsible for
transmission of barometric pressure changes to an aquifer: (1) air flow through the unsaturated zone, and (2) mechanical transmission of pressure changes to subsurface formations. Both mechanisms are present in all hydrogeological settings, but the
dominant mechanism is a function of aquifer confinement, compressibility, and the presence or absence of gas. Since observation wells are generally open to the atmosphere, changes in barometric pressure reach the well water almost instantly, but
vertical flow due to barometric pressure fluctuations may be delayed in reaching the aquifer or may never reach the aquifer at all. The difference in atmospheric communication between the well water and formation water cause well water levels to
fluctuate in order to stay in hydraulic equilibrium with the aquifer.
This project was limited in scope, but the tools and understanding that have been developed could be used to examine a number of questions related to barometric loading,
including: the influence of observation well construction on barometric loading, including the effects of wellbore storage, well skin, sealed wells, and buried vibrating wire piezometers; the testing of barometric efficiency, barometric response
functions, and other deconvolution algorithms; modelling of the barometric response of specific observation wells, improving understanding of site specific properties and processes governing the barometric response; development of templates or
algorithms for assessment of barometric efficiency or barometric response functions; and, the influence of loading by precipitation events or changes in river and lake stage. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Proceedings for a workshop in Guelph Ontario as part of the program S&T exchange. Abstracts have been contributed by Ontario Geological Survey, Ministry
of Environment and Climate Change, Conservation Authorities, Universities, private sector, and Unites States Geological Survey. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 306576 |
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