DETERMINING SUITABLE SITES FOR RAINWATER HARVESTING PONDS USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) IN TULKARM GOVERNORATE
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Date
2023-12-19
Authors
Adham Jihad Dibas
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Abstract
This study uses geographic information systems to study rainwater harvesting and methods to exploit it in the Tulkarm Governorate. It aims to calculate the amount of surface runoff to analyze the water budget in the study area and determine periods of water surplus and deficit, which will benefit the agricultural sector in exploiting periods of a water surplus when the soil is saturated and does not suffer from a lack of moisture. It also identifies water deficit periods when a lack of soil moisture may affect crops.
The modified Thornthwaite (1955) method was applied to calculate the water balance, monthly and annual rainfall averages, and temperatures between 2011 and 2020.
The results show that the average amounts of surface rainwater runoff in the governorate reach 186 mm annually. There are two periods of spatial distribution of soil moisture: a period of water surplus extending from December to March and a period of water deficit from May to October. January has the highest water surplus, reaching 129 mm; July and August have the highest water deficit, reaching 170 mm. These are consistent with the climate features that this region experienced during that period.
The results also show that the locations closest to the outlets of the main water streams are the most suitable locations for establishing a water collection pond. Therefore, the main effort in this research focused on collecting rainwater in specific locations during the period of water surplus by creating harvest ponds, especially during the first precipitation periods.
Keywords: Rainwater harvesting, Water budget, Tulkarm Governorate, Palestine, GIS.