Analysis of the relation between recharge, climate, and water-table depth in a global recharge dataset
This Master's project was designed for Arjuman Banu who started the Master's program in Earth Sciences, UiB, in the fall semester 2023. The Master's project is given by the research group Geodynamics and basin studies.
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Project description
Groundwater recharge is important for the sustainable use of groundwater resources, but is highly variable and often uncertain. A recently published compilation of global groundwater recharge data provides new opportunities to analyze the processes controlling recharge at a global scale. A paper published last year analyzed this dataset and found a strong relation between climate aridity and the fraction of precipitation that becomes recharge. However, the influence of other factors such as precipitation extremes and watertable depth on groundwater recharge remain unexplored at the global scale. In addition, the method that was used to quantify recharge may influence results, but also remains unexplored for the global recharge dataset.
The project aims to analyze the relationship between groundwater recharge, climate, and water table depth on a global scale. First, the global recharge dataset will be improved by recording the measurement method for a subset of the dataset, and using literature review to quantify the time and spatial scales that each measurement method represents. Second, the relation between recharge rates and measurement method will be analyzed and the data that best represent long-term average recharge rates will be selected for further analysis. Third, the relation between recharge, precipitation distribution and water table depth will be analyzed using local data and global GIS datasets and empirical relations will be derived for the relation between these variables. Finally, if time permits these empirical relations will be used to improve estimates of the sensitivity of groundwater recharge to climate change.
Proposed course plan during the master's degree (60 ECTS)
GEO217 -Hydrology, Ground Water and Geohazards
GEOV205 -Geographic information systems: Theory and practice
SDG207 -Energy conversion
GEOV302 -Data analysis in geosciences
GEOV300 -Selected topics in geosciences
GEOV322 -Master's excursion in Quaternary geology
GEOV316 -Practical skills in remote sensing and spatial analysis
Felt- lab- og analysearbeid
Labwork of GIS (operating ArcGIS Pro) at Sofie Lindstrøm's house, UiB.
Fieldwork at Fana for measuring the channel flow, one-day excursion at Voss regarding groundwater and its contamination, geohazards (rockfall, flooding), and two short excursions at Bryggen (about land subsidence and urban hydrology) and the Mindemyren related to surface water management.
Two days excursion for an Energy Transition course about renewable energy and carbon capture and storage (CCS)
