Improved understanding of spatiotemporal controls on regional scale groundwater flooding using hydrograph analysis and impulse response functions

3 years ago

Improved understanding of spatiotemporal controls on regional scale groundwater flooding using hydrograph analysis and impulse response functions

M.J. Ascott, D.M.J. Macdonald, J.P. Bloomfield, B.P. Marchant, A.A. McKenzie

Controls on the spatiotemporal extent of groundwater flooding are poorly understood, despite the long duration of groundwater flood events and distinct social and economic impacts. We developed a novel approach using statistical analysis of groundwater level hydrographs and impulse response functions (IRFs) and applied it to the 2013/14 Chalk groundwater flooding in the English Lowlands. We proposed a standardised index of groundwater flooding which we calculated for monthly groundwater levels for 26 boreholes in the Chalk. We grouped these standardised series using k-means cluster analysis and cross-correlated the cluster centroids with the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) accumulated over time intervals between 1 and 60 months. This analysis reveals two spatially coherent groups of standardised hydrographs which responded to precipitation over different timescales. We estimated IRF models of the groundwater level response to effective precipitation for three boreholes in each group. The IRF models corroborate the SPI analysis showing different response functions between the groups. We applied identical effective precipitation inputs to each of the IRF models and observed differences between the hydrographs from each group. It is suggested this is due to the hydrogeological properties of the Chalk and of overlying relatively low permeability superficial deposits (recent unconsolidated sediments overlying the bedrock, such as clays and tills), which are extensive over one of the groups. The overarching controls on groundwater flood response are concluded to be a complex combination of antecedent conditions, rainfall and catchment hydrogeological properties. These controls should be taken into consideration when anticipating and managing future groundwater flood events. The approach presented is generic and parsimonious and can be easily applied where sufficient groundwater level and rainfall data are available.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1002/hyp.11380