Groundwater Basin Summaries

Northeastern groundwater basin, near Arrabeh, Jenin District

• description of basin physiography and topography, general geology, and major surface-water bodies (if any);
• description of the importance of groundwater and its major uses in the basin;
• description of major aquifers in the basin;
• estimated recharge rate in basin;
• description of flow directions in the most important aquifer in the basin;
• description of typical well depths, aquifer depths, and depths to water; and
• description of water-level and water-quality trends based on representative wells.

Irrigation system supplied by wells, South Jordan Desert near Ram

Water-level measurements are presented in the form of hydrographs that show the variation in water level with time. Hydrographs were selected to show the effect of climate and pumping on important aquifers. Similarly, graphs showing concentrations of chloride and nitrate over time are presented for selected areas. Changes in water levels in wells reflect changes in recharge to, and discharge from an aquifer. Recharge rates vary in response to precipitation, evaporation, transpiration by plants, and surface-water infiltration into an aquifer. Discharge occurs as natural flow from an aquifer to streams or springs, as evaporation and transpiration from the shallow water table, as leakage to vertically adjacent aquifers, and as withdrawal from wells. Where water-level changes are due to withdrawals, they also may reflect changes in groundwater flow direction. Water-level changes for selected groundwater basins are described in the following sections.