An integrated method to study and plan aquifer recharge

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleftheria Kalaitzaki ◽  
Emmanouil Varouchakis ◽  
Gerald Augusto Corzo Perez ◽  
Vitali Diaz ◽  
Olianna Akoumianaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Intervention Design ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Weighting Method ◽  
Socioeconomic Analysis ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
Suitable Technique

<p>In the Mediterranean region, climatic variations in conjunction to intensive agriculture deteriorates groundwater resources which are over-exploited to cover irrigation demands. A characteristic example is Messara Basin in the island of Crete, Greece. This work presents an integrated suitability assessment study for potential aquifer recharge that considers the availability of water resources, hydro-geological and geomorphological characteristics, climatic scenarios, soil properties and suitability, and socioeconomic analysis under the framework of a suitable aquifer recharge technique.</p><p>The most suitable technique for planning the aquifer recharge was selected according to the area characteristics. The spreading method was assessed as the most suitable technique based on the area characteristics that should typically have a source of excess water available nearby, be located in a relatively flat area with permeable soils and be underlined by an unconfined aquifer. A multi-criteria decision analysis method was applied to identify suitable sites for implementing aquifer recharge type spreading method. The methodology is based on a multicriteria matrix developed in accordance to a relative optimization (weighting) method in terms of hydrogeological and geomorphological criteria, and water availability (reservoir, river). Criteria combining a high relevance and high data availability, and providing unique information, selected to assess the suitability of aquifer recharge in Messara basin such as slope, land use, hydrogeology, rainfall, groundwater level, soil texture and distance to source water.</p><p>All the aforementioned factors were separately studied and analyzed and then were combined under the principles of the spreading method to provide by means of spatial maps the most appropriate locations in the study basin.</p><p>The outcome of this work is a simple framework methodology for selecting the most suitable recharge locations of the underlying aquifers and to demonstrate its socioeconomic and environmental advantages. The results of this work will assist local authorities to consider the applicability of aquifer recharge in the Messara valley while it consists a framework for efficient planning of similar applications in other Mediterranean regions.</p><p> </p><p>Acknowledgments</p><p>This work was implemented in the framework of the research project Uncertainty-aware intervention design for Mediterranean aquifer recharge. The project: "Uncertainty-aware intervention design for Mediterranean aquifer recharge benefits from the support of the Prince Albert II foundation". http://www.fpa2.org</p><p> </p><p>References</p><p>Special water secretariat of Greece, 2017. Integrated Management Plans of the Greek Watersheds, Ministry of Environment & Energy, Athens.</p><p>Varouchakis, E.A., 2016. Integrated Water Resources Analysis at Basin Scale: A Case Study in Greece. J. Irrig. Drain. E-ASCE 142(3), 05015012. DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000966</p>

scholarly journals A Review of SWAT Model Application in Africa

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1313
Author(s):  
George Akoko ◽  
Tu Hoang Le ◽  
Takashi Gomi ◽  
Tasuku Kato
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Hydrological Modeling ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Model Parameterization ◽  
Basin Scale

The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) is a well-known hydrological modeling tool that has been applied in various hydrologic and environmental simulations. A total of 206 studies over a 15-year period (2005–2019) were identified from various peer-reviewed scientific journals listed on the SWAT website database, which is supported by the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD). These studies were categorized into five areas, namely applications considering: water resources and streamflow, erosion and sedimentation, land-use management and agricultural-related contexts, climate-change contexts, and model parameterization and dataset inputs. Water resources studies were applied to understand hydrological processes and responses in various river basins. Land-use and agriculture-related context studies mainly analyzed impacts and mitigation measures on the environment and provided insights into better environmental management. Erosion and sedimentation studies using the SWAT model were done to quantify sediment yield and evaluate soil conservation measures. Climate-change context studies mainly demonstrated streamflow sensitivity to weather changes. The model parameterization studies highlighted parameter selection in streamflow analysis, model improvements, and basin scale calibrations. Dataset inputs mainly compared simulations with rain-gauge and global rainfall data sources. The challenges and advantages of the SWAT model’s applications, which range from data availability and prediction uncertainties to the model’s capability in various applications, are highlighted. Discussions on considerations for future simulations such as data sharing, and potential for better future analysis are also highlighted. Increased efforts in local data availability and a multidimensional approach in future simulations are recommended.

scholarly journals Identifying potential sites for artificial groundwater recharge using GIS and AHP techniques: A case study of Erbil basin, Iraq

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omeed H. Al-Kakey ◽  
◽  
Arsalan A. Othman ◽  
Broder J. Merkel ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Artificial Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Thematic Layers

Excessive extraction, uncontrolled withdrawal of groundwater, and unregulated practices have caused severe depletion of groundwater resources in the Erbil basin, Iraq. This situation has had a number of negative consequences on human settlement, agricultural activities, clean water supply, and the environment. Runoff harvesting and artificial groundwater recharge play a significant role in the sustainable management of water resources, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study aims to: (1) delineate groundwater recharge zones using multiple thematic layers that control the groundwater recharge process, and (2) identify prospective sites and structures to perform artificial groundwater recharge. In order to generate a potential map for groundwater recharge zones, seven thematic layers are considered in this study, namely, topographic position index, geomorphology, lithology, land cover, slope, drainage-length density, and lineament-length density. After that, the analytic hierarchy process was applied to weight, rank, and reclassify these seven thematic layers. All maps are then integrated within the ArcGIS environment for delineating groundwater recharge zones. Accordingly, the resulting map categorizes the study area into five zones: extremely high, high, moderate, low, and extremely low potential for groundwater recharge. As expected, areas along the Greater Zab river show the highest possibility for groundwater recharge. Likewise, rugged eastern hills demonstrate an encouraging capacity for artificial aquifer recharge, whereas the least effective area is represented by built-up land. Based on the generated map, two dams are proposed as promising artificial recharge structures for harvesting runoff water east of Erbil city. Lastly, the resulting map of the potential groundwater recharge zones is verified using static water level data, where the coefficient of determination (R2) achieved a satisfactory result (0.73). These findings provide crucial evidence for implementing a sustainable management plan of surface and groundwater resources. The applied method is eventually valid for regions where appropriate and adequate field data availability is a serious issue.

Development of a regional model for integrated management of water resources at the basin scale

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 175-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Gaiser ◽  
A. Printz ◽  
H.G. Schwarz von Raumer ◽  
J. Götzinger ◽  
V.A. Dukhovny ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Regional Model ◽  
Basin Scale

scholarly journals Groundwater Recharge to Address Integrated Groundwater and Surface Waters

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Miller ◽  
Phoebe Goulden ◽  
Kate Fritz ◽  
Michael Kiparsky ◽  
John Tracy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Direct Injection ◽  
State Agency ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Injection Wells ◽  
Canal Seepage ◽  
Joint Management ◽  
Surface Water Resources

The Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) Recharge Program aims to recharge an average of 250,000 AFY to mitigate the effects of groundwater pumping on surface water resources and, in doing so, to reduce conflicts between surface and groundwater users. The Idaho Water Resources Board (IWRB) partners with canal and irrigation companies to use IWRB’s surface water rights to conduct aquifer recharge through in- and off-canal seepage and direct injection wells. The canal and irrigation companies are paid by IWRB to use their canals and property for recharge sites. From 2014 to 2019, the program achieved 249,028 AFY of average recharge per year. The ESPA Recharge Program serves as a good example of a statewide recharge program that addresses challenges in managing highly connected groundwater and surface water. Moreover, it illustrates the incentives that can emerge for joint management of groundwater and surface water based on legal regimes that integrate the two. The ESPA Recharge Program particularly benefited from its centralized structure, with one state agency, IWRB, given sole control of implementing the recharge program. Nevertheless, the program faces some future obstacles, namely, in securing long-term funding, building out conveyance capacity to transport water to recharge sites during wet years, and modeling groundwater resources adequately.

scholarly journals The Role of DEM Resolution and Evapotranspiration Assessment in Modeling Groundwater Resources Estimation: A Case Study in Sicily

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2980
Author(s):  
Iolanda Borzì ◽  
Brunella Bonaccorso ◽  
Giuseppe Tito Aronica
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Groundwater Resource ◽  
Dem Resolution ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Basin Scale

The reliability of hydrological response simulated by distributed hydrological models in river basins with complex topographies strictly relies on the adopted digital elevation model (DEM) resolution. Furthermore, when the objective is to investigate hydrologic processes over a longer period, including both wet and dry conditions, the choice of a proper model for estimating actual evapotranspiration can play a key role in water resources assessment. When dealing with groundwater-fed catchment, these aspects directly reflect on water balance simulations and consequentially on groundwater resource quantification, which is fundamental for effective water resources planning and management at the river basin scale. In the present study, a DEM-based inverse hydrogeological balance method is applied to estimate the active mean annual recharge of the northern Etna groundwater system within the upstream part of the Alcantara river basin in Sicily region (Italy). Despite this area representing a biodiversity hot-spot, as well as the main water source for a population of about 35,000 inhabitants, so far little attention has been paid to groundwater estimation, mainly due to lack of data. In this context, this work aims to improve knowledge on groundwater recharge at the annual scale in this case-study area. In particular, the main objectives of this study are: (1) to quantify the influence of the DEM resolution on groundwater resource estimation and (2) to investigate the influence of the method used for evapotranspiration assessment on the model’s results. More specifically, groundwater and surface flows are evaluated by considering different DEM resolutions (i.e., 20, 60, 100, 300, 500 m) and three different theoretical approaches for evapotranspiration calculation (i.e., the Turc method, a modified-Turc method, and the Budyko model).

scholarly journals Optimization of Integrated Management to use Surface Water and Groundwater Resources by Using Imperialist Competitive Algorithm and Genetic Algorithm (Tehran Plain)

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 1068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahidreza Amiresmaeili ◽  
Hossein Jahantigh
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Imperialist Competitive Algorithm ◽  
Underground Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Optimum Level ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Tehran Plain

The extensive development of activities in different areas of surface and underground water resources and the lack of sufficient attention to integrated planning and management necessitates research in this regard. Due to the imbalance in the distribution of water resources and the constraints on water resources and the constraints on the use of surface water, it is necessary to combine the use of surface water and underground water resources. In this study, the modelling is done in such a way that maximum use of surface water is achieved and the rate of utilization of groundwater reaches its minimum. In this study, imperialist and genetic competition algorithms are used for optimization. In this study, the extent of utilization of groundwater resources is limited and it has tried to use all of the surface water resources of Tehran Plain. The results of this study showed that the amount of water needed from the beginning of the year begins to decrease and then increases, and this increase is related to the warm seasons of the year. Surface water levels increase in cold seasons. In the cold seasons, the supply of water requirements was complete, but in the warm seasons, some water requirements were not met. The results of this study indicate that if the amount of groundwater resources is kept to an optimum level within 10 years, the problem of groundwater resources in Tehran plain will be solved.

Water resources management of coastal semi-arid environments using Managed Aquifer Recharge and participatory modelling approaches.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Kallioras ◽  
Efthymios Chrysanthopoulos ◽  
Anastasios Mitropapas ◽  
Epaminondas Floros ◽  
Sofia Nalbadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Water Conflict ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Intake Structure ◽  
Semi Arid

<p>Groundwater is a limited resource in coastal hydrogeological systems, especially in semi-arid environments where the irrigation demands are very high. Management of such hydrosystems is a very challenging process; while water conflict between different users as well as climate change conditions are magnifying this problem.</p><p>Managed aquifer recharge – storing water in aquifers during times of excess – is considered as a sound engineering technique and a key strategy to support groundwater resources in such hydrologically sensitive regions by providing intermediate storage, bridging the gap between water demand and availability. In addition to the above, innovative modelling techniques that apply participatory approaches can be proved a valuable supporting tool for the management of groundwater resources within an optimized manner.</p><p>The coastal field of Argolis (S. Greece) is used as a reference site to illustrate the above, where Managed Aquifer Recharge is applied on a full-scale mode since 1990, using karst groundwater as a recharge water source. The study area involves an extended and complex water infrastructure systems that includes: (a) a main intake structure -a submarine dam exploiting a system of submarine karstic springs-; (b) a conveyance system -mainly open canal structures- that assures the transport of water from the main intake structure and main pumping station up to the agricultural area; and (c) a cluster of Managed Aquifer Recharge facilities that divert water towards the subsurface either through deep groundwater wells or infiltration ponds at selected parts of the aquifer.     </p><p>This research presents the results of hydro‐environmental modelling activities of Managed Aquifer Recharge and the preliminary work on participatory driven water resources modelling scenarios. This study is envisaged to contribute in the identification and valuation of socio‐economic and environmental processes and linkages of groundwater uses and services.</p>

Managing Water for Food and Agricultural Transformation in Africa

2019 ◽  
pp. 469-487
Author(s):  
Timothy O. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Rural Transformation ◽  
Agricultural Transformation ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
Technical Solutions ◽  
Food Value

This chapter examines the links between water, food and society in Africa. Agricultural transformation to promote growth, eliminate poverty and hunger and sustain ecosystems is one of the central pillars of current development agenda in Africa. Achievement of this agenda will crucially depend on sustainable water management. However, agri-food systems and water resources are under greater pressure than ever before due to demographic, economic and climatic changes. The nature and scale of these changes suggest that only a holistic and integrated management of all shades of water resources, green, blue and grey, will allow Africa to eliminate hunger and poverty. Research-based technical solutions as well as institutional and policy measures are proposed that would allow available water resources to be sustainably used to promote climate-resilient farming systems, improve agricultural productivity and food security and spur the development of viable food value chains needed for agricultural and rural transformation.

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