1 / 33

Shared water resources in the Arab Region: A general overview

Shared water resources in the Arab Region: A general overview. Yusuf Al- Mooji Senior Water Expert ESCWA-BGR Project Beirut, Lebanon National Capacity needs for the effective joint management of shared water resources in Arab States 7-9 June 2010, Tunis. Outline. Introduction

zaviera
Download Presentation

Shared water resources in the Arab Region: A general overview

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Shared water resources in the Arab Region:A general overview Yusuf Al-Mooji Senior Water Expert ESCWA-BGR Project Beirut, Lebanon National Capacity needs for the effective joint management of shared water resources in Arab States 7-9 June 2010, Tunis

  2. Outline • Introduction • Information sources • Development of shared aquifer systems: Where and how? • Types of shared aquifer systems • Proposed management strategies

  3. 1. Introduction: • Objective: To (1) put the shared aquifers in a regional context, (2) classify them accordingly, and (3) propose suitable management strategies • Why focus on shared aquifers • Hidden resource of wide geographical extent • Complexity of natural VS political boundaries • Limited knowledge • Wider and increasing dependency in the region • Increasing vulnerability

  4. 2. Information sources • ACSAD :1990 • ESCWA : 1990 onwards • ISARM-Africa: 2004 • WHYMAP: 2006 and 2008

  5. 3. Development of shared aquifer systems: Where and how?

  6. Development of shared aquifer systems: Where and how?(http://geology.com/records/sahara-desert-map-2.gif)

  7. Development of shared aquifer systems: Arabian Plate • Drifting and rifting of the Arabian Plate • Instability of the Arabian Shield • The existence of a wide gentle plain around the Shield (Interior Homocline) • The development of major arches • Volcanic activity related to opening of the Red Sea

  8. Development of shared aquifer systems: Arabian Plate (cont)(http://media-2.web.brittanica.com/eb-media/33/5933-004-D447E4F5.gif)

  9. Figure 1: Aquifer systems in the ESCWA region (modified from ACSAD,1990) Alluvium, proluvium, conglomerate Eruptive rocks Evaporites Intrusive, crystalline and metamorphic rocks undifferentiated Limestone, dolomite, chert Wasia’a/ Bayad Marl, or marly limestone Sandstone Tabuk/ Qadisi Dammam Sandstone and limestone complex Nubian Sandstone Basement rocks Extensive sedimentary basins with relatively high productivity of essentially fossil groundwater with acceptable quality (mainly sandstones of Cretaceous or older ages) Extensive sedimentary basins with generally high but variable productivity of essentially fossil groundwater with potential for significant salinization (mainly carbonates of Cretaceous-Paleogene ages) Umm Ar Rudhuma Saq/ Wajid Local or discontinuous sedimentary basins limited mostly to mountainous areas containing renewable good quality groundwater, with variable productivity and commonly discharging as springs (mainly karstic carbonates of Cretaceous to Miocene ages) Local or discontinuous sedimentary/alluvial basins limited mostly to the vicinity of tectonically active zones containing renewable groundwater, with variable productivity and high potential for salinization (Miocene to Quaternary in age). Local or discontinuous volcanic basins related to the Red Sea-Dead Sea rift system containing renewable groundwater, with variable productivity and high potential for salinization (Miocene to Quaternary in age) Hadhramawt & Tawila Localized zones in crystalline rocks and/or overlying sedimentary formations with no groundwater or very limited yields of groundwater of variable quality (intrusive and evaporitic rocks) Faults

  10. Shared VS Non-shared non-renewable aquifers in the Arabian Peninsula(Source: Al Sharhan et al., 1996)

  11. Development of shared aquifer systems: African Plate • The existence of extensive continental sedimentary deposits, mainly of sandstone composition (Continental Intercalaire, CI, and Complexe Terminal, CT) • Fragmentation of the Basement into several compartments • Alignment of the Tibesti-Ahaggar-Tademait-Tindouf plateau across the region

  12. Development of shared aquifer systems: African Plate (cont)( http://www.swindsor.k12.ct.us/Schools/tems/teachers/swierczynski/sahara.htm)

  13. Development of shared aquifer systems: African Plate (cont)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atlas-Mountains-Labeled-2.jpg)

  14. Development of shared aquifer systems: African Plate (cont)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cl/saharan_topographic_elements_map.png)

  15. Development of shared aquifer systems: African Plate (cont)(Source: BGR/UNESCO in preparation)

  16. Shared aquifers in N. Africa (Source: Puri, 2004)

  17. Types of aquifer systems • The criteria • Geographical context (Where does it occur?) • Arabian Peninsula • The Mashrek • N. Sahara zone • S. Sahara zone • Aquifer porosity (How does water flow?) • Predominantly porous system • Predominantly fractured system • Aquifer replenishment (Is it being recharged?) • Renewable • Non-renewable

  18. Renewable systems (porous in blue; fractured in black)

  19. Non-renewable systems (porous in blue; fractured in black)

  20. Proposed management strategies:Renewable aquifer systems • Objective: Balance recharge and recovery over an appropriate period of time • Strategy: Conjunctive water management • Managed recharge: • Dams: Becoming popular • Direct percolation: Ponding water in percolation basins • In-lieu: Providing surface water to areas that customarily use groundwater • Fallowing: Removing demands on the aquifer system by choosing to not plant an annual crop for a season

  21. Proposed management strategies: Renewable aquifer systems (cont) • Managed recovery: • Direct extraction: Removing water from aquifer storage during times when it is needed in areas that have historically used groundwater • Groundwater substitution: Substituting groundwater for surface water that would have customarily been used on the overlying land

  22. Proposed management strategies: Non-renewable aquifer systems • Overall objective: Achieve a change from uncontrolled exploitation towards planned management of groundwater use • General requirements: • Participation of all user groups • Improving people’s living conditions, particularly the poorest groups • Strategy: Two alternative scenarios • Rationalization scenario:For heavily exploited systems with some present-day recharge (mainly sandstone systems) • Planned depletion scenario:For systems not so heavily exploited and with relatively less recharge (mainly carbonate systems)

  23. Rationalization scenario • Management goal: • Hydraulic stabilization • A more orderly utilization of the groundwater reserves for the purpose of preserving them for drinking purposes • Specific requirements: • Minimizing quality deterioration, • Maximizing groundwater productivity, and • Promoting social transition to a less water-dependent economy through the application of demand management measures • Challenges: Biggest challenge would be to reduce abstraction in the agriculture sector

  24. Planned depletion scenario • Management goal: The orderly utilization of the aquifer reserves with expected benefits and predicted impacts over a specified time-frame • Requirements: • High-level political decision making • Developing an ‘exit’ (follow-up) strategy • Desalination • Re-use of treated wastewater • Challenges: • Depletion effects on ‘traditional users’ • Ecological impacts of aquifer depletion • Environmental impacts of ‘post-depletion’ exit strategy

  25. Towards regional cooperation • Regional mechanism for cooperation / consultation • Large Vs. small basins • Lessons learned from large basins (NSAS and NWSAS) • Lessons learned from small basins (NKJS) • Inter-regional experience (e.g. MEDA countries) • Main tasks for regional mechanism: • Operation of joint groundwater monitoring programme • Establishment of a common database • Adoption of coordinated policies • Harmonization of relevant groundwater legislation and regulation

  26. OuOur Shared Water r Shared WaterAn Inventory of Shared Surface and Groundwater Resources in Western Asia A project of the ESCWA-BGR Cooperation on Integrated Management of Shared Water Resources

  27. Objectives The inventory “Our Shared Water” is the first systematic effort to comprehensively “map”, compile and explore shared groundwater systems and surface water basins in Western Asia including second- or third-order sub-basins with emphasis on: • Basin hydro(geo)logy, • Water resources development and use • Status of cooperation and management. Objectives • Activate & create awareness among decision makers and the general public • Improve the knowledge base and facilitate access to information on shared water resources. • Establish a link between this knowledge base and the management practices at both the national and inter-state levels. • Support regional processes towards improved dialogue and cooperation over shared water resources

  28. WORK IN PROGRESS: Outline of the Work Process Compilation of Information Consolidation Consultation Publication • Sources: • ESCWA reports • Regional literature • Scientific publications • Country papers • Media Member countries • Report • Basin Description • (including map & table) • Thematic chapters • (e.g. monitoring, • shared non-renewablegroundwater ) Map of the shared basin Other process stakeholder Table summarizing facts & figures Identification of Shared Basins in Western Asia • Basin Description • Hydrology • Water resources • development & use • Status of cooperation • and management Sub-regional meetings & EGMs

  29. Example of the BGR-ESCWA mapping exercise: Wasia-Biyadh aquifer system

  30. Example of the BGR-ESCWA mapping exercise: Wasia-Biyadh aquifer system (cont)

  31. Example of the BGR-ESCWA mapping exercise: Wasia-Biyadh aquifer system (cont)

  32. Example of the BGR-ESCWA mapping exercise: Wasia-Biyadh aquifer system (cont)

  33. THANK YOU

More Related