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

2.1 Introduction
CHAPTER 2. A REVIEW OF
GROUNDWATER/SURFACE WATER
INTERACTIONS
REVIEW
Groundwater and surface water are often in hydraulic continuity and form a single
hydrological system. Previous practice, however, has often been to manage these resources in
isolation. Clearly, an integrated approach is required to best manage what is effectively a
single resource within many river-basin settings. The aim of this chapter is to describe the key
processes that occur during groundwater/surface water interactions and to review previous
case studies of this interaction. More detailed theory on specific processes will be introduced
as necessary in the subsequent chapters.
2.1.1 Groundwater flow to rivers
The interaction of groundwater and surface water bodies is complex and dependent on many
factors including the topography, geology, climate, and the position of the surface water body
relative to the groundwater flow system (Sophocleous, 2002, Winter, 1999 and 2002). Local,
intermediate and/or regional groundwater flows may discharge into surface waters, (Figure
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