Evaluation of dams as a recharge method

Dams are used for recharge purposes in many parts of Saudi Arabia. In spite of the importance of such a method, no detailed study exists on its performance. As a part of a comprehensive research project dealing with all aspects of dams as a recharge tool in the central region of the country, data on reservoirs’ water levels, meteorological parameters and observation wells were collected at two recharge dam sites. These data were used in a water budget approach to estimate efficiency. Contrary to the established belief that this method of recharge is poor, results show that between 82% and 94.5% of water stored in the two reservoirs was taken into the soil.