Hello dear scientific community i want to know the steps to follow to determine the groundwater flow direction in fractured system using arcgis?
Thank you for considering this question
Mohammed Jalal Tazi
Determining the groundwater flow direction in fractured aquifers can be a challenging task, but there are several methods that can be used to do so. Here are a few common techniques:
It is important to note that none of these methods are foolproof and all have limitations, so it is often best to use a combination of techniques to get a more accurate picture of the groundwater flow direction in a fractured aquifer.
Measure the ground water level in a number of wells, with respect to the mean sea level (RL) provides the direction of ground water flow. In fractured aquifers this can be achieved in limited areas depending on the alignment and configuration of the fractures. In a larger area the flow may be ambiguous since the observation or monitoring wells may be getting their recharge from different fractures.
You have to consider two scenarios, one as shallow aquifer and second as deeper aquifer. By measuring the depth to ground water in shallow aquifers and by constructing ground water table map, one can determine the gradient / direction of groundwater flow. However, when it comes to deeper aquifer mostly controlled by fractures, it is very difficult to determine the direction of groundwater flow. The fracture interconnection, fracture orientation, fracture gradient, there recharge zones, etc, makes this difficult. Like in the case of shallow aquifers, one can attempt to measure the depth to groundwater from borewells and construct groundwater maps, but they may not be the true representation of the fractured aquifer media.
Geophysical methods can indicate the presence of groundwater and to some extent their quality, but not the direction / orientation of groundwater flow.
I fully agree with Mr. N. B. Prasad. It is always tricky in case of the fractured aquifers because of the orientation and configuration of the fractures. Remote sensing is of use in such cases.
Remote sensing technique can help in tracing regional surfacial fractures or fault zones, but not rock fractures at depths.
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