Scientific Results

This catalogue is obtained by conducting a systematic literature review of scientific studies and reviews related to monitoring, forecasting, and simulating the inland water cycle. The analysis maps scientific expertise across research groups and classifies findings by the type of inland water studied, application focus, and geographical scope. A gap analysis will identify missing research areas and assess their relevance to policymaking.

ID ▲ Type Year Authors Title Venue/Journal DOI Research type Water System Technical Focus Abstract Link with Projects Link with Tools Related policies ID
publications-211 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE 2012 Christine Kübeck , Piotr Jan Maloszewski , Ralf Benischke Determination of the conduit structure in a karst aquifer based on tracer data-Lurbach system, Austria 10.1002/hyp.9221 Simulation & Modeling Groundwater ABSTRACTA structure model was used to analyse solute‐transport parameter estimates based on tracer breakthrough curves. In the model system, groundwater flow is envisioned to be organised in a complex conduit network providing a variety of short circuits with relative small carrying capacities along different erosion levels. The discharge through the fully filled conduits is limited owing to void geometries and turbulent flow; thus, a hierarchic overflow system evolves where conduits are (re‐)activated or dried up depending on the flow condition.Exemplified on the Lurbach–Tanneben karst aquifer, the applicability of the model approach was tested. Information derived from multi‐tracer experiments performed at different volumetric flow rates enabled to develop a structural model of the karst network, under constraint of the geomorphological and hydrological evolution of the site. Depending on the flow rate, groundwater is divided into up to eight flow paths. The spatial hierarchy of flow paths controls the sequence of flow path activation. Conduits of the topmost level are strongly influenced by reversible alteration processes. Sedimentation or blocking causes an overflow of water to the next higher conduit. Flow path specific dissolutional denudation rates were estimated using the temporal development of the partial discharge. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 226536
publications-212 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE 2014 David Pulido-Velazquez , José Luis García-Aróstegui , Jose-Luis Molina , Manuel Pulido-Velazquez Assessment of future groundwater recharge in semi-arid regions under climate change scenarios (Serral-Salinas aquifer, SE Spain). Could increased rainfall variability increase the recharge rate? 10.1002/hyp.10191 Simulation & Modeling Groundwater AbstractThe projected impact of climate change on groundwater recharge is a challenge in hydrogeological research because substantial doubts still remain, particularly in arid and semi‐arid zones. We present a methodology to generate future groundwater recharge scenarios using available information about regional climate change projections developed in European Projects. It involves an analysis of regional climate model (RCM) simulations and a proposal for ensemble models to assess the impacts of climate change. Future rainfall and temperature series are generated by modifying the mean and standard deviation of the historical series in accordance with estimates of their change provoked by climate change. Future recharge series will be obtained by simulating these new series within a continuous balance model of the aquifer. The proposed method is applied to the Serral‐Salinas aquifer, located in a semi‐arid zone of south‐east Spain. The results show important differences depending on the RCM used. Differences are also observed between the series generated by imposing only the changes in means or also in standard deviations. An increase in rainfall variability, as expected under future scenarios, could increase recharge rates for a given mean rainfall because the number of extreme events increases. For some RCMs, the simulations predict total recharge increases over the historical values, even though climate change would produce a reduction in the mean rainfall and an increased mean temperature. A method based on a multi‐objective analysis is proposed to provide ensemble predictions that give more value to the information obtained from the best calibrated models. The ensemble of predictions estimates a reduction in mean annual recharge of 14% for scenario A2 and 58% for scenario A1B. Lower values of future recharge are obtained if only the change in the mean is imposed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 226536
publications-213 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE 2014 Franziska Anna Rühle , Nadine Zentner , Christine Stumpp Changes in water table level influence solute transport in uniform porous media 10.1002/hyp.10200 Simulation & Modeling Groundwater AbstractChanges in the water table level result in variable water saturation and variable hydrological fluxes at the interface between the unsaturated and saturated zone. This may influence the transport and fate of contaminants in the subsurface. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of a decreasing and an increasing water table on solute transport. We conducted tracer experiments at downward flow conditions in laboratory columns filled with two different uniform porous media under static and transient flow conditions either increasing or decreasing the water table. Tracer breakthrough curves were simulated using a mobile–immobile transport model. The resulting transport parameters were compared to identify dominant transport processes. Changes in the water table level affected dispersivities and mobile water fractions depending on the direction of water table movement and the grain size of the porous media. In fine glass beads, the water flow velocity was similar to the decline rate of the water table, and the mobile water fraction was decreased compared with steady‐state saturated conditions. However, immobile water was negligible. In coarse glass beads, water flow was faster because of fingered flow in the unsaturated part, and the mobile water fraction was smaller than in the fine material. Here, a rising water table led to an even smaller mobile water fraction and increased solute spreading because of diffusive interaction with immobile water. We conclude that changes of the water table need to be considered to correctly simulate transport in the subsurface at the transition of the unsaturated–saturated zone. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 226536
publications-214 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE 2013 Siergieiev D., Lundberg A., Widerlund A. Hyporheic water exchange in a large hydropower-regulated boreal river – directions and rates. 10.2166/nh.2013.011 Uncategorized Groundwater Widespread river regulation is known to modify river-aquifer interactions, influencing entire watersheds, but knowledge of the hyporheic flowpath along regulated rivers is limited. This study measured the hydraulic conductivity of the river bed and the aquifer, water levels and seepage fluxes in the heavily regulated Lule River in Northern Sweden, with the aim of characterising water exchange across the river-aquifer interface. While pristine rivers in the area are gaining, the Lule River was recharging the aquifer during 10% of the time. Daily river level fluctuations (typically ±0.25 m) directed ~3% of the total orthogonal flux across the river bed towards the aquifer, while during ~2% of the time the orthogonal fluxes were negligible (≤10–4 m d–1). A clogging layer on the river bed, most likely formed due to the modified river discharge, restricted river-aquifer exchange. The hyporheic zone had higher electrical conductivity than the river and the aquifer and electrical conductivity occasionally decreased following rising river water levels, with 3–5 hours' delay. Overall, hydropower regulation has severely altered the hydrological regime of the hyporheic zone in the Lule River. 226536
publications-215 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE 2014 Matteo Balderacchi , Maria Filippini , Alexandra Gemitzi , Björn Klöve , Marco Petitta , Marco Trevisan , Przemysław Wachniew , Stanisła Does groundwater protection in Europe require new EU-wide environmental quality standards? 10.3389/fchem.2014.00032 Uncategorized Uncategorized No abstract available 226536
publications-216 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE No year available Bosch Julian, Heister K, Hofmann T, Meckenstock RU Nanosized iron oxides strongly enhance microbial iron reduction 10.1158/aem.00417-09 Uncategorized Uncategorized No abstract available 226565
publications-217 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE 2010 MAPHOSA F, DE VOS W.M, and SMIDT H Exploiting the ecogenomics toolbox for environmental diagnostics of organohalide respiring bacteria 10.1016/j.tibtech.2010.03.005 Uncategorized River Basins No abstract available 226565
publications-218 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE 2010 Bosch Julian, Fritzsche A, Totsche KU, Meckenstock RU Nanosized ferrihydrite colloids facilitate microbial iron reduction under flow conditions 10.1080/01490450903456707 Uncategorized Natural Water Bodies No abstract available 226565
publications-219 2010 TOSCO, T., SETHI, R., Transport of non-Newtonian suspensions of highly concentrated micro- and nanoscale iron particles in porous media: a modeling approach. Environmental Science & Technology, 44:9062-9068 10.1021/es100868n Uncategorized Natural Water Bodies No abstract available 226565
publications-220 2012 FRITZSCHE, A., BOSCH, J., RENNERT, T., HEISTER, K., BRAUNSCHWEIG, J., MECKENSTOCK, R.U. AND TOTSCHE, K.U Fast microbial reduction of ferrihydrite colloids from a soil effluent 10.1016/j.gca.2011.10.037 Uncategorized Natural Water Bodies No abstract available 226565