Groundwater discharge

Groundwater discharge is the volumetric flow rate of groundwater through an aquifer.

Groundwater discharge, "Q"

Total groundwater discharge, as reported through a specified area, is similarly expressed as::$Q\; =\; frac\{dh\}\{dl\}KA$where:"Q" is the total groundwater discharge ( [L³T⁻¹] ; m³/s), and:"A" is the area which the groundwater is flowing through ( [L²] ; m²)

For example, this can be used to determine the flow rate of water flowing along a plane with known geometry.

Conservation principle

The conservation principle shows that the mass or volume water flowing into a system is equal to that flowing out, with storage holding or releasing water in the system. Mathematically, this simple concept can be expressed as::$Q\_\{mathrm\{in-Q\_\{mathrm\{out=frac\{Delta\; S\}\{Delta\; t\}$where:$Q\_\{mathrm\{in$ and $Q\_\{mathrm\{out$ are the volumetric flow rates in and out the system (such as wells, rivers, etc.),:$Delta\; S$ is the change of water volume that enters/leaves the system, and:$Delta\; t$ is the change of timeIf the system is steady state, then the right-hand side of the equation is 0.

ee also

*Groundwater flow equation
*Groundwater energy balance
*Submarine groundwater discharge
*Discharge (hydrology) – for rivers
*volumetric flow rate
*flux (transport definition)
*Darcy's Law

References

* Freeze, R.A. & Cherry, J.A., 1979. "Groundwater", Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0-13-365312-9