Abstract
Assessment of recharge in a structurally complex upland karst limestone aquifer situated in a semi-arid environment is difficult. Resort to surrogate indicators such as measurement of spring outflow and borehole discharge, is a common alternative, and attempts to apply conventional soil moisture deficit analysis may not adequately account for the intermittent spate conditions that arise in such environments. A modelling approach has been made using the West Bank Mountain Aquifer system in the Middle East as a trial. The model uses object oriented software which allows various objects to be switched on and off. Each of the main recharge processes identified in the West Bank is incorporated. The model allows either conventional soil moisture deficit analysis calculations or wetting threshold calculations to be made as appropriate, and accommodates both direct recharge and secondary recharge. Daily time steps enable recharge and runoff routing to be calculated for each node. Model runs have enabled a series of simulations for each of the three aquifer basins in the West Bank and for the whole of the West Bank. These provide recharge estimates comparable to those prepared by earlier workers by conventional means. The model is adaptable and has been successfully used in other environments.
Résumé
Il est difficile d’évaluer la recharge d’un aquifère calcaire karstique qui présente une structure complexe et qui est localisé en montagne dans un environnement semi-aride. Le recours à des indicateurs, tels que la mesure du débit d’une source ou le rendement d’un puits, représente une alternative commune, et essayer d’effectuer conventionnellement une analyse du déficit d’humidité du sol risque de ne pas prendre en compte les conditions associées aux crues intermittentes, lesquelles sont propres à de tels environnements. A titre d’essai, une approche par modélisation a été effectuée sur le système aquifère de West Bank Mountain au Moyen-Orient. Le modèle utilise un logiciel orienté objet, ce qui permet d’activer ou de désactiver un groupe d’objets. Chacun des principaux processus de recharge identifiés sur le West Bank est incorporé. Le modèle permet soit de réaliser des calculs conventionnels de déficit d’humidité du sol, soit de faire des calculs de seuil d’humidification et il permet de prendre en compte à la fois la recharge directe et la recharge secondaire. Des pas de temps journaliers permettent de calculer en chaque noeud la trajectoire de la recharge et du ruissellement. Le modèle a permis d’effectuer des séries de simulations pour chacun des trois bassins aquifères du West Bank ainsi que pour la totalité du West Bank. Ce travail a fourni des estimations comparables à celles obtenues précédemment par des moyens conventionnels. Ce modèle est transposable et a été appliqué avec succès à d’autres environnements.
Resumen
La evaluación de recarga en un acuífero de caliza kárstica estructuralmente complejo de tierras altas es difícil. Una alternativa común consiste en recurrir a indicadores sustitutos tal como la medición de descargas de manantial y descarga de sondeos mientras que los intentos de aplicar los análisis convencionales de déficit de humedad de suelo pueden no explicar adecuadamente para las condiciones torrenciales intermitentes que se presentan en tales ambientes. Se ha utilizado un enfoque de modelizado usando el sistema Acuífero de la Montaña del Banco Occidental en el Medio Oriente como prueba. El modelo usa un programa orientado al objeto el cual permite que varios objetos se enciendan y apaguen. Se incorpora cada uno de los principales procesos de recarga identificados en el Banco Occidental. El modelo permite ya sea cálculos convencionales de análisis de déficit de humedad de suelo o cálculos de umbrales de humedad para ser hechos como apropiados, acomodando tanto la recarga directa como la recarga secundaria. Los intervalos de tiempo diario permiten calcular para cada nodo las rutas de escorrentía y recarga. Las corridas del modelo han permitido una serie de simulaciones para cada una de las tres cuencas de acuíferos en el Banco Occidental y para todo el Banco Occidental. Las simulaciones aportan estimados de recarga que son comparables a los elaborados por investigadores previos usando medios convencionales. El modelo es adaptable y se ha utilizado exitosamente en otros ambientes.
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Acknowledgements
The work was undertaken within the Sustainable Management of the West Bank and Gaza Aquifers Project which was funded by the UK Department for International Development. The project partners included the University of Newcastle and the Overseas Development Institute working alongside the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), for whom a major outcome was training and capacity building. The development of the recharge model was undertaken by the British Geological Survey supported by the PWA for data acquisition. The paper is published by permission of the Director, British Geological Survey (Natural Environment Research Council).
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Hughes, A.G., Mansour, M.M. & Robins, N.S. Evaluation of distributed recharge in an upland semi-arid karst system: the West Bank Mountain Aquifer, Middle East. Hydrogeol J 16, 845–854 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-008-0273-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-008-0273-6