Analysis of the Response of Shallow Groundwater Levels to Precipitation Based on Different Wavelet Scales—A Case Study of the Datong Basin, Shanxi

The rise in shallow groundwater levels is typically triggered by precipitation recharge, exhibiting a certain lag relative to precipitation changes. Therefore, identifying the response mechanism of shallow groundwater levels to precipitation is crucial for clarifying the interaction between precipitation and groundwater. However, the response mechanism of groundwater levels to precipitation is complex and variable, influenced by various hydrogeological and geographical conditions, and often exhibits significant nonlinear characteristics. To address this issue, this study employs methods such as continuous wavelet transform, cross wavelet transform, and wavelet coherence to analyze the response patterns of groundwater levels to precipitation at different wavelet scales in the Datong Basin from 2013 to 2022: (i) At short wavelet scales (10.33~61.96 d), the groundwater level dynamics respond almost instantaneously to extreme rainfall; (ii) At medium wavelet scales(61.96~247.83 d), the precipitation-groundwater recharge process shows characteristics of either rapid recovery or significant delay; (iii) At long wavelet scales (247.83~495.67 d), three potential groundwater processes were identified in the Datong Basin, exhibiting long-term lag responses throughout this study period, with lag times of 11.18 days, 148.75 days, and 151.49 days, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicate that the lag response time of shallow groundwater levels to precipitation is not only related to the wavelet scale but also to the identified depth conditions of different groundwater regions, groundwater extraction intensity, precipitation intensity, and aquifer lithology. This study distinguishes the temporal and spatial response mechanisms of shallow groundwater to precipitation at different wavelet scales, and this information may further aid in understanding the interaction between precipitation and groundwater levels.