Evaluating the feasibility and efficiency of managed aquifer recharge strategy using simulation and optimization approaches

Abstract:

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) strategy is a valuable and widely used method for sustainable water resources management. However, the evaluation of MAR can be challenging with regard to the feasibility and efficiency of MAR. This study demonstrates the utilization of a groundwater flow simulation and a multi-objective optimization algorithm to assess managed aquifer recharge strategies within the context of climate variability and human impacts. The flow simulation provides the baseline of the groundwater flow dynamics and projects the evolution of the groundwater flow system in accordance with climate change scenarios. The model evaluates the feasibility of selected strategies by simulating the resulting groundwater levels, flux exchange rates and calculating water budgets. The optimization algorithm finds the best solution that meets our objectives and maximizes the efficiency of MAR in quantitative aspects by adjusting distribution of values of variables in constrained temporal and spatial domain and further comparing performances among selected strategies. This case study in the Indus River Basin leads to the discovery of the respective weights of hydrological and geological parameters in optimization and key control variables and dependencies between those variables in the optimal MAR design.