Uncovering the gaps in managed aquifer recharge for sustainable groundwater management: A focus on hillslopes and mountains

作者：Menberu B. Meles, Scott A. Bradford, Alberto Casillas-Trasvina, Lin Chen, Gordon Osterman, Tyler Hatch, Hoori Ajami, Octavia Crompton, Lucia Levers, Isaya Kisekka · 发表于：Journal of Hydrology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131615 · 被引用次数：79 · 研究领域：Groundwater flow and contamination studies、Groundwater and Watershed Analysis、Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is a promising approach to enhance water supply resilience, but it faces significant challenges, such as limited space and time for recharge activities, as well as uncertain bio-geophysical processes, and complex subsurface flow and heterogeneity. In this review, we assess the viability of hydrology-based approaches to enhance groundwater replenishment and identify missing components in existing groundwater recovery activities. We discuss expanding recharge opportunities to under-utilized sources and locations such as hillslopes and mountain systems. Additionally, we explore the possibilities of using existing road infrastructure to capture runoff and convey it to secondary porosity (alluvial fans, faults and fractures) in the mountain fronts. Conventional MAR approaches are usually implemented on valley floors where restrictive clay layers can impede recharge to deep aquifers, and the presence of legacy contaminants in the root or vadose zones can degrade water quality. Hillslope and mountain recharge strategies offer multiple potential benefits over valley floors when there is improved connectivity and faster recharge to deep aquifers, shallower vadose zones, coarser textured deposits, and better surface water quality. Studies show that hillslope recharge accounts for 15–50% of the recharge to valley floors. To further facilitate the effective expansion of groundwater recharge, we propose landscape modifications encompassing slope correction a...