From introduction: This study is concerned with the factors responsible for mineralisation of water in the Great Fish River, in particular the irrigation return flow and groundwater seepage components. A small irrigated area in the lower Fish River Basin was chosen for a detailed study of irrigation water input, groundwater and seepage water fluctuati ons, and the affect of soils and rocks on river water mineralisation. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in

No description available.

This graduation thesis deals with the design of irrigation of the sport area with the use of local groundwater sources. The main part of the thesis is devoted to evaluating of capacity existing water well, practice the exploratory drilling and the hydrodynamic tests. The integral part of the thesis is technical proposal of irrigation device in the specific sport area.

Experimental studies on infiltration/soil-water movement processes are vital to better understanding movement of soil-water in the vadose zone. The objective of this experimental research was to investigate infiltration/soil-water movement processes utilizing laboratory experiments and computer modeling. Small scale laboratory soil box infiltration experiments were conducted and utilized for the improved parameterization of the Green-Ampt (GA) saturated moisture content parameter to produce an effective moisture content parameter (Be) for utilization in a modified GA model. By incorporating ⊖e values into GA modeling, modeling results showed greatly improved wetting front prediction across different soil conditions. A new soil packing method was proposed for replicating complex microtopographical surfaces with uniform bulk densities in laboratory soil box experiments which proved efficient and effective at accomplishing both objectives. A rainfall simulator and an instantaneous-profile laser scanner were used to simulate rainfall and quantify surface microtopography for experiments. The results clearly show the effect of microtopography on infiltration and soil-water movement characteristics. This offers valuable insight into infiltration/soil-water movement processes as affected by different soil and surface microtopographic conditions. / National Science Foundation (Grant No. EAR-0907588)

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / This study is part of the current investigation of the Elandsfontein aquifer to assist with the management of the system and to ensure the protection of the associated Langebaan Lagoon RAMSAR listed site. The Elandsfontein aquifer unit is situated adjacent to the Langebaan Road aquifer in the Lower Berg River Region. The aquifer unit is bordered by the Langebaan Lagoon (west), possible boundary toward the Langebaan Road aquifer (north), the Groen River bedrock high (southeast) and the Darling batholith (south).

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Hydrogeological characterization of an aquifer system is a first step to determine groundwater quantity, yield potential, socio-economic value, storage capacity and aquifer transmissivity properties of an aquifer as a water resource. Derivative analysis is a technique that has been used to understand groundwater flow systems. This is mainly because derivative analysis of pumping test data and curve matching improves the understanding of aquifer types and hydrogeologic setting of a study site. Time vs drawdown curves produced through pumping tests serve as the most useful tools to analyse aquifer characteristics. The study was conducted through performing pumping test in boreholes of hospital facilities in the Western Cape drilled on the TMG and Malmesbury formation. / 2023

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Characterisation of fractured rock aquifers is important when dealing with groundwater protection and management. Fractures are often good conduits for water and contaminants, leading to high flow velocities and the fast spread of contaminants in these aquifers. A cost effective methodology is required for the characterisation of the role of individual fractures contributing to flow to boreholes in fractured rock aquifers. Literature shows that some of the conventional methods used to characterise hydraulic properties in fractured rock aquifers are expensive, complicated, time consuming and are associated with some disadvantages such as over-or under- estimations of flow rates. This thesis evaluates the use of Fluid Electrical Conductivity (FEC) logging in fractured rock aquifers. This FEC data are compared to various traditional methods used to determine aquifer hydraulic properties applied at the Franschhoek and Rawsonville research sites. Both these sites were drilled into the fractured rock Table Mountain Group (TMG) Aquifer, forming one of the major aquifers in South Africa. / South Africa

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Hydrogeology, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand. Johannesburg, June 2017. / Groundwater is a principal source of water for many semi-arid countries, including Botswana and South Africa. This is especially true for the rural communities within these regions that lie on the periphery of local water scheme pipelines and make direct use of groundwater. The Ramotswa transboundary aquifer, which supplies local communities and nearby cities with fresh groundwater, is a highly productive and unique karst sequence shared by South Africa and Botswana. The objective of the study was to contribute to the available hydrogeological data by means of evaluating groundwater flow, nitrate pollution and the median recession index and master recession curve for the aquifer. The interpreted airborne geophysical data revealed the presence of collapsed features in the northeastern area corresponding to the karst morphology. A piezometric map of the area shows the groundwater flow is towards the north-northeast, which is supported by salinity increase across the study area. Increased nitrate concentrations were identified in areas with increased rainfall, shallow groundwater and a mature karst system. Only 3% of the 36 sample sites had nitrate concentrations exceeding the WHO guideline limit of 50 mg/l. This was attributed to the legacy of unlined pit latrines in karstified areas. Pollution is entirely anthropogenic and generally from non-point sources. A median recession index computed by RECESS program from the Dinokana spring discharge data was 295.7 days per log cycle and the generated master recession curve’s gentle slope alludes to massive storage potential within the karst compartment. The results of the study can alert stakeholders alike of the health risk of direct consumption of the groundwater without pretreatment. Establishing an understanding of the nitrate pollution sources and groundwater flow direction, and estimating the recession index provides informed groundwater pollution and vulnerability management options. This can improve the aquifer resource assessment and the livelihoods of local communities in the face of increasing climate change. / XL2017

No description available.

Variabilities of hydraulic and solute transport properties of soil are examined at three scales: pore-scale, sample volume-scale, and field-scale. Undisturbed soil cores were taken at 19 subsites spaced logarithmically along a 150 m line transect in a Groseclose mapping unit near Blacksburg; Virginia. Three core sizes were taken at each subsite at the soil surface and 0.5 m depth. 'Small' cores were-40x54 mm; 'medium' cores were 60X100 mm; and 'large' cores were 100x150 mm. Macropore effects on solute transport were evaluated using monocontinuum and bicontinuum models. Bicontinuum-predicted solute breakthrough curves (BTC) closely agreed with observed BTC data with mean errors of reduced concentrations </- 0.05 for 97% of the samples, Monocontinuum predicted BTC's had comparable fits with 80% of the samples having mean errors </- 0.07. The simpler monocontinuum model was chosen for estimating dispersion coefficients for all samples on the basis that seven percent error in concentration is acceptable for the purpose of making field predictions in light of high spatial variability. Sample volume did not significantly affect the low variation (coefficients of variation, (CV) of 7-20%) soil properties bulk density or moisture retention characteristics in Ap or Bt horizons. Large cores are recommended for assessing high variation (CV of 60-280%) fluid transport parameters, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), pore water velocity and dispersion coefficients (D) since they yielded less variance than the smaller cores. Ranges of about 25 m were determined for log-transformed Ks and D from semivariograms. Monte Carlo simulations were used to predict field-average BTC's. / Master of Science