Large-scale replenishment of groundwater depletion by long-lived extreme rainstorms in arid regions: case study of the 2019 floods in Iran

The Dena rainstorm in Iran in March and April 2019 caused about US$ 8.3 × 10 9 damage in the country; however, it resulted in the replenishment of half of the dam reservoirs and 35% of ponds and lakes. Also, it increased the volume of groundwater stored in aquifers by 3.6 × 10 9  m 3 . In arid and s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrogeology journal 2021-09, Vol.29 (6), p.2171-2186
Main Authors: Golian, Mohsen, Katibeh, Homayoon, Najafi, Zeinab, Saadat, Habib, Saffarzadeh, Ali, Ahmadi, Aboozar, Khazaei, Mahdi, Sametzadeh, Ershad
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic Pollution
Aquifers
Arid regions
Arid zones
Artificial recharge
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Evapotranspiration
Extreme weather
Geology
Geophysics/Geodesy
Groundwater
Groundwater depletion
Groundwater storage
Hydrogeology
Hydrology/Water Resources
Lakes
Rainfall
Rainstorms
Replenishment
Runoff
Semi arid areas
Semiarid lands
Semiarid zones
Surface runoff
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
Water Quality/Water Pollution
Water resources
Water scarcity
Water table
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Summary:The Dena rainstorm in Iran in March and April 2019 caused about US$ 8.3 × 10 9 damage in the country; however, it resulted in the replenishment of half of the dam reservoirs and 35% of ponds and lakes. Also, it increased the volume of groundwater stored in aquifers by 3.6 × 10 9  m 3 . In arid and semiarid regions such as most parts of Iran, which usually face water scarcity, getting water from rainstorms is essential for replenishing water resources. This research aims to quantify the direct and indirect effects of the Dena rainstorm on the replenishment of Iran’s groundwater storage using the groundwater balance method and water-table fluctuation method. Studies showed that the main mechanisms for replenishment of groundwater storage due to the rainstorm included increases in precipitation recharge, surface runoff recharge, and artificial recharge, and reductions in irrigation withdrawal and evapotranspiration, while the contribution of each factor is estimated to be about 23, 28, 2, 15, and 32%, respectively.
ISSN:1431-2174
1435-0157
DOI:10.1007/s10040-021-02370-8