@article{fdi:010060526,
  title = {{Q}uantifying the modern recharge of the "fossil" {S}ahara aquifers},
  author = {{G}oncalves, {J}. and {P}etersen, {J}. and {D}eschamps, {P}ierre and {H}amelin, {B}runo and {B}aba-{S}y, {O}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he {N}orth-{W}estern {S}ahara {A}quifer {S}ystem ({NWSAS}), one of the world's largest groundwater systems, shows an overall piezometric decline associated with increasing withdrawals. {E}stimating the recharge rate in such a semiarid system is challenging but crucial for sustainable water development. {I}n this paper, the recharge of the {NWSAS} is estimated using a regional water budget based on {GRACE} terrestrial water storage monthly records, soil moisture from the {GLDAS} (a land data system that assimilates hydrological information), and groundwater pumping rates. {A} cumulated natural recharge rate of 1.40 +/- 0.90 km(3) yr(-1) is estimated for the two main aquifers. {O}ur results suggest a renewal rate of about 40% which partly contradicts the premise that recharge in this area should be very low or even null. {A}quifer depletion inferred from our analysis is consistent with observed piezometric head decline in the two main aquifers in the region. {A}nnual recharge variations were also estimated and vary between 0 and 4.40 km(3) yr(-1) for the period 2003-2010. {T}hese values correspond to a recharge between 0 and 6.75 mm yr(-1) on the 650,000 km(2) of outcropping areas of the aquifers, which is consistent with the expected weak and sporadic recharge in this semiarid environment. {T}hese variations are also in line with annual rainfall variation with a lag time of about 1 year.},
  keywords = {{G}roundwater ; semiarid ; recharge ; {SAHARA}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}eophysical {R}esearch {L}etters},
  volume = {40},
  numero = {11},
  pages = {2673--2678},
  ISSN = {0094-8276},
  year = {2013},
  DOI = {10.1002/grl.50478},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010060526},
}