scholarly journals Abacus to Predict Groundwater Recharge at Non-Instrumented Hydrographic Basins

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronaldo Medeiros dos Santos ◽  
Sérgio Koide ◽  
Bruno Esteves Távora ◽  
Daiana Lira de Araujo
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Vadose Zone ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Soil Class ◽  
Recharge Rates ◽  
Experimental Basin

One of the first steps to implement a policy for groundwater resources management is knowing the groundwater recharge. However, the unavailability of data and resources to execute field studies increase the uncertainty associated with the estimation of groundwater recharge. To fill this gap, the present work aimed to propose a method to predict groundwater recharge at non-instrumented hydrographic basins. The approach proposed is based on using an abacus to execute the transposition and/or regionalization of results generated in an experimental basin. The methodology comprised the estimation and mapping of recharge rates in the experimental basin using three distinct approaches—numerical modelling of the saturated zone, distributed hydrological modelling of the vadose zone, and the method of fluctuation of the water table elevation—and the following generation of the abacus, with average recharge values for combinations of soil class, land use/cover and slope using geographic information systems. The results indicate that the abacus is consistent for some Ferrasol areas, that the reliability of average regionalized values depends on the complexity of the physical environment—soil class, land use/cover, and slope—and that new studies, focusing on the hydro-physical characterization of soils, might produce more reliable estimations.

scholarly journals Parameterization and quantification of recharge in crystalline fractured bedrocks in Galicia-Costa (NW Spain)

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1667-1683 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Raposo ◽  
J. Molinero ◽  
J. Dafonte
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Effective Porosity ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Metasedimentary Rocks ◽  
Hydrogeological Parameters ◽  
Efficient Management ◽  
Independent Technique ◽  
Recharge Rates

Abstract. Quantifying groundwater recharge in crystalline rocks presents great difficulties due to the high heterogeneity of the underground medium (mainly, due to heterogeneity in fracture network, which determines hydraulic parameters of the bedrock like hydraulic conductivity or effective porosity). Traditionally these rocks have been considered to have very low permeability, and their groundwater resources have usually been neglected; however, they can be of local importance when the bedrock presents a net of well-developed fractures. The current European Water Framework Directive requires an efficient management of all groundwater resources; this begins with a proper knowledge of the aquifer and accurate recharge estimation. In this study, an assessment of groundwater resources in the Spanish hydrologic district of Galicia-Costa, dominated by granitic and metasedimentary rocks, was carried out. A water-balance modeling approach was used for estimating recharge rates in nine pilot catchments representatives of both geologic materials. These results were cross-validated with an independent technique, i.e. the chloride mass balance (CMB). A relation among groundwater recharge and annual precipitation according to two different logistic curves was found for both granites and metasedimentary rocks, thus allowing the parameterization of recharge by means of only a few hydrogeological parameters. Total groundwater resources in Galicia-Costa were estimated to be 4427 hm3 yr−1. An analysis of spatial and temporal variability of recharge was also carried out.

scholarly journals Effect of Land Use/Land Cover Change on Groundwater Recharge in Osun Drainage Basin, Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-394
Author(s):  
E. D. Ashaolu ◽  
J. F. Olorunfemi ◽  
I. P. Ifabiyi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Land Cover Change ◽  
Drainage Basin ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Rock Outcrops ◽  
Groundwater System

Osun drainage basin is one of the regions in Nigeria experiencing increasing population growth and rapid urbanization; and about 70% of the inhabitantsrely on shallow groundwater resources of the region. Change in land use/land cover is one of the significant factors controlling regional hydrology and groundwater resources, thus the continuous change in land use and land cover of the drainage basin will significantly affect the basin’s groundwater resources. There are 7 classified land use/land cover in the study area which are bare surfaces, built up area, crops/shrubs, forest, rock outcrops, water bodies and wetland. Applying WetSpass-M hydrological model, we predicted the effect of land use/land cover change on the groundwater recharge in Osun drainage basin, Nigeria between 1984-2015. The results revealed that the highest groundwater recharge of 48.56%, 33.64% and 37.29% occurred in forested area in 1984, 2000 and 2015, respectively. This result might be due to the influence of vegetation in slowing down the speed of running water across the forest area, that allows more infiltration and deep percolation into the water table to recharge the groundwater system. On the other hand, the least groundwater recharge of the total annual was on the rock outcrops, which are about 4% in 1984, 3% in 2000 and 2% in 2015. The least recharge found on rock outcrops is expected and may be attributed to the fact that infiltration can only occur around or on decomposed rock outcrop, which may result in minute recharge to the groundwater system. The mean annual groundwater recharge of the basin for the land use/land cover of 1984, 2000 and 2015 are476.54, 411.07 and 430.06 mm/y, respectively. Overall, for the 32 years period of investigation, change in land use/land cover accounts for only 10% reduction in mean groundwater recharge occurrence between 1984 and 2015. Also, there is a change in recharge pattern in the study area during this period because most often, change in land use/land cover is a transition from one land use/land cover class to another, and the recharge pattern is influenced based on the degree of transition that took place and the characteristics of the dominant land use/land cover at a particular area of the basin. Although, the 10% reduction in mean annual recharge appears minute, this might become pronounced if the current rate of deforestation in the drainage basin continues unabated. Therefore, proper land use allocation, regulated land development and afforestation in terms of planting of native trees that were lost through anthropogenic activities in the basin should be policy option for groundwater sustainability.

scholarly journals Using multiple methods to investigate the effects of land-use changes on groundwater recharge in a semi-arid area

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-104
Author(s):  
Shovon Barua ◽  
Ian Cartwright ◽  
P. Evan Dresel ◽  
Edoardo Daly
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Arid Area ◽  
Land Clearing ◽  
Water Table Fluctuations ◽  
Recharge Rates ◽  
Effects Of Land Use ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract. Understanding the applicability and uncertainties of methods for documenting recharge rates in semi-arid areas is important for assessing the successive effects of land-use changes and understanding groundwater systems. This study focuses on estimating groundwater recharge rates and understanding the impacts of land-use changes on recharge rates in a semi-arid area in southeast Australia. Two adjacent catchments were cleared ∼180 years ago following European settlement, and a eucalypt plantation forest was subsequently established ∼15 years ago in one of the catchments. Chloride mass balance analysis yields recharge rates of 0.2 to 61.6 mm yr−1 (typically up to 11.2 mm yr−1). The lower of these values probably represents recharge rates prior to land clearing, whereas the higher likely reflects recharge rates following the initial land clearing. The low pre-land-clearing recharge rates are consistent with the presence of old groundwater (residence times up to 24 700 years) and the moderate-to-low hydraulic conductivities (0.31 to 0.002 m d−1) of the aquifers. Recharge rates estimated from tritium activities and water table fluctuations reflect those following the initial land clearing. Recharge rates estimated using water table fluctuations (15 to 500 mm yr−1) are significantly higher than those estimated using tritium renewal rates (0.01 to 89 mm yr−1; typically <14.0 mm yr−1) and approach the long-term average annual rainfall (∼640 mm yr−1). These recharge rates are unrealistic given the estimated evapotranspiration rates of 500 to 600 mm yr−1 and the preservation of old groundwater in the catchments. It is likely that uncertainties in the specific yield results in the water table fluctuation method significantly overestimating recharge rates, and despite the land-use changes, the present-day recharge rates are relatively modest. These results are ultimately important for assessing the impacts of land-use changes and management of groundwater resources in semi-arid regions in Australia and elsewhere.

scholarly journals Using multiple methods to understand groundwater recharge in a semi-arid area

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shovon Barua ◽  
Ian Cartwright ◽  
P. Evan Dresel ◽  
Edoardo Daly
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Arid Area ◽  
Plantation Forest ◽  
Land Clearing ◽  
Water Table Fluctuations ◽  
Recharge Rates ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract. Understanding recharge in semi-arid areas is important for the sustainable management of groundwater resources. This study focuses on estimating groundwater recharge rates and understanding the impacts of land-use changes on recharge in a semi-arid area. Two adjacent catchments in southeast Australia were cleared ~180 years ago following European settlement; in one of these catchments eucalypt plantation forest was subsequently established ~ 20 years ago. Chloride mass balance yields recharge rates of 0.2 to 61.6 mm yr−1 (typically up to 11.2 mm yr−1). The lower of these values probably represent recharge rates prior to land clearing, whereas the higher likely reflects recharge rates following initial land clearing. The low pre-land clearing recharge rates are consistent with the presence of groundwater that has residence times that are up to 24,700 years (calculated using radiocarbon) and the moderate to low hydraulic conductivities (0.31 to 0.002 m day−1) of the clay-rich aquifers. Recharge rates estimated from tritium activities and water table fluctuations reflect those following the initial land clearing. However, recharge rates estimated using water table fluctuations (15 to 500 mm yr−1) are significantly higher than those estimated using tritium renewal rates (0.01 to 89 mm yr−1; typically

Estimation of Spatial and Temporal Groundwater Balance Components in Khadir Canal Sub-Division, Chaj Doab, Pakistan

Hydrology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aslam ◽  
Ali Salem ◽  
Vijay P. Singh ◽  
Muhammad Arshad
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Water Balance Components ◽  
Aquifer Management ◽  
Groundwater Balance ◽  
Semi Arid

Evaluation of the spatial and temporal distribution of water balance components is required for efficient and sustainable management of groundwater resources, especially in semi-arid and data-poor areas. The Khadir canal sub-division, Chaj Doab, Pakistan, is a semi-arid area which has shallow aquifers which are being pumped by a plethora of wells with no effective monitoring. This study employed a monthly water balance model (water and energy transfer among soil, plants, and atmosphere)—WetSpass-M—to determine the groundwater balance components on annual, seasonal, and monthly time scales for a period of the last 20 years (2000–2019) in the Khadir canal sub-division. The spatial distribution of water balance components depends on soil texture, land use, groundwater level, slope, and meteorological conditions. Inputs for the model included data on topography, slope, soil, groundwater depth, slope, land use, and meteorological data (e.g., precipitation, air temperature, potential evapotranspiration, and wind speed) which were prepared using ArcGIS. The long-term average annual rainfall (455.7 mm) is distributed as 231 mm (51%) evapotranspiration, 109.1 mm (24%) surface runoff, and 115.6 mm (25%) groundwater recharge. About 51% of groundwater recharge occurs in summer, 18% in autumn, 14% in winter, and 17% in spring. Results showed that the WetSpass-M model properly simulated the water balance components of the Khadir canal sub-division. The WetSpass-M model’s findings can be used to develop a regional groundwater model for simulation of different aquifer management scenarios in the Khadir area, Pakistan.

scholarly journals Groundwater recharge rates and surface runoff response to land use and land cover changes in semi-arid environments

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. O. Owuor ◽  
K. Butterbach-Bahl ◽  
A. C. Guzha ◽  
M. C. Rufino ◽  
D. E. Pelster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Land Cover Changes ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Recharge Rates ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals SWB Modeling of Groundwater Recharge on Catalina Island, California, during a Period of Severe Drought

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanette Harlow ◽  
Benjamin Hagedorn
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Soil Water Balance ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Spatial Trend ◽  
Mass Balance Method ◽  
Recharge Rates

This study applied a soil water balance (SWB) model to simulate groundwater recharge on Catalina Island, California, for the years 2008–2014, a period that coincided with a severe drought. Island-wide average recharge ranged from 0.05 mm/year in 2013 to 82.3 mm/year in 2008, with a 7-year mean of 23.0 mm/year. High recharge is primarily associated with east-facing mountain fronts and the land cover types “developed, open space” and “herbaceous”. This spatial trend is also reflected in recharge estimates for groundwater well locations produced by the Cl mass balance method. Only in 2008 did all areas of the island experience recharge, while the recharge was very low during the drought years 2009 and 2012–2014. Sensitivity analyses indicate an unresolved discrepancy in land cover classification (i.e., herbaceous grass dominated vs. chaparral and coastal sage dominated) to be a significant factor. In a scenario where herbaceous grass dominates, as field studies from the early 1980s imply, recharge estimates nearly double. Nevertheless, the overall low recharge rates presented herein and the fact that drought conditions in Southern California have worsened since 2014 suggest that large parts of the island may not have received any recharge in nearly a decade.

scholarly journals Targeting groundwater potential zones using Electrical resistivity and GIS techniques in Kadavanar Sub-basin, South India

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-73
Author(s):  
Karunanidhi D ◽  
Suresh M ◽  
Subramani T ◽  
Anand B
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Information System ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Groundwater Level ◽  
South India ◽  
Artificial Recharge ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Multi Criteria Analysis

Geographical Information System techniques are widely used to determine suitable sites for groundwater recharge through artificial recharge techniques. The present research work is to identify suitable locations for constructing artificial recharge structures in the Kadavanar Sub-basin, South India. People in the Sub-basin mainly depend on the groundwater resources for drinking and irrigation purposes. Groundwater resources are often overexploited in many parts of this Sub-basin to meet the water demand leading to groundwater consumption. A lot of surfaces and sub-surface information and criteria are required for mapping the groundwater recharge zone. This is where the geographic information system [GIS] provides the right impetus besides the groundwater prospective zone to harness multilayered spatial data so that multi-criteria analysis is possible. This analysis integrates historic rainfall data analysis, groundwater level fluctuation, stream network, aquifer thickness, land use/land cover and basin slope. Drainage map, slope map and land use/land cover maps were prepared from satellite imageries. Vertical electrical sounding (VES) geophysical survey with Schlumberger electrode configuration was also conducted in the basin at 50 locations to map the aquifer thickness. Spatial variation maps for groundwater level and aquifer thickness were generated using GIS. Weighted aggregation method was used in this study to obtain groundwater recharge maps. Finally, multi-criteria analysis has been carried out to identify and assess the potential sites for groundwater recharge according to the associated weightages. It is established that GIS is best suited for the mapping of groundwater recharge zones. A similar study can be extended to any other hard-rock region facing water crises.

scholarly journals Enhanced groundwater recharge rates and altered recharge sensitivity to climate variability through subsurface heterogeneity

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (11) ◽  
pp. 2842-2847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Hartmann ◽  
Tom Gleeson ◽  
Yoshihide Wada ◽  
Thorsten Wagener
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Carbonate Rock ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
Subsurface Heterogeneity ◽  
Recharge Rates

Our environment is heterogeneous. In hydrological sciences, the heterogeneity of subsurface properties, such as hydraulic conductivities or porosities, exerts an important control on water balance. This notably includes groundwater recharge, which is an important variable for efficient and sustainable groundwater resources management. Current large-scale hydrological models do not adequately consider this subsurface heterogeneity. Here we show that regions with strong subsurface heterogeneity have enhanced present and future recharge rates due to a different sensitivity of recharge to climate variability compared with regions with homogeneous subsurface properties. Our study domain comprises the carbonate rock regions of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, which cover ∼25% of the total land area. We compare the simulations of two large-scale hydrological models, one of them accounting for subsurface heterogeneity. Carbonate rock regions strongly exhibit “karstification,” which is known to produce particularly strong subsurface heterogeneity. Aquifers from these regions contribute up to half of the drinking water supply for some European countries. Our results suggest that water management for these regions cannot rely on most of the presently available projections of groundwater recharge because spatially variable storages and spatial concentration of recharge result in actual recharge rates that are up to four times larger for present conditions and changes up to five times larger for potential future conditions than previously estimated. These differences in recharge rates for strongly heterogeneous regions suggest a need for groundwater management strategies that are adapted to the fast transit of water from the surface to the aquifers.

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