TITLE:
Isotope Tracking of Surface Water Groundwater Interaction in the Beninese Part of the Iullemeden Aquifer System
AUTHORS:
Houégnon Géraud Vinel Gbewezoun, Samuel Yao Ganyaglo, Abdoukarim Alassane, Samuel Boakye Dampare, Gaya Salifou Orou Pete Alou, Moussa Boukari, Daouda Mama
KEYWORDS:
Benin, West Africa, Kandi basin, Iullemeden Aquifer System, Surface Water Groundwater Interaction
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.16 No.7,
July
17,
2024
ABSTRACT: The Kandi basin is located in northeast Benin (West Africa). This study is focused on the estimation of water fluxes exchanged between the river Niger (and its tributaries) and the transboundary Iullemeden Aquifer System. In that framework, an innovative approach based on the application of the Bayesian Mixing Model (MixSIAR) analysis on water isotopes (oxygen-18, deuterium and tritium) was performed. Moreover, to assess the relevance of the model outputs, Pearson’s correlation and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) have been done. A complex relationship between surface water and groundwater has been found. Sixty percent (60%) of groundwater samples are made of more than 70% river water and rainwater; while 31.25% of surface water samples are made of about 84% groundwater. To safeguard sustainable water resources for the well-being of the local communities, surface water and groundwater must be managed as a unique component in the Kandi basin.