| Abstract | Preferential flow in the unsaturated zone strongly influences important hydrologic processes, such as infiltration, contaminant
transport, and aquifer recharge. Because it entails various combinations of physical processes arising from the interactions of
water, air, and solid particles in a porous medium, preferential flow is highly complex. Major research is needed to improve the
ability to understand, quantify, model, and predict preferential flow. Toward a solution, a combination of diverse experimental
measurements at multiple scales, from laboratory scale to mesoscale, has been implemented to detect and quantify preferential
paths in carbonate and karstic unsaturated zones. This involves integration of information from (1) core samples, by means
of mercury intrusion porosimeter, evaporation, quasi-steady centrifuge and dewpoint potentiometer laboratory methods, to
investigate the effect of pore-size distribution on hydraulic characteristics and the potential activation of preferential flow,
(2) field plot experiments with artificial sprinkling, to visualize preferential pathways related to secondary porosity, through
use of geophysical measurements, and (3) mesoscale evaluation of field data through episodic master recession modeling
of episodic recharge. This study demonstrates that preferential flow processes operate from core scale to two different field
scales and impact on the qualitative and quantitative groundwater status, by entailing fast flow with subsequent effects on
recharge rate and contaminant mobilizing. The presented results represent a rare example of preferential flow detection and
numerical modeling by reducing underestimation of the recharge and contamination risks. |
| Text | 488874 2023 10.1007/s10040 023 02733 3 unsaturated zone Groundwater recharge Geophysical methods Numerical modeling Carbonate rocks Coastal aquifers Detection and quantification of preferential flow using artificial rainfall with multiple experimental approaches Maria C. Caputo, Lorenzo De Carlo, Rita Masciale, Kim Perkins, Antonietta C. Turturro, John R. Nimmo CNR National Research Council, IRSA Water Research, Institute, Via Francesco De Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, Italy CNR National Research Council, IRSA Water Research, Institute, Via Francesco De Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, Italy CNR National Research Council, IRSA Water Research, Institute, Via Francesco De Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, Italy U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd., MS 420, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd., MS 420, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA CNR National Research Council, IRSA Water Research, Institute, Via Francesco De Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, Italy Preferential flow in the unsaturated zone strongly influences important hydrologic processes, such as infiltration, contaminant transport, and aquifer recharge. Because it entails various combinations of physical processes arising from the interactions of water, air, and solid particles in a porous medium, preferential flow is highly complex. Major research is needed to improve the ability to understand, quantify, model, and predict preferential flow. Toward a solution, a combination of diverse experimental measurements at multiple scales, from laboratory scale to mesoscale, has been implemented to detect and quantify preferential paths in carbonate and karstic unsaturated zones. This involves integration of information from 1 core samples, by means of mercury intrusion porosimeter, evaporation, quasi steady centrifuge and dewpoint potentiometer laboratory methods, to investigate the effect of pore size distribution on hydraulic characteristics and the potential activation of preferential flow, 2 field plot experiments with artificial sprinkling, to visualize preferential pathways related to secondary porosity, through use of geophysical measurements, and 3 mesoscale evaluation of field data through episodic master recession modeling of episodic recharge. This study demonstrates that preferential flow processes operate from core scale to two different field scales and impact on the qualitative and quantitative groundwater status, by entailing fast flow with subsequent effects on recharge rate and contaminant mobilizing. The presented results represent a rare example of preferential flow detection and numerical modeling by reducing underestimation of the recharge and contamination risks. Published version https //link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040 023 02733 3 27/09/2023 Articolo in rivista Springer 1431 2174 Hydrogeology journal Hydrogeology journal Hydrogeol. j. Hydrogeology journal. Hydrogeology journal Print antoniettacelesteturturro TURTURRO ANTONIETTA CELESTE mariaclementina.caputo CAPUTO MARIA CLEMENTINA rita.masciale MASCIALE RITA lorenzo.decarlo DE CARLO LORENZO |
