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Recharge sensitivity to local and regional precipitation in semiarid midlatitude regions
Author(s) -
Toews M. W.,
Allen D. M.,
Whitfield P. H.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/2007wr006763
Subject(s) - groundwater recharge , precipitation , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , structural basin , climatology , geology , aquifer , geography , meteorology , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering
The influence of regional, local, and total precipitation on groundwater recharge in a semiarid region is investigated through modeling. Daily precipitation data at two meteorological stations within Okanagan Basin, British Columbia, Canada, are classified into regional (∼60% of annual) and local (∼40% of annual) precipitation. The classified daily precipitation data are used as inputs to a one‐dimensional unsaturated zone recharge model, HELP 3.80 D. The recharge response is calculated at the base of the ∼1.2 m soil columns for 86 soil profiles typical of the region. Results suggest that local precipitation events contribute insignificant amounts of recharge compared to regional events. Precipitation data from global climate models that cannot simulate local events accurately may therefore still provide reasonable estimates of groundwater recharge.