This thesis presents studies of the heterogeneous nature of groundwater-surface water (GW-SW) interactions at the hillslope and catchment scale in the 3.2km2 Bruntland Burn, UK. GW fluctuations were measured within three contrasting hydropedological units. Synoptic hydrogeochemical surveys were carried out (major ions, stable isotopes) to capture the increased influence of GW to the stream during a 10year return period drought. The catchment was shown to have highly dynamic GW stores, with each landscape unit translating into different rainfall-runoff processes. Soil characteristics were shown to be the strongest predictors for variability in GW dynamics. Each soil type was characterised by a unique storage-discharge relationship and threshold response with a certain GW level above which lateral flow dominated. On the lower hillslope, predominating lateral flow and little recharge to depth is supported by hydrologically responsive soils. Connectivity between the steeper slopes and the valley bottom, however, needed persistent wet periods to overcome storage thresholds. Here, vertical flow paths recharging deeper GW dominated, with GW levels falling below the soil layer into the underlying drift. It was found that relatively well mixed, near-surface sources of stream flow predominated in wetter conditions, whilst baseflows are variable and reflect a diverse range of GW stores. Geophysics (ERT) and GW level measurements were integrated into MODFLOW-NWT to simulate GW-SW interactions along a representative 2D-hillslope transect. Although only a preliminary model, it was shown that shallow pathways have much shorter residence times, thus maintaining high water tables in the riparian peatlands, than deeper flow paths discharging through the drift and directly into the stream. Largest sources of GW are located within the drift, resulting in complex spatial patterns of runoff generation. This work illustrated the utility of a basic model to predict GW flow paths, highlighting how water and solutes are stored and released in montane headwater catchments.

The Sandy River (OR) is a coastal tributary of the Columbia River and has a steep hydroshed 1316 square kilometers which is located on the western side of Mount Hood (elevation range 3 m to 1800 m). The system exhibits highly variable flow: Its average discharge is ~40 m3/s, and the highest recorded discharge was 1739 m3/s in 1964. In this study I model the geomorphic sensitivity of an 1800m reach located the downstream of the former Marmot Dam, which was removed in 2007. The hydro-geomorphic response to major flood has implications for system management and aquatic life. Studying hydro-geomorphic change requires a systematic approach. Here, I define flows and flood hydrographs for specified return interval based on the observed hydrologic record, and then examine potential hydro-geomorphic changes using a numerical model. A Pearson Type III distribution is used to calculate 100, 75, 50, 25, 10, and 2 year return periods. Extreme event hydrographs are derived by fitting derived and observed flood hydrographs to the gamma distribution curve. Sediment transport and geomorphology are then modeled numerically with Nays2DH, a solver that is part of iRIC software. Because the model is computationally intensive, I model the domain with five different spatial grid resolutions, to find proper grid resolution. The grid resolutions used are 1.5 m, 2 m, 3 m, 4 m, and 5 m. We choose 4 m as optimum grid resolution, based on the convergence of model results. The model is run for extreme event hydrographs with six above return periods. For result visualization and analysis, we focus on flow properties and bed elevation at peak flow and at the end of each event. For both times for each event, important flow and sediment transport parameters are visualized for the entire domain in plane form and eight cross-sections at 200 m intervals. Finally, we divide the geomorphic response into areas of erosion and deposition. Linear regression analyses of mean values of erosion and deposition at peak flow for all extreme events yield R2 of 0.981 for erosion and 0.986 for deposition. The mean erosion and deposition depth at the end of the events is modeled by nonlinear regression with correlation coefficient of 0.965 for erosion and 0.998 for deposition. The regression models provide direct understanding of impacts of different floods on the geomorphic response of the river domain. examination of the model as a whole suggest that the amount of erosion and deposition in the bed and banks is a function of channel geometry, bank and bed geology, riparian area condition and strongly depend on the amount of flow through the channel.

Over the course of the past several decades the benefits of redeveloping brownfields have been widely recognized. Actions have been taken to foster sustainable redevelopment of brownfields by government, policy makers and stakeholders across the world. However, redevelopments encounter great challenges and risks related to environmental and non-environmental issues. In this work, we intend to build a comprehensive and practical framework to evaluate the hydrogeological and financial risks involved during redevelopment and to ensure developers reserve sufficient capital to cover unexpected future costs within the guarantee period. Punitive damages, which contribute to these costs, are in this thesis solely associated with the cost of repossessing a house within a development should the indoor air concentration of TCE exceed the regulatory limit at a later time. The uncertainties associated with brownfield remediation have been among the barriers to brownfield redevelopment. This is mainly caused by the lack of knowledge about a site’s environmental condition. In order to alleviate uncertainties and to better understand the contaminant transport process in the subsurface, numerical simulations have been conducted to investigate the role of controlling parameters in determining the fate and transport of volatile organic compounds originating from a NAPL source zone located below the water table in the subsurface. In the first part of this thesis, the numerical model CompFlow Bio is used on a hypothesized three-dimensional problem geometry where multiple residential dwellings are built. The simulations indicate that uncertainty in the simulated indoor air concentration is sensitive to heterogeneity in the permeability structure of a stratigraphically continuous aquifer with uncertainty defined as the probability of exceeding a regulatory limit. Houses which are laterally offset from the groundwater plume are less affected by vapour intrusion due to limited transverse horizontal flux of TCE within the groundwater plume in agreement with the ASTM (2008) guidance. Within this uncertainty framework, we show that the Johnson and Ettinger (1991) model generates overly-conservative results and contributes to the exclusion zone being much further away from the groundwater plume relative to either CompFlow Bio or ASTM (2008). The probability of failure (or the probability of exceedence of the regulatory limit) is defined and calculated for further study. Due to uncertainties resulting from parameter estimation and model prediction, a methodology is introduced to incorporate field measurements into the initial estimates from the numerical model in order to improve prediction accuracy. The principle idea of this methodology is to combine the geostatistical tool kriging with the statistical data assimilation method Kalman filter to evaluate the worth and effectiveness of data in a quantitative way in order to select an optimal sampling scenario. This methodology is also used to infer whether one of the houses located adjacent to affected houses has indoor air problems based on the measurements subject to the observation that the affected house is monitored and has problems and developers have liability if a problem occurs. In this part of the study, different sampling scenarios are set up in terms of permeability (1 – 80 boreholes) and soil gas concentration (2, 4 and 7 samples) and three metrics are defined and computed as a criterion for comparison. Financing brownfield redevelopment is often viewed as a major barrier to the development process mainly due to risks and liabilities associated with brownfields. The common way of managing the risk is to transfer it to insurers by purchasing insurance coverage. This work provides two different strategies to price the risk, which is equivalent to an insurance premium. It is intended to give an instructive insight into project planning and feasibility studies during the decision-making process of a brownfield project. The two strategies of risk capital valuation are an actuarial premium calculation principle and a martingale premium calculation principle accounting for the hydrogeological and financial uncertainties faced in a project. The data used for valuation are the posterior estimates of data assimilation obtained from the results of different sampling scenarios. The cost-benefit-risk analysis is employed as a basis to construct the objective function in order to find the least cost among sampling scenarios for the project. As a result, it shows that drilling seven boreholes to extract permeability data and taking soil gas samplings in four locations or seven locations alternatively give the minimum total cost. Sensitivity analysis of some influential parameters (the safety loading factors and the possible methods to calculate the probability of failure) is performed to determine their roles of importance in the risk capital valuation. This framework can be applied to provide guidance for other risk-based environmental projects.

Over the course of the past several decades the benefits of redeveloping brownfields have been widely recognized. Actions have been taken to foster sustainable redevelopment of brownfields by government, policy makers and stakeholders across the world. However, redevelopments encounter great challenges and risks related to environmental and non-environmental issues. In this work, we intend to build a comprehensive and practical framework to evaluate the hydrogeological and financial risks involved during redevelopment and to ensure developers reserve sufficient capital to cover unexpected future costs within the guarantee period. Punitive damages, which contribute to these costs, are in this thesis solely associated with the cost of repossessing a house within a development should the indoor air concentration of TCE exceed the regulatory limit at a later time. The uncertainties associated with brownfield remediation have been among the barriers to brownfield redevelopment. This is mainly caused by the lack of knowledge about a site’s environmental condition. In order to alleviate uncertainties and to better understand the contaminant transport process in the subsurface, numerical simulations have been conducted to investigate the role of controlling parameters in determining the fate and transport of volatile organic compounds originating from a NAPL source zone located below the water table in the subsurface. In the first part of this thesis, the numerical model CompFlow Bio is used on a hypothesized three-dimensional problem geometry where multiple residential dwellings are built. The simulations indicate that uncertainty in the simulated indoor air concentration is sensitive to heterogeneity in the permeability structure of a stratigraphically continuous aquifer with uncertainty defined as the probability of exceeding a regulatory limit. Houses which are laterally offset from the groundwater plume are less affected by vapour intrusion due to limited transverse horizontal flux of TCE within the groundwater plume in agreement with the ASTM (2008) guidance. Within this uncertainty framework, we show that the Johnson and Ettinger (1991) model generates overly-conservative results and contributes to the exclusion zone being much further away from the groundwater plume relative to either CompFlow Bio or ASTM (2008). The probability of failure (or the probability of exceedence of the regulatory limit) is defined and calculated for further study. Due to uncertainties resulting from parameter estimation and model prediction, a methodology is introduced to incorporate field measurements into the initial estimates from the numerical model in order to improve prediction accuracy. The principle idea of this methodology is to combine the geostatistical tool kriging with the statistical data assimilation method Kalman filter to evaluate the worth and effectiveness of data in a quantitative way in order to select an optimal sampling scenario. This methodology is also used to infer whether one of the houses located adjacent to affected houses has indoor air problems based on the measurements subject to the observation that the affected house is monitored and has problems and developers have liability if a problem occurs. In this part of the study, different sampling scenarios are set up in terms of permeability (1 – 80 boreholes) and soil gas concentration (2, 4 and 7 samples) and three metrics are defined and computed as a criterion for comparison. Financing brownfield redevelopment is often viewed as a major barrier to the development process mainly due to risks and liabilities associated with brownfields. The common way of managing the risk is to transfer it to insurers by purchasing insurance coverage. This work provides two different strategies to price the risk, which is equivalent to an insurance premium. It is intended to give an instructive insight into project planning and feasibility studies during the decision-making process of a brownfield project. The two strategies of risk capital valuation are an actuarial premium calculation principle and a martingale premium calculation principle accounting for the hydrogeological and financial uncertainties faced in a project. The data used for valuation are the posterior estimates of data assimilation obtained from the results of different sampling scenarios. The cost-benefit-risk analysis is employed as a basis to construct the objective function in order to find the least cost among sampling scenarios for the project. As a result, it shows that drilling seven boreholes to extract permeability data and taking soil gas samplings in four locations or seven locations alternatively give the minimum total cost. Sensitivity analysis of some influential parameters (the safety loading factors and the possible methods to calculate the probability of failure) is performed to determine their roles of importance in the risk capital valuation. This framework can be applied to provide guidance for other risk-based environmental projects.

L’Afrique de l'Ouest est sujette à une variabilité climatique importante et elle connaît une longue période de sécheresse depuis les années 1970 dont l’impact sur les ressources en eau souterraine reste peu étudié. La présente étude porte sur le bassin versant du Kou au Burkina Faso qui abrite une grande réserve d’eau souterraine à l’origine de sources exceptionnelles. Cette ressource, essentielle pour les besoins de la population, présente pourtant des signes d'épuisement qui soulèvent une question essentielle : quelle est la part du climat et celle des prélèvements dans l’épuisement de cette ressource ? Pour répondre à cette question, nous avons utilisé des méthodes d’analyse statistique et la modélisation hydrogéologique. Les méthodes statistiques ont été appliquées aux chroniques de données climatiques, hydrométriques et piézométriques. Elles ont permis de décrire la réponse des eaux souterraines aux forçages du climat et d’identifier les facteurs explicatifs du comportement de la nappe. La modélisation hydrogéologique a pallié certaines limites de ces méthodes statistiques par une meilleure prise en compte de l’hétérogénéité spatiale de l’aquifère. Elle a en particulier montré que les pompages ont un impact significatif sur la ressource en eau. En somme, les déficits de précipitation, combinés aux pompages en croissance continue, mettent en péril la ressource. La gestion de cette dernière dans une perspective durable devrait donc revêtir une attention particulière. / West Africa is prone to critical climate variability and since the 1970s has been experiencing a long period of drought whose impact on groundwater resources is little studied. This study focuses on the Kou catchment in Burkina Faso which holds a large groundwater resource that lies at the root of exceptional springs. This resource, essential to fulfill the populations’ needs, shows signs of depletion that raises a critical question: what is the share of climate and that of withdrawals in the depletion of the resource? To answer this question, we used statistical analysis methods and hydrogeological modeling. The statistical methods were applied to climatic, hydrometric and groundwater level time series to describe the groundwater’s response to climate forcing and to identify explanatory factors of the groundwater’s behaviour. The hydrogeological modeling overcame some of the statistical methods limitations by better heeding the spatial heterogeneity of the aquifer’s characteristics. Particularly, it revealed that pumping have significant impact on the resource. To sum up, rainfall deficits combined with growing pumping endanger the resource. Hence, sustainable management of the resource should be a critical issue to pay attention to.

Située à l'interface entre les eaux de surface et les eaux souterraines, la zone hyporhéique (ZH) est depuis maintenant plusieurs décennies considérée comme une zone cruciale pour la préservation des milieux aquatiques. Elle constitue souvent un indicateur fiable de la bonne qualité des eaux et une niche écologique primordiale pour de nombreuses espèces. Mais elle est aussi le lieu d'interaction entre deux masses d'eau de signature différente, ce qui conduit à la formation d'un milieu extrêmement fragile et siège d'un grand nombre de réactions biogéochimiques. L'objectif principal de cette thèse est de parvenir à une meilleure compréhension de la dynamique des échanges au sein de la zone hyporhéique. L'approche de cette problématique s'est faite sous un aspect innovant en couplant une démarche hydrogéologique "classique" à l'aide de mesures hydrodynamiques et géochimiques, et l'utilisation de la tomographie de résistivité électrique (ERT). Plusieurs campagnes de terrain ont été menées sur la rivière Essonne, choisie comme lieu d'expérimentation. Différents outils de prélèvement et/ou de mesure ont été mis en place et un grand nombre de mesures à différentes périodes de l'année ont été réalisées. Des expériences assez techniques et innovantes de suivi d'un abaissement et relèvement de barrage, ainsi qu'un traçage artificiel au sel ont pu être effectués grâce à la collaboration avec le syndicat chargé de la gestion et l'aménagement d'une partie du réseau hydrographique de l'Essonne (SIARCE). En parallèle avec cette étude expérimentale, une maquette numérique 3D de la zone d'étude a été réalisée à l'aide du logiciel HydroGeoSphere. Des tests de sensibilité ont permis d'identifier les paramètres hydrodynamiques les plus importants et de quantifier leur impact sur la formation et l'évolution de la zone hyporhéique. Finalement, les premières simulations des expériences menées sur le terrain ont permis de confronter l'approche expérimentale et l'approche théorique. / The Hyporheic Zone (HZ) is located at the interface between surface water and groundwater. For several decades it is considered as a hotspot for the development of a rich aquatic environment in rivers. Its system is often considered as a reliable indicator for water quality and a primary ecological niche for many species. From a hydrological point of view, it is also the place of interaction between two distinct water bodies with different geochemical signatures. This place of mixing forms a very fragile equilibrium where many biogeochemical reactions can occur. The objective of this thesis is to reach a better understanding of mixing and water fluxes in a dynamic context within the hyporheic zone. An innovative method was used by coupling a "classic" hydrogeological approach with hydrodynamic and geochemical measurements with Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). Several field campaigns were done on the Essonne river as experimental site. A large number of measurements were done at various periods of the year and field equipment for water sampling and measurements were installed during these three years. Technical and innovative experiments were conducted such as a dam lowering and rising and an artificial salt tracer test in collaboration with the federation in charge of organization and management of the Essonne network. Finally, a 3D-model of the studied area was built with the HydroGeosphere software. The main hydrodynamic parameters have been tested in order to understand their impact and their variation in a static or dynamic environment on the hyporheic system and its development. In addition, field experiments were reproduced to compare the experimental and theoretical approach.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:28:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 5059501 bytes, checksum: 170c2825c5239225e0e73b8816f33b5b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / It is estimated that 35% of Brazil s population are supplied by groundwater and its use increases continuously. Some states, such as São Paulo, Maranhão and Piauí have most of its municipalities served by groundwater sources. Therefore it is necessary not only acquire knowledge about the country's underground water availability, but also the protection of its aquifers and the understanding of their behavior, allowing the management of those resource. The hydrogeological modeling is one of the most used tools in this process. This is the context related to the present work, which consists of the hydrogeological modeling of the Palmital watershed, located in Viçosa, Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais. The modeling process was based on a detailed characterization of the watershed comprising the basis of the area s hydrogeological conceptual model. The characterization included several field activities like six GPR tests, ten survey boreholes, several collections of soil samples for tactile-visual analysis, allocation and monitoring of water level in 6 wells and slug tests in 4 of them. The water balance calculation and estimation of recharge through the hydrographs of monitoring wells were also part of the characterization of the area. This data helped in determined the initial and boundary conditions and the characteristics of the model´s mesh, among other relevant information, allowing the generation of the computational hydrogeological model throughout Visual Modflow® software. Once created, the numerical model went through a calibration process involving WinPest® software, resulting in a normalized standard deviation of 7.1 % and refinement of some hydraulic conductivity parameters. This method has resulted in a good correlation between simulated head data and observed head data (in the field) at the 10 references (wells and springs) used in the calibration. After calibration, the model was validated throughout others 9 springs on the watershed, resulting in a normalized standard deviation of 8.0 %. The simulated aquifer, characterized as porous and free, is widespread, covering much of the basin until a depth of 30 m, which is the lower modeling for the present work. The groundwater flow occurs from areas of higher elevation to the drainage network or to the lower areas of the sub-basin. Once calibrated and validated, the model had its parameters sensitivity evaluated and was found that the hydraulic conductivity and recharge parameters strongly influence the model while conductance of drains have little influence on it. Finally, two hypothetical scenarios were simulated. In each one of them pumping wells were entered into the model, working all with the same flow rate. All wells were installed with 12 m depth, the 2 final meters being its screened interval. The simulations ran with flow rates of 1 and 3 m3·d-1. It was observed that for simulated scenarios, impacts on the aquifer were stronger for higher flow rates, causing the most visible changes of equipotentials curves. Although, insignificant changes in the direction or magnitude of the underground water flow were noted. The changes caused by simulations were easily noticed in places of higher height due to proximity to the edges of the aquifer. / Estima-se que 35% da população brasileira são abastecidos por águas subterrâneas e o seu uso aumenta a cada década. Alguns estados, como São Paulo, Maranhão e Piauí possuem a maioria de seus municípios abastecidos por mananciais subterrâneos. Logo, é necessário não apenas o conhecimento acerca das disponibilidades hídricas subterrâneas do país, mas também a proteção dos aquíferos e a compreensão de seu comportamento, permitindo que a gestão desses recursos possa ser realizada de forma adequada. A modelagem hidrogeológica é uma das ferramentas mais utilizadas neste processo. Esse é o contexto em que se insere o presente trabalho, que consiste na modelagem hidrogeológica da sub-bacia hidrográfica do Córrego Palmital, localizada no município de Viçosa, Zona da Mata de Minas Gerais. A caracterização desenvolvida compreendeu diversas atividades de campo como seis seções de levantamentos com GPR (Radar de Penetração do Solo), dez furos de sondagem, várias coletas de amostras de solo para análise táctil-visual, alocação e monitoramento do nível da água em 6 poços e ensaio de slug test em 4 deles. A caracterização também se baseou em outros trabalhos realizados na área, principalmente nos de Andrade (2010) e Betim (2013). O cálculo do balanço hídrico e a estimativa da recarga através dos hidrogramas do monitoramento dos poços também fizeram parte da caracterização da área, compondo também o modelo conceitual da sub-bacia. De posse desses dados, foram determinadas as condições iniciais, condições de contorno e as características da malha do modelo, dentre outras informações pertinentes, gerando-se o modelo hidrogeológico computacional por intermédio do software Visual Modflow®. Depois de criado, o modelo numérico passou por um processo de calibração envolvendo o software WinPest®, resultando em um desvio padrão normalizado de 7,1 % e no refinamento das condutividades hidráulicas iniciais. Também se obteve uma boa correlação entre os dados de carga simulados e os dados de carga observados em campo nas 10 referências utilizadas, entre poços e nascentes. Após a calibração, o modelo foi validado com base na localização de outras 9 nascentes existentes na bacia, o que gerou um desvio padrão normalizado de 8,0 %. O aquífero simulado, caracterizado como poroso e livre, é extenso, cobrindo grande parte da bacia até uma profundidade máxima em torno de 30 m, sendo este o limite inferior de modelagem, nesta pesquisa. O fluxo subterrâneo ocorre dos locais de maior cota para a rede de drenagem ou para as áreas mais baixas da sub-bacia. Uma vez calibrado e validado, o modelo teve a sensibilidade de seus parâmetros analisada, tendo sido constatado que os parâmetros condutividade hidráulica e recarga influenciam fortemente o modelo, enquanto que a condutância dos drenos exerce pouca influência. Por fim, foram simulados dois cenários hipotéticos em que foram inseridos poços de bombeamento que trabalhavam com a mesma vazão, todos com 12 m de profundidade, com seção filtrante localizada nos 2 m finais. Nos cenários 1 e 2, as vazões usadas nas simulações foram de 1 e 3 m3·d-1, respectivamente. Observou-se nos cenários simulados que os impactos ao aquífero são mais fortes para a maior vazão provocando alterações mais visíveis das equipotenciais. Não se obervaram mudanças significativas na direção ou na magnitude do fluxo hídrico subterrâneo. As alterações provocadas pelas simulações são facilmente notadas nos locais de maiores cotas devido à proximidade com as bordas do aquífero.

La plaine de la Crau (Bouches-du-Rhône, France) renferme une nappe phréatique alluviale qualifiée de « ressource patrimoniale ». Débutée il y a près de 500 ans par la création d’un réseau de canaux, la mise en culture de prairies, est encore aujourd’hui, pratiquée selon une technique d’irrigation traditionnelle par submersion. Provenant d’un autre bassin versant, les eaux d’irrigation ont un effet majeur sur la recharge de la nappe. Néanmoins l’urbanisation progressive du territoire, l’augmentation des prélèvements, et le changement climatique, menacent l’équilibre actuel de la nappe de la Crau. La préservation de cette ressource nécessite donc la production d’un outil de gestion performant prenant en compte la globalité de cet hydro-système, ainsi que sa complexité géométrique et hydrologique. Cette thèse présente une approche originale de modélisation hydrogéologique en estimant à chaque étape les variables et paramètres nécessaires de manière indépendante, réduisant ainsi un problème récurrent d’équifinalité. Constituant donc un outil prospectif fiable, ce nouveau modèle est alimenté par des scénarios réalistes permettant d’observer les impacts du changement climatique, de l’évolution de l’occupation des sols planifiée et de réductions occasionnelles de la dotation en eaux d’irrigation à l’horizon 2030. Sous les effets combinés de ces réductions de la recharge (jusqu’à -19%), la nappe phréatique de la Crau pourrait être soumise à une diminution de sa surface piézométrique allant jusqu’à 2 m entrainant l’assèchement de zones humides rares et protégées. / The Crau plain (Southern France) contains an alluvial aquifer described as a regional "heritage resource". Started nearly 500 years ago by creating a network of canals, the cultivation of grasslands is even today performed using a traditional technique of irrigation by flooding. Derived from another watershed, irrigation water has a major impact on the recharge of the aquifer. Nevertheless, urbanization of the territory, increase of uptakes, and climate change threaten the existing balance of the Crau aquifer. The preservation of this resource therefore requires the production of an efficient management tool accounting for the whole hydro-system in its hydrological and geometric complexity. This thesis presents an original approach of hydrogeological modeling by independently estimating, for each step, the necessary variables and parameters, reducing a recurring problem of equifinality. Providing a reliable forecasting tool, this new model is implemented by realistic scenarios to observe the impacts of climate change, the evolution of the planned land-use, and occasional reductions of irrigation input in 2030. Under the combined effects of these recharge reductions (up to -19%) the water table could be subjected to local decreases up to 2 m, leading to the drying up of rare and protected wetlands.

Les interactions entre la nappe phréatique peu profonde et les réseaux d’assainissement sont en général très complexes. Dans le but d’étudier l’impact des variations du niveau de la nappe phréatique sur les dégradations des conduites, un modèle hydrogéologique numérique tridimensionnel (3D) de la nappe phréatique ayant un aquifère multicouche au sein d’une zone de 83 km2 de l’agglomération bordelaise (Mérignac, Pessac, Talence) a été développé, calibré et validé. Pour ce faire, un modèle conceptuel de cet aquifère multicouche a dans un premier temps été défini sur la base des descriptions lithostratigraphiques des forages. Puis un travail géostatistique a été entrepris pour construire les limites des formations géologiques et les cartes piézométriques issues de campagnes de mesures de hauteurs d’eau de la nappe phréatique. Nous avons par la suite développé une méthodologie originale de transformation de l’information lithologique au droit des sondages en perméabilités, puis en champs de perméabilités en utilisant des méthodes géostatistiques. Dans un second temps, les conditions hydrogéologiques ont été simulées en utilisant le logiciel Visual Modflow ©. Les paramètres hydrogéologiques ont été calibrés manuellement et automatiquement sur la base des niveaux d’eau mesurés lors des campagnes de juillet 2010, octobre 2010 et mars 2011. La validation du modèle qui s’est effectuée en simulant les cotes piézométriques au pas mi-décadaire allant de juin 1993 à mai 2012 montre que les chroniques piézométriques observées sur les 35 piézomètres du domaine étudié sont correctement restituées et la dynamique de la nappe phréatique est reproduite. Dans un dernier temps, les distributions spatiales et temporelles des cotes piézométriques simulées ont permis d’identifier les zones d’ennoiement des réseaux d’assainissements en comparant les cotes piézométriques aux cotes des réseaux. Ces zones d’ennoiement ont été comparées aux principaux secteurs de casses de canalisations. Les secteurs de casses de canalisations sont localisés dans les zones à faible probabilité d’ennoiement des conduites. L’environnement naturel hydrogéologique pris comme paramètre isolé ne constitue donc pas un facteur explicatif au phénomène de casses des canalisations. / The interactions between shallow groundwater and sewer network are generally complex. The aim of this research is to study the impact of the water table level variation on the damages of the buried pipes. For this purpose, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical groundwater flow model of the shallow multi-aquifer of the Bordeaux urban area, within a 83 km2 area (Mérignac, Pessac, Talence), is developed, calibrated and validated. In order to do this, in a first step, a conceptual model was built based on stratigraphic descriptions of the boreholes. A geostastistical study was carried out to build the limits of the geological layers and the piezometrical maps from the measurement campaigns of water table levels. Then, an original methodology to transform the description of lithological units to local hydraulic conductivity values is proposed and the reconstruction of hydraulic conductivity fields at the urban scale was performed based on geostatistical methods. In a second step, hydrogeological conditions were simulated using the finite-difference groundwater flow model MODFLOW-2005 (Visual Modflow ©). The hydrogeological parameters were then calibrated manually and automatically based on water table elevation data measured in July 2010, October 2010 and March 2010. The model validation covered 6890 days, from June 1993 to may 2012. The results showed that the simulated heads are quite accurate and reproduce the main dynamics of the system at 35 piezometers. The spatial and temporal distribution of the heads of the piezometers simulated permitted to identify the flooding zones of the sewer network by comparing the piezometric head with the altitude of the networks. The sectors where the pipes are damaged were localized in the zone wherein there is low probability of flooding. Additionally, the natural hydrologic environment, taken as a sole factor, cannot explain the pipe breakage phenomena.

The Sandspruit River catchment, found within the heart of the Swartland region is infamous for wheat and wine production. Variable groundwater quality and low productivity is encountered within the folded and fractured Malmesbury Group aquifer, whilst the most productive and better quality groundwater is found within the Table Mountain Group sandstone. The Sandspruit catchment (a tributary of the Berg River) represents a drainage system, whereby saline groundwater with TDS up to 10870 mg/l, and EC up to 2140 mS/m has been documented. The catchment belongs to the winter rainfall region with precipitation seldom exceeding 400mm/yr, as such, groundwater recharge occurs predominantly from May to August. Recharge estimation using the catchment water-balance method, chloride mass balance method, and qualified guesses produced recharge rates between 8-70 mm/yr. To understand the origin, occurrence and dynamics of the saline groundwater, a coupled analysis of major ion hydrochemistry and environmental isotopes (δ¹⁸O, δ²H and ³H) data supported by conventional hydrogeological information has been undertaken. Research data were collected in three seasonal field sampling campaigns within the study catchment. These spatial and multi-temporal hydrochemical and environmental isotope data provided insight into the origin, mechanisms and spatial evolution of the groundwater salinity. These data also illustrate that the saline groundwater within the catchment can be attributed to the combined effects of evaporation, salt dissolution, and groundwater mixing. The geology together with the local and regional faults control the chemistry of the groundwater, whereby relatively fresh groundwater can be observed in certain direct recharge areas. The salinity of the groundwater tends to vary seasonally and evolves in the direction of groundwater flow. The stable isotope signatures further indicate two possible mechanisms of recharge; namely, (1) a slow diffuse type modern recharge through a relatively low permeability material as explained by heavy isotope signal and (2) a relatively quick recharge prior to evaporation from a distant high altitude source as explained by the relatively depleted isotopic signal and sub-modern to old tritium values. A conceptual hydrogeological model based on the hydrogeological, hydrochemical, and environmental isotope data was developed for the Sandspruit catchment. This model, together with statistical and groundwater quality analysis has lead to the development of a proposed local optimized monitoring scheme for the catchment. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.