Groundwater for Sustainable Development最新文献

{"title":"Would mixed physical barriers be able to desalinate coastal aquifers from seawater intrusion under pumping conditions?","authors":"Ismail Abd-Elaty ,&nbsp;Ashraf Ahmed","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study used the SEAWAT model to investigate the potential of using mixed physical barriers (MPB) to control SWI under pumping conditions in typical homogenous and layered heterogeneous coastal aquifers. The numerical models were based on controlled two-dimensional (2D) laboratory tests and field studies in the Biscayne aquifer, which is situated in the Cutler Ridge region close to Deering Estate, Florida, USA. The modelling results revealed critical insights into SWI behaviour under pumping conditions. Specifically, it was observed that the intrusion wedge extended significantly further inland in layered heterogeneous aquifers and homogeneous aquifers compared with the base case without pumping. Results showed that coastal aquifers with bottom low-hydraulic conductivity have smaller SWI compared with top and middle-layered aquifers. The SWI repulsion reached 27% by installing the MPB, while the groundwater salinity increased to 3%, 38% and 121% by increasing the abstraction well rates by 10 m³/day, 15 m³/day and 20 m³/day, compared with no pumping after using the MPB. The current study results are very interesting for coastal aquifer management and require economic study to ensure the feasibility of using this method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101424"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing groundwater quality and solute sources in highly anthropized areas. The case of Abuja Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria","authors":"M. Etuk ,&nbsp;V. Re ,&nbsp;S. Viaroli ,&nbsp;B. Raco ,&nbsp;O. Igwe","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Abuja Federal Capital Territory is an example of a heavily anthropized aquifer, where natural water-rock interaction processes are masked by human pollution. As a result, the characterization of natural processes is particularly difficult, especially to disentangle the natural from the anthropogenic signature. Two surveys were conducted in the rainy and dry season in 2021 and 2022 using an integrated geochemical, statistical, and isotopic approach. Results show that groundwater samples are affected by mixing processes between water with a Ca-HCO₃ facies (associated to natural water-rock interaction processes) and contaminated waters. The latter can be observed in some wells with a shift to NO₃-dominant facies in the rainy season. The stable isotopes of the water molecule (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) suggest the presence of multiple recharge zones and strong seasonal variability. The shifts in groundwater isotopic composition suggest secondary evaporation in the rainy season and limited local precipitation influence during the dry season, with a possible domination of deep aquifer contributions.</div><div>The frequency distribution of tritium (³H) in 2021 confirms the limited impact of local precipitation during the dry season (median 0.8 <span>TU</span>), further supporting the dominance of deep aquifer contributions to groundwater flow. The influence of rainwater infiltration is observed as a main contribution to the remobilization of contaminants (of agricultural and domestic origin) stocked in the unsaturated zone, rather than a dilution effect. This results in a progressive increase of NO₃⁻ concentration in the rainy season (reaching 433 mg/L), highlighting the need for a more complete characterization to support a wiser sustainable environmental management in an area subject to increasing anthropogenic pressure and prone to significant population growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101425"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143479895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Radon concentration in water sources and its associated cancer risks to the populace of Ede, South Western Nigeria","authors":"O.O. Akindipe ,&nbsp;I.R. Akomolafe ,&nbsp;E.J. Adepehin ,&nbsp;D.M. Okewole ,&nbsp;C.J. Olowookere ,&nbsp;A.A. Aremu ,&nbsp;B.B. Oguntola ,&nbsp;U.E. Vincent","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An estimated two billion people do not have access to portable and clean drinking water due to diverse pollutants present in water, including Radon (²²²Rn). For this reason, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated clean water and sanitation as goal <span><math><mi>♯</mi></math></span>6 in its 2030 sustainable development (SDG) agenda. This work aimed to measure the concentrations of radon in various water sources at Redeemer’s University campus, Ede, and its environment, and to estimate the associated radiological health hazard. Thirty five (35) boreholes, surface water and hand-dug well water were sampled and analysed for (²²²Rn) content, and its health risk estimated using the annual effective dose (AED) and the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). (²²²Rn) distributions in borehole water samples, ranged from 0.51 ± 0.40 to 36.25 ± 2.80 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>. For the hand-dug well, it ranged from 1.75 ± 1.00 to 5.91 ± 0.20 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, and for the stream water, it was 0.106 ± 0.1 Bql⁻¹. The mean radon concentration in surface water, borehole water, and hand-dug well sources were 0.106 ± 0.1 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, 15.35 ± 9.73 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> and 4.25 ± 1.72 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, respectively. The measured values in all the water samples was distributed between 0.106 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> and 36.250 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, the average value was 13.330 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>. The mean AED from inhalation and ingestion of (²²²Rn) gas was 39.259 <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>Svy⁻¹. Total AED received from all water sources was estimated to be less than 100 <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>Svy⁻¹, which is the WHO and European Union (EU) Commission recommended value. The estimated ELCR showed probabilities of 1 ± 1, 30 ± 12 and 108 ± 70 cases per a million people developing cancer from exposure to radon from surface water, hand-dug wells, and borehole water sources, respectively, which were within the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) reference limit. This implies that, at present the entire community is safe from any radiologically linked health effects that could arise from exposure to radon gas from water sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101423"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk assessment of not meeting environmental objectives related to protection of human health and groundwater quality: The tiered approach in the context of the EU water framework directive","authors":"Zoran Nakić,&nbsp;Dario Perković,&nbsp;Zoran Kovač,&nbsp;Borna-Ivan Balaž","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents the tiered approach to risk assessment, aiming to recognize groundwater bodies for which it can be unequivocally defined, with an established confidence level, whether they are at risk of not meeting environmental objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) related to the protection of drinking water protected areas and groundwater itself. As an upgrade of the risk screening tools derived in the context of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the WFD, the robust and comprehensive approach to risk assessment extensively addresses data uncertainty and confidence assessment. If a risk assessment is conducted with low confidence, further data collection on pressures, chemical status and hydrogeological characteristics is carried out, which lasts until data are of sufficient quality to make a reliable prediction in outcomes. The tiered approach is combined with the confidence assessment focusing the research to areas of high uncertainty and low degree of confidence. To test this approach, groundwater chemical data from the groundwater body (GWB), which is typical for the Pannonian region of Croatia, were used. The Tier 1 semi-quantitative risk screening resulted in development of the GIS-based risk map for the selected GWB. The Tier 2, monitoring-based risk assessment, was carried out by applying: a) relevant criteria to conduct trend analysis and to characterize the risk of deterioration of GWB chemical status and b) risk-based classification tests, in combination with the confidence assessment of tests results. Results of the assessment of risk of not meeting the “implement measures to reverse trends” and the “prevent GWB status deterioration” objectives for the selected GWB did not reveal an existence of environmentally significant trends and an exceedance of risk-based quality standards and threshold values with arithmetic and/or spatial means of targeted substances. The risk-based classification tests results confirmed no significant risk of not meeting good GWB chemical status related to the protection of human health and groundwater. All results demonstrate that proposed approach to risk assessment is straightforward and operational for use if a high-quality data derive from a high-resolution conceptual model of a GWB.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101428"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing improvements in environmental flow estimation through the use of a coupled surface-groundwater model","authors":"Gerardo Castellanos-Osorio ,&nbsp;Salam A. Abbas ,&nbsp;Eugenio Molina-Navarro ,&nbsp;Ryan T. Bailey ,&nbsp;Javier Senent-Aparicio","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental flow refers to the water required to maintain river ecosystems. Establishing methodologies to ensure these minimum flow rates is essential, particularly in highly anthropized regions, such as Spain. Hydrological models, including SWAT+, are used to simulate rivers in natural regime. However, accurately representing surface-groundwater interactions is crucial in groundwater-driven catchments, such as the Tagus River headwaters. Due to the standalone model limitations, we used the new coupled SWAT + <em>gwflow</em> model to appropriately represent surface-groundwater interactions in streamflow response. The calibration approaches of the (1) base SWAT+, and (2) SWAT + <em>gwflow</em> models focused on adjusting low flows, allowing for greater accuracy in daily flows to estimate environmental flows. In addition, (3) an experiment of monthly-to-daily disaggregation of the standalone model based on a daily flow pattern was conducted at two upstream stations. Our results indicated that the coupled model outperformed the standalone model across all statistical indicators, especially in low flows, where the Nash-Sutcliffe logarithm (LnNSE), an indicator of low flow performance, was inadequate for the standalone model because it underestimated of the simulated flows. This underestimation was also reflected in the environmental flow values, with variations ranging between −41% and −58% compared to the observed values. For the base model, a disaggregation experiment showed an improvement in environmental indicators, reducing their underestimation by half. Finally, the SWAT + <em>gwflow</em> model showed the best fit for environmental flows compared to observations, with average variations of ±10% in most cases, showing improvement in daily low flows due to a better representation of surface-groundwater interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101426"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143488722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the health costs of arsenic-contaminated drinking water in Bihar, India: A bivariate probit analysis","authors":"Sushil Kumar ,&nbsp;Diptimayee Nayak","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arsenic, classified as a group I carcinogen, is naturally present in groundwater. Exposure to arsenic-contaminated groundwater poses severe health and socioeconomic challenges, such as increased healthcare costs, reduced productivity, and loss of wages and income. Hence, estimating health costs is crucial for research and policy analysis. In this context, by collecting primary data from 300 households in 12 villages consisting of three sampled blocks of Buxar district, Bihar, the present study aims to assess the incidence of illness for affected households caused by arsenic exposure, highlighting averting strategies adopted by them, and to measure the associated health costs incurred. It employs a seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model (SUBP) to estimate the health costs of arsenic-contaminated drinking water. Following the Household Production Function framework, this study jointly estimates the likelihood of sickness from arsenic-related diseases and averting behaviour. It is estimated that 72.19 persons per thousand are experiencing arsenic-related issues. Moreover, preventive strategies are followed by almost 63% of households, whereas remedial strategies which involve direct monetary cost are only followed by 23% of households. It also finds that sickness from drinking arsenic-contaminated water is positively associated with arsenic exposure, getting water from low-layer tube wells and work loss. Additionally, a positive relationship exists between work loss due to illness and averting behaviour, whereas a negative relationship exists between sickness and averting behaviour. The monthly health cost for affected households, including medical expenses (₹244.3 or USD3.28) and wage loss to illness (₹218.34 or USD2.93), is ₹462.64 (USD6.21). These findings underscore the substantial economic burden of arsenic contamination on affected households and highlight the need for targeted policy interventions. Specifically, interventions could include subsidising the cost of technology-based equipment like arsenic filters to targeted income groups, installing community-based arsenic removal units, providing health insurance, enforcing groundwater regulations and creating mass awareness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101429"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the effects of ENSO-induced climate variability on shallow coastal groundwater reserves of north Patagonia, Argentina","authors":"Mattia Gaiolini ,&nbsp;Rosario Acosta ,&nbsp;Eleonora Carol ,&nbsp;Nicolò Colombani","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, a statistical correlation analysis, integrating climatic indices and numerically calculated hydrological datasets, was used to assess the impact of climate patterns and meteorological variability (identified by ONI and SPEI, respectively) on a coastal aquifer in a semi-arid area of Patagonia. To estimate aquifer groundwater levels and flows changes over the 56 years period (1967–2022) under analysis, a 3D numerical flow model was implemented, calibrated against observed piezometric heads and validated using remote sensing data from the GRACE mission. Results highlighted the role of meteoric recharge and evapotranspiration in shaping the water budget, highly affecting the piezometric fluctuation over the simulation. The statistical correlation showed a weak positive association between GW levels and both ONI and SPEI, indicating that climate and meteorological variability are exerting a slight but noticeable influence on groundwater dynamics. Moreover, an increasing seawater inflow from the ocean and tidal channels was observed due to decreasing meteoric recharge and this climate change-driven shift in water exchange dynamics could potentially increase salinization risk in the low-lying areas of this coastal aquifer. The developed methodology could help a proper water resource management in a coastal region where groundwater is the only source of supply for residents, providing useful information for studying groundwater resources in other coastal areas of Patagonia and the world that face similar water problems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101427"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Groundwater vulnerability assessment using modified DRASTIC method with integrated hydrological model","authors":"Chanchai Petpongpan,&nbsp;Chaiwat Ekkawatpanit,&nbsp;Duangrudee Kositgittiwong","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101416","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101416","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since groundwater is a finite resource, assessing its vulnerability to pollution is crucial for sustainable management. Contamination poses a significant threat, potentially degrading both the quality and quantity of available groundwater. To enhance the efficiency of this vital tool in subsurface water management, this study aims to propose the approach integrating index-based vulnerability assessment (DRASTIC-L) with fully coupled surface water-groundwater model (SWAT-MODFLOW). Various thematic layers regarding hydrogeological characteristics and land use of the Yom and Nan River basins are analyzed and overlaid to calculate the weighted index as well as identify vulnerability classes. DRASTIC-L components (depth to water table, recharge, and hydraulic conductivity) are directly simulated by SWAT-MODFLOW, instead of using interpolated observation data. As a result, the high consistency between simulated river discharges and groundwater levels with observed data implies a high degree of accuracy in the vulnerability parameters obtained from the model. DRASTIC-L index ranges from 61 to 221, classifying the study area into four vulnerability categories: low (&lt;100), moderate (100–140), high (140–200), and very high (&gt;200). 15.8% of the watershed exhibits low susceptibility, while moderate susceptibility characterizes 36.9%. Notably, 42.4% of the area falls within the highly susceptible category, highlighting potential contamination risks. Very highly susceptible zones comprise a smaller portion (4.7%) of the watershed. Moreover, Nitrate concentration data shows spatial congruence with areas designated as highly vulnerable. By providing a more accurate characterization of aquifer vulnerability, this approach can inform decision-makers in developing targeted and efficient plans to protect both groundwater quantity and quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101416"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An ensemble machine learning approach for predicting groundwater storage for sustainable management of water resources","authors":"Mohammed Sakib Uddin ,&nbsp;Bijoy Mitra ,&nbsp;Khaled Mahmud ,&nbsp;Syed Masiur Rahman ,&nbsp;Shakhawat Chowdhury ,&nbsp;Muhammad Muhitur Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101417","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101417","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Predicting groundwater storage (GWS) is essential for sustainable water resource management, especially in regions with water scarcity. This study proposes an ensemble machine learning (EML) approach (i.e., Bagging, XGBoost, and CatBoost) leveraging the Landsat-derived parameters to forecast GWS due to the limited availability of field observations. This modeling framework captures complex relationships between socioeconomic and environmental variables and groundwater storage in Chittagong City. Multiple indices, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI), and urban heat island (UHI), were utilized in the models. A digital elevation model (DEM), nighttime light (NTL), and nearest distance to water bodies from streamline data were used to investigate their impact on GWS. The empirical Bayesian kriging (EBK) method was used to downscale the GWS and NTL data. The outputs of the models were evaluated using statistical indicators such as the coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), and Willmott's indicator of agreement (WIA). The Bagging and CatBoost models had higher R² and lower RMSE values (R² &gt; 0.965, RMSE &lt;1.604 mm) during the summer, while the XGBoost and CatBoost models performed better (R² &gt; 0.966, RMSE &lt;1.686 mm) in the winter. The results demonstrated that the utilization of Landsat metrics had the potential to serve as the predictive factors for estimating GWS. The proposed modeling framework can be used to predict GWS in regions with limited data, which will help policymakers, urban planners, and environmental organizations develop sustainable groundwater management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101417"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zambezi River Basin aquifer systems: Opportunities and challenges in using freely available data sources and groundwater flow modelling for spatial exploratory analysis","authors":"Kawawa Banda ,&nbsp;Ezio Crestaz ,&nbsp;Roman Seliger ,&nbsp;Haile Mengistu ,&nbsp;James Sauramba ,&nbsp;Marciano Saraiva","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A groundwater flow model was implemented over the Zambezi River Basin using the state-of-the-art DHI-WASY finite element code Feflow. The analysis was based upon different freely available datasets that include a hydrologically consistent digital elevation model from HYDROSHEDS, the BGS (British Geological Survey) quantitative hydrogeological maps, and the regional hydrogeological SADC-GMI database. The model implementation was aimed at: (i) to identify and analyse challenges and limitations (data scarcity, accuracy of regional datasets, impact of geological, tectonic and hydrogeological complexity on model reliability) in applying groundwater flow modelling at basin scale; (ii) to perform an exploratory spatial analysis with reference to the magnitude and spatial distribution of effective recharge, aquifers’ properties and interlinks between surface water and aquifer systems (surface water – groundwater interactions). High uncertainty is generally associated with the estimation of hydrological and hydrogeological parameters, whose high spatial variability is not necessarily captured by the regional data products. This study evaluates how integrating freely available datasets (such as the DEM, BGS maps) influences model accuracy and uncertainty, particularly in terms of parameter estimation. The findings illustrates that, despite the limitations, freely available datasets can still effectively be used to develop a groundwater model that captures regional piezometric trends and provides insights into spatial variability. This demonstrates the potential for using such models in similar data-scarce regions. The modeling approach is expected to provide valuable quantitative insights into groundwater trends and variability, helping to identify key areas of uncertainty and guiding future data collection and model refinement efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101421"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}