CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON RAINFALL AND GROUNDWATER RESOURCES IN THE NORTHERN BADIA OF JORDAN

This research aimed at revealing and analyzing the impact of climate change and its effect on rainfall and groundwater aquifer in the northern Badia. Annual rainfall data of 10 rainfall stations and the static level of 10 observation wells records were analyzed. Several statistical techniques such as simple linear regression, moving averages, CUSUM chart, t-test, and coefficient of variation were conducted. Results of analyses by all used methods proved a trend of rainfall decline in the vast majority of rainfall stations, and shrinkages of total number of rainy days for annual and winter data. This indicates that climate change is affecting negatively Jordan's Badia, and consequently, it is reflected on groundwater availability, which is suffering a noticeable drop in the water static level of nine out of the ten analyzed observation wells. Polynomial functions indicated water level decline, and other factors, such as climate change, agriculture and urbanization are responsible.