A Review on the Artificial Recharge of the Aquifers as a Process against Groundwater Stresses

Despite the high capacity of groundwater resources in confronting different stresses such as climate change, rapid population growth, and greater need for water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid countries such as Iran, the over-exploitation of these valuable resources have caused a negative balance of groundwater, upset the natural balance of aquifers, and created many problems in many parts of the country. In arid and semi-arid areas, artificial groundwater recharge can be used to balance the aquifer and restore groundwater resources. In the current study, after conducting a review on the artificial groundwater recharge methods as one of the effective ways to restore the aquifers, the artificial recharge schemes were examined with emphasis on national research projects. The literature review demonstrated that the artificial groundwater recharge schemes are primarily conducted by the floodwater spreading method in the country, which in most cases, acts as an effective process to balance aquifers. This approach may play a significant role in achieving sustainable water management in Iran due to the highest efficiency and lowest cost. The results showed that the type of aquifer, hydrogeological conditions, the type of geological formation, the slope of the region, and the economic conditions are the most important factors in selecting the artificial groundwater recharge method. The results also indicated that comprehensive studies are crucial to select the location and method of artificial groundwater recharge to achieve the desired results and successful efficiency of the project. Finally, the obstruction and therefore, the decrease of the infiltration rate were identified as the main problems in the implementation of the artificial groundwater recharge projects.