Regional groundwater recharge estimation in the Assiniboine Delta Aquifer (ADA)

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Date
2023-05-25
Authors
Mustafa, Fida Ul
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Abstract

This study aimed to accurately estimate groundwater recharge in the Assiniboine Delta Aquifer (ADA) by utilizing a comprehensive approach that involved configuring 3916 HYDRUS-1D models for each grid cell with a dimension of 1 km by 1 km in the ADA, based on input factors such as soil textures, land use characteristics, meteorological data, and groundwater levels. The impact of vegetation cover on regional groundwater recharge was also considered using the Penman-Monteith equation to calculate potential evapotranspiration (Monteith, 1981), which was then partitioned into potential evaporation and potential transpiration to be used as inputs in each HYDRUS-1D model. Groundwater recharge was found to be highest during the months of April and May, coinciding with the snow melt season, and during late summer and fall months, specifically in September and October. Soil characteristics and groundwater levels were also found to significantly impact groundwater recharge, with sandy soil textures exhibiting the highest groundwater recharge rates. The average groundwater recharge for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021 was calculated to be approximately 79 mm/year, 74 mm/year, and 54 mm/year, respectively, with an overall average recharge of 69 mm/year. This value was consistent with the results reported by Stafford et al. (2022) and almost double the recharge value estimated by Render (1988), which was 34 mm/year. Additionally, the recharge to precipitation (R/P) ratio for each year was found to be 15%, 25%, and 21% for 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into the dynamics of regional groundwater recharge in the ADA over time and highlight the importance of considering the spatial distribution of soil characteristics, land use characteristics, and groundwater levels when estimating groundwater recharge in the region.

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Groundwater recharge estimation, Sustainable groundwater management, Hydrogeology
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