Skip to main content
Log in

Stochastic water balance model for rainfall recharge quantification in Ruataniwha Basin, New Zealand

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

Quantification of groundwater recharge is important for water resources management. Different methods can be used to estimate groundwater recharge. The most suitable approach depends on site characteristics. Water balance model was used in this study to quantify groundwater recharge from rainfall in Ruataniwha Basin, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. Because it is a closed basin, this method was determined to be more suitable than any other method. The basin is fed by surface water flow and rainfall, without any lateral groundwater flow. Records of surface water inflow and outflow are available with a certain degree of reliability. To cope with uncertainty in different components of water balance, different sampling methods were used. The Mean Value Latin Hypercube Sampling (MVLHS) was used and compared with Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS), and Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). It was found the groundwater recharge from rainfall is about 415 million m3/year. Results of this study have revealed that MVLHS converges faster and with lower variance than LHS and MCS.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baalousha H (2005) Using CRD method for quantification of groundwater recharge in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. J Environ Geol 48(7):889–900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batelaan O, De Smedt F (2007) GIS-based recharge estimation by coupling surface–subsurface water balances. J Hydrol 337(3–4):337–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bazuhair A, Wood W (1996) Chloride mass-balance method for estimating ground water recharge in arid areas: examples from western Saudi Arabia. J Hydrol 186(1–4):153–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bekesi G, McConchie J (1999) Groundwater recharge modelling using the Monte Carlo technique, Manawatu region, New Zealand. J Hydrol 224:137–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benson C, Abichou T, Albright W, Gee G, Roesler A (2001) Field evaluation of alternative earthen final covers. Int J Phytoremediation 3(1):105–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis D (2001) Subsurface geology of the Ruataniwha Plains and relation to hydrology. Technical report. Geological Research Ltd, Lower Hutt

    Google Scholar 

  • Geea G, Zhanga Z, Tylerb S, Albrightb W, Singletonc M (2005) Chloride Mass Balance Cautions in Predicting Increased Recharge Rates. Vadose Zone J 4(1):72–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardyanto W, Merkel B (2007) Introducing probability and uncertainty in groundwater modeling with FEMWATER-LHS. J Hydrol 332(1–2):206–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houston J (2007) Recharge to groundwater in the Turi Basin, northern Chile: an evaluation based on tritium and chloride mass balance techniques. J Hydrol 334(3–4):34–544

    Google Scholar 

  • Iman R, Helton J (1988) An investigation of uncertainty and sensitivity techniques for computer models. Risk Anal 8(1):71–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keramat M, Kielbasa R (1999) Modified Latin hypercube sampling Monte Carlo (MLHSMC) estimation for average quality index. Analog Integr Circuits Signal Proc 19(1):87–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuczera G, Prent E (1998) Monte Carlo assessment of parameter uncertainty in conceptual catchment models: the metropolis algorithm. J Hydrol 211(1):69–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Gal La Salle C, Marlin C, Leduc C, Taupin J, Massault M, Favreau G (2001) Renewal rate estimation of groundwater based on radioactive tracers (3H, 14C) in an unconfined aquifer in a semi-arid area, Iullemeden Basin, Niger. J Hydrol 254(1–4):145–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln Environmental (2002) Ruataniwha Plain water management stage 1: potential irrigation demand Lincoln environmental report No. 4477/2 prepared for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council

  • Lioua T, Der Yeh H (1997) Conditional expectation for evaluation of risk groundwater flow and solute transport: one dimensional analysis. J Hydrol 199(3–4):378–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ludecke J (1988) The Tukituki river catchment. Water and soil resource management plan. Hawke’s Bay Catchment Board and Regional Water Board

  • McKay M, Beckman R, Conover W (1979) Comparison of three methods for selecting values of input variables in the analysis of output from a computer code. Technometrics 21(2):239–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray L (2002) Modelling Ruataniwha plains groundwater. Report prepared for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council

  • Owen A (1992) Orthogonal array for computer experiments, integration and visualization. Stat Sin 2(2):439–452

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen A (1998) Latin supercube sampling for very high dimensional simulations. Modeling and computer simulation. ACM Transac Model Comput Simul 8(2):71–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sami K, Hughes D (1996) A comparison of recharge estimates to a fractured sedimentary aquifer in South Africa from a chloride mass balance and an integrated surface-subsurface model. J Hydrol 179(1–4):111–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma ML, Hughes MW (1985) Groundwater recharge estimation using chloride, deuterium, and oxygen-18 profiles in the deep coastal sands of Western Australia. J Hydrol 81(1–2):93–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein M (1987) Large sample properties of simulations using Latin hypercube sampling. Technometrics 29(2):43–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szilagyi J, Harvey FE, Ayers JF (2003) Regional estimation of base recharge to ground water using water balance and a base-flow index. Ground Water 41(4):504–513

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson C (1987) The climate and weather of Hawke’s Bay, 2nd edn, vol 115(5). New Zealand Meteorological Service Misc Publ, Wellington

  • Ting C, Kerh T, Liao C (1998) Estimation of groundwater recharge using the chloride mass-balance method, Pingtung Plain, Taiwan. Hydrogeol J 6(2):282–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright KA, Xu Y (2000) A water balance approach to the sustainable management of groundwater in South Africa. Water SA 26(2):167–170

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Husam Baalousha.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Baalousha, H. Stochastic water balance model for rainfall recharge quantification in Ruataniwha Basin, New Zealand. Environ Geol 58, 85–93 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1495-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1495-6

Keywords

Navigation