Dynamic Water Balance Modelling for Risk Assessment and Decision Support on MAR Potential in Botswana
Journal article, 2020

Botswana experiences a water stressed situation due to the climate and a continuously increasing water demand. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is considered, among other measures, to improve the situation. To evaluate the possibility for increased water supply security, a probabilistic and dynamic water supply security model was developed. Statistically generated time series of source water availability are used in combination with the dynamic storages in dams and aquifers, and the possible supply is compared with the demand to simulate the magnitude and probability of water supply shortages. The model simulates the system and possible mitigation measures from 2013 to 2035 (23 years), using one-month time steps. The original system is not able to meet the demand, and the estimated volumetric supply reliability in the year 2035 is 0.51. An additional surface water dam (now implemented) will increase the reliability to 0.88 but there will still be a significant water shortage problem. Implementing large-scale MAR can further improve the reliability to at least 0.95. System properties limiting the effect of MAR are identified using the model and show how to further improve the effect of MAR. The case study results illustrate the importance and benefit of using an integrated approach, including time-dependence and future scenarios, when evaluating the need and potential of MAR.

dynamic

decision support

integrated water resource management

probabilistic

managed aquifer recharge

water supply security model

risk assessment

Author

Andreas Lindhe

DRICKS - Framework programme for drinking water research at Chalmers

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Lars Rosen

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

DRICKS - Framework programme for drinking water research at Chalmers

Per-Olof Johansson

Artesia Groundwater Consulting

Tommy Norberg

Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences

Water (Switzerland)

2073-4441 (ISSN) 20734441 (eISSN)

Vol. 12 3 721-13 721

Artificial groundwater Recharge in Botswana - A Feasibility Study and Capacity Building

SIDA (SIDA), 2012-10-10 -- 2014-03-31.

Subject Categories

Civil Engineering

Water Engineering

Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences

Other Environmental Engineering

Environmental Management

Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.3390/w12030721

More information

Latest update

4/6/2022 5