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Spatial simulation of groundwater recharge in an arid region (Biskra, SE Algeria)

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Abstract

The Biskra region has recently experienced remarkable economic development due to the extension of agricultural areas. This sustained development has led to increased water demand and exploitation of groundwater, which is the main source for irrigation, industry, and human consumption in the study area. This overexploitation has led to a water deficit throughout the region. Thus, the rational management of water resources has become an indispensable tool to ensure sustainable development. Several techniques and approaches have been developed for spatial groundwater recharge (GR) simulation in arid and semi-arid areas. The WetSpass approach is an exciting modeling technique with a high simulation capacity. After applying the model to the study area, the results show that the monthly average rainfall for the wet and dry periods is 9.6 mm and 8.2 mm, respectively. The rainfall distribution is 4 mm for surface runoff in the wet period and 0.4 mm in the dry period; the real evapotranspiration is 2.4 mm in the wet period and 4.7 mm in the dry period, and the amount of GR is estimated to be 0.4 mm and 0.01 mm in the wet and dry periods, respectively. It can therefore be concluded that WetSpass provides a good basis for simulating the components of the hydrological balance of the study region, and that groundwater recharge is essential for maintaining, utilizing, and preparing water supplies for sustainable management in the study area, particularly in Algeria and in the Mediterranean region in general.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Prof. Zekai Şen of Medipol University (Turkey) for his insightful comments on the final revisions of the manuscript.

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This research did not receive any specific funding from public, commercial, or nonprofit funding agencies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Higher School of Agronomy, Hassen Badi Belfort, El Harrach, Algiers, Algeria

    Zine-eddine Khomri & Mohamed Naçer Chabaca

  2. Scientific and Technical Research Center on Arid Regions—CRSTRA, Biskra, Algeria

    Zine-eddine Khomri, Samir Boudibi, Samir Menadi & Nacereddine Kharfallah

  3. Laboratory for the Control of Water in Agriculture, Hassen Badi Belfort ENSA, El Harrach, Algiers, Algeria

    Zine-eddine Khomri & Mohamed Naçer Chabaca

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  1. Zine-eddine Khomri
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All authors participated in (a) conception and design or the analysis and interpretation of the data; (b) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and (c) approving the final version. This manuscript has not been submitted to, nor is it under review by, another journal or publishing venue. The authors have no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript.

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Khomri, Ze., Chabaca, M.N., Boudibi, S. et al. Spatial simulation of groundwater recharge in an arid region (Biskra, SE Algeria). Euro-Mediterr J Environ Integr 7, 103–117 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-021-00288-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-021-00288-x

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