GWIE 2 UC 3 Discussion page

This page has been created to collect discussions and ideas and keep the main UseCase3 (UseCase3 link?) relatively clean.

Realistic use case ideas

I would like to see the Bioregional Assessment Use Case considered here. Not being a groundwater expert please excuse (and fix) any errors, but something along the lines:

As a result of pumping water into or out of an aquifer (ie geology and hydrogeology properties), for example as part of Coal Seam Gas extraction), what are the changes to groundwater quantity (aquifer height, flow, volume, other?) in a borehole/well, changes to available water accounts (is this the same as quantity?), and changes to water quality (this is likely to be by ensuring there is a hook to O&M or WaterML2). Also what are the connectivities(?) between aquifers/groundwatersystems and how are they impacted?

Comments ? Suggestions ?

-- BruceSimons - 31 Oct 2012

Thanks Bruce for starting this discussion.

The Environmental Groundwater use case I was thinking of was to accommodate Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) which includes phreatophytes, stygofauna, surface water bodies (lakes, rivers, wetlands, estuaries) and the discharge to marine systems. This means thinking about groundwater discharge as a feature, with the various types such as diffuse discharge, point discharge and biological discharge. Not sure how this will tie in with WaterML2, since groundwater discharge may be classified as surface water in some cases (e.g. baseflow), but not in others (e.g. transpiration). It should include springs, seeps, salinas, and other discharge features. Obviously watertable levels, aquifer parameters (physical), and hydrogeochemistry are a big part of it. Sustaining groundwater flows (both quantity and quality) to the environment while managing consumptive uses by mining, industry, urban supplies, agriculture, etc. is the aim.

-- PeterDahlhaus - 31 oct 2012

Trying to get my head around this use case.

Is it about predicting how changes to groundwater use will impact on available groundwater to the environment?

Or is it about reporting on groundwater flows (quantity, quality) to the environment?

Although these are obviously related, I think we need to narrow down a specific use case that we can ensure GWIE2 attempts to address.

-- BruceSimons - 08 Nov 2012

In New Zealand there are several attempts to store data about bacteria/microbes living in groundwater and geothermal features. I am not yet sure, if this is a generic heath reporting (aka state of the environment reporting, Ministry for Environment) issue, or if it can also be used to track groundwater (sampled wells) connectivity with discharge features (springs) or other wells (eg by cluster analysis of common species).

-- AlexKmoch - 03 Dec 2012

Regarding the water quality discussion of UseCase1Discussion , could or better should use case 3 provide input (refined report) for a public (eg citizens) easily understandable water quality indicator for use case 1?

-- AlexKmoch - 03 Dec 2012

In relation to the Features list being compiled by Boyan, what should we add?

For Springs we need a Spring ID (e.g. MS27 = Mineral Spring 27, or TS3 = Thermal Spring 2)

We also should consider Spring type (e.g. Mineral Spring, Thermal Spring)

Would it be better to have a Feature for Groundwater Discharge? (e.g. diffuse discharge, point discharge - spring is one type of point discharge)

Where do we put Stygofauna?, Chemistry?, Phreatophytes?, Discharge rates? Location? etc.

Any suggestions welcomed.

-- PeterDahlhaus - 06 Dec 2012