A catchment water balance model for estimating groundwater recharge in arid and semiarid regions of south-east Iran |
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| Authors: | E Khazaei A E F Spink James W Warner |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Civil Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran,;(2) School of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK,;(3) Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State University, USA, |
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| Abstract: | This paper presents a new model of the rainfall-runoff-groundwater flow processes applicable to semiarid and arid catchments
in south-east Iran. The main purpose of the model is to assess the groundwater recharge to aquifers in these catchments. The
model takes into account main recharge mechanisms in the region, including subsurface flow in the valley alluvium in mountainous
areas and recharge from the bed of ephemeral rivers. It deals with the effects of spatial variation in the hydrological processes
by dividing the catchment into regions of broad hydrologic similarity named as highland, intermediate and aquifer areas. The
model is based on the concept of routing precipitation within and through the catchment. The model has been applied to the
Zahedan catchment and the results indicate that the groundwater level estimated by the recharge model generally is in agreement
with the behaviour of groundwater levels in observation wells. The sensitivity analysis indicates that when the rainfall in
the aquifer area is used to replace the values recorded in the intermediate area and the highland area, the recharge estimates
are reduced by 42-87%. This result supports the division of the catchment into different zones of hydrological similarity
to account for spatial variability of hydrological processes.
Electronic Publication |
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| Keywords: | Arid and semiarid regions Catchment Groundwater recharge Iran Water balance model |
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