Evaluation of The Influence of an Aquaculture Basin on Water Resource Management Through The use of a Geographic Information System and The FREEWAT Modelling Tool: A Case Study in The El Tarf Region (Northeast Algeria)

Abstract

The study area belongs to the Bouteldja plain in the northeast of Algeria that experiences a cold and rainy Mediterranean climate during winters alongside a hot and dry summer. As per the potentiometric map, the movement of groundwater is towards the east. During model development, a single-layer numerical model was created with the aid of the MODFLOW-2005 code and the FREEWAT modeling tool. Some GIS features were executed on the model in a steady-state condition through the hydrological year of 2020. MODFLOW Well (WEL) and MODFLOW Recharge (RCH) models were successively utilized to simulate groundwater extraction and recharge. Analysis of pumping test data indicates that the total contribution via the western boundary is lower than the term of extraction because of over-pumping. The simulation analyses of the water balance and groundwater recharge following the installation of the aquaculture basin, with or without pumping, demonstrate a reduction in hydraulic load in the area near the wells. As a result, the exploitation rate of these resources might amount to or even exceed their renewal rate. In conclusion, our work proposes a modeling approach to simulate the impact of an aquifer recharge management program by adding an aquaculture basin for a dual purpose: the development of fishery resources and agriculture in rural areas.