Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

1-1-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S. in Engineering Science

First Advisor

Robert Holt

Second Advisor

Gregg R. Davidson

School

University of Mississippi

Relational Format

dissertation/thesis

Abstract

The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer has experienced substantial groundwater declines in eastern Arkansas and northwest Mississippi due largely to irrigation for rice corn soybeans and other water intensive crops. To alleviate groundwater decline and ensure future sustainability of water resources the U.S. Department of Agriculture has in conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Mississippi initiated studies to determine potential avenues of remediation. Options include improved irrigation efficiency installation of surface weirs inter-basin transfers and groundwater transfer and injection. This study develops a three-dimensional groundwater flow model of a withdrawal well adjacent to a river for a groundwater transfer and injection project. The numerical model is developed using Modflow Flex Visual 5.0 and utilized to assess the effect of varying hydrologic and geologic parameters on the local potentiometric surface. Assessing the potential for drawdown of the potentiometric surface and reduction of storage in the aquifer surrounding the withdrawal well is of particular importance. According to the model results drawdown and reduction of storage are minimal in all cases. Changes in the river conductance and aquifer conductivity are the most substantial factors affecting the water table and resulting changes in storage.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.