Modeling aquifer�Criver interactions under the influence of groundwater abstraction in the Mancha Oriental System (SE Spain)

The Mancha Oriental System (MOS, 7,260?km²) is one of the largest aquifers within Spain, and is encompassed by the Jucar River Basin. Over the past 30?years, socioeconomic development within the region has been largely due to intensive use of groundwater resources for irrigating crops (1,000?km²). Groundwater pumping (406 million m³/year) has provoked a steady drop in the groundwater level and a reduction of MOS discharge to the Jucar River. The study aims to characterize the river?Caquifer relationship, to determine the influence that groundwater abstraction has on the river discharge. This research has advanced a three-dimensional large-scale numerical groundwater-flow model (MODFLOW 2000) in order to spatially and temporally evaluate, quantify and predict the river?Caquifer interactions that are influenced by groundwater abstraction in MOS. It is demonstrated that although groundwater abstraction increased considerably from the early 1980s to 2000, the depletion of water stored in the aquifer was lower than might be expected. This is mainly due to aquifer recharge from the Jucar River, induced by groundwater abstraction. The area of disconnection between the river and the water table (i.e. where groundwater head is lower than the riverbed) is found to have spread 20?km downstream from its position before pumping started.     

大清河流域平原区地下水人工补给潜力与补给方式分析

为了有效提升大清河流域平原区地下水水位,亟需在此区域开展地下水人工补给工程,并确定合理的建设位置及有效的补给方式。首先基于研究区可利用补给水源、地下水位、地表高程、地表坡度及与河道距离5个指标的分布特征,构建地下水补给潜力评价体系,采用ArcGIS空间分析功能对研究区进行了地下水人工补给潜力区划;然后在此评价体系基础上,在典型人工补给高潜力区进一步开展系列野外现场试验,探讨适宜可行的地下水人工补给方式。结果表明：研究区西北部及南部河道附近区域开展人工补给工程潜力较高,而中部、北部及西南部远离河道的区域潜力较低。高潜力区——白沟引河地段包气带及含水层渗透性良好,整体渗透系数均在5 m/d左右或更高,适宜地表补给,但河床渗透性较差,渗透系数基本在0.01~0.09 m/d间,若通过河道补给需配合清淤等措施。其中,在上游及中游沿岸适宜将河道水通过生态水渠引至修建的地表入渗池或借助天然渗坑内入渗补给,在中下游沿岸区域适宜将补给水进行严格的水处理后采用井灌方式补给,在白沟引河中下游河道适宜修建拦水坝,利用河道进行入渗补给。     

Hydrogeochemical stratification of the unconfined Samobor aquifer (Zagreb,Croatia)

In the western part of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations of the Samobor aquifer were carried out with the aim of determining the differences in hydrogeochemical characteristics at increasing aquifer depths. The aquifer comprises 40-m thick gravelly–sandy deposits, with lenses and interlayers of silt and clay. The analyses have proven that with increasing aquifer depth, there are decreases in groundwater temperature and the values of electrical conductivity and increases in the sodium, iron and manganese concentrations. The δ¹³C distribution shows an evident increase in biogenic carbon concentrations with increasing aquifer depth. The measured specific ¹⁴C activities showed that the deeper part of the aquifer is characterized by slow water exchange, while the shallower part is influenced by current recharge, although the pumping wells located on the well-field downstream penetrate the aquifer fully. A direct exchange of water from the Sava River and groundwater occurs in the near vicinity of the river. This exchange weakens further away, while the difference in hydrogeochemical characteristics between the Sava River water and groundwater increases.     

Declining groundwater level and aquifer dewatering in Dhaka metropolitan area,Bangladesh: causes and quantification

Large abstraction by water-wells has been causing a linear to exponential drop in groundwater level and substantial aquifer dewatering in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The city is almost entirely dependent on groundwater, which occurs beneath the area in an unconsolidated Plio-Pleistocene sandy aquifer. Analysis shows that the pattern of water-level change largely replicates the patterns of change in the rate of groundwater abstraction. Contribution of the aquifer storage to the abstraction is estimated to be more than 15% in the year 2002. This abstraction has caused a sharp drop in water level throughout the city and turned into two cones of depression in the water level. Upper parts of the aquifer are already dewatered throughout the area, with the exception of part of the northeast and southeast corner of the city. It is calculated that about 41 million cubic metres (MCM) of the aquifer dewatered by the year 1988, which increased to 2,272 MCM in the year 2002. Water-level decline may increase non-linearly due to limiting vertical recharge in areas where the aquifer is dewatered and may severely threaten the sustainability of the aquifer.     

黑河流域中游盆地地表水与地下水转化机制研究

地表水与地下水相互转化是中国西北干旱内流盆地水循环的显著特征,转化机制研究是盆地水循环规律认知和水资源可持续管理的重要基础。以我国西北干旱内流河黑河流域中游的张掖盆地和盐池盆地为研究区,建立了黑河主干河道时变水平衡模型和地表水地下水耦合数值模型,研究了长周期水文变化和人类活动双重影响下地表水与地下水转化机制,得到如下认识:（1）补给条件由以天然条件下河流渗漏为主的线状补给演变为以河流与引水渠道渗漏的线状补给和灌区田间入渗面状补给,排泄条件由以泉水溢出和天然湿地排泄演变为以泉水溢出与地下水开采为主的排泄。（2）张掖盆地黑河干流河道入渗段和溢出段大致以G312 大桥为界,亦称为地表水与地下水转化的转折点。莺落峡—G312 大桥段为悬河渗漏段,河道入渗补给主要受控于进入河道的实际过水量。其中,莺落峡—草滩庄段河道入渗补给率为28.20 %;草滩庄—G312 大桥段河道入渗补给量与河道过水量的关系可用分段函数表达,河道过水量大于或等于0.37×108 m3/mon时呈幂函数关系,小于则呈线性函数关系。G312 大桥—正义峡段为地下水溢出段,其中G312大桥—平川大桥段地下水溢出量约占全部溢出量的70%,溢出峰值出现在高崖水文站下游约6 km处,其单长溢出量可达0.46 m3/(s·km)。（3）研究区是一个相对完整的河流—含水层系统,近31年来经历了连枯和连丰的水文变化,地下水补给排泄条件及与地表水转化机制均发生了相应的变化。地表水与地下水转化最强烈的地区为张掖盆地中部的黑河—梨园河倾斜平原。1990—2001 年连枯期,灌区引水量总体逐年减少,以河道入渗和渠系渗漏为主的补给量平均以0.06×108 m3/a速率减少,农田灌溉面积增加导致灌溉用水增加,地下水开采量显著增加,地下水水位逐年下降,储存量累计减少5.77×108 m3,地下水溢出量平均减少0.16×108 m3/a;而2002—2020 年连丰期,灌区引水量总体逐年减少,河道入渗量呈增加趋势,地下水总补给量平均增加0.15×108 m3/a,灌溉面积继续扩大,农灌开采量随之增加,以河道入渗量增加为主导,地下水水位持续上升,储存量累计增加5.45×108 m3,地下水溢出量平均增加0.08×108 m3/a。总之,补给和排泄条件变化较大,地下水储存量先减后增,地下水溢出总量变化较为平缓,反映了该区巨厚含水层系统的巨大调蓄功能。（4）位于张掖盆地东部的诸河倾斜平原地下水水位长期处于持续下降状态,这是由于地表水开发过度,补给量锐减。黑河侵蚀堆积平原地下水水位基本稳定。30 多年来盐池盆地倾斜平原地下水水位长期处于持续下降状态,这是由于移民开垦导致地下水过量开采。（5）内流盆地天然悬河入渗段是珍贵的地下水补给通道,无论连枯期还是连丰期,河道实际过水量是河道渗漏补给量的关键,保护上游天然河道和一定的河道实际过水量是内流盆地水资源可持续管理的关键。     

伊犁河支流大西沟河水与地下水转化关系研究

开展河流和地下水转换关系研究对于区域水资源合理开发利用具有重要意义。文章以大西沟河水与地下水转换关系为目标,在分析地下水动力场的基础上,通过水化学类型、溶解性总固体(TDS)、氯离子（Cl-）等水化学以及环境同位素18O、D、T等指标作为示踪剂,分析大西沟河和地下水的转换关系和转化强度。结果表明:研究区河流和地下水化学类型主要为HCO3—Ca,水化学类型空间分布特征相似;TDS和Cl-浓度表现为先增加后下降,但地下水的变化幅度大于河水。通过对大西沟河水和地下水中的水化学和环境同位素指标对比分析,发现研究区河流与地下水之间补给排泄关系具有明显的分段性;从河流出山口到下游地区,河水和地下水之间发生了三次转化关系:在山前倾斜砾质平原区以河水入渗补给地下水为主,补给量占该段潜水径流量的56%;到了细土平原区出现地下水补给河水地段,补给源为承压水越流补给潜水后的混合水体,潜水和承压水补给比例占该段河水径流量的20.4%与58.4%;风成沙漠区河水沿途渗漏补给地下水直至河流断流。本次研究结果为建立研究区水循环演化模式和水资源合理开发利用提供了理论和技术支持。     

玉符河对济南岩溶水化学过程的影响研究

玉符河是济南岩溶地下水重要补给源,对济南保泉和供水具有重要意义。本文以2015年玉符河入渗补给试验为例,利用水化学和同位素方法分析了河水入渗对岩溶水矿物组分溶解及离子成分的影响、河水入渗后的渗流路径、影响范围等问题。结果表明,玉符河至城区泉群,水化学类型由SO₄-Ca-Mg型逐渐过渡到HCO₃-Ca型;河水的入渗导致岩溶地下水中方解石和白云石饱和指数减小,石膏的饱和指数几乎不变;水化学和同位素数据表明催马-蛮子庄一带岩溶水中河水比例为48%。在空间分布上,河岸东侧3km范围内河水入渗补给量占比可达50%。在河道东侧8km处,河水入渗补给量占比为5%。在靠近城区泉群一带,河水入渗补给量占比更低, < 5%。本次观测结果表明,河道补水尚未对城区泉群有明显影响。本研究为济南岩溶水资源评价和保泉方案的制定提供依据。     

淄博孝妇河源区地下水资源的开发利用研究

在分析淄博市孝妇河流域源头的南神头－窑广地下水富水区水文地质条件的基础上，应用数值模拟方法建立了该区的地下水流模型，并根据当地的资源需求建立了地下水动态预测模型，研究了可能通过该区出流边界补给下游地区地下水的侧向排泄量。应用系统工程学和运筹学理论，以“开采费用最小”为目标函数，以研究区的需水量及开采井的供水作为约束条件，建立了该区的地下水最优控制模型。通过优化地下水开采布局对出流边界的流量进行了研究，既为富水区的地下水资源利用确定开采方案，又科学地评价地富水区北部边界对下游地区的地下水侧向补给量。     

Numerical modeling the role of rubber dams on groundwater recharge and phreatic evaporation loss in riparian zones

Rubber dams have been widely built for their advantages in increase of flooding resources utilization in the north arid and semiarid plain regions of China. Rise in river water stage by the dams, particularly during the drought periods, increases lateral seepage of river water into groundwater, and thus groundwater table and phreatic evaporation loss in the riparian zones. In this study, a riparian area of the Baihe River in Nanyang of Henan Province, China was selected for investigation of influences of the river dams on the groundwater recharge and evaporation loss. A hydraulic model, HEC-RAS, was used for simulation of the river stage variations along the Baihe River, and a numerical groundwater model, MODFLOW, was applied for simulation of groundwater dynamics and estimation of river flow seepage into aquifer and evaporation loss. The results show that the dams increase river stages of 2–3 m during January 2000–December 2002. The increase in the captured groundwater recharge was 7.15–34.06 million m³/a and the increased phreatic evaporation loss occupies 10% of the increased recharge when four rubber dams were built.     

Impact of rehabilitation of Assiut barrage, Nile River, on groundwater rise in urban areas

To make optimum use of the most vital natural resource of Egypt, the River Nile water, a number of regulating structures (in the form of dams and barrages) for control and diversion of the river flow have been constructed in this river since the start of the 20th century. One of these barrages is the Assiut barrage which will require considerable repairs in the near future. The design of the rehabilitation of the barrage includes a headpond with water levels maintained at a level approximately 0.60 m higher than the highest water level in the headpond of the present barrage. This development will cause an increase of the seepage flow from the river towards the adjacent agricultural lands, Assiut Town and villages. The increased head pond level might cause a rise of the groundwater levels and impedance of drainage outflows. The drainage conditions may therefore be adversely affected in the so-called impacted areas which comprise floodplains on both sides of the Nile for about 70 km upstream of the future barrage. A rise in the groundwater table, particularly when high river levels impede drainage, may result in waterlogging and secondary salinization of the soil profile in agricultural areas and increase of groundwater into cellars beneath buildings in the urban areas. In addition, a rise in the groundwater table could have negative impact on existing sanitation facilities, in particular in the areas which are served with septic tanks. The impacts of increasing the headpond level were assessed using a three-dimensional groundwater model. The mechanisms of interactions between the Nile River and the underlying Quaternary aquifer system as they affect the recharge/discharge processes are comprehensively outlined. The model has been calibrated for steady state and transient conditions against historical data from observation wells. The mitigation measures for the groundwater rise in the urban areas have been tested using the calibrated mode.     

江苏沿淮地区淮河水与地下水补排关系研究

从淮河江苏段与地下水含水层关系出发,认为淮河河床切割了地下水承压含水层。地下水的水动力特征表明地下水接受了淮河水的补给。从水质研究的角度印证了地表水与地下水的补排关系。将淮河水与潜水、微承压、承压水之间进行聚类分析,印证了微承压、承压水与淮河水同源。     

Pollution vulnerability of the Quaternary aquifer near Cairo, Egypt, as indicated by isotopes and hydrochemistry

The present study was conducted to delineate the pollution vulnerability of the Quaternary aquifer in two areas, Imbaba and Shobra El-Khima, near Cairo, Egypt. Environmental isotopes combined with hydrochemistry were used for this purpose. The groundwater in the Imbaba area (average total dissolved solids about 900 mg/L; sodium/chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate water types) is more mineralized than groundwater in the Shobra El-Khima area (average total dissolved solids 500 mg/L; calcium and sodium/bicarbonate water type). A high nitrate content and significant mineralization in the groundwater are probably due to contamination of recharge to the aquifer by irrigation drainage, deteriorated sewage networks, and septic tanks. The deuterium and oxygen-18 compositions of the groundwater are depleted compared to Nile River water, which is the main source of aquifer recharge. This less isotopically enriched water probably represents older Nile water recharge that flooded the region before construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1963, or it is a mixture of a young water and originally deposited paleowater that was in deeper horizons at a time of cooler and more humid climate. Intensive pumping has moved the paleowater higher in the aquifer. Groundwater in the Shobra El-Khima area has higher residence time, based on the tritium concentration, than groundwater in the Imbaba area. The percentage of the isotopically depleted water equals 75% in the Shobra El-Khima and 35% in Imbaba, and the thickness of the clay cap above the aquifer is 38 m in Shobra El-Khima and 20 m in Imbaba. These factors are indicative of the rate of recharge to the aquifer and were used to evaluate the pollution vulnerability in the two areas. Electronic Publication     

北京怀柔地区入渗河水空间分布研究

河水入渗路径和范围对确定地下水补给条件,以及水资源调控和合理利用有着重要意义。针对2015年以来怀柔地区地下水水位回升现象,开展了地下水动态影响因素研究,采集了河水和地下水样品,测试了水化学和氢氧稳定同位素组成。δD-δ18 O数据表明该区有河水入渗补给地下水,河流附近地下水为地下水与入渗河水的混合物。利用地下水δ18O值以及二元混合模型计算了地下水中入渗河水的比例,揭示出地下水中河水占比减小方向与地下水水力梯度下降方向一致;局部河段附近地下水Cl-含量增加,表明河水入渗会引起地下水水质变化。入渗河水影响范围的圈定为评价入渗河水对地下水的影响提供了重要数据。该项工作对理解研究区地下水水文过程、控制因素以及水资源管理具有指导意义。     

Urbanization and the groundwater budget, metropolitan Seoul area, Korea

The city of Seoul is home to more than 10 million people in an area of 605 km². Groundwater is abstracted for public water supply and industrial use, and to drain underground facilities and construction sites. Though most tap water is supplied from the Han River, the quantity and quality of groundwater is of great concern to Seoul's citizens, because the use of groundwater for drinking water is continuously increasing. This study identifies the major factors affecting the urban water budget and quality of groundwater in the Seoul area and estimates the urban water budget. These factors include leakage from the municipal water-supply system and sewer systems, precipitation infiltration, water-level fluctuations of the Han River, the subway pumping system, and domestic pumping. The balance between groundwater recharge and discharge is near equilibrium. However, the quality of groundwater and ability to control contaminant fluxes are impeded by sewage infiltration, abandoned landfills, waste dumps, and abandoned wells. Electronic Publication     

A study on groundwater recharge in the Anyanghe River alluvial fan,North China Plain,based on hydrochemistry,stable isotopes and tritium

Studies on groundwater recharge are essential for sustainable exploitation of groundwater resources, especially in areas of extensive groundwater exploitation such as the Anyanghe River alluvial fan (ARAF) in the North China Plain (NCP). However, the recharge sources and processes and the contribution of each recharge flow component remain unclear. This study used hydrochemistry, stable isotopes, and tritium to investigate sources and underlying processes of groundwater recharge, along with the steady flow Mixing Cell Model (MCMsf) to quantify the proportion of each source flow for the shallow confined groundwater system in the medial fan. The results showed that groundwater mainly originates from precipitation occurring on the eastern Taihang Mountain area with average elevation estimated at 700–1,000 m above sea level during the East Asia summer monsoon period since 1952. Recharge mechanisms are: (1) river water seepage for the unconfined aquifers of the proximal and medial fan; (2) lateral flow for the confined aquifers of the medial and distal fan; and (3) precipitation infiltration for the phreatic water system. The MCMsf simulation showed that the shallow confined groundwater system in the central zone of the medial fan mainly recharged by the lateral flow from the proximal fan, a constant and considerable recharge flow from the southwestern and southern hills, and river water seepage in the medial fan; the lateral recharge flow from the Zhanghe alluvial aquifer was insignificant by comparison. The results of this study can act as a valuable reference for sustainable groundwater management in the ARAF.

     

Evaluation of the water resources potential at Dahaban region, western Saudi Arabia

Shallow renewable groundwater sources have been used to satisfy the domestic needs and the irrigation in many parts of Saudi Arabia. Increased demand for water resulting from accelerated development activities has placed excess stress on the renewable sources especially in coastal aquifers of the western region of Saudi Arabia. It is expected that the current and future development activities will increase the rate of groundwater mining of the coastal aquifer near the major city Jeddah and surrounding communities unless management measures are implemented. The current groundwater development of Dahaban coastal aquifer located at alluvial fan at the confluence of three major Wadis is depleting the shallow renewable groundwater sources and causes deterioration of its quality. Numerical models are known tools to evaluate groundwater management scenarios under a variety of development options under different hydrogeological regimes. In this study, two models are applied—the MODFLOW for evaluating the hydrodynamic behaviors of the aquifer and MT3D salinity distribution to the costal aquifer near Dahaban town. The models’ simulation evaluates two development scenarios—the impact of excessive abstraction and the water salinity variation keeping abstraction at its current or increases in levels with or without groundwater recharge taking place. The simulation evaluated two scenarios covering a 25-year period—keeping the current abstraction at its current and the other scenario is increasing the well abstraction by 50% for dry condition (no recharge) and wet condition (with recharge). The analysis reveals that, under the first scenario, the continuation of the current pumping rates will result in depletion of the aquifer resulting in drying of many wells and quality deterioration at the level of 2,500 ppm. The results are associated with the corresponding salinity distribution in the region. Simulation of salinity in the region is a density-independent problem as salt concentration does not exceed 2,000 ppm, which is little value compared with sea salinity that amounts to 40,000 ppm. It is not recommended to increase the pumping rate than the current values. However, for the purpose of increasing water resources in the region, it is recommended to install new wells in virgin zones west of Dahaban main road. Maps of high/low potential groundwater and maps of salinity zones (more or less than 1,000 ppm) are provided and could be used to identify zones of high groundwater potential for the four studied scenarios. The implemented numerical simulation of Dahaban aquifer was undertaken to assess the water resources potential in order to reduce the depletion of sources in the future.     

石羊河流域水资源开发利用与补给之间的协调性评判

在甘肃省石羊河流域历史水资源开发利用情况简述基础上,结合城镇化进程,提出目前武威市的农业用水来源于祁连山山前水库拦蓄地表水,景电二期延伸工程向民勤所调黄河水及部分地方开采地下水;工业、生活用水均取自地下水,水量供给与天然补给上已处于严重失调状态。就城市地下水源地保护区划分而言,以传统的地下水开采影响半径为基本依据所进行的现代地下水源地保护区划分是不合理、不够科学的,应当在地下水补给、径流、排泄条件分析基础上,将水源地上游整个流域划定为保护区,以永久性解决城市地下水供水中存在的水源地安全问题。另外,针对石羊河流域重点治理规划中的调水方案,比较科学、合理的做法是：应从石羊河流域地下水文地质条件出发,遵循第四世地质历史时期形成的地下水补给、径流、排泄通道,在全流域实施压减灌溉面积、减少地下水开采量的同时,将景电二期延伸工程所调黄河水与祁连山山前部分水库地表水部分地或全部地从石羊河上游———武威盆地上游区域通过灌溉或其它方式下渗,补给进入地下水系统中,最终达到六河水系及下游地下水位停止下降,石羊河下游民勤盆地地下水位持续回升的综合治理规划目标,而不是将水直接调入下游民勤盆地。     

Studying the impacts of groundwater evolution on the environment,west Qena city,Egypt

The current research has been conducted to evaluate groundwater aquifers qualitatively in the area located in the Western side of Qena city. The Quaternary aquifer represents the main groundwater source in the study area. It exists under unconfined to semiconfined conditions at depths varying between 4 m due North and 80 m in the South. The chemical analyses of the groundwater samples indicate that 77% of the total samples are fresh and 20% are brackish, while only 3% are saline. In addition, the iso-salinity contour map indicates that the salinity increases towards the central and northern parts of the study area. The total and permanent hardness increase as water salinity increases and vice versa in case of temporary hardness in the groundwater samples. The chemical water types and the ion ratios indicate meteoric origin of groundwater as well as the dissolution of terrestrial and marine salts. The contribution of recent recharge from the River Nile to a few groundwater wells in the study area varies from low to high. In addition, the most recharge sources are from the precipitation. Nitrate concentrations in groundwater increase towards the central and Northern areas significantly elevated in response to increasing anthropogenic land uses. Much of the solutes and physicochemical parameters in these waters are under the undesirable limits of World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking purpose, and a plot of sodium adsorption ratio versus EC shows that about 23% of the groundwater samples are good water quality, about 45% of groundwater samples are moderate quality, and 23% of the groundwater samples are intermediate water class, while the rest of samples (9%) are out of the range.     

Assessment of groundwater recharge and water fluxes of the Guarani Aquifer System, Brazil

The groundwater recharge and water fluxes of the Guarani Aquifer System in the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil were assessed through a numeric model. The study area (6,748 km²) comprises Jacaré-Guaçú and Jacaré-Pepira River watersheds, tributaries of the Tietê River in the central region of the state. GIS based tools were used in the storage, processing and analysis of data. Main hydrologic phenomena were selected, leading to a groundwater conceptual model, taking into account the significant outcrops occurring in the study area. Six recharge zones were related to the geologic formation and structures of the semi-confined and phreatic aquifer. The model was calibrated against the baseflows and static water levels of the wells. The results emphasize the strong interaction of groundwater flows between watersheds and the groundwater inflow into the rivers. It has been concluded that lateral groundwater exchanges between basins, the deep discharges to the regional system, and well exploitation were not significant aquifer outflows when compared to the aquifer recharge. The results have shown that the inflows from the river into the aquifer are significant and have the utmost importance since the aquifer is potentially more vulnerable in these places.     

Impact of climate change on groundwater recharge in a small catchment in the Black Forest, Germany

Temporal and spatial changes of the hydrological cycle are the consequences of climate variations. In addition to changes in surface runoff with possible floods and droughts, climate variations may affect groundwater through alteration of groundwater recharge with consequences for future water management. This study investigates the impact of climate change, according to the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A1B, A2 and B1, on groundwater recharge in the catchment area of a fissured aquifer in the Black Forest, Germany, which has sparse groundwater data. The study uses a water-balance model considering a conceptual approach for groundwater-surface water exchange. River discharge data are used for model calibration and validation. The results show temporal and spatial changes in groundwater recharge. Groundwater recharge is progressively reduced for summer during the twenty-first century. The annual sum of groundwater recharge is affected negatively for scenarios A1B and A2. On average, groundwater recharge during the twenty-first century is reduced mainly for the lower parts of the valley and increased for the upper parts of the valley and the crests. The reduced storage of water as snow during winter due to projected higher air temperatures causes an important relative increase in rainfall and, therefore, higher groundwater recharge and river discharge.