Assessment of Groundwater Sustainability in the Bawku East Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

The sustainability of groundwater, which is the major source of potable water due to its general superiority in terms of natural quality and reliability in the semi-arid Bawku municipality had been assessed quantitatively using data on 760 boreholes, 79 hand-dug wells (HDWs), 8 mechanized boreholes, and water quality analysis of 25 boreholes and 10 HDWs. Analysis of drill logs revealed the existence of granitoids and Birimian metavolcanics as the main geological formations hosting structurally controlled aquifers. The estimated current annual water demand and abstraction were 6.52×10 6 and 2.8×10 6 m 3 respectively while the estimated annual recharge rate, permanent groundwater reserve and recoverable water reserve were 20.6×10 6 m 3 , 799.02×10 6 m 3 and 319.61×10 6 m 3 respectively. The study showed that the current groundwater abstraction constitute only 13.6% of annual groundwater recharge, 35.02% of permanent groundwater reserve and meets only 42.9% of groundwater demand leaving a deficit of about 57.1% (3.72×10 6 m 3 /yr). Thus, aquifers meet current demand and have the capacity to be further developed to meet future needs sustainably. The observed gradual decrease in groundwater levels, annual rainfall figures and a corresponding increase in temperature (unfavourable climate change effects) coupled with the ever-increasing population may impact negatively on groundwater reserve in the near future if adaptive measures are not put in place. We recommend for further and more detailed studies including but limited to continuous monitoring of groundwater levels, yield, quality and isotopic studies of the resource in the municipality so as to ensure sustainable management to meet the socio-economic needs of the inhabitants.

Challenges and Opportunities for Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into WaSH Development Planning in Ghana

“…It was added that in the past it could take only forty pumps to fill-up a 40 L bucket, but with the current drought conditions, 60 pumps are now required. This supports the view that the groundwater table in the Municipality was dropping [34]. Rural Aid responded that more than half of water resources in the Municipality were not able to contain water all year round and this situation is expected to worsen further with climate change.…”

Challenges and Opportunities for Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into WaSH Development Planning in Ghana

“…It was added that in the past it could take only forty (40) pumps to fill-up a 40 litre bucket, but with the current drought conditions, 60 pumps are now required. This supports the view that the groundwater table in the Municipality was dropping (Zango et al, 2014). The Rural Aid responded that more than half of water resources in the Municipality were not able to contain water all year round and this situation is expected to worsen further with climate change.…”

Application of machine learning techniques to predict groundwater quality in the Nabogo Basin, Northern Ghana

“…Aquifer transmissivity among sandstones ranges from 0.1 to 52.0 m 2 /d. Siltstone and mudstone aquifers have transmissivity ranging from 0.2 to 16.0 m 2 /d [ 40 , 41 ]. In general, the Voltaian aquifers have a strong relationship between aquifer transmissivity and specific capacity [ 40 , 42 ].…”