Abstract
Investigations of groundwater resources in order to understand aquifer system behavior are vital to the inhabitants of the Klela Basin, Mali, because groundwater is the only permanent water resource and is used for drinking water and irrigation. Due to climate change, this vital resource is being threatened. Therefore, MODFLOW was applied in this study to simulate groundwater dynamics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of climate change on groundwater resources in the Klela basin using the RCP4.5 (Representative Concentration Scenario 4.5 W/m2) climate scenario. Climatological, geological, hydrogeological, hydraulic and demographic data were collected and used as model input data. Groundwater recharge was estimated to be approximately 165.3 mm/year using the EARTH (Extended model for Aquifer Recharge and soil moisture Transport through the unsaturated Hardrock) model. Recharge was then used as groundwater model input. The sandstone aquifer in the study area was simulated in steady and transient conditions. The results showed that hydraulic conductivity values varied from 1.1 to 13.9 m/day. The model was used for scenario quantification after model calibration and verification using three different piezometer data sets. The results of the simulated MODFLOW model showed a decrease in groundwater levels over time.
Highlights
Groundwater resources provide important sources of drinking water throughout the world, especially in developing countries where most human activities depend on groundwater
The results of the simulated MODFLOW model showed a decrease in groundwater levels over time
The behavior of groundwater in the Klela basin has been evaluated in the context of climate change
Summary
Groundwater resources provide important sources of drinking water throughout the world, especially in developing countries where most human activities (e.g., domestic water use, small-scale irrigation, etc.) depend on groundwater. The investigated basin in Mali is an agriculture zone, growing cotton and rice during the rainy season and potatoes during the dry season. The surface area used for agriculture has been extended in the basin to assure food security for the growing population. Most of the rural population uses water from traditional wells that are recharged by rainfall and dry out a few months after the recharge period. Water sustainability in the town of Sikasso’s supply system remains a challenge due to groundwater exploitation in the context of increased water demand and climate variability and change. Because of the growing population and climate change, a scientific tool should be used to assess present and future difficulties related to water supply and demand in the study area. MODFLOW is a Hydrology 2016, 3, 17; doi:10.3390/hydrology3020017 www.mdpi.com/journal/hydrology
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