Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Simulating the impact of subsurface dam construction on the change of nitrate distribution

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of subsurface barriers can be suggested to harvest the underground flows during the dry seasons. Groundwater levels at the south of Shahrekord plain has fallen strongly because of immoderate discharge and decreased the quality of water by urban wastewater entrance. The solute transport modeling was conducted to evaluate the impact of subsurface dam construction on flow treatment and urban water quality using numerical simulation. The hydraulic conductivity and specific yield has been calibrated in both steady-state and transient conditions during 15 months over the time period 2007–2008. The southern outlet of plain was selected to study the simulation of underground dam then a horizontal-flow barrier set in this location with mean hydraulic conductivity about 0.5 m/day. The solute transport model was calibrated and verified by monthly measured data of nitrate concentration before and after the dam construction. Longitudinal dispersivity and distribution coefficient was estimated 5 and 0.0001, respectively. The results show that the central parts of aquifer are responsible for raising the groundwater levels in the measured piezometers located about 4.5 km in upstream with 13 km2 area on the upstream side of dam structure. Quality model predictions don’t show considerable difference in nitrate concentration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali I (2010) Locating suitable sites for constructing subsurface dams using GIS. Master Thesis. Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology Sweden

  • Da Silva MSL (1998) Agricultural exploration on underground dams. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira 33(6):975–980

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishida S, Kotoku M, Abe E, Fazal MA, Tsuchihara T, Imaizumi M (2003) Construction of subsurface dams and their impact on the environment 50(1):149–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishida S, Tsuchihara T, Imaizumi M (2006) Fluctuation of NO3-N in groundwater of the reservoir of the Sunagawa Subsurface Dam Miyako Island, Japan. Peddy Water Environ 4:101–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishida S, Tsuchihara T, Yoshimoto S, Imaizumi M (2011) Sustainable use of groundwater with underground dams. Japan Agricult Res Quart 45(1):51–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lalehzari R (2008) The effect of wastewater recharge on nitrate distribution in Shahrekord aquifer using MT3D model. M.Sc. Thesis. Shahrekord University, p 130

  • Lalehzari R, Tabatabaei SH, Kholghi M (2010) Hydrodynamic coefficients estimation and flow treatment prediction in Shahrekord aquifer using PMWIN model. Fourteenth International Water Technology Conference, Cairo

  • Lalehzari R, Tabatabaei SH, Kholghi M (2013) Nitrate transport simulation in groundwater using MT3D model in wastewater seepage condition. Int J Environ Sci Technol 10:1367–1376. doi:10.1007/s13762-013-0213-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald MG and Harbaugh AW (1988) Modflow, A modular three-dimensional finite difference ground-water flow model, U. S. Geological Survey, Open-file report, pp 83–875, Chapter A1

  • Milanovic PT (1988) Artificial underground reservoirs in the karst experimental and project examples. IAH 21st Congress, Gulin

    Google Scholar 

  • Milanovic PT (2004) Water resources engineering in Karst. CRC Press, UK, pp 195–213

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Misaki T (2004) Technical reference for effective groundwater development. Japan, Japan Green Resources Agency, p 325

    Google Scholar 

  • Onder H, Yilmaz M (2005) Underground dams, A tools of sustainable development and management of groundwater resources. Eur Water 11(12):35–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Raju NJ, Reddy TVK, Munirathnam P (2006) Subsurface dam to harvest rainwater-a case study of the Swarnamukhi River basin, Southern India. Hydrogeol J 14:526–531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tabatabaei SH, Lalehzari R (2009) Determination of the contaminant sources by mapping tools in Shahrekord aquifer. International Groundwater Symposium, Thailand, Iran

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabatabaei SH, Lalehzari R, Nourmahnad N, Khazaei M (2010) Groundwater quality and land use change (A case Study: Shahrekord aquifer, Iran). J Res Agric Sci 6:39–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Tayari A, Shamsaei A (2006) Analysis of effective parameters on water head over the underground dams and an innovative methodology for estimation of it. J New Agric Sci 2(3):87–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Telmer K, Best M (2004) Underground Dams: a practical solution for the water needs of small communities in semiarid regions. TERRA 1(1):63–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoshimoto S, Tsuchihara T, Ishida S, Imaizumi M (2013) Development of a numerical model for nitrates in groundwater in the reservoir area of the Komesu subsurface dam, Okinawa, Japan. Environ Earth Sci 70(5):2061–2077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng C (1990) MT3D, A modular three-dimensional transport model for simulation of advection, dispersion and chemical reactions of contaminants in groundwater systems, Report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, p 170

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Regional Water Company and Water and Wastewater Company for providing some of data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Young Researchers and Elite Club, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

    R. Lalehzari

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Sirjan University of Technology, Kerman, Iran

    R. Lalehzari

  3. Visiting Research Scholar, Contaminant Transport Group, Department of Soil Water and Environmental Science, College of Agriculture and Life Science, The University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210038, Tucson, 85721-0038, Arizona, USA

    S. H. Tabatabaei

  4. Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, P.O. Box 115, 88186-34141, Shahrekord, Iran

    S. H. Tabatabaei

Authors
  1. R. Lalehzari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. H. Tabatabaei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Lalehzari.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lalehzari, R., Tabatabaei, S.H. Simulating the impact of subsurface dam construction on the change of nitrate distribution. Environ Earth Sci 74, 3241–3249 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4362-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4362-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation