Analysis of sustainable groundwater development scenarios for the Chaiwopu Basin in the Urumqi River Basin

The problems to be solved by sustainable groundwater development include the deterioration of groundwater quality,the shrinking of the lakes,and the ecosystem deterioration.Four groundwater development scenarios were formulated and analyzed: the business as usual,the increased recharge,the decreased abstraction and the combined scenario.The model was used to simulate these scenarios and analyze changes in groundwater budget and groundwater levels.Four scenarios were compared against total abstraction rate,discharge to lakes and increase in groundwater levels in the River Valley.The results indicate that the combined scenario of the increased recharge and decreased discharge will achieve the maximum abstraction rate,and meet the constraints of the minimum discharge to the lakes and the lowest groundwater level in the River Valley,so it can be considered as the sustainable groundwater development scenario.Therefore,the priority of water resources management in the area should be put on the recovery of natural river flow to maintain groundwater recharge,the use of groundwater storage to safely guide the water supply,and the improvement of groundwater dependent ecosystems.