Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia

Seyoum Bezabih; Taye Alemayehu

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12

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Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia

Seyoum Bezabih, Taye Alemayehu

Published in American Journal of Water Science and Engineering (Volume 8, Issue 1)

Received: 21 December 2021 Accepted: 11 January 2022 Published: 29 March 2022

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Abstract

Water scarcity in northern Ethiopia, as well as its socio-economic relevance in terms of water demand for agriculture and domestic use, are at the root of the search for new groundwater resources and the development of groundwater models that can be used to control and manage the resource. The groundwater recharge of the Hormat-Golina sub basin was assessed using WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling. The goal of this paper is to assess the groundwater recharge in the Hormat-Golina sub-basin. These findings are then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution using the MODFLOW groundwater flow simulation model. By comparing measured and simulated hydraulic heads, the steady state groundwater flow calibration was obtained. WetSpass calculated the mean annual evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge to be 516.6, 204.9, and 35.6 mm, respectively. Groundwater recharge accounted for 4.7% of precipitation, while actual evapotranspiration and surface runoff accounted for 27% and 68% of precipitation, respectively. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater head distribution is 9.37 to 29.86 m in the winter (dry season), 9.53 to 29.89 m in the summer (wet season), and 9.58 to 30.17 m in the annual stress periods (recharges). For all stress periods, the estimated hydraulic heads in steady state fit well with the measured ones, with a correlation coefficient of 0.86 (summer, winter, and annual recharge). To preserve the resource's long-term viability, the balance between groundwater recharge and projected abstraction rates for agriculture and domestic water supply must be considered in future groundwater resource development plans in the valley.

Published in	American Journal of Water Science and Engineering (Volume 8, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12
Page(s)	7-20
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ethiopia, Groundwater Recharge, Hormat-Golina, MODFLOW, WetSpass

References

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[2]	S. Tweed, M. Leblanc, I. Cartwright, G. Favreau, and C. Leduc, “Arid zone groundwater recharge and salinisation processes; an example from the Lake Eyre Basin, Australia,” J. Hydrol., vol. 408, no. 3–4, pp. 257–275, 2011, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.08.008.
[3]	S. K. Izuka, D. S. Oki, and J. A. Engott, “Simple method for estimating groundwater recharge on tropical islands,” J. Hydrol., vol. 387, no. 1–2, pp. 81–89, 2010, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.03.034.
[4]	Xu, G. Huang, H. Zhan, Z. Qu, and Q. Huang, “Integration of SWAP and MODFLOW-2000 for modeling groundwater dynamics in shallow water table areas,” J. Hydrol., vol. 412–413, pp. 170–181, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.07.002.
[5]	Z. Zomlot, B. Verbeiren, M. Huysmans, and O. Batelaan, “Spatial distribution of groundwater recharge and base flow: Assessment of controlling factors,” J. Hydrol. Reg. Stud., vol. 4, pp. 349–368, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.ejrh.2015.07.005.
[6]	A. Yenehun, K. Walraevens, and O. Batelaan, “Spatial and temporal variability of groundwater recharge in Geba basin, Northern Ethiopia,” J. African Earth Sci., vol. 134, pp. 198–212, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.06.006.
[7]	S. S. Rwanga, “A Review on Groundwater Recharge Estimation Using Wetspass Model,” Int. Conf. Civ. Environ. Eng., pp. 156–160, 2013.
[8]	S. S. Rwanga and J. M. Ndambuki, “Approach to Quantify Groundwater Recharge Using GIS Based Water Balance Model: A Review,” Int. J. Res. Chem. Metall. Civ. Eng., vol. 4, no. 1, 2017, doi: 10.15242/ijrcmce.ae0317115.
[9]	N. Ghouili, F. J. Horriche, M. Zammouri, S. Benabdallah, and B. Farhat, “Coupling WetSpass and MODFLOW for groundwater recharge assessment: case study of the Takelsa multilayer aquifer, northeastern Tunisia,” Geosci. J., vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 791–805, 2017, doi: 10.1007/s12303-016-0070-5.
[10]	Batelaan and F. De Smedt, “WetSpass: A flexible, GIS based, distributed recharge methodology for regional groundwater modelling,” IAHS-AISH Publ., no. 269, pp. 11-18b, 2001.
[11]	O. Batelaan and F. De Smedt, “GIS-based recharge estimation by coupling surface-subsurface water balances,” J. Hydrol., vol. 337, no. 3–4, pp. 337–355, 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.02.001.
[12]	O. Batelaan and S. T. Woldeamlak, “ArcView interface for WetSpass, user manual,” Version 19-5-2004, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium, 2004.
[13]	G. Y. Lu and D. W. Wong, “An adaptive inverse-distance weighting spatial interpolation technique,” Comput. Geosci., vol. 34, no. 9, pp. 1044–1055, 2008.
[14]	G. H. Hargreaves and Z. A. Samani, “Estimating potential evapotranspiration,” J. Irrig. Drain. Div., vol. 108, no. 3, pp. 225–230, 1982.
[15]	Allen, R. G., L. S. Pereira, Raes, D., and Smith, M., Crop evapotraspiration guidelines for computing crop water requirements. 1998.
[16]	M. Al Kuisi and A. El-Naqa, “GIS based spatial groundwater recharge estimation in the jafr basin, jordan - application of wetspass models for arid regions,” Rev. Mex. Ciencias Geol., vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 96–109, 2013.

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APA Style

Seyoum Bezabih, Taye Alemayehu. (2022). Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia. American Journal of Water Science and Engineering, 8(1), 7-20. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12

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ACS Style

Seyoum Bezabih; Taye Alemayehu. Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia. Am. J. Water Sci. Eng. 2022, 8(1), 7-20. doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12

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AMA Style

Seyoum Bezabih, Taye Alemayehu. Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia. Am J Water Sci Eng. 2022;8(1):7-20. doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12,
  author = {Seyoum Bezabih and Taye Alemayehu},
  title = {Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia},
  journal = {American Journal of Water Science and Engineering},
  volume = {8},
  number = {1},
  pages = {7-20},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajwse.20220801.12},
  abstract = {Water scarcity in northern Ethiopia, as well as its socio-economic relevance in terms of water demand for agriculture and domestic use, are at the root of the search for new groundwater resources and the development of groundwater models that can be used to control and manage the resource. The groundwater recharge of the Hormat-Golina sub basin was assessed using WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling. The goal of this paper is to assess the groundwater recharge in the Hormat-Golina sub-basin. These findings are then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution using the MODFLOW groundwater flow simulation model. By comparing measured and simulated hydraulic heads, the steady state groundwater flow calibration was obtained. WetSpass calculated the mean annual evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge to be 516.6, 204.9, and 35.6 mm, respectively. Groundwater recharge accounted for 4.7% of precipitation, while actual evapotranspiration and surface runoff accounted for 27% and 68% of precipitation, respectively. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater head distribution is 9.37 to 29.86 m in the winter (dry season), 9.53 to 29.89 m in the summer (wet season), and 9.58 to 30.17 m in the annual stress periods (recharges). For all stress periods, the estimated hydraulic heads in steady state fit well with the measured ones, with a correlation coefficient of 0.86 (summer, winter, and annual recharge). To preserve the resource's long-term viability, the balance between groundwater recharge and projected abstraction rates for agriculture and domestic water supply must be considered in future groundwater resource development plans in the valley.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia
AU  - Seyoum Bezabih
AU  - Taye Alemayehu
Y1  - 2022/03/29
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12
T2  - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering
JF  - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering
JO  - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering
SP  - 7
EP  - 20
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1875
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12
AB  - Water scarcity in northern Ethiopia, as well as its socio-economic relevance in terms of water demand for agriculture and domestic use, are at the root of the search for new groundwater resources and the development of groundwater models that can be used to control and manage the resource. The groundwater recharge of the Hormat-Golina sub basin was assessed using WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling. The goal of this paper is to assess the groundwater recharge in the Hormat-Golina sub-basin. These findings are then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution using the MODFLOW groundwater flow simulation model. By comparing measured and simulated hydraulic heads, the steady state groundwater flow calibration was obtained. WetSpass calculated the mean annual evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge to be 516.6, 204.9, and 35.6 mm, respectively. Groundwater recharge accounted for 4.7% of precipitation, while actual evapotranspiration and surface runoff accounted for 27% and 68% of precipitation, respectively. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater head distribution is 9.37 to 29.86 m in the winter (dry season), 9.53 to 29.89 m in the summer (wet season), and 9.58 to 30.17 m in the annual stress periods (recharges). For all stress periods, the estimated hydraulic heads in steady state fit well with the measured ones, with a correlation coefficient of 0.86 (summer, winter, and annual recharge). To preserve the resource's long-term viability, the balance between groundwater recharge and projected abstraction rates for agriculture and domestic water supply must be considered in future groundwater resource development plans in the valley.
VL  - 8
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Seyoum Bezabih

Department of Water Resource Engineering and Management, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Taye Alemayehu

Department of Water Resource Engineering and Management, Ethiopian Institute of Water Resource, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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APA Style

Seyoum Bezabih, Taye Alemayehu. (2022). Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia. American Journal of Water Science and Engineering, 8(1), 7-20. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12

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ACS Style

Seyoum Bezabih; Taye Alemayehu. Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia. Am. J. Water Sci. Eng. 2022, 8(1), 7-20. doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12

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AMA Style

Seyoum Bezabih, Taye Alemayehu. Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia. Am J Water Sci Eng. 2022;8(1):7-20. doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12,
  author = {Seyoum Bezabih and Taye Alemayehu},
  title = {Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia},
  journal = {American Journal of Water Science and Engineering},
  volume = {8},
  number = {1},
  pages = {7-20},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajwse.20220801.12},
  abstract = {Water scarcity in northern Ethiopia, as well as its socio-economic relevance in terms of water demand for agriculture and domestic use, are at the root of the search for new groundwater resources and the development of groundwater models that can be used to control and manage the resource. The groundwater recharge of the Hormat-Golina sub basin was assessed using WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling. The goal of this paper is to assess the groundwater recharge in the Hormat-Golina sub-basin. These findings are then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution using the MODFLOW groundwater flow simulation model. By comparing measured and simulated hydraulic heads, the steady state groundwater flow calibration was obtained. WetSpass calculated the mean annual evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge to be 516.6, 204.9, and 35.6 mm, respectively. Groundwater recharge accounted for 4.7% of precipitation, while actual evapotranspiration and surface runoff accounted for 27% and 68% of precipitation, respectively. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater head distribution is 9.37 to 29.86 m in the winter (dry season), 9.53 to 29.89 m in the summer (wet season), and 9.58 to 30.17 m in the annual stress periods (recharges). For all stress periods, the estimated hydraulic heads in steady state fit well with the measured ones, with a correlation coefficient of 0.86 (summer, winter, and annual recharge). To preserve the resource's long-term viability, the balance between groundwater recharge and projected abstraction rates for agriculture and domestic water supply must be considered in future groundwater resource development plans in the valley.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using WetSpass and MODFLOW Coupling: The Case of Hormat-Golina Sub-basin, Northern Ethiopia
AU  - Seyoum Bezabih
AU  - Taye Alemayehu
Y1  - 2022/03/29
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12
T2  - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering
JF  - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering
JO  - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering
SP  - 7
EP  - 20
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1875
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220801.12
AB  - Water scarcity in northern Ethiopia, as well as its socio-economic relevance in terms of water demand for agriculture and domestic use, are at the root of the search for new groundwater resources and the development of groundwater models that can be used to control and manage the resource. The groundwater recharge of the Hormat-Golina sub basin was assessed using WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling. The goal of this paper is to assess the groundwater recharge in the Hormat-Golina sub-basin. These findings are then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution using the MODFLOW groundwater flow simulation model. By comparing measured and simulated hydraulic heads, the steady state groundwater flow calibration was obtained. WetSpass calculated the mean annual evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge to be 516.6, 204.9, and 35.6 mm, respectively. Groundwater recharge accounted for 4.7% of precipitation, while actual evapotranspiration and surface runoff accounted for 27% and 68% of precipitation, respectively. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater head distribution is 9.37 to 29.86 m in the winter (dry season), 9.53 to 29.89 m in the summer (wet season), and 9.58 to 30.17 m in the annual stress periods (recharges). For all stress periods, the estimated hydraulic heads in steady state fit well with the measured ones, with a correlation coefficient of 0.86 (summer, winter, and annual recharge). To preserve the resource's long-term viability, the balance between groundwater recharge and projected abstraction rates for agriculture and domestic water supply must be considered in future groundwater resource development plans in the valley.
VL  - 8
IS  - 1
ER  -

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