Mekuria, W., & Tegegne, D. (2023). Water harvesting. In M. J. Goss, & M. Oliver (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment (Second Edition) (pp. 593–607). Oxford: Academic Press.
Abstract: Water harvesting is the intentional collection and concentration of rainwater and runoff to offset irrigation demands. Secondary benefits include decreased flood and erosion risk. Water harvesting techniques include micro- and macro-catchment systems, floodwater harvesting, and rooftop and groundwater harvesting. The techniques vary with catchment type and size, and the method of water storage. Micro-catchment water harvesting, for example, requires the development of small structures and targets increased water delivery and storage to the root zone whereas macro-catchment systems collect runoff water from large areas. The sustainability of water harvesting techniques at the local level are usually constrained by several factors such as labor, construction costs, loss of productive land, and maintenance, suggesting that multiple solutions are required to sustain the benefits of water harvesting techniques.
Keywords: Climate change, Ecosystem services, Environmental benefits, Population growth, Resilient community, Resilient environment, Socio-economic benefits, Urbanizations, Water harvesting, Water quality, Water security
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Lawrinenko, M., Kurwadkar, S., & Wilkin, R. T. (2023). Long-term performance evaluation of zero-valent iron amended permeable reactive barriers for groundwater remediation – A mechanistic approach. Geoscience Frontiers, 14(2), 101494.
Abstract: Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are used for groundwater remediation at contaminated sites worldwide. This technology has been efficient at appropriate sites for treating organic and inorganic contaminants using zero-valent iron (ZVI) as a reductant and as a reactive material. Continued development of the technology over the years suggests that a robust understanding of PRB performance and the mechanisms involved is still lacking. Conflicting information in the scientific literature downplays the critical role of ZVI corrosion in the remediation of various organic and inorganic pollutants. Additionally, there is a lack of information on how different mechanisms act in tandem to affect ZVI-groundwater systems through time. In this review paper, we describe the underlying mechanisms of PRB performance and remove isolated misconceptions. We discuss the primary mechanisms of ZVI transformation and aging in PRBs and the role of iron corrosion products. We review numerous sites to reinforce our understanding of the interactions between groundwater contaminants and ZVI and the authigenic minerals that form within PRBs. Our findings show that ZVI corrosion products and mineral precipitates play critical roles in the long-term performance of PRBs by influencing the reactivity of ZVI. Pore occlusion by mineral precipitates occurs at the influent side of PRBs and is enhanced by dissolved oxygen and groundwater rich in dissolved solids and high alkalinity, which negatively impacts hydraulic conductivity, allowing contaminants to potentially bypass the treatment zone. Further development of site characterization tools and models is needed to support effective PRB designs for groundwater remediation.
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Pham, Q. - N., Nguyen, T. - C., Ta, T. - T., & Tran, T. - L. (2023). Comprehensive approach to sustainable groundwater management in semi-arid Ninh Thuan plain, Vietnam. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 23, 101031.
Abstract: Vietnam is a country with a long coastline and a high population density residing in the coastal plains. The largest dry area in Vietnam, the coastal plain of Ninh Thuan province, always lacks water in the first dry months of the year (Jan., Feb., Mar., and Apr.). Groundwater is an extremely valuable resource for supplies at this time. Therefore, the objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive approach to sustainable groundwater management in this semi-arid region. This approach is not only mitigating the negative impacts of factors such as climate change, sea level rise, and socio-economic development but also suggesting measures for management of aquifer recharge. A groundwater model for a 3-layer system with variable density flow SEAWAT is built to predict the impacts of climate change and sea level rise without a change in groundwater abstraction. This model helps to understand the trend of salt intrusion and lowering groundwater level in the study area. Afterwards, scenarios with different ground water abstraction and groundwater development such as ground dam, infiltration basin have been set up to meet the demands of socio-economic development in the future. Predicted results will show the impacts of the groundwater systems in the area such as groundwater level change, and saltwater intrusion. Controlled groundwater abstraction and some measures of groundwater development such as infiltration basin, underground dam would allow for an increase of up to 50000m3/day in the year 2050 without negative impacts on the aquifer system.
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Tariq, A., Beni, L. H., Ali, S., Adnan, S., & Hatamleh, W. A. (2023). An effective geospatial-based flash flood susceptibility assessment with hydrogeomorphic responses on groundwater recharge. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 23, 100998.
Abstract: Floods are one of the most common natural disasters, resulting in the extensive destruction of infrastructure, property, and human life. The destructive potential of a flood depends on numerous factors, including the size of the flood, the rate of flooding, the time it takes for the water to move through a given area, the river’s planform and cross-section geometry, and other similar factors. The present study is a unique analysis of flood mapping that was accomplished with the help of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Frequency Ratio (FR), and hydrogeomorphic response to floods by integrating geospatial analysis and unit stream power modeling. The Indus catchment region of Pakistan is where the subject topic is put into practice. According to the hydrologic analysis of the yearly peak discharge, the hydro-station in Gilgit-Baltistan can move boulders measuring up to 0.5 m in height during significant flooding. On the other hand, there will be no change to the geometry of the cross-section throughout 1980–2020 in Gilgit-Baltistan. The flood susceptibility map is constructed using data from twelve influencing parameters, including elevation, proximity to the drainage network, slope, drainage density, geomorphology, rainfall, the curvature of the topography, flow accumulation, geology, land use, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), and Stream Power Index (SPI). The area under the curve (AUC) approach, which demonstrates a substantial degree of accuracy (85% and 83%), is utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of the AHP and FR. The current study fills the gaps between the geospatial approach and the hydrogeomorphic assessment of flood to determine flood susceptibility.
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Abadi, B., Sadeghfam, S., Ehsanitabar, A., & Nadiri, A. A. (2023). Investigating socio-economic and hydrological sustainability of ancient Qanat water systems in arid regions of central Iran. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 23, 100988.
Abstract: The Qanat water systems (QWSs), the ancient water engineering systems in Iran belonging to the very distant past, have harvested groundwater from drainages to convey it toward the surface with no use of energy. The present article highlights the socio-economic aspects of the sustainability of the QWSs and gives a satisfactory explanation of why the QWSs should be restored. In doing so, we subscribe to the view that indigenous and scientific knowledge should be incorporated. The former serves to tackle the restoration of the QWSs, the latter contributes to the distribution of water into the farmlands as efficiently as possible. Measured by (a) resilience, (b) reliability, (c) vulnerability, and (d) sustainability, the GIS technique made clear the performance of the QWSs has, therefore, the worst condition observed in terms of resiliency; the best condition observed concerning the vulnerability. Moreover, the QWSs have intermediate performance in terms of reliability. Finally, the sustainability index (SI) classifies the QWSs into different bands, which provide explicit support to take priority of the selection of the QWSs for restoration. In conclusion, a theoretical framework has been drawn to keep the QWSs sustainable.
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