ABSTRACT
A hydrogeological section crossing the Gorleben site in northern Germany served as the basis for density-dependent groundwater simulations. The numerical model is used to determine climatically driven, long-term variations in the groundwater system. The model uses different types of permafrost distributions derived from a palaeotemperature curve. Time-dependent boundary conditions were derived from palaeoenvironment data for the last glacial cycle. The simulation period begins 120,000 years ago and ends at the present. Whenever permafrost prevails, the spatial distribution of groundwater discharge is determined by the location of rivers and lakes, where taliks may form. The proximity of a glacier front during the peak period of the last glaciation has a profound influence on the groundwater movement. Inflow of meltwater at the base of the ice sheet may affect magnitude and direction of groundwater flow on a local and regional scale.
