Groundwater resource evaluation in Table Mountain group aquifer systems

Abstract

Table Muntain Group has been identified as one of the major Regional Aquifers in South Africa. the vast distribution of it leads to a great diversity in its hydrogeological properties, which influences the dynamics of recharge, discahrge and storage, resulting in groundwater occurrances unevenly distributed in TMG area. Thereby a proper regional groundwater resource evaluation focusing on the quantification of recharge, discharge and storage, is of most importance for the efficient groundwater utilization and management of TMG aquifers.The response of TMG aquifer to pumping stress is studied in Kammanassie Mountains by groundwater flow modeling. 3D hydrogeological model is constructed, which helps to improve the understanding of the conceptual hydrogeological model. Detailed groundwater-related analyses are performed on the basis of previous data sets. Groundwater numerical model is then established according to the conceptual model to stimulate the aquifers responses to various pumping scenarios. Some general data processing approaches are also develooped in this study that can be expected to apply to analog studies.