Semianalytical solutions for stream depletion in partially penetrating streams.

In the analysis of streamflow depletion, the Hunt (1999) solution has an important advantage because it considers a partially penetrating stream. By extending the Hunt drawdown solution, this paper presents semianalytical solutions for gaining streams that evaluate the induced stream infiltration and base flow reduction separately. Simulation results show that for a given deltah (the initial hydraulic head difference between stream and aquifer beneath the channel), the base flow reduction is in direct proportion to the product of streambed leakage (lambda) and the distance between pumping well and stream (L), and the induced stream infiltration is in inverse proportion to lambdaL. Deltah has a significant effect on the ratio of stream infiltration to base flow reduction. The results from the semianalytical solutions agree well with those from MODFLOW simulations. The semianalytical solutions are useful in the verification of numerical simulations and in the analysis of stream-aquifer interactions where water quantity or quality is concerned.