Extreme Precipitation Variability and Soil Texture Controls on Water-Table Response

Extreme precipitation events (EPEs), a key class of hydrometeorological extremes, are intensifying globally with climate change, yet their influence on water-table dynamics across soil textures remains poorly understood. To better understand the impacts of EPEs, we conducted one-dimensional modeling to evaluate water-table response time, displacement, recession time, and total recharge under EPEs of 0.20 m, 0.40 m, and 0.60 m amounts, applied over 1-, 7-, and 20-day durations across twelve soil textures. Results show that coarse soils (e.g., sand) respond within days, while fine soils (e.g., clay) may take over 200 days. Water-table displacement ranged from 0.30 - 1.64 m and increased with EPE magnitude. The time it took for water-tables to recede ranged from 1.2 - 3.0 years. Recharge, calculated from porosity and displacement, varied from 17% (clay) to 97% (sand), averaging ~63% of total EPE input. These findings highlight that recharge is primarily governed by EPE magnitude and soil properties, not event duration. This modeling effort provides new insight into how soil texture modulates groundwater response to extreme precipitation, informing future water budget and resilience assessments.