Groundwater models serve the function of predicting and analyzing aquifer behavior. They require input information, such as hydrogeological parameters like hydraulic conductivity and storage coefficient, which are used to calibrate the model, and elementary actions that include recharge and extracted volumes. There are cases in which it is insufficient to know the homogeneous recharge entering through the surface basin, referred to as traditional recharge, since, in many instances, the distribution is altered by changes in land use. For this reason, based on the geomorphological characteristics of the basin, weighting is proposed for sites with greater recharge capacity. The present work shows a solution to the recharge distribution using the potential groundwater recharge (PGR) map, which is formed by weighting spatially distributed information: (i) drainage, (ii) precipitation, (iii) land use, (iv) geological faults, (v) soil type, (vi) slope, and (vii) hydrogeology. A comparison is made between groundwater modeling using traditional recharge and PGR recharge. It is noted that the modeling perform similarly for both recharges, and the errors do not exceed 5% absolute error, which validates the model’s reliability. This manuscript demonstrates how to model and calibrate groundwater in aquifers with scarce information and variable recharge, making it reproducible.

Water availability in sufficient quantity and quality is increasingly challenging in countries with limited water resources, such as Mexico. The present work takes as a case study the Río Grande in the Morelia Basin (Michoacán), widely studied in the functioning of its surface hydrology and with less detail in the groundwater. A review of potential sites for the implementation of induced recharge zones is presented, considering different methods, including the use of excess rainfall peaks, their conduction and temporary storage in infiltration ponds, the estimation of induced recharge volumes that micro-basins, irrigation returns and treated wastewater can capture. All induced recharge options are evaluated in a pre-existing conjunctive water management tool, and the improvement in water availability conditions in the water system of the study basin is discussed. A base scenario and induced recharge proposals are evaluated by quantifying the costs associated with their implementation.