Field application of a non-powered artificial storage system on a representative greenhouse complex zone, South Korea

Abstract

To identify applicability of an infiltration basin-type artificial recharge system on an alluvial aquifer in a high-density greenhouse complex area, South Korea, a field-scale study was performed. In this area, enormous amounts of groundwater were extracted to form water-curtain on the space between interior- and exterior-plastic film of the double-layer plastic greenhouse during winter seasons. The water-curtain kept the indoor air temperature of greenhouse warm during winter night, therefore, this area has repeatedly experienced a shortage of groundwater winter seasons due to excessive pumping. This study experimentally tried to alleviate this groundwater shortage problem in winter by applying the infiltration basin-type artificial recharge method. Drainage water flowing drainage canal was used as artificially recharged water, which was transported into the small-scale test-cell (length × width × depth = 7 × 7 × 3 m³) and introduced into relatively high-permeable alluvial aquifer with gravitational pressure. Two kinds of artificial recharge experiments with recharge rates of 80,000 and 100,000 L day⁻¹ were conducted in the test-cell during eight and fifteen experimental days, respectively. Results of the experiments exhibited a significant increase of groundwater levels in the shallow aquifer. Average groundwater level increment was in proportion to the recharge rate. Daily periodic change of groundwater levels exhibited that the recharged water was used for forming water-curtain on greenhouses during night times. Meanwhile, cold temperature of the recharged water significantly dropped the alluvial groundwater temperature, which was not suitable to irrigate crops directly. Innovative methods for solving this cooled groundwater problem are required.