Assessment of Karst Ecohydrology and Groundwater Recharge Potential in the Dorfak Forest Area, Northern Iran

Khodaee, Behzad; Zarei, Somayeh

doi:10.22059/ije.2026.409955.1905

Assessment of Karst Ecohydrology and Groundwater Recharge Potential in the Dorfak Forest Area, Northern Iran

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Behzad Khodaee ¹
Somayeh Zarei ²

¹ Ph.D. student in Hydrogeology, Faculty of Earth Sciences Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran

10.22059/ije.2026.409955.1905

Abstract

Objective
Groundwater recharge in karst aquifers of carbonate formations plays a fundamental role in supplying freshwater resources and sustaining water-dependent ecosystems. From a karst ecohydrology perspective, this process results from complex interactions among hydrogeological characteristics, structural features, vegetation cover, and climatic conditions. The Dorfak karst-forested area in Gilan Province, characterized by humid climate and complex topography, represents a typical example of ecohydrological systems where groundwater recharge is strongly influenced by lithology, fracture networks, soil type, forest cover, and climatic variables.

Methods
In this study, a modified APLIS model was employed to assess groundwater recharge potential in this heterogeneous environment, incorporating not only classical parameters but also ecohydrological variables including vegetation cover, drainage density, fracture density, slope aspect, precipitation, and temperature. Spatial layers were prepared using GIS and remote sensing data and weighted through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Subsequently, the final recharge potential map was generated using weighted overlay analysis.

Results
Results indicate that 30.4% of the area exhibits moderate recharge potential (annual recharge rate of 40-42%), while low (38-40%) and high (42-44%) recharge potential areas comprise 23.1% and 22.4% of the region, respectively. Very high (exceeding 44%) and very low (less than 38%) recharge potential zones account for 14.6% and 9.5% of the study area, respectively. Analysis of results reveals a strong correlation between recharge distribution and lithology, with karstic limestones demonstrating the highest recharge potential. Annual recharge volume in this region, considering the mean annual precipitation of 762 mm, and average recharge rate of 42%, is estimated at approximately 163 Mm³/y.
Conclusions
This study demonstrates that the modified APLIS approach, combined with AHP and GIS, provides an efficient model for analyzing karst ecohydrology and assessing groundwater recharge in humid, forested karst environments. The findings can serve as a reliable basis for sustainable water resource management, protection of karst springs, determination of water quality and quantity protection zones, and land-use planning in forested areas.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Groundwater resources

References

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