WPŁYW NIEJEDNORODNOŚCI OŚRODKA SKALNEGO NA OBLICZANIE ZASOBÓW DYSPOZYCYJNYCH WÓD PODZIEMNYCH

Abstract

THE INFLUENCE OF THE HETEROGENEITY OF THE AQUIFER ON THE ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER DISPOSABLE RESOURCES

Abstract. Reliable assessment of groundwater resources in fractured medium requires a reasonable degree of recognition of real parameters of the rock environment and flow path network. There are numerous limitations in the use of the model of the equivalent porous medium, related e.g. both to the impossibility of prediction of the groundwater table distribution and the limited communication between the constituents
of the hydraulic system (Motyka, 1998; Nawalany, 1999). The present considerations are based on two examples. The first one is from the area of the occurrence of karstic-fractured formations of the Opole Triassic aquifer, whereas the second one is from porous-fractured Flysh deposits of the Carpathian aquifer. In either case, a method of finite differences (Modflow) has been applied. As shown by the research, the usage of the deterministic approach and the analogue equivalent porous medium (EPM) could create incorrect conclusions in relation to water resources of the system. Depressions in individual wells are in most cases possible to be simulated, but the attempt to simulate an interaction between them can fail. The case study of the Tarnów Opolski region confirms the above remarks. The karstic-fractured Opole aquifer (especially if covered with younger sediments acting as an isolating layer) remains unrecognized in respect of the real network of fractures and channels. The article is an attempt to analyse the possibility of the existence of previously uninterpreted zones of preferential flow and their influence on the final estimation of resources. In case of the Carpathian Flysh, the modeling research, representing finally the conformity of the
groundwater flow pattern and the amount of resources in the regional scale, do not allow for acquiring realistic images of local captures.Asafe yield limit of a single well, approved in compliance with standard procedures, appears to be two to three times exaggerated in a long-term period of exploitation. The discussion and reasons of errors and limitations of the applied modelling methods are also presented.