The problem Increasing water demands set in a context of variable climate and changing land use, together with dependence on low-storage, low-yield aquifers.
The approach Application of linked land surface and groundwater models to assess impact on groundwater supplies of periods of reduced recharge; investigation of sensitivity of groundwater recharge to key climate and land use controls; development of stakeholder networks to examine planning needs and support decisions on groundwater development.
Key findings from Catalyst Phase
Although the study shows that the land surface model used needs development to incorporate all the key processes, initial findings confirm that annual groundwater recharge can be highly variable. The impact of this variability on the continuity of supply during drought depends on how non-pumped water discharges from these low storage aquifers.
Where?
Burkina Faso, Ghana
Consortium grant? Yes – visit BRAVE Consortium page
Principal Investigator: David MacDonald (British Geological Survey, BGS)
Research Team:
- Christopher Jackson, British Geological Survey
- Jean Pierre Sandwidi, University of Ouagadougou
- Dr William Agyekum, Ghana Water Research Institute
- Dr Emily Black, University of Reading
- Prof. Anne Verhoef, University of Reading
- Dr Rosalind Cornforth, University of Reading
Research Organisation:
- British Geological Survey (BGS) – Grant NE/L002116/1
- University of Ouagadougou (UO),
- Ghana Water Research Institute (WRI),
- University of Reading (UoR) – Grant NE/L00187X/1
Find out more:
- PDF summary:
Related outputs:
UPGro 