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<p>Groundwater serves as a vital resource for sustaining life and livelihoods, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments where surface water availability is limited. In northwestern Algeria, the Mostaganem Plateau is highly dependent on the Calabrian aquifer, which supports extensive agricultural activities and supplies the region’s primary freshwater needs. Given the increasing unpredictability of climatic conditions, it is crucial to understand how this aquifer responds to long-term environmental variability to inform sustainable water management strategies. This study explores the influence of recent climatic changes on the hydrochemical behavior and recharge dynamics of the Calabrian aquifer, focusing on the identification of recharge zones and the characterization of aquifer hydrodynamics under evolving climatic conditions. To achieve this, a comprehensive analysis was conducted using five decades (1969–2019) of climatic and hydrogeochemical data. Precipitation records from ten well-distributed monitoring stations were statistically analyzed, including the use of breakpoint detection methods to identify significant shifts in rainfall patterns over time. In parallel, groundwater samples were assessed for major ion concentrations to detect spatial and temporal variations in mineralization and to evaluate aquifer response. The Wilcox diagram was employed to interpret changes in water quality, allowing the identification of dilution and concentration processes driven by climatic variability. The results revealed two distinct climatic phases: a prolonged arid period from 1969 to 1999, followed by a relatively wetter interval from 1999 to 2019. The onset of the more humid phase was accompanied by a notable dilution of dissolved ions in groundwater, corresponding to an increase of over 15% in water reserves. These improvements in water quality were most evident in the central part of the plateau, suggesting that this area functions as a key recharge zone, primarily fed by the region’s main wadi system. The observed spatial patterns in water quality also reflect the influence of aquifer hydrodynamics, particularly the lower groundwater flow velocities from recharge zones, which favor ion dilution. The findings of this study indicate that the central wadi network plays a crucial role in recharging the Calabrian aquifer. Moreover, climatic conditions are the primary driver of both groundwater availability and chemical composition, while agricultural activities exert secondary but notable impacts on water. These insights offer a scientific basis for the development of adaptive management strategies aimed at strengthening the aquifer’s resilience in the face of climate variability and increasing anthropogenic pressures.</p>

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From arid to humid: spatiotemporal variations in groundwater recharge and quality under changing climatic regimes in Northwest Algeria

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月9日

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  • Yacine Mellouk,
  • Abdelkader Otmane,
  • Kaddour Benmarce,
  • Riheb Hadji,
  • Mohamed Amine Gacemi

摘要

Groundwater serves as a vital resource for sustaining life and livelihoods, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments where surface water availability is limited. In northwestern Algeria, the Mostaganem Plateau is highly dependent on the Calabrian aquifer, which supports extensive agricultural activities and supplies the region’s primary freshwater needs. Given the increasing unpredictability of climatic conditions, it is crucial to understand how this aquifer responds to long-term environmental variability to inform sustainable water management strategies. This study explores the influence of recent climatic changes on the hydrochemical behavior and recharge dynamics of the Calabrian aquifer, focusing on the identification of recharge zones and the characterization of aquifer hydrodynamics under evolving climatic conditions. To achieve this, a comprehensive analysis was conducted using five decades (1969–2019) of climatic and hydrogeochemical data. Precipitation records from ten well-distributed monitoring stations were statistically analyzed, including the use of breakpoint detection methods to identify significant shifts in rainfall patterns over time. In parallel, groundwater samples were assessed for major ion concentrations to detect spatial and temporal variations in mineralization and to evaluate aquifer response. The Wilcox diagram was employed to interpret changes in water quality, allowing the identification of dilution and concentration processes driven by climatic variability. The results revealed two distinct climatic phases: a prolonged arid period from 1969 to 1999, followed by a relatively wetter interval from 1999 to 2019. The onset of the more humid phase was accompanied by a notable dilution of dissolved ions in groundwater, corresponding to an increase of over 15% in water reserves. These improvements in water quality were most evident in the central part of the plateau, suggesting that this area functions as a key recharge zone, primarily fed by the region’s main wadi system. The observed spatial patterns in water quality also reflect the influence of aquifer hydrodynamics, particularly the lower groundwater flow velocities from recharge zones, which favor ion dilution. The findings of this study indicate that the central wadi network plays a crucial role in recharging the Calabrian aquifer. Moreover, climatic conditions are the primary driver of both groundwater availability and chemical composition, while agricultural activities exert secondary but notable impacts on water. These insights offer a scientific basis for the development of adaptive management strategies aimed at strengthening the aquifer’s resilience in the face of climate variability and increasing anthropogenic pressures.