Analytical_PLISM–An Excel workbook for simulating

water balance of a pit lake

Pit Lake Iterative Simulation Model or PLISM is an Excel workbook for simulating
pit lake formation. Open-pit mines that extend below the water table create pit
lakes. Assessing post-mining, pit-lake recovery and geochemistry requires a
model that simulates time-dependent inflow and outflow components. The
transient pit-lake model PLISM is a water-balance model that simulates
groundwater exchange with the Jacob-Lohman equation (Lohman, 1972; Fontaine
and others, 2003). Precipitation, highwall runoff, evaporation from the pit lake
(ET), and external flows from pumping or injection also are flow components of
the water budget in addition to groundwater exchange. Lake stage is related to
surface area and volume of pit lake with lookup tables of pit geometry.
Lake stage is simulated with a water balance approach that iteratively solves for
lake volume and stage. Lake volume at the end of a time step is estimated initially
with the surface area at the beginning of the time step. Surface area of the pit lake
affects estimated precipitation, highwall runoff, ET, and groundwater exchange
volumes during a time step. Lake stage at the end of a time step is interpolated
from the user-defined stage-area-volume relation. A revised lake volume at the
end of the time step is estimated with a revised surface area from estimated lake
stage at the middle of a time step. This process is repeated until estimated lake
stages converge on a single value.
Lake stages estimated with PLISM are relatively insensitive to duration of time
steps. Time steps for simulating lake stages are independent of times when
precipitation and ET are tabulated. Precipitation and ET are specified as lengths
(volume per unit area) during tabulated periods. These periods could be a month,
a year, or 10 years, which would be lengths of 1, 12, and 120 inches, respectively,
for rates of 12 in/yr. Monthly precipitation and ET are integrated if simulation
periods are annual and interpolated if simulation periods are less than data
tabulation periods. For example, lake stages were simulated for the pit lake
characterized in the workbook Analytical_PLISM.v4.xlsm. Simulated lake stages
differed little regardless of using monthly, yearly, and 5-year time steps (Figure 1).
The maximum difference between solutions was less than 1 ft and errors did not
propagate.

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 4,660

4,650
STAGE, FEET

4,640

Monthly
4,630
Yearly
5-year

4,620
2045 2055 2065 2075 2085 2095
YEAR
Figure 1.— Pit-lake stage computed at monthly, yearly, and five-year time steps.

Data tabulation, pit-lake representation, and solution method in PLISM differs from
traditional water balance models such as CRYPTIC (Fontaine and others, 2003).
Data tabulation and lake-stage simulation times can differ in PLISM. Surface area
and volume of pit lake are tabulated with lake stage. Stage-area-volume relation in
PLISM is interpreted as a continuous function rather than as a limited series of
discrete cylinders. Pit-lake stages and volumes are solved iteratively with PLISM
rather than with forward differences. PLISM simulates highwall runoff as a function
of pit-lake stage, which decreases potential runoff as lake stage increases.
The workbook consists of two pages, DATA and PLISM, and one hidden page,
CONTROL (Figure 2). The hidden CONTROL page contains lookup tables, unit
conversions, and charting utilities, which users should not need to edit. Pit-lake
characteristics, simulated stage, and simulated flow components are reported on
the PLISM page. Transmissivity, storage coefficient, percentage of highwall runoff,
catchment area, pre-mining water level, and initial, pit-lake water level are
specified on the PLISM page (Figure 2). Stage-area-volume relations, time series
of precipitation and evaporation (ET) rates, and time series of volumetric pumping
or injection rates are entered on the DATA page.

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Figure 2.—Site information, pit-lake stage, surface area, and volume, and water-budget
components on PLISM page in the in Analytical_PLISM.v4.xlsm.

Analytical_PLISM.v4.xlsm and explanatory PDF can be downloaded with the

following link.

References
Fontaine, R.C., Andy Davis, and G.G. Fennemore, 2003, The Comprehensive
Realistic Yearly Pit Transient Infilling Code (CRYPTIC): A Novel Pit Lake
Analytical Solution, Mine Water and the Environment v.22 pgs. 187–193
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-003-0021-z
Jacob, C. E., and Lohman, S. W., 1952, Nonsteady flow to a well of constant
drawdown in an extensive aquifer: Am. Geophys. Union Trans., v. 33, p. 559-569.
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/TR033i004p00559
Lohman, S.W., 1972, Ground-Water Hydraulics:U.S. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 708, 70 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/pp708

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Analytical_PLISM.v4.xlsm Workbook
The workbook consists of two pages, DATA and PLISM, and one hidden page,
CONTROL. The hidden CONTROL page contains lookup tables, unit conversions,
and charting utilities, which users should not need to edit. Pit-lake characteristics,
simulated stage, and simulated flow components are reported on the PLISM page.
Transmissivity, storage coefficient, percentage of highwall runoff, catchment area,
pre-mining water level, and initial, pit-lake water level are specified on the PLISM
page. Stage-area-volume relations, time series of precipitation and evaporation
(ET) rates, and time series of volumetric pumping or injection rates are entered on
the DATA page.

DATA page
Relation between stage, surface area, and volume of pit lake are specified relative
to stage altitudes in columns B-D from row 20 down (Figure 3). Stage, surface
area, and volume are specified from lowest to highest altitudes. Precipitation and
ET are specified as accumulated as lengths (volume per unit area) between dates
in columns F-H from row 20 down (Figure 3). Removing or adding water from pit
lake by pumping or injection is specified as volumetric rates in columns K-L from
row 20 down.

Figure 3.—DATA page in the Analytical_PLISM.v4.xlsm workbook where stage-area-volume

relation, time series of precipitation and ET lengths, and time series of pumping or injection rates
are specified.

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Data Page

Clear existing data between columns

Empty cells before adding your data.
B and D from row 20 to the last entry.

Specify units for length in cell B18.

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Paste stage, surface area, and
volume data in cell B20.

Verify stage-area-volume relation in

chart above data.

Paste date, precipitation, and ET data

in cell F20, where precipitation and
ET are lengths between dates in
column F.

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Precipitation and ET rates in the
preceding table and this one are
equivalent. Values differ because
monthly precipitation and ET volumes
were specified.

Specify units for length in cell I19.

Paste dates and pumping or injection

rates in cell K20.
Negative values are pumping that
removes water from pit lake.
Positive values are injection that adds
water to pit lake.

Specify volumetric rates of pumping

or injection in cell M19.

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 PLISM page—Site Information
Construction, depths, material, and site information are specified on the OUTPUT
page (Figure 4). Most of this information is descriptive and does not affect
estimated hydraulic conductivities, except for well construction. Aquifer material
defines broad ranges of permissible hydraulic conductivities, which users should
expand or replace with site specific limits. Hydraulic conductivity estimates are
affected by casing diameter (cell C30) and screen length as specified by depths to
top and bottom of screen (cells B34:B35).

Figure 4.—Site information on PLISM page in the Analytical_PLISM.v4.xlsm workbook.

Site Information
Enter gross hydraulic property
estimates,
Transmissivity in cells B17,
Storage coefficient in cell B18.
Specify units of transmissivity
in cell C17.

Highwall runoff is a percentage (B19)

times cumulative precipitation during
a period times catchment area minus
surface area of pit lake.

Catchment area is specified in

cell B20.
Specify units of catchment area
in cell C20.

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Pre-mining groundwater level is
specified in cell B21.

Unit of altitude is specified in cell F21.

Specified unit is applied to pre-mining
groundwater level, initial pit-lake,
water level, and stage of pit lake.

Initial pit-lake, water level is specified

in cell B22.

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PLISM page—Analysis
Pit-lake stages and water-budget components are computed and graphed on the
PLISM page (Figure 5). Pit-lake evaluation times are specified in column E from
row 23 and greater. Equations are paired with newly specified evaluation times
with the “Refresh Components” button at cell F19 (Figure 5). Pit-lake stage is
computed dynamically as site information, such as transmissivity, is changed. Pit-
lake surface areas, pit-lake volumes, and flow components must be revised
manually with the “Refresh Components” button at cell F19 (Figure 5). These
values in columns G-M are computed with a macro written as values to a table on
the CONTROL page. A single flow component at a user-specified time is
computed dynamically and posted with corresponding pit-lake stage for limited
calibration (Figure 5). Unit conversions are dynamic and will be revised
automatically after new units are selected in cells F21:I21 (Figure 5).

Figure 5.—Pit-lake stage and water-budget components on PLISM page in the

Analytical_PLISM.v4.xlsm workbook.

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 Estimate Pit-Lake Stage

Evaluation times are specified in

column E from row 23.
Irregular periods can be defined
between evaluation times, which are
independent of times in the
precipitation-ET and pumping tables
on the DATA page.

All values in columns F-M are

computed and should not be edited.

Pit-lake stage can be reported in

other units, which are selected in cell
F21.

Changing units for stage in cell F21

also changes units for pre-mining
groundwater level (C21) and initial pit-
lake stage (C22).
Values of pre-mining groundwater
level (B21) and initial pit-lake stage
(B22) must be revised for consistency
with new units.

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Units of pit-lake surface areas and
volumes in columns G and H can be
reported in units other than ft² and ft³,
respectively.
Alternative units of area and volume
are specified in cells G21 and H21,
respectively.

Flow components are reported and

charted in a user-defined rate, as
specified in cell I21.
All flow components are reported and
charted in the same units.

Pressing “Refresh Components”

button at cell F19,
1.) Pairs evaluation times in column E
with computed values in columns F-M.
Rows of paired computed values are
reduced or expanded to match
number of rows with user-specified
evaluation times.

2.) Revises static values in columns

G-M using current site information and
data tables.

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 A single flow component is computed
dynamically and posted with
corresponding pit-lake stage for
limited calibration.
Flow component and computation
time are specified in range A25:B26.

Computation time for single-flow

component is specified in cell A26.

Times are user defined in column E.

Flow component is specified

in cell B25.

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Changes in flow component and
computation time are reflected in the
chart of pit-lake stage.

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