Dynamics of groundwater recharge near a semi-arid Mediterranean intermittent stream under wet and normal climate conditions

doi:10.1007/s40333-022-0067-z

Journal of Arid Land

2022, Vol. 14

Issue (7): 739-752 DOI: 10.1007/s40333-022-0067-z CSTR: 32276.14.s40333-022-0067-z

Research article

Dynamics of groundwater recharge near a semi-arid Mediterranean intermittent stream under wet and normal climate conditions

Youssef HAJHOUJI¹, Younes FAKIR¹^,²^,^*(

), Simon GASCOIN³, Vincent SIMONNEAUX³, Abdelghani CHEHBOUNI²

¹Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, 40000, Marrakech, Morocco
²Center for Remote Sensing Application (CRSA), UM6P, 43150, Benguerir, Morocco
³Center for the Study of the Biosphere from Space (CESBIO), 31400, Toulouse, France

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Abstract

In arid and semi-arid stream-dominated systems, the temporal variability in groundwater recharge has not been widely addressed. Various questions remain about the sources of groundwater recharge, its patterns, and the appropriate measuring techniques. Hence, the main objective of the present study was to assess the changes that might affect the pattern of groundwater recharge under wetter than normal surface water availability. Therefore, the groundwater depth was monitored near a semi-arid Mediterranean intermittent stream on the piedmont of the High Atlas Mountains in the mountain catchment of the Wadi Rheraya over two hydrological years (2014-2016) with different climate conditions: extreme wet and normal conditions. Groundwater recharge was assessed using the episodic master recession algorithm. During the two years, the pattern of groundwater recharge was dominated by episodic events and by a high seasonality from wet seasons to dry seasons. In the wet year (2014-2015), the highest groundwater recharge was recorded following an extreme flood, which deeply replenished groundwater. Furthermore, an exceptional steady state of the groundwater depth was induced by a steady groundwater recharge rate. For several groundwater recharge events, the assessed recharge had multiple sources, mainly from streamflow at the local scale, but possibly from precipitation, underflow, deep percolation or irrigation return from the upstream part of the catchment. Local recharge by streamflow was likely to be short-lived, and lateral recharge was likely to last longer. Consequently, the episodic master recession algorithm estimated the total groundwater recharge that could encompass various sources. In the future, more studies and multidisciplinary approaches should be carried out to partition these sources and determine their specific contributions. In semi-arid stream-dominated systems, different groundwater recharge patterns induced by extreme hydrological events (e.g., wet events) and various potential sources of groundwater recharge should be considered when assessing and predicting groundwater recharge.

Key words： groundwater recharge water table fluctuation episodic master recession algorithm episodic recharge wet year Wadi Rheraya

Received: 06 January 2022 Published: 31 July 2022

Corresponding Authors: * Younes FAKIR (E-mail: fakir@uca.ac.ma)

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	Youssef HAJHOUJI
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	Abdelghani CHEHBOUNI

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Youssef HAJHOUJI, Younes FAKIR, Simon GASCOIN, Vincent SIMONNEAUX, Abdelghani CHEHBOUNI. Dynamics of groundwater recharge near a semi-arid Mediterranean intermittent stream under wet and normal climate conditions. Journal of Arid Land, 2022, 14(7): 739-752.

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http://jal.xjegi.com/10.1007/s40333-022-0067-z OR http://jal.xjegi.com/Y2022/V14/I7/739

Fig. 1 Location of the monitoring well and the mountain catchment of the Wadi Rheraya with its streamflow and precipitation gauge stations. 1, Tamatert; 2, Tachedert; 3, Aremd; 4, Matate; 5, Imskerbour; 6, Asni; 7, Tahanaout. Groundwater depth is indicated around the monitoring well.

Table 1 Precipitation gauges and their measurement periods

Table 2 Annual and average precipitation over the mountain catchment of the Wadi Rheraya

Fig. 2 Precipitation isohyetal maps of the mountain catchment of the Wadi Rheraya for the hydrological years 2014-2015 (a) and 2015-2016 (b)

Table 3 Drought severity classes based on the standardized precipitation index (SPI) values (McKee et al., 1993)

Fig. 3 Calculated standardized precipitation index (SPI) from 1971-1972 to 2016-2017 using the Tahanaout gauge station data and the corresponding annual climate types

Fig. 4 Average monthly streamflow of the Wadi Rheraya during the period of 1962-2016

Fig. 5 Variations in the peak flow and time base of the main floods from 1962-1963 to 2005-2006

Fig. 6 Frequency of the flood peak flow (a) and seasonal distribution (b) of the main floods from 1962 to 2006

Fig. 7 Variations in precipitation (a) and groundwater depth and streamflow (b) during the period of 2014-2016

Fig. 8 Results of the episodic master recession analysis showing the groundwater recharge episodes (E1-E13) during the period of 2014-2016. MRC, master recession curve.

Table 4 Characteristics of the groundwater recharge episodes inferred from the episodic master recession during the period of 2014-2016


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