GRAVITATIONAL SYSTEMS OF GROUNDWATER FLOW

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GRAVITATIONAL SYSTEMS OF GROUNDWATER FLOW
Theory, Evaluation, Utilization
Groundwater of meteoric origin permeates the upper parts of the Earth’s crust in spatially
organized flow systems down to several kilometres. Since the discovery of the flow-system
concept in the 1960s, hydrogeology’s basic paradigm has shifted from confined flow in
aquifers to cross-formational flow in drainage basins. Consequently, groundwater has been
recognised as a fundamental geologic agent, generating and modifying natural processes
and phenomena of scientific, practical and economic interest.
This book is the first to present an extensive and illustrated overview of the history, princi-
ples, studymethods, practical applications and natural effects of gravity-driven groundwater
flow. Its user-friendly presentation requires no advanced background in mathematics, with
the necessarymathematics being explained in full, and the physicalmeaning of the equations
emphasized. The author highlights significant inter-relationships between the broad range
of seemingly disparate processes and systems, demonstrating how these can be traced to
a common root cause involving gravity-driven groundwater flow. Examples are used to
illustrate practical applications in areas as diverse as hydrogeology, land-use planning,
environment protection, wetland ecology, agriculture, forestry, geotechnical engineering,
nuclear-waste disposal, mineral and petroleum exploration, and geothermal heat flow.
Written by one of the founding fathers of modern hydrogeology, and including an exten-
sive glossary to aid students and researchers from a variety of disciplines, this book is a key
reference for researchers, consultants and advanced students of hydrogeology and reservoir
engineering.
józsef tóth began his study of geophysics inHungary in the early 1950s, butmoved to the
university ofUtrecht in theNetherlands in 1956 following theHungarian revolution.He later
emigrated to Canada, where he joined theAlberta Research Council in 1960. He shifted the
paradigm of strata-bound groundwater flow in drainage basins to cross-formational water
movement by two ground-breaking papers in 1962 and 1963 before defending his PhD
thesis in Utrecht in 1965, and has contributed fundamental concepts and observations to
the role of groundwater as a geologic agent. He joined the University of Alberta in Canada
as a sessional instructor in 1966 and as a full-time faculty member in 1980. He currently
holds the positions of Professor Emeritus at the University ofAlberta, and Titular Professor
at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary.
Professor Tóth has received many awards for his work in hydrogeology, including: the
first O. E. Meinzer Award from the Geological Society of America in 1965; the 1999 Pres-
ident’s Award from the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH); the 2002 Prix
R. N. Farvolden Award from the Hydrogeology Division of the Canadian Geotechnical
Society; the 2003 M. King Hubbert Science Award of the National Ground Water Associ-
ation (NGWA) of the USA; and the 2004 C.V. Theis Award of the American Institute of
Hydrology.
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GRAVITATIONAL SYSTEMS OF
GROUNDWATER FLOW
Theory, Evaluation, Utilization
JÓZSEF TÓTH
University of Alberta, Canada; Eo¨tvo¨s Loránd University, Hungary
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Cambridge Books Online © Cambridge University Press, 2013
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi
Cambridge University Press
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK
Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521886383
© J. Tóth 2009
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without
the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2009
Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-0-521-88638-3 hardback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or
accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to
in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such
websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
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Cambridge Books Online © Cambridge University Press, 2013
To my wife Erzsike, who has patiently endured the many lonely days,
weeks and months that I have devoted to my hobby
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Contents
Preface page ix
1 Introduction 1
1.1 The subject matter: definition, history, study methods 1
1.2 Portrayal of groundwater flow systems 8
2 The ‘Unit Basin’ 26
2.1 The basic flow pattern 26
2.2 Basic patterns of fluid-dynamic parameters 29
3 Flow patterns in composite and heterogeneous basins 33
3.1 Effects of basin geometry 33
3.2 Effects of basin geology 50
3.3 Effects of temporal changes in the water table: transient pore
pressures and flow systems 71
3.4 Hydraulic continuity: principle and concept 81
4 Gravity flow of groundwater: a geologic agent 91
4.1 Introduction 91
4.2 The basic causes 93
4.3 The main processes 97
4.4 Manifestations 102
4.5 Summary 126
5 Practical applications: case studies and histories 128
5.1 Characterization and portrayal of regional hydrogeologic
conditions 129
5.2 Effects of recharge–discharge area characteristics on
groundwater-related practical problems 143
5.3 Site-selection for repositories of high-level nuclear-fuel waste:
examples for groundwater flow-system studies 188
5.4 Interpretation and utilization of observed deviations from
theoretical patterns of gravity-driven groundwater flow 206
vii
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viii Contents
5.5 Exploration for petroleum and metallic minerals 225
5.6 Potential role of flow-system analysis in surface geochemical
prospecting 231
6 Epilogue: gravitational systems of groundwater flow and the
science of hydrogeology 244
Glossary 248
References 259
Appendices 274
Appendix A 275
Appendix B 281
Index294
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            
           
           
          
          
        
  
         
   
              
               
            
           
         
      
          
            
           
             
            
             
    
          
             
         
            
          




 
            
         
        
      
           
         
              
        
            
           
           
            
            
             
           
            
           
            
          
               
         
        
            
    
                
            
          
           
        
             
         
           
         
             
             
            
             
          
             
               



 
          
          
   
            
            
 
 








       
          
            
               
              
           
           
              
  
            
           
           
         
            
           
         
               
         
         
           
          
            
       
           
          
        
              




 






        
       
          
             
              
 
            
            
            
            
           
            
          
          
      
       
         
             
              
           
            
              
             
            
            



        


     
            
             
 
            
          
           
         
    
            
   
           
            
           
             
         
                
            
            
               
   
         
         
          
           
             
                 
           
              
              
              
           
            



 

          
          
    
           
                
              
                
             
    
           
          
            
               
          
            
           
            
            
            
        
            
    
          
             
            
           
           
           
          
         
     



        















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





           
          
          
          
           
           
 



  











  



        
          
            
           
         
           
          
             
      
        
              
        
         
          
         
           
          
          
         
    
         
          
         

             
        
            
 








     





             








       
                
           
      
          
             



 
          
         
           
         
         
             
           
    
    
           
             
           
            
            
             
        
      
            
         
                
            



















 


            
   


     
           
            
          
  


 
  


 
            
        
             
               
                  
            
             
                
          
            
           
               
             
              
              
            
               
            
             
            

         
          
            
            
  
          
           
          
              
    



 
              
    
              
         
                 
           
  
         
             
           
      
       
           
            
           
             
            
             
              
 


 








  

  

 


 


  
 
 
        
               




     
               
               
           
 
          
            
              
               
          
             
           
                
                
                
             
              
           
                 
               
                 
           
                
             
         
             
          
 


  

 
 

 
             
                
             
        
  


  

 



 
          
          



 
                 
           
             
              
                
                



  






 
           
             
              
       
  
   
            
     
              
              
               
  
        
 
  
          
            
             
              
       
           
           
             



     
            
 
    



   




     
          
               
              
          
               
              
            
              
             
              
               
       
          
               
              
             
             
        
          
          
          
             
              
               
            
               
             
              



 


















 





            
 
          
         
        
      

            
             
           
             
               
       
           
           
           
          
        
          
      
         
         



     
            
             
                
              
           
                 
              
               
            
               
  
           
               
               
            
      
            
            
              
            
              
               
    
            
              
            
            
           
       
             
          
          
          
          
             
                  
  



 

 













 















 












 























         
          



     
             
          
  


 


    
             
                
            
        
               
              
 
            
           
        

 
 
       
            
             
              

      
          
          
          
          
             
            
       
                      
     
 


 


  
            
           
           
           
         
             
    



 
         

      
     
       
      
      
      
       
  
    
     
      







 



    
 
         
         
         
             
              



     
              
               
              
              
             
             
              
               
         
              
  
          
            
              
             
              
   
            
            
             
            

            
            
             
           
              
             
               
      
       


  


 
        
               
             
            
         



 


 





















 






 





       
  
             
             
           
          
 
       


  


 
            

          
        
         
  


      
          



     
            
                    
 
          
             
            
         
            
               
          
  
         
              
                 

           
             
               
               
               
               
     
                
    
          
              
              
            
             
            
          
            
             




 
      

















      

 

 
 
  

  



 
 
 
















          
            
             
        
            
       
     
           
         
           
            
             
          
      
           
             
         
              
                
 


     








 









 
  

   
         
         
            







 


 
 



 



            
             
      

         
      

          
      

         
              
  



 
             
                 
               
                    
        

 


 


 

     
             
              
            
               

    








     
           
   
            
             
  
          
 














  
               
         
      








   
            
             
            
               
           
             
      



     
              
             
              
    








 




 
            




  
            
            
          
             
            
            
            
            
           
            
             
           
         
    
             
             
             
           
          
               
               
              
            
            
              




     
  


 

















 










  













 

                  
 
     

  


  


  
  
              
                

     
          
            
 
   






         
      

                
              
                
           



   
         
          
             
         
             
             
         
            
          
             
          
                
             
          
            
        
               
                
              
             
              
                  
              
             
                
                 
    
           
                 
             
           
        
            
            
          
            
        
              
          
           



      
     
              
             
           
         
           
         
   
             
               
             
             
           
  
          
           
           
             
              
              
              
            
             
           
           
         
               
           
               
              
            
          
             
              



   





 
 
 

























 
















  

 

















 
 