Abstract
Volusia Blue Spring (VBS) is the largest spring along the St. Johns River in Florida (USA) and the spring pool is refuge for hundreds of manatees during winter months. However, the water quality of the spring flow has been degraded due to urbanization in the past few decades. A three-dimensional contaminant fate and transport model, utilizing MODFLOW-2000 and MT3DMS, was developed to simulate boron transport in the Upper Florida Aquifer, which sustains the VBS spring discharge. The VBS model relied on information and data related to natural water features, rainfall, land use, water use, treated wastewater discharge, septic tank effluent flows, and fertilizers as inputs to simulate boron transport. The model was calibrated against field-observed water levels, spring discharge, and analysis of boron in water samples. The calibrated VBS model yielded a root-mean-square-error value of 1.8 m for the head and 17.7 μg/L for boron concentrations within the springshed. Model results show that anthropogenic boron from surrounding urbanized areas contributes to the boron found at Volusia Blue Spring.
Résumé
La source Bleue de Volusia (VBS) est la plus grande source le long de la rivière St Johns en Floride (Etats-Unis d’Amérique) et le bassin de la source est le refuge pour des centaines de lamantins durant les mois d’hiver. Cependant, la qualité de l’eau qui s’écoule à la source a été dégradée à cause de l’urbanisation au cours des dernières décennies. Un modèle en trois dimensions de l’atténuation des contaminants et du transport, en utilisant MODFLOW-2000 et MT3DMS, a été développé pour simuler le transport du bore dans l’aquifère supérieur de Floride, qui soutient le débit de la source VBS. Le modèle VBS est basée sur des informations et données associées aux caractéristiques naturelles de l’eau, précipitations, occupations des sols, utilisation de l’eau, débit des eaux usées traitées, flux des effluents des fosses septiques, et fertilisants en tant que données d’entrée pour simuler le transport du bore. Le modèle a été calibré par rapport aux niveaux d’eau observés sur le terrain, débit de la source, et l’analyse du bore dans les échantillons de bore. Le modèle VBS calibré fournit une valeur d’erreur des moindres carrés moyens de 1.8 m pour la charge et de 17.7 g/L pour les concentrations de bore au sein du bassin versant de la source. Les résultats du modèle montrent que le bore d’origine anthropique des zones urbanisées environnantes contribue au teneur de bore trouvés au niveau de la source.
Resumen
El Volusia Blue Spring (VBS) es mayor manantial a lo largo del río St. Johns en Florida (EEUU) y el reservorio de aguas es refugio para cientos de manatíes durante los meses de invierno. Sin embargo, la calidad del agua de los manantiales se ha degradado debido a la urbanización en las últimas décadas. Se desarrolló un modelo tridimensional de transporte y destino de los contaminantes con la utilización de MODFLOW-2000 y MT3DMS, para simular el transporte de boro en el Upper Florida Aquifer, que sustenta la descarga del manantial VBS. El modelo del VBS para simular el transporte de boro se basó en la información y los datos relacionados con las características naturales del agua, la lluvia, el uso del suelo, el uso del agua, la descarga de aguas residuales tratadas, los flujos de efluente de tanques sépticos y los fertilizantes como entradas. El modelo fue calibrado contra los niveles de agua observados en el campo, la descarga del manantial, y los análisis de boro en las muestras de agua. El modelo VBS calibrado obtuvo un valor de error cuadrático medio 1.8 m para la carga hidráulica 17.7 g/L para las concentraciones de boro en la descarga del manantial. Los resultados del modelo muestran que el boro antropogénico de los alrededores de las zonas urbanizadas contribuye al boro que se encuentra en los manantiales.
摘要
卢西亚蓝泉是沿(美国)佛罗里达州圣约翰河的最大泉,泉口区域是冬季成百上千只海牛的庇护所。然而,由于过去几十年的城市化,泉水的水质下降。利用MODFLOW-2000 and MT3DMS建立了三维污染物归趋模型,用来模拟上佛罗里达含水层中的硼运移,上佛罗里达含水层支撑着卢西亚蓝泉的排泄。卢西亚蓝泉模型依赖于天然水特征、降雨、土地利用、水利用、处理过水的排泄、化粪池污水流及化肥等信息和资料做为输入项来模拟硼的运移。针对室外观测的水位、泉排泄量及水样中的硼分析结果对模型进行了校正。校正的卢西亚蓝泉模型得出的泉流域水头根平均平方差值为1.8 米,硼含量为17.7 g/L。模型结果显示,泉出口发现的硼就是来自周围城市化区的源自人类活动的硼。
Resumo
Volusia Blue Spring (VBS) é a maior nascente no curso do Rio St. Johns River na Flórida (EUA) e a piscina da nascente é refúgio para centenas de peixes-boi durante os meses de inverno. Entretanto, a qualidade da água da nascente tem sido degradada em função da urbanização nos últimos anos. Um modelo tridimensional de destino contaminante e transporte, utilizando MODFLOW-2000 e MT3DMS, foi desenvolvido para simular o transporte de boro na Aquífero da Flórida Superior, que sustenta a descarga da nascente VBS. O modelo VBS conta com informações e dados relacionados a feições naturais da água, precipitação, uso da terra, uso da água, lançamento de águas residuais tratadas, fluxo de efluentes de tanques sépticos, e fertilizantes como entradas para simular o transporte de boro. O modelo foi calibrado em contraste à níveis d’águas observados a campo, vazão da nascente, e análises quanto ao boro em amostras de águas. O modelo VBS calibrado colheu um erro da raiz do valor quadrático médio de 1.8 m para carga e 17.7 g/L para concentrações de boro dentro da cabeceira da nascente. Os resultados do modelo mostram que o boro antropogênico ao redor das área urbanizadas contribuem para o boro encontrado na abertura da nascente.
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Acknowledgements
This project was supported, in part, by the UCF Research Foundation’s Jones Edmunds Fund (16208148) and the University of Central Florida’s (UCF’s) Environmental Systems Engineering Institute (16200303). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of UCF (Orlando, FL), its Research Foundation or Jones Edmunds and Associates, Inc. (Gainesville, FL). The authors are thankful for these funding sources. We also thank the editor and reviewers for their comments and suggestions of improvement.
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Reed, E.M., Wang, D. & Duranceau, S.J. Modeling anthropogenic boron in groundwater flow and discharge at Volusia Blue Spring (Florida, USA). Hydrogeol J 25, 91–101 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1461-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1461-4