The impact of urban groundwater upon surface water - eTheses ...

INTRODUCTION
installation and monitoring of a river-bed-piezometer network combined with the monitoring
of existing piezometers in the aquifer. An overview of the research undertaken is presented
followed by a more detailed description of the methods employed (Chapter 4).
Surface water flow data were analysed to determine the groundwater component. These
results were compared with groundwater flows estimated from data obtained during field
investigations of the riverbed and riverbanks. Transient river-aquifer interactions during river
flood events were also examined using a purpose built pressure logging system (Chapter 5).
The results of the field investigations were used to develop a conceptual model of the
groundwater flow system in the Tame Valley. This conceptual model was tested by using
several numerical modelling tools to simulate groundwater/surface-water interactions at
different scales (Chapter 6). The numerical models were used to investigate the distribution of
groundwater flow to the river.
The levels of urban contamination in the groundwater and surface water were determined for
a large suite of organic and inorganic determinands and compared with ‘natural background’
quality. This was measured at Sutton Park, the source area of one of the Tame’s tributaries,
located on the aquifer 5 km northwest of the study area. The urban surface water and
groundwater quality distributions were examined to determine the spatial and temporal trends
in the data. Changes in water quality that occurred across the groundwater/surface-water
interface were examined for evidence of the natural attenuation of contaminants (Chapter 7).
The quality and flow data were combined to produce estimates of the geochemical mass flux
from the groundwater to the river (Chapter 8). The generic relevance of the conclusions drawn
from the case study were considered with reference to the possible implications for the new
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