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RAINFALL RECHARGE DRIVEN GEOTHERMAL WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATION MECHANISMS AND APPLICATIONS FOR AQUIFER MANAGEMENT IN THE BAOLAI HOT SPRING AREA

Chun-Chi Yang*

Department of Industrial Management, I-Shou University, Taiwan R. O. C.

*Corresponding author: isu11220003D@cloud. isuThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hsiang-Chin Hung

Department of Industrial Management, I-Shou University, Taiwan R. O. C.

seanhung@isu. edu. tw

Abstract

Geothermal water-level dynamics in tectonically active regions are highly sensitive to rainfall-driven recharge processes. This study focuses on the Baolai Hot Spring area in Liugui District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, to quantify how seasonal precipitation patterns and fractured lithologies jointly influence geothermal aquifer behavior. Using high-resolution hydroclimatic data from 2017 to 2023, we applied trend detection, cross-correlation, and multiple regression analyses to examine the temporal coupling between rainfall and water-level response. Results show a pronounced bimodal fluctuation pattern, with peaks in Q1 and Q3 driven by monsoonal rainfall, terrace/alluvial infiltration, and fault-guided vertical flow. Recharge consistently lags rainfall by one quarter, indicating multi-stage transmission across permeable fracture networks. Moreover, groundwater levels exhibit a long-term declining trend at −0.093 m per quarter, reflecting an imbalance between natural recharge and extraction. These findings provide a scientific basis for adaptive aquifer regulation and geothermal resource sustainability under climate change, especially in structurally complex mountainous environments.

Keywords: Baolai Hot Spring Area, Rainfall Recharge, Geothermal Water Level Dynamics, Aquifer Management