Identifying the sustainable groundwater yield in a Chinese semi-humid basin

SummaryThe primary goal of this work was to identify the sustainable groundwater yield which is a key reference of reasonable groundwater development, but also a complex issue in current hydrogeologic science. One major limit to identify sustainable groundwater yield is the lack of a unified evaluation criterion because there are many factors involved in hydrological systems that are difficult to quantify. To address this problem, an integrated evaluation model was constructed for a series of purposes including the maximal efficiency of water use, the integral benefit of development and utilization, the optimized environmental water demand and the minimal anthropogenic influence on groundwater system. It consists of a benefit model, a water cycling simulation model and an optimization model. The basin-wide model for water cycling simulation was a basic component to simulate scenarios with different constraints, and the best water development strategy was thereafter identified using the integral benefit model of water resources development. The Yinma River basin in a Chinese semi-humid region was selected as the case study area. Results indicated the optimized groundwater yield could be sustained by intensive reservoir supply and maintain suitable ecological water demand simultaneously. The work proposed a potential groundwater utilization strategy for economically developing countries across the world.

► An evaluation system of groundwater sustainable yield in basin was proposed. ► We evaluate the stream-aquifer system responses of water resources development. ► The positive and negative effects of different strategies are estimated by integral benefit model. ► We determine the sustainable yield under the best water development strategy.