THE IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION ON THE GROUNDWATER YIELD IN CALACA, BATANGAS

V. Bombeta, M. Cereno, J. Vindua, D. Mateo, A.D. Aguila,
F.U. Almiron, R.J.A. Martinez
Mapua Institute of Technology
Muralla, Manila


 

ABSTRACT

This introduced the concept of dynamic equilibrium that states that, under natural conditions, whatever amount of water introduced to the ground will produce an equal amount that will be discharged. Extracting any amount more than what is introduced will produce a new state of equilibrium, the effects of which, may vary, from mere decline in the discharge of springs, to lowering the water table, to encroachment of the seawater inland.

The water supply to a basin can be limited either by physical size of the underground basin or by the rate at which water moves through the basin from the recharge area to the withdrawal area. Identification of all the hydrogeologic factors that dictate groundwater availability and movement is needed to quantify how much the groundwater system could sustain. Exceeding what the system could sustain will result in overdraft that will affect the availability of groundwater, cost of pumping from the system, and quality of the groundwater.

Industrialization and its attendant economic development activities require additional water supply which when withdrawn from the ground will result to modification in the groundwater equilibrium. Withdrawals exceeding the natural recharge must come from storage within the aquifer. Although in most groundwater basins, storage is many times the annual recharge, policies have to be set such that, for short –term seasonal withdrawals, overdraft may be allowed. However, on a long-term basis, when the series of wet and dry seasons even out, overdraft should be at prudent level.

Different levels of allowable drafts to define safe yield are made and taken as scenarios. Through computer modeling and under varying constraints, groundwater behavior will then be predicted.