Ain Shams Engineering Journal (Jul 2023)
Review of artificial recharge prospects for augmentation of groundwater in Egypt: A case study of El Bustan extension area
Abstract
Artificial recharge (AR) is the process whereby surface water is directed purposely underground to augment natural replenishment of groundwater reserves. During the period 1996–1998, the Research Institute for Groundwater started artificial recharge using infiltration basins in El Bustan experimental station in the western Nile Delta region. Recently, during the period 2020–2021, artificial recharge activities have been resumed in the experimental station. In this work, changes in hydrological conditions affecting the experimental station since its inception are reviewed and assessed. Artificial recharge using the infiltration basin are then applied, where results of these experiments are evaluated and compared to the previous ones. This is achieved with the objective of making an updated evaluation of the prospects of artificial recharge considering the changes in hydrological conditions. The study revealed that rise of groundwater levels is the major change affecting aquifer conditions in the study area. Such progressive rise of groundwater levels resulted in reducing the vadose zone thickness by more than 50% of its original thickness in 1996. This rise is attributed to uncontrolled recharge due seepage from nearby canals and irrigation return flow in the western Nile Delta region for the past 25 years. In view of the impacts of uncontrolled recharge, it is concluded that future work should shift from AR to managed aquifer recharge (MAR) to store water in the aquifer for subsequent recovery. It is recommended that further studies should use numerical modeling for exploring MAR schemes that can sustain the aquifer hydrologic equilibrium. Such MAR schemes should facilitate conjunctive use of surface and groundwater for improved water use management in the western Nile Delta region.
