Analysis of Evolvement for Confined Water Cone of Depression and its Influence on Groundwater Resource Sustainability in Yinchuan Area

Abstract

In arid and semi-arid areas, groundwater has been the main source of water supply for large cities and towns over several decades. With long-term withdrawals, a cone of depression in confined aquifer has formed over twenty years in Yinchuan area. The evolvement characteristics indicate that the cone of depression region is facing serious problems which are related not only to groundwater quantity but also to water deterioration. Water level decline is inevitable with well abstraction for confined aquifer owing to increasing water demand, and then phreatic water leakage recharge may accelerate deterioration with poor water quality. Therefore, the cone of depression plays an observable role in confined water protection as to groundwater sustainable utilization.