Aquifer Baseflow and 2D Meshing

Abstract

In general a flow field, as introduced in Chap. 11, may be different at every location and, for transient flow, at every time instant. In contrast, one-dimensional base flow represents a constant vector independent of time and space. Such an idealized situation is seldom met in environmental compartments, but it may serve as an approximate description of field situations. An example could be the groundwater flow between two parallel channels which have a constant but different water level. However, in parts of a regional watershed often a constant flow field is assumed as a simplification of the real situation. The 1D assumption is also often justified for experimental set-ups, for example in column experiments. The simplest flow pattern for a fluid set-up between two plates is also 1D.