Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary Irrigation

Through the practice of irrigation, surface water reservoirs (SWRs) contribute to the socio-economic development and food production activities of populations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, they tend to dry up prematurely. One solution to circumvent these irrigation water shortages is to ensu...

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Main Authors: Apolline Bambara, Philippe Orban, Issoufou Ouedraogo, Eric Hallot, Francis Guyon, Adolphe Zangré, Serge Brouyère
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:Water
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/10/2880
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author Apolline Bambara
Philippe Orban
Issoufou Ouedraogo
Eric Hallot
Francis Guyon
Adolphe Zangré
Serge Brouyère
author_facet Apolline Bambara
Philippe Orban
Issoufou Ouedraogo
Eric Hallot
Francis Guyon
Adolphe Zangré
Serge Brouyère
author_sort Apolline Bambara
collection DOAJ
description Through the practice of irrigation, surface water reservoirs (SWRs) contribute to the socio-economic development and food production activities of populations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, they tend to dry up prematurely. One solution to circumvent these irrigation water shortages is to ensure their conjunctive use with groundwater. The objective of this study is to better understand the contribution of SWRs to groundwater recharge and to determine if groundwater may be considered as a complementary local resource for irrigation. The study was carried out on two watersheds in Burkina Faso, Kierma and Mogtedo. The spatiotemporal analysis of piezometric and SWRs level records coupled with physico-chemical analyses of water was used to characterize exchanges between SWRs and groundwater. The regional groundwater recharge at the scale of the watersheds was assessed. At the SWRs scale, a water balance methodology was developed and used to estimate focused recharge. The results show that SWRs interact almost continuously with groundwater and contribute focused recharge. The magnitude of this recharge is a function of the geological context and the sediment texture of the SWRs. It is estimated at 5 mm/day in Kierma and 4 mm/day in Mogtédo. These values are higher than the natural recharge estimated at 0.2 mm/day in Kierma and 0.1 mm/day in Mogtédo. Additionally, the values of hydraulic conductivity are between 0.01 and 2 m/day in Kierma and between 1 × 10<sup>−4</sup> and 0.2 m/day in Mogtédo. These conductivities could allow pumping in large-diameter hand-dug wells with a significant yield between 0.5 and 120 m<sup>3</sup>/day in Kierma and between 0 and 10 m<sup>3</sup>/day in Mogtédo to palliate the early drying up of the SWRs.
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spelling doaj.art-9b60745be729419d9d3b1c758283b7592023-11-20T17:21:30ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-10-011210288010.3390/w12102880Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary IrrigationApolline Bambara0Philippe Orban1Issoufou Ouedraogo2Eric Hallot3Francis Guyon4Adolphe Zangré5Serge Brouyère6Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Urban and Environmental Engineering, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B52, 4000 Liège, BelgiumHydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Urban and Environmental Engineering, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B52, 4000 Liège, BelgiumEcole Supérieure d’Ingéninerie (ESI), University of Fada N’Gourma, BP 54, Fada N’Gourma, Burkina FasoScientific Institute for Public Services, 4000 Liège, BelgiumNon-Governmental Organization: Join For Water Benin, BeninMinistry in Charge of Agriculture and Irrigation, 03 BP 7005, Ouaga 2000, Burkina FasoHydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Urban and Environmental Engineering, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B52, 4000 Liège, BelgiumThrough the practice of irrigation, surface water reservoirs (SWRs) contribute to the socio-economic development and food production activities of populations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, they tend to dry up prematurely. One solution to circumvent these irrigation water shortages is to ensure their conjunctive use with groundwater. The objective of this study is to better understand the contribution of SWRs to groundwater recharge and to determine if groundwater may be considered as a complementary local resource for irrigation. The study was carried out on two watersheds in Burkina Faso, Kierma and Mogtedo. The spatiotemporal analysis of piezometric and SWRs level records coupled with physico-chemical analyses of water was used to characterize exchanges between SWRs and groundwater. The regional groundwater recharge at the scale of the watersheds was assessed. At the SWRs scale, a water balance methodology was developed and used to estimate focused recharge. The results show that SWRs interact almost continuously with groundwater and contribute focused recharge. The magnitude of this recharge is a function of the geological context and the sediment texture of the SWRs. It is estimated at 5 mm/day in Kierma and 4 mm/day in Mogtédo. These values are higher than the natural recharge estimated at 0.2 mm/day in Kierma and 0.1 mm/day in Mogtédo. Additionally, the values of hydraulic conductivity are between 0.01 and 2 m/day in Kierma and between 1 × 10<sup>−4</sup> and 0.2 m/day in Mogtédo. These conductivities could allow pumping in large-diameter hand-dug wells with a significant yield between 0.5 and 120 m<sup>3</sup>/day in Kierma and between 0 and 10 m<sup>3</sup>/day in Mogtédo to palliate the early drying up of the SWRs.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/10/2880surface water reservoirgroundwater water balancepiezometryhydrochemistryrecharge
spellingShingle Apolline Bambara
Philippe Orban
Issoufou Ouedraogo
Eric Hallot
Francis Guyon
Adolphe Zangré
Serge Brouyère
Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary Irrigation
Water
surface water reservoir
groundwater water balance
piezometry
hydrochemistry
recharge
title Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary Irrigation
title_full Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary Irrigation
title_fullStr Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary Irrigation
title_full_unstemmed Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary Irrigation
title_short Quantifying Focused Groundwater Recharge Induced by Irrigation Surface Water Reservoirs in Crystalline Basement Areas for Complementary Irrigation
title_sort quantifying focused groundwater recharge induced by irrigation surface water reservoirs in crystalline basement areas for complementary irrigation
topic surface water reservoir
groundwater water balance
piezometry
hydrochemistry
recharge
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/10/2880
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