Trans-boundary Groundwater Flow Trans boundary Groundwater Flow
System and Water Conservation in Arabian Peninsula
A. S. Alsharhan A. S. Alsharhan
United Arab Emirates University
A. S. Alsharhan
A. S. Alsharhan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 T b d G d
1. Trans-boundary Groundwater.
2. Water Resources Assessment.
2. Water Resources Assessment.
3. Water Legislation.
4. Future Conservation Policy and Rational Plans.
Trans-boundary Groundwater
The Cenozoic aquifers are the most productive in the Arabian Peninsula.
Arabian Peninsula.
Based on hydrogeological system, it can be divided into t di ti t t
two distinct systems:
(a) Multilayer system: This is comprised of several aquifer and
( ) y y p q
aquiclude or aquitard layers which are locally
hydrogeologically connected to each other. It exhibits both confined and unconfined conditions
both confined and unconfined conditions.
(b) Freshwater lenses system: A system of isolated freshwater
( ) y y
lenses which occur in the upper saturated zones of multi- layer system at some localities beneath collapse
depressions floating on brackish water depressions, floating on brackish water.
In the Arabian Peninsula, the trans-boundary groundwater movement is related to multi layer aquifer system
comprising Paleogene Neogene and Quaternary aquifers comprising Paleogene, Neogene and Quaternary aquifers.
Quantities of groundwater movements are considered to
f f
be low because of limit aquifer transmissivity and low recharge.
All known trans-boundary movements of groundwater in the Tertiary aquifers involve low quantities of groundwater
fl l t d t fl f f il d t ith
flow, or are related to flow of fossil groundwater with retention periods of 10-30,000 years.
In some areas it is known that some movement of brackish water occurs in Paleogene aquifer across the boundaries between more than one country
between more than one country.
Groundwater recharged may reach deep groundwater flow after
Groundwater recharged may reach deep groundwater flow after long retention periods.
The sabkhas area in the Gulf such as Umm es Samim in Oman or sabkhat Mutti in UAE possibly acts as a major discharge zone of brackish to saline groundwater
brackish to saline groundwater.
Groundwater flow from the Rub Al Khali appears to reach near in the Arabian Gulf Coastal areas in deep brackish to saline
Paleogene aquifers. The sabkhas in this area are the final discharge areas of this aquifer system.
discharge areas of this aquifer system.
Detailed information on geological and hydrological
f k d if h t i ti ti l f th
frameworks, and aquifer characteristics are essential for the assessment and management of the shared groundwater
resources.
resources.
Water Resources Assessment
The assessment of water resources can be considered in four phases:
1. Inventory of all wells with the relevant technical data as depth, movement of the groundwater, water composition and aquifer characteristics.
2. Conservation techniques, which include control of drilling and extraction rates, the potential of water harvesting, and the construction of
underground and surface dams.
3. Knowledge derived from the water inventory to determine the cost, and some projection of present needs, and future demand, based upon an accepted growth rate.
4 I ti t i th f f i ti f d i ll i i t
4. Importing water in the form of importing food, especially grain since a ton of grain requires a thousand tons of water to produce it. Reducing
production of crops with heavy water demands would mean sacrificing food self sufficiency very much a political issue
food self-sufficiency, very much a political issue.
Water Legislation
The water legislation requires a vase code of regulations which can be summarized below:
1. They must permit the operating authority to close down well, where too many exist in a close proximity, and where water quality has y p y, q y
deteriorated.
2. There must be a means of assuring that standards are met, and a sequence of penalties for non-compliance, sufficiently severe that
compliance is better than noncompliance. It must also provide for water allocations and charging .
3. The laws must cover ownership rights, and the transfer of ownership.
4 Th t t l th f ti d j i di ti f t d t
4. They must control the function, and jurisdiction of water and water- related organizations, in both the public and private sectors.
5 There must be a code for the prevention control and mitigation of 5. There must be a code for the prevention, control and mitigation of
harmful effects ranging from flooding to pollution and salinization.
Water Legislation
(Continue )Water Legislation
(Continue…)6. They must provide for the establishment of water conservation zones
d f h h d d
and for research where needed.
7. There must also be laws dealing with the treatment of wastewater and the disposal of brines both from desalination plants and oilfield
the disposal of brines both from desalination plants and oilfield operations.
8 The law must provide a regulating agency with the authority to close 8. The law must provide a regulating agency with the authority to close
down wells, with low productivity, or with water salinities, outside an acceptable range, to impose penalties for non-compliance, and to
establish a scale of water charges establish a scale of water charges.
9. Above all, the legal code must have built-in enforcement schemes, to establish penalties for non-compliance, without ever losing its role as a establish penalties for non compliance, without ever losing its role as a court of appeal and adjudicator in questions, concerning conflicting
interpretations of the law.
Future Conservation Policy and Rational Plans Future Conservation Policy and Rational Plans
It should cover the relevant parameters grouped below:
A C ti R
A. Conservation or Resources:
i). Special education programs on the best methods of exploitation.
i). Special education programs on the best methods of exploitation.
ii) Controlled well drilling.
iii) State established scale or scales of charges for fresh water.
iv)) Modern techniques of water distribution and continuous maintenance q
B. Establishment of Agricultural Guidelines:
i) Training on modern irrigation techniques, which reduce water demand and enhance production.
ii) Application of modern drip and sprinkler irrigation techniques.
iii) Establishment of shade trees resistant to drought and salinity to protect
l t d d t i ti
plants and reduce evapotranspiration.
iv) Encouraging the use of greenhouses.
C. Maintaining Supplies:
i) Desalination of brackish groundwater and/ or seawater minimal expense through reverse osmosis, or utilizing natural gas or solar expense through reverse osmosis, or utilizing natural gas or solar energy.
ii)) Recycling sewage water following accepted treatment standards set y g g g p by WHO.
D Future Studies D. Future Studies
i) Development of a database for all the Gulf States which preserves all meteorological data, annual surveys of all wells including information of depth, radius, piezometric level, static level, water type and potential aquifer litho logy and soil analysis.
ii) Long term statistical studies for water supply.
ii) Studies to improve recharge such as introducing dams and water ii) Studies to improve recharge, such as introducing dams and water
drainage to direct water into catchment areas.
