Abstract

PATINO-ROJAS, Sandra M.  and  JARAMILLO, Marcela. Spatio-temporal estimation of the potential recharge in a tropical pseudokarst system. Rev. acad. colomb. cienc. exact. fis. nat. [online]. 2022, vol.46, n.178, pp.261-278.  Epub Sep 10, 2023. ISSN 0370-3908.  https://doi.org/10.18257/raccefyn.1512.

Recharge estimation allows determining the incidence of climatic changes in the water supply and defining the appropriate pumping rates so that overexploitation in the aquifer does not occur. Here we made the first spatio-temporal estimation of the potential recharge due to precipitation in the so-called Medellín's Dunite, a tropical pseudo-karst system considered a distant recharge zone of the alluvial aquifers in the Aburrá Valley (Colombia). These aquifers are currently being exploited for industrial use, but due to the rapid population growth, they could be a future source for human consumption. We used two water balance methods, the SWB on a daily scale and the Schosinsky on a monthly scale. Besides, we evaluated three different climate scenarios: dry year-El Niño, wet year-La Niña, and average year. We found that recharge was strongly influenced by precipitation and soil texture. The maximum average values were reported for La Niña year (1597 mm/year) and the minimum for El Niño year (813.5 mm/year). We also found that the Schosinsky method underestimated the recharge by 20% because the process occurs at event scale which can only be observable in daily precipitation records. Despite the differences, the results showed the potential of the Medellín's Dunite as a recharge area for the alluvial aquifers and the marked dependence of recharge on climatic phenomena such as ENSO.

Keywords : Soil water balance; Schosinsky; Fractured media; Medellín's Dunite; Aburrá Valley aquifer system; ENSO.

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