Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, Ghana
Groundwater use has significantly increased in the rapidly urbanising city of Kumasi, Ghana. But there is a lack of understanding of whether the groundwater system can sustain the growing demand in the future amidst climate change and rapid urbanisation. Using remote sensing datasets and a water bal...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IWA Publishing
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Water and Climate Change |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/14/9/3237 |
| _version_ | 1797202751845826560 |
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| author | Estela Fernandes Potter Isaac Monney Martine Rutten |
| author_facet | Estela Fernandes Potter Isaac Monney Martine Rutten |
| author_sort | Estela Fernandes Potter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Groundwater use has significantly increased in the rapidly urbanising city of Kumasi, Ghana. But there is a lack of understanding of whether the groundwater system can sustain the growing demand in the future amidst climate change and rapid urbanisation. Using remote sensing datasets and a water balance approach, this study estimated the groundwater recharge and assessed how urbanisation has affected its groundwater sustainability. Sustainability is investigated by comparing multi-annual groundwater withdrawals to long-term average annual replenishment. Results show that while groundwater recharge has decreased by 80% from 1986 to 2020, mainly due to substantial (63%) loss of permeable land, groundwater consumption has seen a six-fold increase. Groundwater consumption in 2020 exceeded the long-term average groundwater recharge by 2.2Mm3, suggesting that the current groundwater use trends are unsustainable for future groundwater availability. Under a ‘business-as-usual’ scenario, a four-fold increase in groundwater consumption is predicted by 2050 while climate change and land-cover changes may reduce groundwater recharge by 10% and 55% respectively. Practical measures such as promoting artificial groundwater replenishment approaches, adopting low-impact development and instituting demand management measures must be implemented in the Metropolis. This should be informed by further studies to ascertain the exact condition of the groundwater.
HIGHLIGHTS
Since 1986, groundwater use in Ghana’s fastest-growing city, Kumasi, has increased by six-fold while recharge has dwindled by 8%.;
By mid-century, groundwater use can see a four-fold increase while climate change and land cover changes may reduce groundwater recharge by 10 and 55%, respectively.;
Promoting artificial groundwater recharge approaches in the Metropolis is key to ensuring the availability of groundwater for future generations.; |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:48:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8760a6a878654a25a24e539ec47d8488 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2040-2244 2408-9354 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:08:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | IWA Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Water and Climate Change |
| spelling | doaj.art-8760a6a878654a25a24e539ec47d84882024-04-17T08:33:08ZengIWA PublishingJournal of Water and Climate Change2040-22442408-93542023-09-011493237325610.2166/wcc.2023.261261Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, GhanaEstela Fernandes Potter0Isaac Monney1Martine Rutten2 Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, P.O. Box 40, Mampong Campus, Mampong-Ashanti, Ghana Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands Groundwater use has significantly increased in the rapidly urbanising city of Kumasi, Ghana. But there is a lack of understanding of whether the groundwater system can sustain the growing demand in the future amidst climate change and rapid urbanisation. Using remote sensing datasets and a water balance approach, this study estimated the groundwater recharge and assessed how urbanisation has affected its groundwater sustainability. Sustainability is investigated by comparing multi-annual groundwater withdrawals to long-term average annual replenishment. Results show that while groundwater recharge has decreased by 80% from 1986 to 2020, mainly due to substantial (63%) loss of permeable land, groundwater consumption has seen a six-fold increase. Groundwater consumption in 2020 exceeded the long-term average groundwater recharge by 2.2Mm3, suggesting that the current groundwater use trends are unsustainable for future groundwater availability. Under a ‘business-as-usual’ scenario, a four-fold increase in groundwater consumption is predicted by 2050 while climate change and land-cover changes may reduce groundwater recharge by 10% and 55% respectively. Practical measures such as promoting artificial groundwater replenishment approaches, adopting low-impact development and instituting demand management measures must be implemented in the Metropolis. This should be informed by further studies to ascertain the exact condition of the groundwater. HIGHLIGHTS Since 1986, groundwater use in Ghana’s fastest-growing city, Kumasi, has increased by six-fold while recharge has dwindled by 8%.; By mid-century, groundwater use can see a four-fold increase while climate change and land cover changes may reduce groundwater recharge by 10 and 55%, respectively.; Promoting artificial groundwater recharge approaches in the Metropolis is key to ensuring the availability of groundwater for future generations.;http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/14/9/3237groundwaterkumasiremote sensingsustainabilityurbanisationwater consumption |
| spellingShingle | Estela Fernandes Potter Isaac Monney Martine Rutten Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, Ghana Journal of Water and Climate Change groundwater kumasi remote sensing sustainability urbanisation water consumption |
| title | Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, Ghana |
| title_full | Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, Ghana |
| title_short | Bridging the data gap: using remote sensing and open-access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in Kumasi, Ghana |
| title_sort | bridging the data gap using remote sensing and open access data for assessing sustainable groundwater use in kumasi ghana |
| topic | groundwater kumasi remote sensing sustainability urbanisation water consumption |
| url | http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/14/9/3237 |
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