Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

GIS and SBF for estimating groundwater recharge of a mountainous basin in the Wu River watershed, Taiwan

  • Published:
Journal of Earth System Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The temporal and spatial distributions of precipitation are extremely uneven; so, careful management of water resources in Taiwan is crucial. The long-term overexploitation of groundwater resources poses a challenge to water resource management in Taiwan. However, assessing groundwater resources in mountainous basins is challenging due to limited information. In this study, a geographic information system (GIS) and stable base-flow (SBF) techniques were used to assess the characteristics of groundwater recharge considering the Wu River watershed in central Taiwan as a study area. First, a GIS approach was used to integrate five contributing factors: lithology, land cover/land use, lineaments, drainage, and slope. The weights of factors contributing to the groundwater recharge were obtained from aerial photos, geological maps, a land use database, and field verification. Second, the SBF was used to estimate the groundwater recharge in a mountainous basin scale. The concept of the SBF technique was to separate the base-flow from the total streamflow discharge in order to obtain a measure of groundwater recharge. The SBF technique has the advantage of integrating groundwater recharge across an entire basin without complex hydro-geologic modelling and detailed knowledge of the soil characteristics. In this study, our approach for estimating recharge provides not only an estimate of how much water becomes groundwater, but also explains the characteristics of a potential groundwater recharge zone.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+
from $39.99 /Month
  • Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
  • Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
  • Cancel anytime
View plans

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Arnold J G and Allen P M 1999 Automated methods for estimating baseflow and ground water recharge from streamflow records; J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 35, 411–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes B S 1939 The structure of discharge recession curves; Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union 20, 721–725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen W P and Lee C H 2003 Estimating ground-water recharge from streamflow records; Environ. Geol. 44, 257–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chenini I, Mammou A B and May M E 2010 Groundwater recharge zone mapping using GIS-based multi-criteria analysis: A case study in central Tunisia (Maknassy Basin); Water Resour. Manag. 24, 921–939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherkauer D S and Ansari S A 2005 Estimating ground water recharge from topography, hydrogeology and land cover; Ground Water 43, 102–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi W, Galasinski U, Cho S J and Hwang C S 2012 A spatiotemporal analysis of groundwater level changes in relation to urban growth and groundwater recharge potential for Waukesha County, Wisconsin; Geographical Analysis 44, 219–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chowdary V M, Ramakrishnan D, Srivastava Y K, Chandran V and Jeyaram A 2008 Integrated water resource development plan for sustainable management of Mayurakshi Watershed, India using remote sensing and GIS; Water Resourc. Manag. 23, 1581–1602.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dinesh Kumar P K, Gopinath G and Seralathan P 2007 Application of remote sensing and GIS for the demarcation of groundwater potential zones of a river basin in Kerala, southwest coast of India; Int. J. Remote Sens. 28, 5583–5601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckhardt K 2012 Technical note: Analytical sensitivity analysis of a two parameter recursive digital baseflow separation filter; Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 16, 451–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edet A E, Okereke C S, Teme S C and Esu E O 1998 Application of remote sensing data to groundwater exploration: A case study of the Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria; Hydrogeol. J. 6, 394–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Baz F and Himida I 1995 Groundwater potential of the Sinai Peninsula Egypt; Project Summary, AID, Cairo.

  • Freeze R A and Cherry J A 1979 Groundwater; Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA.

  • Forkuor G, Pavelic P, Asare E and Obuobie E 2013 Modelling potential areas of groundwater development for agriculture in northern Ghana using GIS/RS; Hydrol. Sci. J. 58, 437–451.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenbaum D 1985 Review of remote sensing applications to groundwater exploration in basement and regolith; British Geological Survey Report OD 85, 36p.

  • Gupta M and Srivastava P K 2010 Integrating GIS and remote sensing for identification of groundwater potential zones in the hilly terrain of Pavagarh, Gujarat, India; Water Int. 35, 233–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horton R E 1933 The role of infiltration in the hydrologic cycle; Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 14, 446–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsu K C, Wang C H, Chen K C, Chen C T and Ma K W 2007 Climate-induced hydrological impacts on the groundwater system of the Pingtung Plain, Taiwan; Hydrogeol. J. 15, 903–913.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaiswal R K, Mukherjee S, Krishnamurthy J and Saxena R 2003 Role of remote sensing and GIS techniques for generation of groundwater prospect zones towards rural development – an approach; Int. J. Remote Sens. 24, 993–1008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jang C S, Chen S K and Kuo Y M 2013 Applying indicator-based geostatistical approaches to determine potential zones of groundwater recharge based on borehole data; Catena 101, 178–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jha M K, Chowdhury A, Chowdary V M and Peiffer S 2007 Groundwater management and development by integrated remote sensing and geographic information systems: prospects and constraints; Water Resour. Manag. 21, 427–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krishnamurthy J, Venkatesa Kumar N, Jayaraman V and Manivel M 1996 An approach to demarcate groundwater potential zones through remote sensing and geographic information system; Int. J. Remote Sens. 17, 1867–1884.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kulandaiswamy V C and Seetharaman S 1969 A note on Barnes’ method of hydrograph separation; J. Hydrol. 9, 222–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lattman L H and Parizek R R 1964 Relationship between fracture traces and the occurrence of groundwater in carbonate rocks; J. Hydrol. 2, 73–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leblanc M, Leduc C, Razack M, Lemoalle J, Dagorne D and Mofor L 2003 Application of remote sensing and GIS for groundwater modeling of large semiarid areas: Example of the Lake Chad Basin, Africa; In: Hydrology of Mediterranean and Semiarid Regions Conference, Montpieller, France, IAHS (Red Books Series), Wallingford, UK, 278 186–192.

  • Leduc C, Favreau G and Schroeter P 2001 Long-term rise in a Sahelian water table: The Continental Terminal in southwest Niger; J. Hydrol. 243 43–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C H, Chen W P and Lee R H 2006 Estimation of groundwater recharge using water balance coupled with base-flow-record estimation and stable-base-flow analysis; Env. Geology 51, 73–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C H, Yeh H F and Chen J F 2008 Estimation of groundwater recharge using soil moisture budget method and base-flow model; Env. Geology 54, 1787–1797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linsley R K, Jr Kohler M A and Paulhus J L H 1982 Hydrology for Engineers, 3rd edn, McGraw-Hill, New York.

  • Machiwal D, Jha M K and Mal B C 2011 Assessment of groundwater potential in a semi-arid region of India using remote sensing, GIS and MCDM techniques; Water Resour. Manag. 25, 1359–1386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCallum J L, Cook P G, Brunner P and Berhane D 2010 Solute dynamics during bank storage flows and implications for chemical base flow separation; Water Resour. Res. 46, W07541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukherjee P, Singh C K and Mukherjee S 2012 Delineation of groundwater potential zones in arid region of India–A Remote Sensing and GIS Approach; Water Resour. Manag. 26, 2643–2672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukherjee S 1996 Targeting saline aquifer by remote sensing and geophysical methods in a part of Hamirpur-Kanpur, India; Hydrogeol. J. 19, 53–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murthy K S R 2000 Groundwater potential in a semi-arid region of Andhra Pradesh-a geographical information system approach; Int. J. Remote Sens. 21, 1867–1884.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien R J, Misstear B D, Gill L W, Deakin J L and Flynn R 2013 Developing an integrated hydrograph separation and lumped modelling approach to quantifying hydrological pathways in Irish river catchments; J. Hydrol. 486, 259–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary D W, Friedman J D and Poh H A 1976 Lineaments, linear, lineations: Some standards for old terms; Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 87, 1463–1469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olmsted F H and Hely A G 1962 Relation between Groundwater and Surface Water in Brandywine Creek Basin, Pennsylvania; US Geological Survey Professional Paper, 417–A, 21p.

  • Preeja K R, Sabu J, Jobin T and Vijith H 2011 Identification of groundwater potential zones of a tropical river basin (Kerala, India) using remote sensing and GIS techniques; J. Indian Soc. Remote Sens. 39, 83–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman A 2008 A GIS based DRASTIC model for assessing groundwater vulnerability in shallow aquifer in Aligarh, India; Appl. Geogr. 28, 32–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rutledge A T 1992 Methods of using streamflow records for estimating total and effective recharge in the Appalachian Valley and Ridge, Piedmont, and Blue Ridge physiographic provinces; In: Regional aquifer systems of the United States, aquifers of the southern and eastern states (eds.) Hotchkiss W R and Johnson A I, American Water Resources Association Monograph Series 17 59–73.

  • Rutledge A T 1993 Computer Programs for Describing the Recession of Ground-Water Discharge and for Estimating Mean Ground-Water Recharge and Discharge from Streamflow Records; U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Investigations Report 93–4121, 45p.

  • Rutledge A T 2000 Considerations for use of the RORA program to estimate ground-water recharge from streamflow records; U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 00–156, 44p.

  • Rutledge A T 1998 Computer programs for describing the recession of ground-water discharge and for estimating mean ground-water recharge and discharge from streamflow records-update; U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 98–4148, 43p.

  • Saraf A K and Choudhury P R 1998 Integrated remote sensing and GIS for groundwater exploration and identification of artificial recharge sites; Int. J. Remote Sens. 19, 1825–1841.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saraf A K, Choudhury P R, Roy B, Sarma B, Vijay S and Choudhury S 2004 GIS based surface hydrologicalmodelling in identification of groundwater recharge zones; Int. J. Remote Sens. 25, 5759–5770.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sener E, Davraz A and Ozcelik M 2005 An integration of GIS and remote sensing in groundwater investigations: A case study in Burdur, Turkey; Hydrogeol. J. 13, 826–834.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaban A, Khawlie M and Abdallah C 2006 Use of remote sensing and GIS to determine recharge potential zone: the case of Occidental Lebanon; Hydrogeol. J. 14, 433–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shahid S, Nath S K and Roy J 2000 Groundwater potential modeling in a soft rock area using a GIS; Int. J. Remote Sens. 21, 1919–1924.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon S and Quiel F 2006 Groundwater study using remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) in the central highlands of Eritrea; Hydrogeol. J. 14, 1029–1041.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart M, Cimino J and Ross M 2007 Calibration of base flow separation methods with streamflow conductivity; Ground Water 45, 17–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tweed S O, Leblanc M, Webb J A and Lubczynski M W 2007 Remote sensing and GIS for mapping groundwater recharge and discharge areas in salinity prone catchments, southeastern Australia; Hydrogeol. J. 15, 75–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C H 2007 The impacts of climate change on the groundwater environment of Taiwan; Bull. Central Geol. Surv. 18, 239–255(in Chinese with English abstract).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang C H, Kuo C H and Chang F C 2004 The changing face of the groundwater environmental in Taiwan; Bull. Central Geol. Surv. 17, 1–22(in Chinese with English abstract).

    Google Scholar 

  • Water Resources Agency (WRA) 2005 Hydrological Year Book of Taiwan; Republic of China Ministry of Economic Affairs, Republic of China, Taipei.

  • Yeh H F, Lee C H, Hsu K C and Chang P H 2009 GIS for the Assessment of groundwater recharge potential zone; Environ. Geol. 58, 185–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zektser I S 2002 Principles of regional assessment and mapping of natural groundwater resources; Env. Geology 42, 270–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments in greatly improving the manuscript. This study is financially supported by funds from the National Science Council (NSC), Taiwan, R.O.C., under grant NSC 101-2221-E-006-196-MY2 and Central Geological Survey of Taiwan under grant 101-5226904000-02-02.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Resources Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan

    HSIN-FU YEH, HUNG-I LIN, SHING-TSZ LEE, KUO-CHIN HSU & CHENG-HAW LEE

  2. Central Geological Survey, Ministry of Economic Affairs, New Taipei 235, Taiwan

    MIN-HSIANG CHANG

Authors
  1. HSIN-FU YEH
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. HUNG-I LIN
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. SHING-TSZ LEE
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. MIN-HSIANG CHANG
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. KUO-CHIN HSU
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. CHENG-HAW LEE
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to CHENG-HAW LEE.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

YEH, HF., LIN, HI., LEE, ST. et al. GIS and SBF for estimating groundwater recharge of a mountainous basin in the Wu River watershed, Taiwan. J Earth Syst Sci 123, 503–516 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0420-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0420-5

Keywords