Water Balance Components Estimation using WetSpass Model: A Case study of Mekelle Area, Tigray, Ethiopia
Kahsay Hailekiros *
Mekelle Industrial Park, Industrial Park Development Corporation (IPDC), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Tesfamichael Gebreyohannes
Department of Geology, School of Earth Science, Mekelle University, P.O.Box 3066, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Abdelwassie Hussein
Department of Geology, School of Earth Science, Mekelle University, P.O.Box 3066, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Hagos Brhane
Tigray Agricultural Research Institute, Mekelle Soil Research Center, Ethiopia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This research was aimed at estimating the spatially distributed Water balance components of the catchments in Mekelle area by using WetSpass hydrological model and verifying the model outputs with ground truth. Long term mean metrological data and physical characteristics of the catchments were used as an input to the model. The input data were manipulated using Arc- GIS tools. Results of this model depicted that about 73.13% and 19.96% of the precipitation in the study area was lost through evapotranspiration and surface runoff respectively. However, 7% of it replenished the groundwater. The annual runoff and groundwater recharge estimated in WetSpass model accumulated using Arc-GIS were verified using the annual runoff gauged records and base flow measurements. Accordingly the accumulated runoff and base flow derived from the WetSpass model using Arc-GIS software results were quite close to the observed runoff and base flow values measured in the gauging points. Therefore, WetSpass model is appropriate model in estimating water balance components in the study area.
Keywords: Groundwater, recharge, runoff, evapotranspiration, WetSpass, Mekelle
How to Cite
Downloads
References
Singh RK, Hari Prasad V, Bhatt CM. Remote sensing and GIS approach for assessment of the water balance of a watershed. Hydrol. Sci. J. 2004;49(1):131– 142.
Yenehun A, Walraevens K, Batelaan O. Spatial and temporal variability of groundwater recharge in Geba basin, Northern Ethiopia. J. African Earth Sci. 2017;134:198–212.
Gupta P, Nayak TR, Choudhary MK. GIS based water balance study for estimation of runoff in a small river watershed. 2015; 35(3):26–33.
Rwanga SS. A Review on groundwater recharge estimation using Wetspass model. 2013;156–160.
Rwanga SS, Ndambuki JM. Approach to quantify groundwater recharge using GIS based water balance model: A review. 2017;4(1).
Bate G, Smailes P, Adams J. A water quality index for use with diatoms in the assessment of rivers. Water SA. 2004; 30(4):493–498.
Zomlot Z, Verbeiren B, Huysmans M, Batelaan O. Spatial distribution of groundwater recharge and base flow: assessment of controlling factors. J Hydrol Reg Stud. 2015;4:349–368.
Available:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2015.07.005
Singha SS, Pasupuleti S, Singha S, Singh R, Venkatesh AS. A GIS-based modified DRASTIC approach for geospatial modeling of groundwater vulnerability and pollution risk mapping in Korba district, Central India. Environ Earth Sci. 2019;78(21):628. Available:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8640-2
Kumar S., Thirumalaivasan D, Radhakrishnan N. GIS based assessment of groundwater vulnerability using drastic model. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 2014;39:207-216.
Freeze RA, Cherry JA. Groundwater. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs (NJ); 1979.
Lerner DN, Isaar AS, Simmers I. Groundwater recharge: A guide to understanding and estimating natural recharge. In: IAH International Contributions to Hydrogeology, Verlag Heinz Heise, Hanover. 1990;8.
Healy RW. Estimating Groundwater Recharge. Cambridge University Press; 2010.
Sophocleous MA. From safe yield to sustainable development of water resources – the Kansas experience. J. Hydrol. 2000;235:27–43.
Sophocleous MA, Devlin JF. Discussion of The water budget myth revisited: why Hydrogeologists model’ by John Bredehoeft D. Ground Water. 2004;42:618
Devlin JF, Sophocleous M, The persistence of the water budget myth and its relationship to sustainability. Hydrogeol. J. 2005;13:549–554.
Simmers I. (Ed.). Recharge of phreatic aquifers in (semi-)arid areas. Int. Ass. Hydrogeol. 19, A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam; 1997.
Kinzelbach W, Aeschbach W, Alberich C, Goni IB, Beyerle U, Brunner P, Chiang WH, Rueedi J, Zollmann K. A survey of methods for groundwater recharge in arid and semi-arid regions. Early Warning and Assessment Report Series, UNEP/DEWA/ RS.02-2. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi; 2002.
Abu-Saleem A, Al-Zu'bi Y, Rimawi O, Al-Zu'bi J, Alouran N. Estimation of water balance components in the Hasa basin with GIS based WetSpass model. Journal of Agronomy. 2010;9(3):119-125.
Aish AM. Estimation of water balance components in the Gaza Strip with GIS based WetSpass model. Civil Environ Res. 2014;6(11):77-84.
Zhang Y, Liu S, Cheng F, Shen Z. WetSpass-based study of the effects of urbanization on the water balance components at regional and quadrat scales in Beijing, China. Water. 2017; 10(1):5.
Batelaan O, De Smedt F, WetSpass: a flexible, GIS based, distributed recharge methodology for regional groundwater modelling. In: Gehrels H, Peters J, Hoehn E, Jensen K, Leibundgut C, Griffioen J, Webb B, Zaadnoordijk WJ. (Eds.), Impact of Human Activity on Groundwater Dynamics. IAHS. 2001;11–17.
Batelaan O, De Smedt F. GIS-based recharge estimation by coupling surface–subsurface water balances. Journal of hydrology. 2007;337(3-4):337-355.
Gebreyohannes T, De Smedt F, Walraevens K, Gebresilassie S, Hussien A, Hagos M, Amare K, Deckers J, Gebrehiwot K. Application of a spatially distributed water balance model for assessing surface water and groundwater resources in the Geba basin, Tigray, Ethiopia. Journal of Hydrology. 2013;499: 110-123.
Teklebirhan A, Dessie N, Tesfamichael G. Groundwater recharge, evapotranspiration and surface runoff estimation using WetSpass modeling method in Illala catchment, Northern Ethiopia. Momona Ethiopian Journal of Science. 2012;4(2): 96-110.
Hogan JF, Phillips FM, Scanlon BR. Groundwater recharge in a desert environment: The southwestern United States. American Geophysical Union. 2004;9.
Maina MM, Amin MSM, Aimrun W, Asha TS. Evaluation of different ET0 calculation methods: a case study in Kano State, Nigeria. Philipp Agric Scientist. 2012;95(4): 378-382.
Seleshi Y. Estimation of monthly reference evapotranspiration (ETO) for areas with in adequate meteorological data in Ethiopia. Zede Journal. 2002;19: 21-28.