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Estimation and condition of groundwater recharge in semiarid zone: example from the Ksour Ridge, NW Algeria

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Abstract

In a recharge area characterized by a semiarid or arid climate and a low annual rainfall, aquifers can be hardly recharged adequately, as it was demonstrated by classical monthly hydrological balance computations. The methodology proposed in this work relies on spatial and temporal interpolation of scarce climatic data. This methodology can be used to determine the recharge flow of aquifers in these zones. The AinSefra’s syncline (Western Saharan Atlas, Southwest Algeria) includes the sandstone aquifers of Continental Intercalary and the Plio-Quaternary layers. It forms an excellent example for this application. Three years with different annual rainfalls are chosen in this application: 1983 as dry year, 2006 as average year, and 2008 as humid one. This application requires information about the soil nature, the surface, and the altitude of the recharge areas. The rainfall and the recharge flow of aquifers indicate that the principal recharge areas are the Jurassic outcrops in the humid years when the annual rainfall exceeds 300 mm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire numéro 25 «PRHPM-LE-CT» Département des Sciences de la Terre et de l’UniversFaculté SNV-STU—Université de Tlemcen, Le Nouveau Pôle Universitaire 2ème Tranche, Tlemcen, 13000, Algeria

    Somia Yousfi

  2. Laboratoire Géoressources, Environnement et Risques Naturels, Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté FSTGAT—Université d’Oran, BP 1524, El M’naouer, Oran, 31000, Algeria

    Rachid Kerzabi & Hamidi Mansour

  3. Laboratoire Chrono-Environnement, UMR Université de Franche Comté, 16, Route de Gray, Besançon, 25000, France

    Jacques Mudry

Authors
  1. Somia Yousfi
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  2. Rachid Kerzabi
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  3. Hamidi Mansour
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  4. Jacques Mudry
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Correspondence to Somia Yousfi.

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Yousfi, S., Kerzabi, R., Mansour, H. et al. Estimation and condition of groundwater recharge in semiarid zone: example from the Ksour Ridge, NW Algeria. Arab J Geosci 7, 4997–5003 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-1175-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-1175-z

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