Modelling the aquifer recovery after a long duration drought in Burkina Faso.

Dominique Thiéry (1) , C. Diluca (2) , B. Diagana (2)

1 BRGM - Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM)
2 CIEH - Comité Interafricain d'Études Hydrauliques

The water level in an observation well in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) in a granite environment has been monitored for 13 years. The water level has been analyzed with a lumped-parameter rainfall-level hydrological model. The model simulates the aquifer level through a daily balance between the observed rainfall data and the estimated potential evapotranspiration and is calibrated by comparison with the observed levels. In 1988 the model was calibrated on the eight years data, when the declining trend of the level was observed. After calibration and calculation of the confidence limits the model was used for the simulation of a groundwater level response to more abundant rainfall. In 1992, when five further years of records were available, the model was used again without any recalibration. It appeared that the model, though calibrated during a declining period, was reliable and could predict very accurately the stabilization of the decline and the beginning of the rise. This case study demonstrate clearly the efficiency of lumped- parameter hydrological model in analyzing the sensitivity of aquifers to droughts.

Mots clés: Modélisation Pluie-Niveau de nappe; Modèle GARDÉNIA; Climat semi-aride; Sécheresse; Burkina Faso

Domaines: Hydrologie; Milieux et Changements globaux

Dominique Thiéry, C. Diluca, B. Diagana. Modelling the aquifer recovery after a long duration drought in Burkina Faso.. Extreme Hydrological Events: Precipitation, Floods and Droughts - Yokohama (Japon), Jul 1993, Yokohama, Japan. pp 43-50. ⟨hal-01062478⟩