Two- and three-dimensional pathline analysis of contributing areas to public-supply wells of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

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Abstract

Steady-state two- and three-dimensional ground-water-flow models coupled with particle tracking (fluid-particle pathline analysis) have been evaluated to determine their relative effectiveness in delineating contributing areas and particle traveltimes to public-supply wells in two contrasting stratified-drift aquifers of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Several contributing areas delineated by the three-dimensional pathline analysis do not conform to simple ellipsoidal shapes that are typically delineated by use of two-dimensional analytical and numerical modeling techniques. They also include discontinuous areas of the water table and do not surround the supply wells. Because two-dimensional area! models do not account for vertical flow, they cannot adequately represent many of the hydrogeologic and well-design variables that complicate the delineation of contributing areas in three-dimensional flow systems on Cape Cod, including the presence and continuity of discrete zones of low hydraulic conductivity, large anisotropic ratios of horizontal to vertical hydraulic conductivity, partially penetrating supply wells, shallow streams and lakes, and low (less than about 0.1 million gallons per day) pumping rates.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Two- and three-dimensional pathline analysis of contributing areas to public-supply wells of Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Series title Groundwater
DOI 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1994.tb00657.x
Volume 32
Issue 3
Year Published 1994
Language English
Publisher National Groundwater Association
Description 12 p.
First page 399
Last page 410
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