Simulating the Shallow Groundwater Level Response to Artificial Recharge and Storage in the Plain Area of the Daqing River Basin, China

Abstract

Water shortage and overexploitation of groundwater (GW) have become the key factors restricting the development of the Xiongan New Area (XNA), the environmental management of Baiyangdian Lake, and the social and economic development of surrounding areas. This study used a numerical GW flow model to quantitatively analyze the changes to the shallow GW level and GW reserves of the plain area of the Daqing River Basin over the next 15 years (2021–2035) under different artificial recharge schemes with the south to north water diversion project (SNWDP) acting as the GW recharge source. The results showed increasing GW storage and GW levels and that the regional GW resources are in a positive equilibrium state. The rates of change of the well irrigation supply scheme and the joint river-well irrigation supply scheme in the XNA will increase by 14.56% and 11.04% by 2035 as compared with the current situation. The well irrigation recharge scheme for the XNA was determined to be the most effective when comparing with the effects of the different artificial recharge schemes on the GW levels and recharge. This study provides a reference for the management and protection of aquifers in other areas suffering serious GW overexploitation.