Modeling of Recharge Spatial Distribution in Karst Aquifers of Tangekhosh Watershed (Bushehr Province) Using the KARSTLOP Method

Document Type : Research

Authors

1 Ph.D. Graduated of Watershed Science and Engineering, Natural Resources Faculty, Tehran

2 Associate Professor, Natural Resources Faculty, Tehran University

3 Associate Professor, Sciences Faculty, Shiraz University

Abstract

Assessing the spatial distribution of recharge in karstified terrains is very important for water management and protection, but it is a complex issue due to the complexity of natural conditions and water movement in karst areas, and the application of conventional methods has not provided satisfactory results in these terrains. The KARSTLOP method is a new technique to display the spatial distribution map of recharge and arrive at the statistical mean value of the recharge in a watershed. The purpose of this study was modelling the spatial distribution of recharge using the KARSTLOP method in the Tangekhosh Watershed of Bushehr Province. The zoning map of recharge areas was prepared using the KARSTLOP method in the ArcGIS software. The results were compared with the geomorphologic map of the surface karst and the height of recharge estimated by the altitudinal isotopic gradient in order to evaluate the model's accuracy in estimating the values of recharge. Altitudinal isotopic gradient was drawn using the isotopic content of precipitation samples and the height of the sampling points during the 2016–2017 period. Digital recharge map obtained by the KARSTLOP method was shown that 45 percentage of the watershed areas had more than 60 percentage of the recharge, which corresponded to the limestone formations that contained a maximum density of the karstic landforms. The height of the recharge points of the Dovin Sarmastan, Ganavi and Tangekhosh springs was estimated at 395, 376 and 429 meters, respectively, using the altitudinal isotopic gradient method, which were placed in the altitude range of 350-550 meter and it contains the maximum recharge zone (76 to 86 percentage) of the KARSTLOP method. The comparison of the KARSTLOP recharge map with that of the recharge height of the springs using the altitudinal isotopic gradient indicated that the KARSTLOP method performed acceptably in determining the maximum recharge range and the spatial distribution of recharge in the Tangkhosh Watershed.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 01 June 2019
  • Revise Date: 29 June 2019
  • Accept Date: 03 September 2019

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