A groundwater recharge area is the ground surface area at the margin of a groundwater region where surface runoffs in the forms of rainwater, river water, and irrigation water percolate down the ground and travel downward through the unsaturated zone to reach the groundwater table, and recharge the groundwater.
Major groundwater recharge areas for the Taipei groundwater system are situated at the apexes of the alluvial fans of Laonunghsi, Ailiaohsi, Linpianhsi, and Lilihsi rivers. Research on groundwater flow net, distribution of sand layers on the ground surface, thickness of clay layers, depth of the groundwater table, distribution of dissolved particle values, suggest that the apexes of alluvial fans of these rivers are the major areas of recharge for the groundwater system of the Pingtung Plain.
Geology in the News
Moreover, Taiwan’s scarcity in water supply has been a major economical issue over the past decade. With an annual rainfall that is 2.6 times the global average, the question is “Why does Taiwan face issues regarding its water supply?” The following article discusses the current situation of water supply, and how it can ensure sustainable management on the nation’s water supply.