A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN UNDERWATER AND SURFACE WATER IN THE HAILIUTU RIVER BASIN, ERDOS PLATEAU, CHINA.

Abstract

In severely desert environments, the interplay between surface water and groundwater is crucial for sustaining water resource management, ecological stability, and hydrological equilibrium. The quantitative analysis of groundwater-surface water interactions in the Hailiutu River Basin, Erdos Plateau, China, is presented in this work. The basin is an ecologically delicate system where the extraction of groundwater, the dynamics of surface water flow, and climate variability are all interdependent. This study uses groundwater level data, river flow records, and hydrological monitoring to look at the impact of water exchanges between river channels and aquifers on the hydrological processes in the basin. The dynamics of recharge and outflow, fluctuations throughout the year, and the effects of groundwater extraction caused by humans were studied using numerical modelling tools and water balance evaluations. Surface water availability is maintained during dry seasons by groundwater, which plays a particularly large role in river baseflow. Nevertheless, the natural balance has been disrupted due to excessive groundwater extraction, which has lowered river discharge and baseflow contributions. The research shows that surface water sustainability is impacted by the link between extraction rates and falling groundwater levels. The significance of integrated water management in semi-arid settings is shown by this quantitative analysis. The ecological integrity of the Hailiutu River Basin can only be preserved by integrated management techniques and effective restriction of groundwater consumption. In sum, this findings add to what is already known about the interplay between groundwater and surface water, and what it means for the future of water security in fragile plateau ecosystems.