Author(s): Jaime J. Carrera-Hern ´Andez; Susan J. Gaskin
Linked Author(s): Susan Gaskin
Keywords: Mexico city; Aquifer recharge; Evapotranspiration; Land cover change; GIS
Abstract: The estimation of spatial aquifer recharge is a data intensive and uncertain task. However its estimation is required in order to properly manage groundwater resources, in particular in areas which rely heavily on groundwater as their main water supply. The spatial distribution of aquifer recharge is also required when numerical groundwater flow mo dels are developed. Some of the methodologies available to estimate aquifer recharge require data that are generally not available in large scale studies. In order to overcome these problems, this work uses the FAO-56 method to consider the dynamics of vegetation using daily climatological data (rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature) as well as the spatial distribution of soils, land cover and net radiation, providing a framework to estimate the impact that land use change has on aquifer recharge. The Basin of Mexico, home to nearly 20 million people who rely on the Basin’s aquifer system as their main water supply is used as a case study using 1985 as an example. The spatial distribution of aquifer recharge obtained in this manner can be used as input in groundwater flow models in order to analyze possible groundwater managem ent scenarios.
Year: 2007