A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin
Quantitative estimates of amount of groundwater resources are required in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin to better manage and promote sustainable conjunctive use of the aquifer. Unfortunately, such important data and information are lacking. The aim of this study was to map groundwater potential...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IWA Publishing
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Water Practice and Technology |
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| Online Access: | http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/17/9/1959 |
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| author | Primrose C. Tinonetsana Webster Gumindoga Donald T. Rwasoka |
| author_facet | Primrose C. Tinonetsana Webster Gumindoga Donald T. Rwasoka |
| author_sort | Primrose C. Tinonetsana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Quantitative estimates of amount of groundwater resources are required in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin to better manage and promote sustainable conjunctive use of the aquifer. Unfortunately, such important data and information are lacking. The aim of this study was to map groundwater potential zones and model groundwater recharge as well as groundwater flow in the Tuli Karoo Basin (12,164 km2) using geospatial techniques. To delineate groundwater potential zones, nine thematic maps of groundwater conditioning factors were computed and weighted using Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). To validate the groundwater potential map, a Kruskal–Wallis test was performed. Groundwater recharge and groundwater flow direction were estimated in a coupled Geographic Information System (GIS) and modelling environment using the soil–water–balance model (SWB) and British Geological Survey (BGS) groundwater tool, respectively. Results for groundwater potential mapping showed that the area is dominated by high ground water potential which covers about 57.8% (6,915.1 km2) of the basin. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed that the median values of the borehole yields vary significantly between the different groundwater potential zone classes (P-value <0.0001). Estimated groundwater recharge using SWB model showed that the maximum annual potential recharge for the Tuli Karoo Basin was 13.2 mm/year for the 10-year period from 2010 to 2020. Results from the BGS tool for groundwater flow show that the dominant groundwater flow direction is southeast. The results showed that there is no link between groundwater flow direction and surface water flow direction. This study is relevant in water development policy, water-related development aid, community planning and technical decision making for hydrogeologists, catchment managers, water planners and non-specialists alike.
HIGHLIGHTS
GIS and remote sensing can be used to map groundwater potential zones.;
Tuli Karoo basin has high groundwater potential.;
Study is relevant for water development policy, water-related development aid, community planning and technical decision making for hydrogeologists, catchment managers, water planners and non-specialists alike.;
More research is needed using field based data.; |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:16:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b7c5dcd0308b47248989b083ac43559b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-231X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:16:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | IWA Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Practice and Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b7c5dcd0308b47248989b083ac43559b2022-12-22T02:40:04ZengIWA PublishingWater Practice and Technology1751-231X2022-09-011791959197610.2166/wpt.2022.094094A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo BasinPrimrose C. Tinonetsana0Webster Gumindoga1Donald T. Rwasoka2 Department of Construction and Civil Engineering, University of Zimbabwe, Box MP 167 Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe Department of Construction and Civil Engineering, University of Zimbabwe, Box MP 167 Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe Upper Manyame Subcatchment Council, Box 1892, Harare, Zimbabwe Quantitative estimates of amount of groundwater resources are required in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin to better manage and promote sustainable conjunctive use of the aquifer. Unfortunately, such important data and information are lacking. The aim of this study was to map groundwater potential zones and model groundwater recharge as well as groundwater flow in the Tuli Karoo Basin (12,164 km2) using geospatial techniques. To delineate groundwater potential zones, nine thematic maps of groundwater conditioning factors were computed and weighted using Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). To validate the groundwater potential map, a Kruskal–Wallis test was performed. Groundwater recharge and groundwater flow direction were estimated in a coupled Geographic Information System (GIS) and modelling environment using the soil–water–balance model (SWB) and British Geological Survey (BGS) groundwater tool, respectively. Results for groundwater potential mapping showed that the area is dominated by high ground water potential which covers about 57.8% (6,915.1 km2) of the basin. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed that the median values of the borehole yields vary significantly between the different groundwater potential zone classes (P-value <0.0001). Estimated groundwater recharge using SWB model showed that the maximum annual potential recharge for the Tuli Karoo Basin was 13.2 mm/year for the 10-year period from 2010 to 2020. Results from the BGS tool for groundwater flow show that the dominant groundwater flow direction is southeast. The results showed that there is no link between groundwater flow direction and surface water flow direction. This study is relevant in water development policy, water-related development aid, community planning and technical decision making for hydrogeologists, catchment managers, water planners and non-specialists alike. HIGHLIGHTS GIS and remote sensing can be used to map groundwater potential zones.; Tuli Karoo basin has high groundwater potential.; Study is relevant for water development policy, water-related development aid, community planning and technical decision making for hydrogeologists, catchment managers, water planners and non-specialists alike.; More research is needed using field based data.;http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/17/9/1959ahpconditioning factorsgeospatial techniqueshydrogeologysoil–water balance |
| spellingShingle | Primrose C. Tinonetsana Webster Gumindoga Donald T. Rwasoka A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin Water Practice and Technology ahp conditioning factors geospatial techniques hydrogeology soil–water balance |
| title | A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin |
| title_full | A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin |
| title_fullStr | A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin |
| title_full_unstemmed | A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin |
| title_short | A multi-criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential, recharge and flow in the transboundary Tuli Karoo Basin |
| title_sort | multi criteria approach of assessing groundwater potential recharge and flow in the transboundary tuli karoo basin |
| topic | ahp conditioning factors geospatial techniques hydrogeology soil–water balance |
| url | http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/17/9/1959 |
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