Multi-Objective Optimization of Water Resource Allocation for Groundwater Recharge and Surface Runoff Management in Watershed Systems

TL;DR

This paper presents a multi-objective optimization framework to manage surface runoff and groundwater levels for lake salinity control, using sensitivity analysis and advanced optimization techniques to inform water resource management strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel combined approach of sensitivity analysis and optimization algorithms to effectively manage lake levels and surface runoff in watershed systems.

Findings

Surface runoff needs to increase by 8.7 times during filling season.

Surface runoff needs to increase by 33.5 times during draining season.

Groundwater level and surface runoff significantly impact lake water levels.

Abstract

Land degradation and air pollution are primarily caused by the salinization of soil and desertification that occurs from the drying of salinity lakes and the release of dust into the atmosphere because of their dried bottom. The complete drying up of a lake has caused a community environmental catastrophe. In this study, we presented an optimization problem to determine the total surface runoff to maintain the level of salinity lake (Urmia Lake). The proposed process has two key stages: identifying the influential factors in determining the lake water level using sensitivity analysis approaches based upon historical data and optimizing the effective variable to stabilize the lake water level under changing design variables. Based upon the Sobol'-Jansen and Morris techniques, the groundwater level and total surface runoff flow are highly effective with nonlinear and interacting impacts of the lake water level. As a result of the sensitivity analysis, we found that it may be possible to effectively manage lake levels by adjusting total surface runoff. We used genetic algorithms, non-linear optimization, and pattern search techniques to solve the optimization problem. Furthermore, the lake level constraint is established based on a pattern as a constant number every month. In order to maintain a consistent pattern of lake levels, it is necessary to increase surface runoff by approximately 8.7 times during filling season. It is necessary to increase this quantity by 33.5 times during the draining season. In the future, the results may serve as a guide for the rehabilitation of the lake.