overexploitation of groundwater resources and their ... · overexploitation of groundwater...

1

Overexploitation of Groundwater Resources and their Environmental and Socio-economic Implications

-the case of Jordan-

Prof. Elias Salameh.Marwan Al-Raggad.

2

This article will illustrate the over-exploited, non-equilibrium state of the groundwater resources of Jordan as an

example on the groundwater situation in most MENA countries.

3

Population:6,198,677 (July 2008 est.)

Area91,971 SQ KM

4

JORDAN…story of the place

• 4th Water scarcest country globally.

• 148 m3 Annual per capita supply.

• Groundwater deficit is about 315MCM (if all water withdrawn fromsprings is included).

• 62.4% of water consumed is in agriculture, generating 2.8% of total income and employing only 6% of workforce.

5

Abstract

Jordan like many other countries, especially those of the MENA region is overusing its groundwater resources stocks.

The present impacts on the groundwater itself are manifested in:

•Drop in groundwater levels.•Reduction in spring discharges.•Saltwater intrusions.•Deteriorating water quality.

The resulted socio-economic impacts are :•Human health.•Declining agricultural productivity due to higher water salinity.•Larger investments in the purification of increasingly deteriorating water.•Operational coast of wells increased.

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Development of the groundwater resources in Jordan

The major development of the groundwater resources in Jordan started during the seventies of the last century.

During the early seventies, the major aquifers in the surroundings of development centers were first tapped.

During the second half of the 70ies, groundwater development extended to other aquifers and areas.

In the eighties, all major groundwater basins were developed for municipal, industrial and irrigation supplies.

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160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007Year

Domestic use of groundwater

84

5

6

7

8

9

10

1998 2005 2010 2015 2020

Mill

ion

Cap

ita

DOS 2003 MWI & World Bank 2001

POPULATION GROWTH SCENARIOS

9

Irrigation water use

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Year

Wat

er u

se M

CM

10

Industrial use of groundwater

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Year

Wat

er u

se M

CM

11

Groundwater Basins in Jordan.

12

Groundwater wells / Jordan

Model by: Marwan AlraggadMWI / WAJ / DVD

13

Declining water levels

All major aquifers in Jordan witnessed declines in their water levels.

Only in small areas surrounding wastewater effluent discharges and leaky dams, have water levels risen slightly (MAR dams).

As a result of non-equilibrated extractions, already during the eighties vital groundwater basins started giving sings of overexploitation such as steadily dropping water levels and quality degradation. Examples on that are Jafr, Dhuleil and Azraq.

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!(

!(

!(

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Jafr

Azraq

Hammad

Sirhan

Disi

Amman Zarqa

Araba North

Dea

d S

ea g

roun

dwat

er b

asin

Arab

a S

outh

YarmoukJordan Side Valleys

Jordan Valley

G 1346

F 1043

ED1328

DF1003

CD1132

AL1430

AE1003

AD1148

200000.000000

200000.000000

300000.000000

300000.000000

400000.000000

400000.000000

500000.000000

500000.000000

600000.000000

600000.000000

700000.000000

700000.000000

3000

00.0

0000

0

3000

00.0

0000

0

4000

00.0

0000

0

4000

00.0

0000

0

5000

00.0

0000

0

5000

00.0

0000

0

6000

00.0

0000

0

6000

00.0

0000

0

!( Observation well

´

0 50 100 15025Kilometers

Water level sample

15

AD1148

460

465

470

475

480

485

490N

ov-7

4

Nov

-76

Nov

-78

Nov

-80

Nov

-82

Nov

-84

Nov

-86

Nov

-88

Nov

-90

Nov

-92

Nov

-94

Nov

-96

Nov

-98

Nov

-00

Nov

-02

Nov

-04

Nov

-06

Nov

-08

YEAR

W. L

EVE

L (m

asl

)AE1003

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Sep

-82

Sep

-84

Sep

-86

Sep

-88

Sep

-90

Sep

-92

Sep

-94

Sep

-96

Sep

-98

Sep

-00

Sep

-02

Sep

-04

Sep

-06

Sep

-08

YEAR

W. L

EVE

L (m

asl

)

AL1430

450

455

460

465

470

475

480

485

490

Mar

-85

Mar

-86

Mar

-87

Mar

-88

Mar

-89

Mar

-90

Mar

-91

Mar

-92

Mar

-93

Mar

-94

Mar

-95

Mar

-96

Mar

-97

Mar

-98

Mar

-99

Mar

-00

Mar

-01

Mar

-02

Mar

-03

Mar

-04

Mar

-05

Mar

-06

Mar

-07

Mar

-08

YEAR

W. L

EVEL

(m a

sl)

CD1132

615

620

625

630

635

640

645

650

655

660

665

Nov

-85

Nov

-86

Nov

-87

Nov

-88

Nov

-89

Nov

-90

Nov

-91

Nov

-92

Nov

-93

Nov

-94

Nov

-95

Nov

-96

Nov

-97

Nov

-98

Nov

-99

Nov

-00

Nov

-01

Nov

-02

Nov

-03

Nov

-04

Nov

-05

Nov

-06

Nov

-07

Nov

-08

YEAR

W. L

EV

EL

(m a

sl)

16

ED1328

730

732

734

736

738

740

742

744

746Fe

b-85

Feb-

86

Feb-

87

Feb-

88

Feb-

89

Feb-

90

Feb-

91

Feb-

92

Feb-

93

Feb-

94

Feb-

95

Feb-

96

Feb-

97

Feb-

98

Feb-

99

Feb-

00

Feb-

01

Feb-

02

Feb-

03

Feb-

04

Feb-

05

Feb-

06

Feb-

07

Feb-

08

YEAR

W. L

EVE

L (m

asl

)DF1003

50

52

54

56

58

60

62

64

66

May

-84

May

-85

May

-86

May

-87

May

-88

May

-89

May

-90

May

-91

May

-92

May

-93

May

-94

May

-95

May

-96

May

-97

May

-98

May

-99

May

-00

May

-01

May

-02

May

-03

May

-04

May

-05

May

-06

May

-07

May

-08

YEAR

WAT

ER L

EVEL

(m a

sl)

F 1043

480

485

490

495

500

505

510

515

Feb-

86

Feb-

87

Feb-

88

Feb-

89

Feb-

90

Feb-

91

Feb-

92

Feb-

93

Feb-

94

Feb-

95

Feb-

96

Feb-

97

Feb-

98

Feb-

99

Feb-

00

Feb-

01

Feb-

02

Feb-

03

Feb-

04

Feb-

05

Feb-

06

Feb-

07

Feb-

08

YEAR

W. L

EVEL

(m a

sl)

G 1346

1210

1220

1230

1240

1250

1260

1270

1280

Jan-

88

Jan-

89

Jan-

90

Jan-

91

Jan-

92

Jan-

93

Jan-

94

Jan-

95

Jan-

96

Jan-

97

Jan-

98

Jan-

99

Jan-

00

Jan-

01

Jan-

02

Jan-

03

Jan-

04

Jan-

05

Jan-

06

Jan-

07

Jan-

08

Jan-

09

YEAR

W. L

EVEL

(m a

sl)

17

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• During the nineties, all groundwater basins in Jordan were suffering of overexploitation expressed in depletion and quality deterioration.

• By now some of the major groundwater basins has become beyond repair andare considered as lost, such as Dhuleil, Jafr and partly Azraq

• Water level dropping rates ranging from 30 to 120cm/yr (WAJ files).

• The saturated thickness of aquifers go up to a maximum of around 150m (WAJ files). Continuing with the present extraction rates, the major aquifers are expected to irreversibly deplete within 10-30 years (Except Disi)

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Spring discharge

Springs in almost all parts of Jordan were negatively affected. Springs discharges declined or stopped and in some of them salinity increases and quality deterioration were registered.

The Jordanian Justice witnessed, during the 80s and 90s of the last century, filings of many processes of spring water users against well owners who, due to water pumping from wells negatively affected spring discharges or caused, discharges to stop.

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Yearly Spring Discharge Volume (m3)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

1972

/1973

1973

/1974

1977

/1978

1978

/1979

1979

/1980

1980

/1981

1981

/1982

1982

/1983

1983

/1984

1984

/1985

1985

/1986

1986

/1987

1987

/1988

1988

/1989

1989

/1990

1990

/1991

1991

/1992

1992

/1993

1993

/1994

1994

/1995

1995

/1996

1996

/1997

1997

/1998

1998

/1999

1999

/2000

2000

/2001

2001

/2002

2002

/2003

2003

/2004

2005

/2006

2006

/2007

water_year

Year

ly S

prin

g D

isch

arge

Vol

ume

(MC

M)

DOQA(AB0504)

Yearly Spring Discharge Volume (m3)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1972/1973 1973/1974 1979/1980 1980/1981 1981/1982 1982/1983 1983/1984 1984/1985 1985/1986 1986/1987 1987/1988 1988/1989 1989/1990

water_year

Year

ly S

prin

g D

isch

arge

Vol

ume

(MC

M)

SODA POOL (AZRAQ SOUTH)(F 0523)

21

Yearly Spring Discharge Volume (m3)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1984

/1985

1985

/1986

1986

/1987

1987

/1988

1988

/1989

1989

/1990

1990

/1991

1991

/1992

1992

/1993

1993

/1994

1994

/1995

1995

/1996

1996

/1997

1997

/1998

1998

/1999

1999

/2000

2000

/2001

2001

/2002

2002

/2003

2003

/2004

2004

/2005

2005

/2006

2006

/2007

2007

/2008

water_year

Year

ly S

prin

g D

isch

arge

Vol

ume

(MC

M)

22

Yearly Average Quality for Electrical Conductivity (Us/cm)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

smaple_yearYe

arly

Ave

rage

Qua

lity

REFINERY 7(AL1180)

Yearly Average Quality for Electrical Conductivity (Us/cm)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 2004 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2006 2003

smaple_year

Yea

rly A

vera

ge Q

ualit

y

SAFI NO 14(CA1097)

Groundwater Salinity

23

Yearly Average Quality for Electrical Conductivity (Us/cm)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

smaple_yearYe

arly

Ave

rage

Qua

lity

JAFER NO 19 (PP 470)(G 1038)

Yearly Average Quality for Electrical Conductivity (Us/cm)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

smaple_year

Year

ly A

vera

ge Q

ualit

y

MNEISHEER S-2(ED1302)

Groundwater Salinity

24

Yearly Average Quality for Electrical Conductivity (Us/cm)

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

smaple_year

Year

ly A

vera

ge Q

ualit

y

GHANNAM(AB0540)

Yearly Average Quality for Electrical Conductivity (Us/cm)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

smaple_year

Year

ly A

vera

ge Q

ualit

y

SUKHNEH(AL0522)

Springs Salinity

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Socio-economic impacts

The strong drops in groundwater levels, in most basins, forced well owners in many areas to deepen their wells.

Salinity effect on in the agricultural activities. (Jafr, Dhuleil, Azraq etc)

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Water Authority resorted to the very limited surface water resources as a source of municipal water such as, King Abdullah Canal water.

The mal-functioning of the treatment of surface water for municipal use led to two catastrophes during the last two decades.

The situation of water resources depletion and deterioration is not restricted to Jordan, but it is also the case in Saudi-Arabia the Gulf States, and North Africa (Lloyd 1998, Margat 1993, WB 1994. Foster 1992, Margat and Saad 1982 Mangat 1992).

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Case Study…. AZRAQ area

AZRAQ = Blue

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30 years ago

29

Now…

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• Socioeconomic Aspect:Hand made products

31

Fishing

Carp fish

32

• Socioeconomic Aspect:

Salt mining.

33

• Socioeconomic Aspect:Trading center

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Water as a resource for local community

70%

8%

22%

high

medlow

35

Socioeconomic values of Azraq basin

16%

18%5%

12%

15%

4%7% 2%

21%

fresh water dates, herbals wild life & fishhistory tourism salt miningtrading center agriculture diversity (socio)

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Solid waste, 10%

Waste water, 15%Losing biodiversity, 18%

Other, 15%

Salt water intrusion, 5%Pesticides, 5%

Desertification, 13%

Dust pollution (health), 13%

Drinking water deterioration, 6%

Main environmental problems in Azraq

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•Discussion

• Water depletion and pollution management efficiency can be measured by its performance.

• Misuse of water resources, water pollution, over-utilization or not respecting sustainability principles and intergeneration equity indicate unsound water resources management.

• It should never be accepted that the cause of development is used as a reason to sacrifice the water resources whether quantitatively or qualitatively.

• Development should be compatible with the water resources issues,.

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Any project generating depletion and degradation of water resources without the mechanisms and economic instruments to repair that degradation can be regarded as a misallocation and misuse of water resources.

Any water development plan whether for urban, industrial or agricultural use should include an economic feasibility aiming at objectives beneficial to the society.

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The history of humans in the area of MENA throughout the last three to four millennia has been determined and shaped largely by this major infrastructural element, water. Agriculture developed when the amount of rain was sufficient to support plant life.

Irrigated agriculture was practiced along water courses such as the Nile,Euphrates, Tigris and Jordan Rivers and springs as well as around oases.

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• MENA countries development has been concentrated in agriculture, mainly irrigated agriculture.

• Sharp increase in population.

• New challenge to development.

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The present shortage in water resources and the expected sharpening of demand should give rise to water policies.

The challenge facing us is to develop and introduce the necessary technologies for water and waste water systems.

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Leakage detection and maintenance is a more economical way to increase the efficiency of water supply (more than 30% in Jordan) Waste water treatment and reuse should become an integral part of water supply.

In the coming decade high-cost projects, environmental hazards and tightened budgets will make large water projects unattractive and difficult to implement (Dead Red Canal).

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•Competition for the water resources.

•New resources require new thinking and new management procedures.

•MENA countries should develop water strategies with adequate dynamic instruments in it to enable comprehensive planning.

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•The change to an efficient water economy will not be an easy task.

•Groundwater abstraction should be limited to aquifer safe yields; it should have no adverse effects on the groundwater quality or quantity.

•Future generations rights.

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Rainfall - Recharge relation

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Recharge MCM/yr

Perc

enta

ge o

f lon

g te

rm ra

in a

vera

geClimatic change effect

13525

46

Temp-Recharge relation

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

135

Normal Plus 1c Plus 2cTem. scenario

Rec

harg

e M

CM

/yr

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“Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.”

Albert Einstein

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