It is getting difficult to manage water resources in South Korea because more than half of annual precipitation is concentrated in the summer season and its intensity is increasing due to global warming and climate change. Artificial recharge schemes such as well recharge of surface water and roof-top rainwater harvesting can be a useful method to manage water resources in Korea. In this study, potential artificial recharge site is evaluated using geographic information system with hydrogeological and social factors. The hydrogeological factors include annual precipitation, geological classification based on geological map, specific capacity and depth to water level of national groundwater monitoring wells. These factors were selected to evaluate potential artificial recharge site because annual precipitation is closely related to source water availability for artificial recharge, geological features and specific capacity are related to injection capacity and depth to water is related to storage capacity of the subsurface medium. In addition to those hydrogeological factors, social aspect was taken into consideration by selecting the areas that is not serviced by national water works and have been suffered from drought. These factors are graded into five rates and integrated together in the GIS system resulting in spatial distribution of artificial recharge potential. Cheongsong, Yeongdeok in Gyeongsangbuk-do and Hadong in Gyeongsangnam-do, and Suncheon in Jeollanam-do were proven as favorable areas for applying artificial recharge schemes. Although the potential map for artificial recharge in South Korea developed in this study need to be improved by using other scientific factors such as evaporation and topographical features, and other social factors such as water-curtain cultivation area, hot spring resorts and industrial area where groundwater level is severely lowered, it can be used in a rough site-selection, preliminary and/or feasibility study for artificial recharge.

Keywords: Artificial recharge;Site prioritization;Geographic information systems;