Abstract
Information on aquifer processes and characteristics across scales has long been a cornerstone for understanding water resources. However, point measurements are often limited in extent and representativeness. Techniques that increase the support scale (footprint) of measurements or leverage existing observations in novel ways can thus be useful. In this study, we used a recession-curve-displacement method to estimate regional-scale aquifer transmissivity (T) from streamflow records across the Kilombero Valley of Tanzania. We compare these estimates to local-scale estimates made from pumping tests across the Kilombero Valley. The median T from the pumping tests was 0.18 m2/min. This was quite similar to the median T estimated from the recession-curve-displacement method applied during the wet season for the entire basin (0.14 m2/min) and for one of the two sub-basins tested (0.16 m2/min). On the basis of our findings, there appears to be reasonable potential to inform water resource management and hydrologic model development through streamflow-derived transmissivity estimates, which is promising for data-limited environments facing rapid development, such as the Kilombero Valley.
Highlights
Human population growth and long-term climate change, among other factors, put pressure on water resources worldwide [1,2]
The T values estimated from pumping tests ranged from 0.01 to 370.80 m2 /min with a median T
This range of T values shows the potential for high variability of local aquifer conditions across the Kilombero Valley River basin
Summary
Human population growth and long-term climate change, among other factors, put pressure on water resources worldwide [1,2]. Groundwater resources, which are typically thought of as being more resilient towards climatic changes, have been under increasing pressure, as more than 1.5 billion people globally rely on groundwater resources to meet their water demands [3] This suggests the importance of having accurate information on aquifer processes and characteristics across scales (both locally and regionally) in order to understand and sustainably develop and manage groundwater resources. Information about groundwater resources and associated aquifer properties is often assessed through point observations such as pumping test techniques This can, make it difficult to obtain information for groundwater aquifers in remote regions given the cost of these methods and the limited scale at which they are applicable.
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