Irrigation and Water Engineering

Irrigation and Water Engineering

Spatial and temporal changes in groundwater level, flow direction, and representative hydrograph of the coastal aquifer of Minab Plain, Hormozgan Province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Reza Razmpoor 1
َAdnan Sadeghi-Lari 2
1 Department of Water Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
2 Department of Water Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesUniversity of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
10.22125/iwe.2026.587726.1929
Abstract
In conditions of intensifying water stress, persistent decline of aquifers, and increasing hydrogeological vulnerability in arid and semi-arid regions, monitoring water table changes and identifying patterns of decline is essential for sustainable water resources management. This study aimed to evaluate the temporal-spatial changes in groundwater table levels in the Minab Plain over a long period of time. Kendall rank correlation test, hydrograph analysis, and geographic information system (GIS) were used to investigate changes and spatial zoning of groundwater levels and extract groundwater flow direction in four four-year periods in 2010–2013, 2014–2015, 2016–2017, and 2018–2019. The results showed that groundwater levels in 82% of the groundwater level observation wells have a significant negative correlation with time at a 99% confidence level. The overall hydrograph of the aquifer and the zoning maps of the four-year time periods also showed that the groundwater level decline is progressing with great intensity. The direction of groundwater flow did not show any noticeable changes during the study period. Human and climatic factors, including increasing water demand, unbalanced physical development, changing patterns of water resource exploitation, and the effects of climate change, play a very prominent role in the rate of groundwater level decline. Therefore, the findings of this study emphasize the need to establish integrated aquifer management strategies, control withdrawal, and set programs compatible with the aquifer capacity.
Keywords
Groundwater level
Representative hydrograph
Integrated management
Subjects
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