Potential Recharge Research Articles

Groundwater recharge potentiality mapping for opportune augmentation following two MCDMs for a Western Himalayan watershed

Accounting potential zones for recharging groundwater is a prerequisite before the implementation of the springshed conservation program. Many studies have suggested that the resurgence of the springs in the Himalayan region is waning due to anthropogenic and Climate Change impacts. Typical physical methods of recharge zone explorations are manpower & fiscal-intensive and find limited applicability in areas with steep slopes and undulating topography. The deliberated study is an attempt towards the identification of potential recharge zones using topographical and meteorological indices via two MCDM methods, namely, AHP and Fuzzy AHP for the Saryu watershed of Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand. Twelve thematic layers following the assignment of suitable weights were overlayed for the development of the groundwater recharge potentiality map. The findings indicated that following AHP 6%, 86.89%, 7.10% & 0.01% of the study area demonstrates low, moderate, high, and very high potentiality for groundwater recharge, while, FAHP suggests these indices to be 19.23%, 76.77%, 3.55%, & 0.45%, respectively. Further, FAHP demonstrates the redundancy of a few input layers for the adopted scale of the input data. The study also furnishes a brief description of opportune recharge structures based on the groundwater recharge potentialities.

Groundwater potential recharge assessment in Southern Mediterranean basin using GIS and remote sensing tools: case of Khalled- Teboursouk basin, karst aquifer

Groundwater potential recharge assessment in Southern Mediterranean basin using GIS and remote sensing tools: case of Khalled- Teboursouk basin, karst aquifer

Groundwater sustainability mapping for managed aquifer recharge in Dwarkeswar River basin: Integration of watershed modeling, multi-criteria decision analysis, and constraint mapping

Groundwater sustainability is a pressing issue in many regions, especially in semi-arid and drought-prone areas, impacting progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study addresses this challenge by assessing Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) potential in India's Dwarkeswar River basin. The study employs a systematic approach integrating watershed modeling using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), and constraint mapping techniques. Initially, the SWAT model evaluates water availability for MAR, followed by an MCDA-AHP method to identify optimal sites based on ten spatial parameters encompassing technical, economic, and environmental criteria. Furthermore, the study employs constraint mapping to refine site suitability assessments and sensitivity analysis to gauge the robustness of the results. The SWAT analysis revealed substantial variation in runoff volumes among the eight sub-basins, ranging from 8.34 m³/s to 136.28 m³/s, indicating significant availability of source water for MAR. Results from the MCDA followed by constraint mapping indicate that 51.57% of the study area is unsuitable for MAR, while 0.12%, 34.59%, and 13.72% are classified as low, moderate, and suitable zones, respectively. Sensitivity analysis reveals that geological attributes, soil thickness, runoff, and slope significantly influence the suitability scores, underscoring their impact on MAR feasibility. Validation with major pond locations confirmed the accuracy of this integrated approach in identifying suitable sites for MAR initiatives. This emphasizes the importance of holistic groundwater management strategies for sustainable water resource utilization and achieving the SDGs.

Groundwater Recharge Potential Index and artificial groundwater recharge in the alluvial soils of the middle Ganga Basin

Recent studies prove the faster depletion of groundwater is a cause of concern in the middle Ganga basin. Most of the groundwater-related studies in the middle Ganga basin deal with groundwater levels and quality aspects. The past studies on groundwater potential are confined to arid and humid zones of India, which leaves ample space for semi-humid to semi-arid, frost-prone, and alluvial region. The basin has alluvial soil due to sediments deposited by the river Ganga. In this study, eight thematic maps were prepared for the assessment of the groundwater recharge potential. These maps are; rainfall, geomorphology, slope, drainage density, lineament density, lithology, Land Use/Land Cover (LULC), and Groundwater Fluctuation (GWF). The weighted overlay of these thematic maps gave the Groundwater Recharge Potential Zone (GWRPZ) map representing the spatial variation of the Groundwater Recharge Potential Index (GWRPI) in the basin, whose value varies from 0.071 to 0.309. A total of 92 artificial groundwater recharge sites have been identified using specialized GIS processes taking into account stream network. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) based weights classification offers a robust framework for prioritizing and understanding the relative significance of factors affecting groundwater recharge. Alluvial soils are capable of holding large amount of water, and are overlaid by large aquifers. A large number of wells and tube wells have led to the over-extraction of groundwater in the region. This is the reason of the study being carried out despite being a region infested with large aquifers.

Estimating natural groundwater recharge taking into consideration temporal and spatial variability for arid unconfined aquifer

ABSTRACT Water scarcity is one of the major critical affecting arid climate countries. In addition, population growth and climate change are threatening the sustainable development of water resources in the upcoming decades. Therefore, managing groundwater can solve water scarcity such that sustainable development is ensured for future generations. Hence, it is crucial to assess the current quantity of groundwater by analyzing groundwater variables. Thus, natural groundwater recharge could be utilized as an indicator to assess groundwater quantity conditions. This study aims to estimate natural groundwater recharge in an arid unconfined aquifer. El-Qaa plain in Sinai, Egypt was chosen as a case study. Recharge was estimated taking into consideration spatial and temporal variability. To accomplish this, the WetSpass (Water and Energy Transfer between Soil, Plants, and Atmosphere under quasi-Steady State) model was applied. The model was run using morphological, landuse – land cover and climate data from 1986 to 2015 with a monthly time step. To calibrate the model, the isotope signature of δ18O and δ2 H of water was analyzed to determine the natural groundwater recharge of the aquifer. The obtained recharge value was utilized as a reference value for the calibration process. The results were validated using a finite-difference groundwater flow model (MODFLOW). The recharge values were imported to MODFLOW followed via a transient run from 2000 to 2011. The validation was conducted by comparing the simulated groundwater level with the observed ones. After validation process, the inter-annual and seasonal variability of recharge were determined, and a relationship between recharge and other hydrological parameters was deduced. In addition, the recharge distribution was mapped to depict the recharge spatial variability. The results show that the current recharge rate ranges from approximately 8.10 to 16.62 mm/yr, with a mean annual recharge rate of nearly 12.36 mm/yr. The study might be useful for hydrogeologists for determining potential recharge in the study area, groundwater modelers for developing a reliable groundwater flow model, and decision-makers for planning appropriate future sustainable development through water resources management.

Temporal land-use change of a reclaimed land in greater Dhaka and its impact on natural water cycle

This study aims to explore the land-use induced impact on runoff and recharge of an impending urban growth on reclaimed land filled with sands in greater Dhaka to concede the low impact development through practicable methods. Having analyzed the temporal land-use change by Curve Number (CN), GIS-based Soil Conservation Service - Curve Number (SCS-CN) method has been used to evaluate the runoff of the study area. Initial land-use in 2010 with a higher CN 86 resulted in a lower CN 72 in 2020-2022 due to land-use change (pre-developed/existing condition) with permeable soil for urban development. However, the gradual land-use change resulted in more imperviousness and an increasing trend in CN. With ultimate CN 84, approximately 243% more runoff was predicted during complete urbanization in 2040 and beyond as opposed to CN 72 in 2020-2022. Due to the existing higher groundwater table of the area, the Water Table Fluctuation (WTF) method has been used to find the natural recharge potential. As higher CN results in more runoff and recharge loss, ultimate natural recharge potential with CN 84 declines to more than 50% of the pre-developed condition. Results from the methods suggested a comprehensive hydrological forecasting due to land-use change on reclaimed land with assorted options for natural water cycle balance.

Framework for mapping large-scale nature-based solutions for drought mitigation: Regional application in Flanders

Droughts are classified as the most expensive climate disasters as they leave long-term and chronic impacts on the ecosystem, agriculture, and human society. The intensity, frequency, and duration of drought events have increased in the past and are expected to continue rising at global, continental, and regional scales. Nature-based solutions (NBS) are highlighted as effective solutions to cope with the future impacts of these events. Despite this, there has been limited comprehensive research on the effectiveness of NBS for drought mitigation, and existing suitability mapping frameworks often overlook drought-specific criteria. To address this gap, a new framework is proposed to identify areas suitable for two drought-coping NBS types at a regional scale: detention basins and managed aquifer recharge. Two multi-criteria decision-making techniques (MCDM), i.e. Boolean logic and Analytic- Hierarchy Process (AHP), were used to map suitable large-scale NBS. The new framework accounts for unique criteria to specifically address drought conditions. By incorporating climate change scenarios for both surface and groundwater, recharge, and different groundwater characteristics, it identifies suitable and sustainable locations capable of managing extreme drought events. Executed through Boolean logic at a regional scale in Flanders (Belgium), the framework's strict approach yields significant potential areas for detention basins (298.7 km²) and managed aquifer recharge (867.5 km²). Incorporating AHP with the same criteria introduces a higher degree of flexibility for decision-makers. This approach shows a notable expansion across Flanders, varying with the level of suitability. The results underscore the highly suitable potential for detention basins (2552.2 km²) and managed aquifer recharge (2538.7 km²), emphasizing the adaptability and scalability of the framework for addressing drought in the region. The comparison between potential recharge volume due to detention basin and groundwater use in the region indicated that the detention basins could partially compensate for the high water demand. Therefore, creating a framework targeting drought is vital for the sustainable management of water scarcity scenarios.

GIS-based multi-criteria decision making for delineation of potential groundwater recharge zones for sustainable resource management in the Eastern Mediterranean: a case study

In light of population growth and climate change, groundwater is one of the most important water resources globally. Groundwater is crucial for sustaining many vital sectors in Syria, including industrial and agricultural sectors. However, groundwater exploitation has significantly escalated to meet different water needs especially in the post-war period and the earthquake disaster. Therefore, the goal was this study delineation of the groundwater potential zones (GPZs) by integrating the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method in a geographic information systems (GIS) within the AlAlqerdaha river basin in western Syria. In this study, ten criteria were used to map the spatial distribution of GPZs, including slope, geomorphology, drainage density, land use/land cover (LU/LC), lineament density, lithology, rainfall, soil, curvature and topographic wetness index (TWI). GPZs map was validated by using the location of 74 wells and the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC). The findings suggest that the study area is divided into five GPZs: very low, 21.39 km2 (10.87%); low, 52.45 km2 (26.65%); moderate, 65.64 km2 (33.35%); high, 40.45 km2 (20.55%) and very high, 16.90 km2 (8.58%). High and very high zones mainly corresponded to the western regions of the study area. The conducted spatial modeling indicated that the AHP-based GPZs map showed a remarkably acceptable correlation with wells locations (AUC = 87.7%, n = 74), demonstrating the precision of the AHP–GIS as a rating method. The results of this study provide objective and constructive outputs that can help decision-makers to optimally manage groundwater resources in the post-war phase in Syria.

Modeling groundwater recharge potential zones in the Wadi Yalamlam, Saudi Arabia

Effective management of groundwater resources is vital in arid and semi-arid regions like the Yalamlam Basin. Identifying appropriate places for groundwater artificial recharge is key to addressing water shortages and guaranteeing the long-term viability of aquifers. By combining the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach with GIS technology, this research offers a thorough framework for evaluating the potential for groundwater recharge. Data collection for the study includes lineament density, slope, drainage density, rainfall, Land Use/Land Cover (LU/LC), soil, elevation, and TWI, among other crucial variables. In this study, lineament density, slope, drainage density, rainfall, LULC, soil, elevation and TWI are the most sensitive characteristics with relative weights of 30, 23, 16, 11, 8, 5, 4 and 3%, respectively. According to the study’s findings, there are many zones in the Yalamlam region with varying capacities for groundwater recharging. Based on the locations that may be used for groundwater recharge, the study’s findings were categorized into five groups: very high (12.7%), high (23.3%), moderate (29.6%), poor (24.4%), and very poor (10%). The validation of the groundwater protection zones was conducted by using eight wells in the basin. As part of the validation process, the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the boreholes and the groundwater protection zones (GWPZs) were compared. A strong positive correlation was found between them (0.61). The results of this research can be used for the management of groundwater resources and provide valuable information for the creation of policies that focus on specific actions to boost groundwater recharge. These findings may considerably enhance the effectiveness of efforts aimed at implementing customized methods to encourage groundwater recharge. The results suggest that there are substantial prospects for using artificial recharge in groundwater management and planning to tackle the issue of groundwater availability in the study region.

Assessment of Flash Flooding Hazard and Groundwater Recharge Potentials Using Remotely Sensed Data of Wadi El-Assiuti Basin, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Assessment of Flash Flooding Hazard and Groundwater Recharge Potentials Using Remotely Sensed Data of Wadi El-Assiuti Basin, Eastern Desert, Egypt

GIS-based delineation of potential recharge zones of groundwater and its validation with actual recharge in the Nangasai River Basin of Eastern India

GIS-based delineation of potential recharge zones of groundwater and its validation with actual recharge in the Nangasai River Basin of Eastern India

A low-cost approach to map natural groundwater recharge potential zones of a tropical watershed with complex land occupation

Groundwater recharge is one of the components of the water cycle and is the most difficult parameter to estimate due to multiple factors that can influence the water percolation until it reaches the water table, such as land use/cover, slope, and soil texture, besides climatic conditions. Given that groundwater is Brazil's most widely exploited natural resource and its significance in sustaining ecosystems, apart from its role in guaranteeing the city's water security, mapping zones of recharge potential is a growing demand for water resources management. This work uses the GIS approach and the water balance (2010–2019) to map the groundwater recharge potential zones of the Adamantina Aquifer in Urânia (São Paulo State, Brazil) delimited on a local scale by the Córrego Comprido watershed. The results showed that 39% of the area has a recharge potential of 165 mm/year or 13% of the average annual precipitation (APPT) for the time, reflecting the gently undulating topography (2–7% slope) with sandy soil texture and shrubby herbaceous cover. Maintaining these same terrain characteristics and changing the land use/cover only, the presence of eucalyptus trees would decrease the recharge potential by 32% (111 mm/y; 9% of average APPT). As another example, the urban occupations would cause a reduction of 80% for the same parameter (33 mm/y; 3% of average APPT). Furthermore, in urban areas, a developing recharge potential value of only 7 mm/year (1% of average APPT) corresponding to sandy lands but with slopes of 7% was observed, demonstrating the primary control of land use/cover and topography in the estimates. The predominant recharge potential value of 165 mm/y correlated with the results of previous recharge studies conducted in Urânia. It demonstrated the versatility of this approach to extrapolate over large areas when required.

Groundwater recharge potential zone modeling in the Wadi Al-Lith Basin, Saudi Arabia

The management of groundwater resources is crucial in arid and semi-arid regions such as Al-Lith Basin, and therefore, the identification of suitable areas for groundwater recharge is important in solving the problem of water scarcity and ensuring the long-term sustainability of aquifers. In this study, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique, in conjunction with GIS, was applied to locate potential zones for groundwater recharge in the Al-Lith basin. The research methodology includes collecting the essential data, including lineament density, slope, rainfall, drainage density, LU/LC, soil, elevation, and TWI. AHP is used to assign relative weights to different qualities, considering their significance in influencing groundwater recharge. The ArcGIS was employed to process and analyze the weighted layers, which resulted in the creation of a comprehensive map illustrating the potential for groundwater recharge. The study results suggested that the Al-Lith Subbasin has several zones that exhibit different levels of groundwater recharge capability. The results obtained from this study indicated that 12.83% of the basin area has significant groundwater recharge potential zones (GWPZ), ranging from high to very high levels. The groundwater recharge potential zones in the basin are categorized as very poor to poor, covering 19.4% of the area, while the moderate groundwater recharge potential zones represent 67.77% of the basin area. The groundwater protection zones were validated using 19 wells distributed across the basin. The validation findings indicate there is an overlap between the GWPZ classes and the wells in the specified location. Overall, the findings of this study can enhance groundwater resource management and inform policy development for targeted interventions aimed at enhancing groundwater recharge.

An underground drip water monitoring network to characterize rainfall recharge of groundwater at different geologies, environments, and climates across Australia

Abstract. Understanding when and why groundwater recharge occurs is of fundamental importance for the sustainable use of this essential freshwater resource for humans and ecosystems. However, accurately capturing this component of the water balance is widely acknowledged to be a major challenge. Direct physical measurements identifying when groundwater recharge is occurring are possible by utilizing a sensor network of hydrological loggers deployed in underground spaces located in the vadose zone. Through measurements of water percolating into these spaces from above, we can record the potential groundwater recharge process in action. By using automated sensors, it is possible to precisely determine when recharge occurs (which event, month, or season and for which climate condition). Combined with daily rainfall data, it is possible to quantify the “rainfall recharge threshold”, the amount of rainfall needed to generate groundwater recharge, and its temporal and spatial variability. Australia's National Groundwater Recharge Observing System (NGROS) provides the first dedicated sensor network for observing groundwater recharge at an event scale across a wide range of geologies, environments, and climate types representing a wide range of Australian hydroclimates. Utilizing tunnels, mines, caves, and other subsurface spaces located in the vadose zone, the sensors effectively record “deep drainage”, water that can move beyond the shallow subsurface and root zone to generate groundwater recharge. The NGROS has the temporal resolution to capture individual recharge events, with multiple sensors deployed at each site to constrain the heterogeneity of recharge between different flow paths, and to quantify (including uncertainty bounds) rainfall recharge thresholds. Established in 2022, the network is described here together with examples of data being generated.

Investigating ground water recharge potential through various analytical methodologies: A case study at Babina block, Bundelkhand region

Investigating ground water recharge potential through various analytical methodologies: A case study at Babina block, Bundelkhand region

Mapping natural groundwater potential recharge zones using GIS-AHP in the Upper Cheliff alluvial aquifer, Algeria

Water scarcity is a big issue in arid and semi-arid regions. This challenge is particularly evident in the Upper Cheliff plain in Algeria, where the alluvial aquifer plays a vital role in drinking water supply and supporting irrigation. This aquifer faces high demand and quality issues. A study was conducted in this context, employing a cartographic approach to assess potential groundwater recharge from precipitation into the alluvial aquifer. The current study aimed at mapping zones with potential natural groundwater recharge zones by applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) integrated within a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, combining various factors that can influence recharge, such as rainfall, surface soil type, slope degree, land use and land cover, unsaturated zone, groundwater depth, and curve number. The map resulting from the analysis indicates that only 22% of the assessed area covers zones with very low and low potential recharge, 35% with moderate potential recharge zones, and 43% with high and very high potential recharge zones. This map reveals that the eastern region of the plain, from the cities of Djendel to Ain Soltane, is moderately to highly favorable for recharge. This is due to the natural recharge from rainfall and watercourse infiltration during dam release periods, excess irrigation water, and recharge from the Miocene sandstone aquifer in areas with direct aquifer contact. A validation process was performed using data from 66 wells distributed in this plain and it indicated that 48 wells exhibited good agreement with the resulting map, while 18 wells showed slight deviations. The results indicate an agreement of 72.72% between expected and exist number value of wells which confirming the good prediction of the AHP technique.

POTENTIAL SITE SELECTION FOR GROUNDWATER RECHARGE USING ADVANCED GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES

Freshwater demand is increasing rapidly due to a significant increment in population day by day. Whereas, groundwater resources are depleting at high speed in fulfilling the water needs of different sectors. The world uses 67% of groundwater for agriculture, 22% for domestic and 11 % for the industrial sector Twenty-five percent (25%) of global groundwater withdrawals sustains agricultural productivity in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Pakistan is the fourth largest user of groundwater among all countries (after India, the USA and China) Punjab is the largest populace province of Pakistan where around 90% of the population is dependent on groundwater to fulfil their domestic, agricultural industrial needs. It has been reported that in many parts of the country ratio of groundwater recharge to discharge is 0.8 which also results in a rapid decline in the water tables country. This study aimed at the assessment of the potential sites for groundwater recharge in Jand tehsil using a geospatial approach. Presently, the study area experiencing the seepage/mixing of wastewater with the groundwater due to poor drainage and sewerage network. Therefore, availability of fresh drinking water becomes a serious challenge in Jand and demands an artificial groundwater recharge system to fulfill the water needs. Several relevant criteria have been incorporated in this research to delineate the potential zones i.e. Drainage Density, Slope, Rainfall, land use/Landcover, Geology, and Soil. To precisely identify the sites, an Analytical Hierarchy Process has been employed to calculate the weight of each criterion. Subsequently, each factor is multiplied by its respective weights to develop the potential site suitability map. Results of the study revealed the three best groundwater recharge sites and classified the suitability of the study region as; high suitable (34%) moderate suitable (35%) and low suitable area around 31%. This research illustrates the strength of Geospatial techniques in proposing the potential ground recharge regions and hence rainwater and groundwater resources can be managed efficiently.

Enhancing groundwater recharge in drinking water protection zones in Flanders (Belgium): A novel approach to assess stormwater managed aquifer recharge potential

Study regionFlanders (Belgium) Study focusStormwater infiltration for managed aquifer recharge is increasingly recognized as a drought adaptation measure. Given the high degree of urbanization and imperviousness, stormwater infiltration has significant potential in Flanders (Belgium). This research presents a novel approach to quantify stormwater availability and its potential to enhance groundwater recharge. Stormwater volumes available for recharge are calculated based on the imperviousness level, yearly average precipitation volumes, and runoff coefficients. This study focuses on groundwater protection zones around drinking water wells to assess the role of increased infiltration for sustainable drinking water production. Calculated potential stormwater volumes for recharge are compared to natural groundwater recharge and pumping volumes for drinking water production to quantify the potential significance of stormwater infiltration for aquifer recharge. New hydrological insights for the regionResults show a high potential for stormwater infiltration in Flemish protection zones with an average of 17% (7%-33%) additional groundwater recharge from stormwater infiltration. Additionally, stormwater recharge could potentially compensate for 19% (8%-37%) of abstracted drinking water production from phreatic aquifers. Locally, higher groundwater recharge potentials were calculated, especially in protection zones around the city of Leuven. Therefore, stormwater harvesting for infiltration and groundwater recharge should be further encouraged throughout the region, with special attention to urban areas. However, further research is needed on stormwater quality to assess groundwater quality risks in this water quantity-quality balancing exercise.

Nonstationary recharge responses to a drying climate in the Gnangara Groundwater System, Western Australia

The response of groundwater recharge to climate change needs to be understood to enable sustainable management of groundwater systems today and in the future, yet observations of recharge over long-enough time periods to reveal responses to climate trends are scarce. Here we present a meta-analysis of 60 years of recharge studies over the Gnangara Groundwater System of South-West Western Australia, covering a period of sustained drying consistent with climate change projections. The recharge process in the area is defined by a wet winter during which rain saturates a deep, highly permeable soil profile with very low water storage capacity. Measurements of recharge since the 1960s show near-linear reductions in potential recharge of 50%, in response to a 20% reduction in rainfall. For the best-represented land cover in the dataset (Banksia woodland), the reduction in potential recharge was closer to 70%. A simple analytical model suggests that reductions in the duration of winter, coupled with a decreased frequency of winter storms, were most responsible for these declines, and reveals the potential for nonlinear relationships between the recharge fraction (recharge/precipitation) and climatic variables such as mean storm frequency, mean storm depth, and the length of the winter wet season. Overall, results suggest that recharge declines in drying Mediterranean groundwater systems are likely to outstrip the declines in rainfall, and that leveraging existing observation networks worldwide to characterise recharge responses to changing climate is needed to overcome existing interpretation challenges created by inconsistent sites, methods and durations of recharge estimation.

Mapping Favorable Groundwater Potential Recharge Areas Using a GIS-Based Analytical Hierarchical Process: A Case Study of Ferkla Oasis, Morocco

Mapping Favorable Groundwater Potential Recharge Areas Using a GIS-Based Analytical Hierarchical Process: A Case Study of Ferkla Oasis, Morocco