Impacts of Wildfires on Groundwater Recharge: A Comprehensive Analysis of Processes, Methodological Challenges, and Research Opportunities
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Date
2024
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Abstract
ncreasing wildfire activity has led to complex ecosystem consequences, with direct effects
on the subsystems that affect the presence and movement of water. Although studies have inves-
tigated the cascading effects of wildfires on the water balance, our understanding of broad-scale
groundwater modifications post fire remains unclear. This review aims to elucidate fire-induced shifts
in the water balance, their causal factors, and their potential effects on groundwater recharge. By
scrutinizing prior research examples that modeled post-fire recharge scenarios, the review highlights
persistent knowledge gaps. The challenge of quantifying and integrating fire-induced alterations in
precipitation, wind, and land temperature patterns into recharge projection models is specifically
addressed. Despite these gaps, post-fire values of hydrologically meaningful parameters such as
leaf area index (LAI), curve number (CN), and near-surface saturated hydraulic conductivity (KST)
have been identified. Simulating post-fire recharge via the extrapolation of these values requires the
consideration of site-specific conditions, vegetation recovery, and ash removal. It frequently results in
a reduced interception and increased surface runoff, while evapotranspiration remains dependent on
site-specific factors and often dictates groundwater recharge estimates. Although post-fire recharge
simulations are inherently complex and imprecise, their growing application can guide land-use
alterations and support policy implementation that considers fire-induced water availability changes
Description
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/18/2562
Keywords
Groundwater recharge, Water-balance processes, Wildfire impacts, Wildfires, Forest hydrology