Groundwater Artificial Recharge Potentiality in Al-Qilt Catchment Jericho – West Bank – Palestine

Abstract

The main research objective is to highlight the potentiality of artificial groundwater recharge in Al-Qilt catchment- Jericho – Palestine regarding the water shortage in the groundwater-supplied areas. Artificial recharge can be a possible option in increasing the storability of the underground aquifer, which will add values to the Palestinian strategy to optimize the total accessibility of groundwater resources. The increase of water demands and the scarcity of water resources in the Jordan Rift areas are putting challenges for the water managers and planners to improve the water supplies in order to reach the best ways for the integrated water resources management. In Al-Qilt catchment, the surface water discharge flowing into the wadies in huge amounts had no noticeable significant benefits. A hydrological model was built for the Qilt basin using HEC-HMS software system and it was considered as an essential tool for better understanding of the basin hydrological situation and its hydrogeological characteristics. The surface runoff water speed was measured to be 3.2 m/s (27th of February, 2019) with a cross section width of 9.2 m and 0.75 m hight with water leading to a flow of 18.77 m3/s and the total flow of approximately 67565 m3/hr. The estimated model simulations reavealed of 18.5 m3/s and 66600 m3/hr for the speed flow and the total flow respectively and matched with the measured ones. The results were used for improving the aquifer-integrated management in Al-Qilt area and determining of the aquifer potentiality for artificial recharge. The built model results gave guiding to the hydrologists and the decision makers for selecting the appropriate techniques and sites for artificial recharge. The model indicated of good simulation tools to be used for other West Bank catchments.