An approach to study groundwater flow field evolution time scale effects and mechanisms

Abstract

The temporal scale effect is an important issue for groundwater system evolution research. The selection of an appropriate time scale will enhance the understanding of the characteristics and mechanisms of groundwater flow field evolution. In this study, a methodology was provided to analyze the groundwater system evolution, focusing on the choice of the suitable time step for identifying the distinct stages of evolution, characterized by different behavior linked to the management of the groundwater system. The evolution trend of the groundwater level in the center of the cone of depression at different time scales, combined with the F test and the groundwater system balance index (Re) categories, were used for the choice of the time step and the division of the evolution stages. Based on the transformed groundwater level time series using the selected best time step, the main factors controlling the groundwater evolution were assessed for the different stages. Our results show that the methodology can exactly identify the different important stages of the evolution, and they can be used to individually study these stages, which can help to reveal the mechanisms of the groundwater evolution more easily. Therefore, it is useful to obtain an increased knowledge of the regional groundwater dynamics.