Groundwater Resource Assessment Using Modelling and Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Sesheke, Zambia
Keywords:
Groundwater Modelling, Geographical Information System, MODFLOW, Remote Sensing
Abstract
Groundwater is the major source of domestic water supply in rural Zambia. Sustainable utilization of these resources requires accurate knowledge of its quantity and quality. One the tools most used in assessing groundwater resources is the use of numerical groundwater models. The reliability of groundwater modelling is largely constrained by the quality of input data. Earth Observation data and groundwater modelling can help in quantifying the groundwater fluxes in an area where data is scarce. This paper discusses the assessment of groundwater resources in Sesheke using Geographical Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS) and Groundwater modelling. The aquifer system was modelled using software Processing Modflow for Windows (PMWIN) as a pre and post processor for MODFLOW assuming steady state conditions. Only the upper aquifer was modelled under unconfined conditions represented by three numerical layers of varying thickness 130m to 364m. The grid cell size of the model was taken as 250 X 250m and 11,863 active cells were used to represent the entire study area which is 11,501Km2. The model area and the elevation of the top layer were delineated using Shuttle Radar Topographical Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and topographic maps. A combination of trial and error method and automatic method were used to calibrate the model using the observed hydraulic heads until the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) reached 17m. From the sensitivity analysis hydraulic conductivity proved to be the most sensitive parameter of the model. From the pump testing analysis the average transmisivity was found to be 3.614m2/day and the hydraulic conductivity was in the range of 0.742 – 2.614m/day for the sandstone and 0.09-24m/day for the loose top Kalahari sands. From the Surface Energy Balance system (SEBS) the annual average actual Evapotranspiration (ET) was calculated as 745mm against the annual precipitation of 765mm. The estimated annual recharge from the groundwater model is 54.7mm in the north and 28mm in the southern part of the model. The model results suggest that the main recharge area is in the northern part of Sesheke which agrees well with hydraulic head survey conducted during the field work where high hydraulic heads in the north where comparable to the southern part of the District.References
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2. CHENOV, C. D. 1978. Groundwater Resources Inventory of Zambia. UNESCO/NORAD Water Resources Project. Lusaka: National Council for Scientific Research.
3. CONCERN-WORLDWIDE-ZAMBIA. 2007. Wetlands and livelihoods in western province, Zambia. Concern Worldwide Zambia and Oxfam Zambia.
4. CHIANG, W. H. and KINZELBACH, W. 2001. Processing MODEFLOW (Version 5.3): A simulation system for modelling groundwater flow and pollution.
5. CHONGO, M. 2010. The spatial distribution of saline groundwater in the Kalahari Sand Aquifer – A case study in the Sesheke area using geophysical methods. Master’s Thesis, Department of Geology, University of Zambia.
6. SU, Z. 2002. The Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) for estimation of turbulent heat fluxes. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 85-99.
7. DANIDA. 2005. Water Sector Programme Support, Zambia. Sector Support Document. Ref. No. 104.Zam.814. November 2005.
8. FETTER, C. W. 2001. Applied Hydrogeology. New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall, Inc.
9. JICA/MEWD-D. 1995. National Water Resources Master Plan (The Study on the). Supporting Report [D]: Hydrogeology. Lusaka: Ministry of Energy and Water Development/Japanese International Cooperation Agency.
10. KRUSEMAN, G. P. and RIDDER, N. A. (eds.) 1994. Analysis and evaluation of pumping test data. International Institute for Land Reclamation.
11. LERNER, D. N., ISSAR, A. S., and SIMMER, I. 1990. Groundwater recharge: A guide to understanding and estimating natural recharge. International Association of Hydrogeologists; IAH International Contribution to Hydrogeology, Vol. 8, Heise, Hannover, 345 pp.
12. MAMO, T. A. 2010. Estimation of actual evapotranspiration and water balancing using geostationary and polar orbiting satellite products: A case study in Spain. MSc in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente-ITC.
13. MCDONALD, M. G. & HARBAURGH, A. W. 2005. A modular three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water flow model. U.S. Geological Survey.
14. MONEY, N. J. 1972. An outline of the geology of Western Zambia. In: DRYSDALL, A. R. & JOHNSON, R. L. (eds.) Records of the Geological Survey, Volume 12. Lusaka: Geological Survey Department.
15. SOPHOCLEOUS, M. 2004. Groundwater recharge, in Groundwater [Eds. Luis Silveira, Stefan Wohnlich, and Eduardo J. Usunoff], Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS). Developed under the auspices of UNESCO, EOLSS Publishers, Oxford, UK.
16. WATERAID. 2001. Groundwater Quality: Zambia.
17. YONGXIN, Y. A. B., and HE (eds.) 2003. Groundwater recharge estimation in Southern Africa. UNESCO IHP Series No. 64, UNESCO Paris. ISBN 92-9220-000-3.
18. GABERIEL PARODI. 2009. SEBS for ILWIS version 2.0 Flat Manual. ITC Netherlands.
Published
2021-01-29
How to Cite
[1]
J. Kabika, “Groundwater Resource Assessment Using Modelling and Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Sesheke, Zambia”, Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 48-63, Jan. 2021.
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