Multi-method groundwater recharge estimation at Eshito micro-watershed,Rift Valley Basin in Ethiopia |
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| Authors: | Mintamer Ferede Alemseged Tamiru Haile David Walker John Gowing Geoff Parkin |
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| Institution: | 1. Water Technology Institute, Faculty of Water Resources and Irrgation Engineering, Arba Minch University , Arba Minch, Ethiopia merader33@gmail.com;3. Water Resources, International Water Management Institute , Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;4. School of Engineering, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne, UK;5. School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne, UK |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACT Understanding recharge processes is fundamental to improve sustainable groundwater resource management. Shallow groundwater (SGW) is being developed for multiple purposes in Ethiopia without consideration of monitoring. We established a citizen science-based hydro-meteorological monitoring network, with a focus on SGW recharge estimation, in Eshito micro-watershed, Ethiopia. Citizen scientists collected rainfall, groundwater-level and stream water-level data. We characterized the shallow aquifer using pumping tests. The data were used to estimate SGW recharge using three methods: chloride mass balance, water-level fluctuation (WLF) and baseflow separation. Approximately 20% and 35% of annual rainfall amount contributes to recharge based on the chloride mass balance and WLF results, respectively. Baseflow separation showed recharge values for the watershed vary from 38% to 28% of annual rainfall at the upstream and downstream gauging stations, respectively. This study shows that the recharge in previously unmonitored micro-watersheds can be studied if citizens are involved in data generation. |
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| Keywords: | shallow groundwater monitoring recharge citizen science |
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