Rainwater Harvesting as a Groundwater Recharge Strategy for Rural Water Security: A Pilot Study in the Ñuble Region, Chile

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Water scarcity in Chile has been exacerbated by a decline in precipitation and an increase in water demand. This has prompted a search for strategies to increase water supply, whether through aquifer recharge or reservoir construction. In this study, aquifer recharge was evaluated through rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS) and direct injection into rural wells in the Ñuble Region. Three wells were selected in the Ñuble Region (Ñiquén, San Carlos, and Coihueco) using hydrogeological and operational criteria. To characterize the hydrogeology of the area, local piezometric data, geophysical surveys using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and seismoelectric tests were considered. This enabled the identification of aquifers with water levels between 2.6 and 23 m depth across the different geological units of the territory. The hydrological design was based on a frequency analysis of annual precipitation (1991–2020), which yielded design rainfall values between 442 and 694 mm. The implemented RWHS demonstrated injection capacities between 0.9 and 1.4 L·s−1. The results show that rainwater harvesting combined with direct aquifer recharge represents a viable alternative for improving water security, with potential for territorial scaling through regional public policies.
Funding Information
  • FIC-R Ñuble (40050637-0)
  • CENAMAD (FB210015)

This publication has 47 references indexed in Scilit: