Comparison of Sharp Interface to Variable Density Models in Pumping Optimisation of Coastal Aquifers

G. Kopsiaftis (), V. Christelis and A. Mantoglou
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G. Kopsiaftis: National Technical University of Athens
V. Christelis: National Technical University of Athens
A. Mantoglou: National Technical University of Athens

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2019, vol. 33, issue 4, No 10, 1397-1409

Abstract: Abstract A number of models have been developed to simulate seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers, which differ in the accuracy level and computational demands, based on the approximation level of the application. In this paper, four seawater intrusion models are employed to calculate the optimal pumping rates in a coastal aquifer management problem. The first model considers both fluid flow and solute transport processes and assumes a variable-density transition zone between saltwater and freshwater. The implementation of the model in simulation-optimisation routines is impractical, due to the computational time required for the simulation. The second model neglects the dispersion mechanism and assumes a sharp interface between saltwater and freshwater. The sharp interface model is significantly faster than the variable density model, however, it may introduce errors in the estimation of the seawater intrusion extent. The remaining two models are modifications of the second model, which intent to correct the inaccuracies of the simplified sharp interface approximation. All four models are utilised to simulate an unconfined coastal aquifer with multiple pumping wells and an optimisation method is used to calculate the maximum allowed pumping rates. The optimisation results are then analysed, in order to examine if the three sharp interface models could provide feasible solutions in the area of the variable density optimum, which is considered as a benchmark solution.

Keywords: Sharp interface models; SEAWAT; Pumping optimization; Coastal aquifer; Seawater intrusion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11269-019-2194-7

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