Journal of Arid Regions Geographic Studies

Journal of Arid Regions Geographic Studies

Analysis of Khorramabad Motahari Karstic Springhead (Sarab) Recession Curve Based on Recession Coefficient during Hydro-Climatic Fluctuations

Authors
Abstract
The hydrographic specifications of the karstic spring and the recession coefficient can reflect the hydro-climatic fluctuations and physical and geological characteristics of the aquifer system recharging the spring. In this study, in order to identify the hydrological geological behavior of Khorramabad Motahhari karstic Springhead (Sarab) during hydro-climatic fluctuations, quantitative analysis of recession curve based on Maillet exponential equation and coefficient of recession curve during wet years in a 27-year period (from 1991-92 to 2017-18) was calculated. To investigate the effect of hydrological fluctuations on the recession coefficient of Motahhari spring hydrograph, the changes in the time series of discharge coefficient during the base flow was analyzed by SDI hydrological drought index. Then, the statistical correlation of this index with evapotranspiration deficit index (SEDI) was analyzed to investigate the hydrological relationship and affectivity of the spring recession coefficient from climate fluctuations and biological changes. The results showed that the recession coefficient of Motahhari spring during the statistical period has an upward linear trend and its value has changed from 0.0081 to 0.0574 during mild and severe droughts, respectively. Statistical comparison of the time series of the recession coefficient of the mentioned spring with the values of SDI index showed that there is a significant inverse correlation with a negative coefficient of 65%. This means that with increasing hydrological drought of Motahhari spring and decreasing SDI values, the discharge coefficient of the spring increases and drainage takes place faster. Part of these changes is due to climatic and biological fluctuations. These effects were confirmed by the correlation between SDI and SEDI indices at a time scale of 6 months based on spectral analysis and cross-correlation at 95% confidence intervals. In addition, the spring recession coefficient can be influenced by the characteristics of Sarvak carbonate formation with limestone lithology and to some extent its fine-grained material. So, during droughts, the baseflow is affected by the conduit-flow and water stored in the body of the karstic aquifer and or due to large karst conduit and faults of Sarvak Formation, cause quickflow. In wet years, in addition to the rapid conduction of water by karstic conduits and fractures, probably recharged water from the Sarvak anticline flows into grained material with smaller pores consisting of calcareous material with a combination of sand and marl. These can cause high dynamic storage and low baseflow changes with a low hydraulic slope in dry months. In general, the results of this study give a comprehensive approach to karst spring management by predicting droughts and analyzing their drought coefficient.
Keywords

Ahmadipour. M.R. (1999). Karst terraines in iran -examples from lorestan. Acta Carsologica.28/2(13):213-224. Bagheri, R., Jafari, H., Momeni, A. and Bagheri F (2016). Analysis of karst spring recession curves, west of Iran. Arab J Geosci 9, 731. Boussinesq, J. (1903). Sur un mode simple d’e´coulement desnappes d’eau d’infiltration a`lit horizontal, avec rebord verticaltout autour lorsqu’une partie de ce rebord est enleve ´e depuis la surface jusqu’au fond. Comptes Rendus, Acade´mie des Sciences (Paris), 137, 5–11. Boussinesq, J. (1904). Recherches the´oretiques sur l’e´coulement des nappes d’eau infiltre´es dans le sol et sur le de´bit des sources. Journal de Mathematiques Pures et Appliquees, 10,5–78. Fiorillo, F (2009). Spring hydrographs as indicators of droughts in a karst environment. Journal of Hydrology. 373:290–301. Fiorillo, F., Leone, G., Pagnozzi, M. Esposito L (2020). Long-term trends in karst spring discharge and relation to climate factors and changes. Hydrogeology Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-020-02265-0. Ford D and Williams P (2007). Karst Hydrogeology and Geomorphology. John Willy and Sons, Ltd. 562 pp. Kumar, V., Sen, S (2018). Evaluation of spring discharge dynamics using recession curve analysis: a case study in data-scarce region, Lesser Himalayas, India. Sustain. Water Resour. Manag. 4, 539–557. Lo Russo, S., Amanzio, G., Ghione, R. De Maio M (2015). Recession hydrographs and time series analysis of springs monitoring data: application on porous and shallow aquifers in mountain areas (Aosta Valley). Environ Earth Sci 73, 7415–7434. Maillet, E. (1905). Essais d’Hydraulique souterraine et fluviale, Hermann, Paris Milanovic, P.T. 1981 Karst Hydrogeology, Water Resources Publication, Colorado, 434 pp Rice, S.E (2007). Springs as indicators of drought: physical and geochemical analyses in the Middle Verde river watershed, Arizona. Thesis (MSc). Northern Arizona University, USA. Shamsi, A., Karami, G.H. & Taheri, A (2019). Recession curve analysis of major karstic springs at the Lasem area (north of Iran). Carbonates Evaporites 34, 845–856. Staśko S & Buczyński S (2018). Drought and its effects on spring discharge regimes in Poland and Germany during the 2015 drought, Hydrological Sciences Journal, 63:5, 741-751. Zhang, X., Li, M., Ma, Z. et al. (2019). Assessment of an Evapotranspiration Deficit Drought Index in Relation to Impacts on Ecosystems. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 36, 1273–1287.

  • Receive Date 23 November 2022
  • Publish Date 22 June 2021