Assessing the potential of underground storage of flood water: A case study from Southern Punjab Region in Pakistan
), Abstract
An intensively irrigated area in southern part of Punjab Province, Pakistan, has been selected by the Punjab Irrigation Department (PID) to implement a Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) project. This project involves diverting floodwater from the Islam Headwork on Sutlej River into the abandoned Mailsi Canal. Utilizing various structures such as depressions, abandoned canals, flood channels, open fields, and deserts for MAR can reduce the flood intensity while recharging aquifer and wetlands. The study area, known for its fertile lands and serving as a food basket for the Punjab Province, is experiencing groundwater depletion at the rate of 0.30 m to 0.70 m per year, significantly increasing pumping costs. This study aims to evaluate the suitability of the sites for the MAR project and assess the storage capacity of the aquifer for floodwater retention. Historical groundwater level data from 25 observation wells across an area of 1,522 km2 were analysed, with the study area divided in to 25 polygons using ArcMap10.6 software. Specific yield method was employed to assess the available storage capacity of the aquifer. Results indicate that the site is suitable for MAR and has the potential to store approximately 1.88 km3 of floodwater as of 2020, thereby reducing flood intensity and enhancing eco-hydrogeological conditions. MAR is identified as a Nature-Based Solution (NBS) for both flood mitigation and groundwater sustainability.
References
Abid M, Scheffran J, Schneider UA, et al. 2019. Farmer perceptions of climate change, observed trends and adaptation of agriculture in Pakistan. Environmental Manage, 63(1): 110−123. DOI:10.1007/s00267-018-1113-7.
Chinnasamy P, Muthuwatta L, Eriyagama N, et al. 2017. Modeling the potential for floodwater recharge to offset groundwater depletion: A case study from the Ramganga basin, India. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 4(2): 331−344. DOI:10.1007/s40899-017-0168-6.
Dillon P. 2005. Future management of aquifer recharge. Hydrogeology Journal, 13(1): 313−316. DOI:10.1007/s10040-004-0413-6.
Dillon P. 2009. Water recycling via managed aquifer recharge in Australia. Boletín Geológico y Minero, 120(2): 121−130.
Hasan MB, Driessen PP, Majumder S, et al. 2019. Factors affecting consumption of water from a newly introduced safe drinking water system: The case of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems in Bangladesh. Water, 11(12): 2459. DOI:10.3390/w11122459.
Hassan GZ, Bhutta MN. 1996. A water balance model to estimate groundwater recharge in Rechna doab, Pakistan. Irrigation and Drainage Systems, 10: 297−317. DOI:10.1007/BF01104895.
Khalid S, Shahid M, Natasha Shah AH, et al. 2020. Heavy metal contamination and exposure risk assessment via drinking groundwater in Vehari, Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27(32): 39852−39864. DOI:10.1007/s11356-020-10106-6.
Kuang X, Liu J, Scanlon BR, et al. 2024. The changing nature of groundwater in the global water cycle. Science, 383(6686): eadf0630. DOI:10.1126/science.adf0630.
Maréchal JC, Dewandel B, Ahmed S, et al. 2006. Combined estimation of specific yield and natural recharge in a semi-arid groundwater basin with irrigated agriculture. Journal of Hydrology, 329(1-2): 281−293. DOI:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.02.022.
Missimer TM, Guo W, Maliva RG, et al. 2015. Enhancement of wadi recharge using dams coupled with aquifer storage and recovery wells. Environmental Earth Sciences, 73(12): 7723−7731. DOI:10.1007/s12665-014-3410-7.
Papa F, Frappart F. 2021. Surface water storage in rivers and wetlands derived from satellite observations: A review of current advances and future opportunities for hydrological sciences. Remote Sensing, 13(20): 4162. DOI:10.3390/rs13204162.
Pérez-Uresti SI, Ponce-Ortega JM, Jiménez-Gutiérrez A. 2019. A multi-objective optimization approach for sustainable water management for places with over-exploited water resources. Computers & Chemical Engineering, 121: 158−173. DOI:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2018.10.003.
Qureshi AS, McCornick PG, Qadir M, et al. 2008. Managing salinity and waterlogging in the Indus Basin of Pakistan. Agricultural Water Management, 95(1): 1−10. DOI:10.1016/j.agwat.2007.09.014.
Ross A. 2018. Speeding the transition towards integrated groundwater and surface water management in Australia. Journal of Hydrology, 567: e1−e10. DOI:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.01.037.
Ross A, Hasnain S. 2018. Factors affecting the cost of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) schemes. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 4(2): 179−190. DOI:10.1007/s40899-017-0210-8.
Shiklomanov IA. 2000. Appraisal and assessment of world water resources. Water International, 25(1): 11−32. DOI:10.1080/02508060008686794.
Siddiqi A, Wescoat JL. 2013. Energy use in large-scale irrigated agriculture in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Water International, 38(5): 571−586. DOI:10.1080/02508060.2013.828671.
Sloan S, Cook PG, Wallis I. 2023. Managed Aquifer Recharge in Mining: A Review. Groundwater, 61(3): 305−317. DOI:10.1111/gwat.13311.
Wisser D, Frolking S, Hagen S, et al. 2013. Beyond peak reservoir storage? A global estimate of declining water storage capacity in large reservoirs. Water Resources Research, 49(9): 5732−5739. DOI:10.1002/wrcr.20452.
Zakir-Hassan G, Akhtar S, Shabir G, et al. 2023. Water budget study for groundwater recharge in Indus River Basin, Punjab (Pakistan). H2Open Journal, 6(3): 449−462. DOI:10.2166/h2oj.2023.027.
Zakir-Hassan G, Hassan FR, Shabir G, et al. 2021. Impact of floods on groundwater—A case study of Chaj Doab in Indus Basin of Pakistan. International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture, 5(4): 639−653. DOI:10.26855/ijfsa.2021.12.011.
京公网安备11010802044758号