Groundwater potential zone identification and recharge management : a case of the lower Hari Rud River Basin, Afghanistan | |
| Author | Karimi, Naheed |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.WM-17-03 |
| Subject(s) | Groundwater--Afghanistan--Hari Rud River Basin Groundwater recharge--Afghanistan--Hari Rud River Basin |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Water Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. WM-17-03 |
| Abstract | Groundwater is a valuable source of water in a landlocked country like Afghanistan that requires proper management considerations . It h as a great importance in Lower Hari Rud River Basin (LHB) , because Herat Municipal Water Supply is entirely dependent on groundwater . This study assesses the impact of several management techniques on groundwater re sources in LHB aquifer system. The information from groundwater potential zones identification in LHB and a set of hydrologic model and groundwater flow model are used for the purpose. Three zones of groundwater potential are identified in LHB, from which the moderate potential zone is the dominant class by covering 97. 4 % of the basin. Very less areas are identified as excellent and poor zones ( 2.3 % and 0.3 % respectively). High potential zones are generally located in the eastern parts of LHB, where suitable geological condition and high rate of rainfall exist. On the other hand , existence of igneous rocks with low porosity and absence of lineaments in the South are the major reasons for low groundwater potential. The information achieved from groundwater potential zones map can be used for future water planning and management as well as further development of groundwater wells in this basin . Conjunctive use of SWAT and MODFLOW eliminates the weakness of individual use of each model. The lumped nature of groundwater module in SWAT is covered by MODFLOW and the recharge values from SWAT a re used in groundwater model to take care of its spatio - temporal variability. Considerations are given to the interaction between surface water and groundwater through combined use of the two models , to provide a more realistic representation of the real system. The result from SWAT indicate s that the overall long - term mean annual recharge is relatively low throughout the basin varying between 20 mm to 89 mm. Low recharge areas are generally distributed along the West, however, high recharge areas are located towards the East. The information from identification of low recharge areas can be useful for mangers and planners to decide on the sustainable rate of groundwater extraction in stressed areas. Furthermore, the depth to groundwater table map is extracted from MODFLOW and the zones of high capacity for further recharge enhancement are identified. The depth to water table is the highest in the mountainous and hilly areas of the northern and southern boundaries. A map is prepared that indicate s the suitable zones of high capacity for implementation of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) enhancement techniques in LHB. Finally, the performance of three MAR techniques, namely, infiltration basin, open well, and drilled well are evaluated using MODFLOW . The results from all techniques reveal an increase in groundwater table, from which deep well shows the greatest impact. An average groundwater level rise of 10.9 ( m ) is identified by deep well, 5.6 ( m ) by open well, and 4.9 ( m ) by infiltration basin within a n injection period of six month s. These findings may help decision makers for devising sustainable groundwater management strategies in LHB |
| Year | 2017 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. WM-17-03 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Water Engineering and Management (WM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Shrestha, Sangam |
| Examination Committee(s) | Andriyas, Sanyogita;Pandey, Vishnu P.;Sarawut Ninsawat |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | AFG Western Basins Water Resources Management Project;AIT Fellowship |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2017 |