Synthesis of Groundwater Recharge of Carbonate Aquifers in the Betic Cordillera (Southern Spain)

This paper presents a synthesis of the results and the evaluation methods of recharge in 51 carbonate aquifers of the Betic Cordillera. The average infiltration coefficient is 38 %, with a standard deviation of 12 %. The method of evaluation of recharge most applied is soil water balance, which served to take the first steps in groundwater management in Spain. Other widely used methods are water balance of the aquifer, chloride mass balance, and empirical methods such as APLIS. In eastern areas of the Cordillera, where the semiarid conditions are more overt, distributed models are used to assess recharge and calibrate it with data from the piezometric level evolution. In general, the annual recharge rates obtained appear higher when correlated with the annual rainfall. Thus, the data presented in this work contribute to a correct evaluation of renewable resources associated with the carbonate aquifers of the region. The high capacity of recharge and good quality of water for different uses, and especially to supply the population, makes these aquifers essential in the face of strong demand. Moreover, the data presented should be of special interest for future comparisons involving recharge assessments and different scenarios of climate change and changes in land use.