Abstract

Groundwater is a crucial global resource, particularly in semiarid regions where surface water is scarce. As a result, effective groundwater management is essential. However, the challenge lies in a lack of data and information for proper decision-making. This dissertation present studies related to groundwater storage changes and recharge in West Africa, using data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission. In Niger, this research reveals little change in groundwater storage from 2002 to 2010 but a steep rise from 2010 to 2021, attributed partially to increased precipitation. Groundwater resources in Niger are found to be underutilized, with estimated recharge rates aligning favorably with previous estimates. In the Volta Basin in sub-Saharan Africa, this research identifies three distinct trends from 2002 to 2022, including increases and decreases in groundwater storage, and correlates these changes with precipitation. The Water Table Fluctuation method was used to estimate recharge rates, which compare favorably with other studies. For sustainability assessment in water resources planning, groundwater modeling is essential but can be difficult in West Africa due to limited data. The GRACE satellite mission provides valuable data to address in situ data gaps. In the Goulbi-Maradi alluvial aquifer in Niger, the GRACE data was incorporated into a MODFLOW groundwater model, both to provide recharge estimates and groundwater volume changes for calibration. The calibrated model can be used to analyze sustainability for for hypothetical pumping strategies and recharge rates projecting 40 years into the future.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2023-08-16

Document Type

Dissertation

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13341

Keywords

GRACE, Groundwater Storage, Groundwater modeling, Recharge, West Africa

Language

english

Included in

Engineering Commons

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