A hierarchical approach on groundwater-surface water interaction in wetlands along the upper Biebrza River, Poland
Date
2012Author
Anibas, Christian
Verbeiren, Boud
Buis, Kerst
Chormanski, Jaroslaw
De Doncker, Liesbet
Okruszko, Tomasz
Meire, Patrick
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This paper presents a hierarchical approach for quantifying
and interpreting groundwater-surface water interaction in
space and time. The results for the upper Biebrza show predominantly
upward water fluxes, sections of recharge, however,
exist along the reach. The fluxes depend more on hydraulic
gradients than on riverbed conductivity. This indicates
that the fluvio-plain scale is required for interpreting
the exchange fluxes, which are estimated on a local scale.
The paper shows that a conceptual framework is necessary
for understanding the groundwater-surface water interaction
processes, where the exchange fluxes are influenced by local
factors like the composition of the riverbed and the position
of the measurement on a local scale, and by regional factors
like the hydrogeology and topography on a fluvio-plain scale.
The hierarchical methodology increases the confidence in
the estimated exchange fluxes and improves the process understanding.
The accuracy of the measurements and related
uncertainties, however, remain challenges for wetland environments.
Gaining quantitative information on groundwatersurface
water interaction can improve modeling confidence
and as a consequence helps to develop effective procedures
for management and conservation of valuable groundwater
dependent wetlands.