Future Of Saudi Arabian Wasater Aquifers

GROUNDWATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA

Walid A. Abderrahman Professor, Water Resources Management President, Saudi Water Association

Special Presentation at Water Conservation Workshop Khober, Saudi Arabia December, 2006

CONTENTS • INTRODUCTION • WATER RESOURCES • • • •

ARABIA

IN SAUDI

WATER SUPPLY SOURCES IN SAUDI ARABIA IMPACTS OF INTENSIVE USE OF GROUNDWATER AND ADOPTED MEASURES ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT ACTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES CONCLUSIONS

WATER RESOURCES IN SAUDI ARABIA

The extension of the outcrop areas of principle and secondary aquifers in agricultural regions i Saudi Arabia

Available Water resources in Saudi Arabia in 2003-2004(MCM)

Surface water

5,000-8,000 (2,230 available for use)

Groundwater resources

2,269,000 (84,000 renewable groundwater in shallow aquifers)

Groundwater recharge

3,958 (1,196 to shallow aquifers and 2,762 to deep aquifers in the Arabian Shelf)

Desalination Treated wastewater

1,050 240

Average Water Share

The total volumes of available renewable water resources from surface water and groundwater recharge are about 6,188 MCM. The average water share from renewable resources is about 281 cubic meters per person in 2005. According to the scarcity index the country is under extreme water shortages. But, when the non-renewable groundwater resources are considered, the situation of the available water resources will be different.

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WATER USE IN THE KINGDOM

60 Population

Urban Population

Population (million)

50 40 30 20 10 0 1970

1980

1990

2000

2020

Year

Population Growth in Saudi Arabia

2025

GROWTH IN WATER DEMANDS

Growth in Industrial, Domestic, and Agricultural, water demands in the Kingdom 25000

23,761

23,271

22,833

22,451

21,361 20,474

Water Demand MCM

20000

18,776

20,083 19,271

19,271

19,271

19,271

15000 9,972 9,470

10000 6,238 6,018

5000 1,508 20 200

56 446

190

2,300

1,800 290

450

2,700 480

3,400

600

3,740

750

0 1970

1980

1990

2000

2003

2010

2020

Year

Industrial Water Demands

Domestic Water Demand

Agicultuue Water Demand

Total Water Demand

2025

WATER SUPPLY SOURCES IN SAUDI ARABIA

Water Supply in Saudi Arabia (MCM)

Water source

1980

1990

1992

2000

2003

Treated wastewater effluents

110

110

110

240

240

Desalination

200

540

540

1050

1050

Surface water & recharge to deep and shallow aquifers (renewable water)

6000

6000

6000

6000

6000

Groundwater nonrenewable

3,662 (36.7%)

13,824 (67.5%)

17,628 (75.7%)

14,071 (65.9%)

15,543 (68%)

Total

9,972

20,474

23,278

21,361

22,833

Water Supply in Saudi Arabia (MCM) 100%

200

540

540

1050

110

13,824

16,628

14,071

15,543

6,000

110

110

240

240

6,000

6,000

6,000

6,000

1990

1992

2000

2005

1050

90% 80%

3,662

70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1980

Surface water and recharge

Treated wastewater

Groundwater(nonrenewable)

Desalination

Groundwater Supplies in Saudi Arabia

25000 20000 15000 10000

Water renewable

Fossil water

16930 18525 15876 15563 15563 16783 16738 16458 15240 12981 15178 1564814591 15643 13776 9440 11801 9349 9230 6728 5853 15563 44385181 3720

5000

Year

20 05

20 03

20 01

19 99

19 96

19 94

19 92

19 90

19 88

19 86

19 84

19 82

0

19 80

Water Cons. ( MCM)

30000

Accumulative Groundwater Consumption in Saudi Arabia

estimated cumulative use of nonrenewable groundwater reserve (MCM groundwater extraction

14000

202,000

16000

87,000

18000

total groundwater extraction

12000 10000 8000

extraction of nonbl

6000 4000 2000

estimated renewable 03 20

01 20

99 19

96 19

94 19

92 19

90 19

88 19

86 19

84 19

82 19

80

0 19

Groundwater extraction (MCM/a)

20000

Case Studies

EASTERNPROVINCE PROVINCE EASTERN

EASTERNPROVINCE PROVINCE EASTERN

EASTERNPROVINCE PROVINCE EASTERN

The Eastern Province has a very low annual precipitation (about 63 mm) and groundwater resources from local aquifers are the main water supply source for about 90% of the total demands in the province

Population

Population Growth in Eastern Province

4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 1980

1990 Year

2005

Growth in Water Use in Eastern Province

Water Consumption (MCM)

Domestic & Ind.

Agricultural

Total

2000 1750 1500 1250 1000 750 500 250 0 1980

1990 Year

2005

AquiferSystem Systemin inEastern EasternSaudi SaudiArabia Arabia Aquifer

Present Water Abstractions from Dammam Aquifer in Greater Dammam Area (MCM) Domestic

Municipal

Agricultural

Industrial

Total

350

Abstraction MCM

300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1967 1970 1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 Year

Present Water Abstractions from UER Aquifer in Greater Dammam Area (MCM) ARAMCO

KFUPM

Air Base

Airport

Municipality

Total

Al-Khobar

Abstraction MCM

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1967 1970 1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 Year

History of Water Abstractions (MCM)

Groundwater Abstraction(MCM)

Neogene Aquifer

Dammam Aquifer

UER

800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

Year

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Impacts of Increase in Groundwater Abstraction on levels and qualities

DAMMAM AQUIFER

The Impact of Increase in Groundwater Pumping from Dammam aquifer on water level ( 1967-2005)

W.L.Well No Q6K Dammam

W.L.Ras Tunura

600

14 12

500

10

400

8 6 4

300

2 200

0

100

-2 -4

0

-6

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985 Year

1990

1995

2000

2005

Water Level in Meters MSL

Water Extraction Rate MCM

Total

The Impact of Increase in Groundwater Pumping from Dammam Aquifer on Salinity level Change in Dammam Area (1967-2005) TDS

600

6000

500

5000

400

4000

300

3000

200

2000

100

1000

0 1965

0 1975

1985 Year

1995

2005

T D S (p p m )

G ro u n d w a te r A b s tra c tio n (M C M )

Total

UMM ER RADHUMA AQUIFER

The Impact of Increase in Groundwater Pumping from UER aquifer on water level in Dhahran Area (1967-2004) Total

W.L. Well # 811

800 Extraction Rate MCM

700

10

600 8

500 400

6

300

4

200 2

100 0 1965

0

1970

1975

1980

1985 Year

1990

1995

2000

2005

Water Level in meters MSL

12

The Impact of Increase in Groundwater Pumping from UER Aquifer on Salinity level Change in Dhahran Area (1979-2005) TDS 5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

800 A b stra ctio n M C M

700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 1967 1970 1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 Year

T D S (m g /l)

Total Abstraction

NEOGENE AQUIFER

The Impact of Increase in Groundwater Pumping from Neogene aquifer on water level (1951-2005) W. L. Well # HH2N 160

600

140

500

120 400

100

300

80 60

200

40 100

20

0 1940

0 1950

1960

1970

1980

Year

1990

2000

2010

Water Level in Meters MSL

Water Extraction Rate MCM

Neogene Aquifer

The Impact of Increase in Groundwater Pumping from Neogene Aquifer on Salinity level Change (1979-2005) TDS - Umm Saba'ah

TDS-Haqel

600

2500

500

2000

400

1500

300 1000

200

500

100 0 1965

0 1975

1985 Year

1995

2005

T DS (p p m )

G ro u n d w a te r A b s tra c tio n (M C M )

Neogene Aquifer

North Western Western Province Province North

North Western Western Province Province North

North Western Western Province Province North

North Western Western Province Province North • More than 1,500 wells have been pumping about 2,300 MCM/year of groundwater with salinity level of less than 400 ppm since 1986. • About 48 BCM of groundwater have been pumped after 1986. • This is equivalent to 3.5 times the total production of the desalination since early seventies of the last century until now.

ADOPTED MEASURES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT

Utilization of non-renewable groundwater can occur in two approaches: • Planned schemes in which the mining of aquifer reserves is based on logical utilization of aquifer reserves with expected benefits and predicted impacts over a specified time-frame. • An unplanned basis with incidental depletion of aquifer reserves, as a result of intensive groundwater abstraction under limited recharge conditions.

Prior 2001, the government (Ministry of Agriculture and Water) has adopted several regulations for proper utilization of groundwater resources. These include: •Special permits from the Ministry for well drilling including site, aquifer, depth, design, development and production; •Supervision of well drilling and development by the Ministry, •Control on the purpose of water use by the Ministry, •Pan on well drilling in over pumped areas or in aquifers which suffer from water level declines and quality change. •The Ministry has also the right to claim water protected zones for special uses such as domestic purpose.

In July 2001, The Ministry of Water was announced to be responsible for all related issues of water in the Kingdom. All water agencies and authorities became under the Ministry after the appointment of the Minister of Water (MW) in September 2002. This is to secure effective water management and national planning, and to achieve the sustainability of water resources and continuity of the development and progress of the country

The specific objectives of the new Ministry as stated in the Royal Decree No 125 on 25/4/1422 (16 July 2001) are:

• To supervise the water sector and its facilities, and the management, monitoring and organization of this sector. • To carry out all related studies to water in order to assess it resources, storage and available volumes. • To prepare a comprehensive water plan defining the policies related to water, development of its resources, and water resources protection and conservation for different purposes.

The Ministry has adopted the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as the main tool to achieve sustainability of water resources and development of the Kingdom. IWRM is a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems

Objectives, tools and actions of IWRM (World Bank, 2003)

Environmental and Ecological Sustainability

Enabling Environment

m ge a an M

t en

ts en um tr s In Allocation Regulations Economic Tools …

Economic Efficiency (Economic Sustainability)

Policies Legislation Fora & mechanisms for participation International cooperation …

In st itu tio na lR ol es

Level of action Management boundaries Cap. Build., …

Social Equity (Social Sustainability)

Stages of groundwater resource development in a major aquifer and their corresponding management needs (UNEP, 2003) Groundwater Conditions in Saudi Arabia

Targets for groundwater resources management in ‘rationalization scenarios’ following indiscriminate and excessive exploitation (UNEP, 2003)

Groundwater Recovery in Saudi Arabia

25,000

0

20,000

-20 -40

15,000

-60 10,000

-80

5,000

-100

0 -120 1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 Water Consumption

Water Level

Water Level (m.s.l.)

Water Consumption (MCM)

Rationale Groundwater Resources Management in Saudi Arabia Following Excessive Exploitation 2003

Sustainable Level

Corrective demand management measures for agricultural purposes such as: •75% reduction in wheat areas (since 1975) •About 40% reduction in forage crops (mainly after 2001). •National water strategy tied with agricultural national strategy (strategy is in final stages). •Further agricultural water demand reduction measures are expected soon. Reduction of at least 30% of agricultural water use is important to protect the groundwater sustainability.

Corrective demand management measures for domestic purposes in urban and rural areas have been implemented. Daily savings of about 30% of domestic use or about 524,000 M3 (equal to the production of 4 desalination plants) have been achieved .

Furthermore, The MOWE has introduced a new strategy for PPP in managing the water and wastewater in major cities and tows in KSA. A new National Water Company owned totally by the Government and supervised by the MOWE has been announced in October 2006.

CONCLUSIONS

Saudi Arabia has relied on groundwater resources to support its comprehensive socio economic, agricultural and industrial developments especially during the last three decades. Understanding the characteristics of the aquifer, the government has followed rationalizes approach to utilize groundwater resources especially after 1993, by controlling aquifer development, well licensing and drilling, agriculture policy modification, production of non conventional water resources.

More serious measures have been taken after the establishment of Ministry of Water and Electricity in 2001 by the adoption of IWRM tools for achieving the objectives of the national water policy and to accomplish the sustainability of groundwater resources.

Corrective demand management measures such as major shifting and reduction in agricultural areas, water conservation and reuse of treated wastewater effluents have to be carried out to protect the aquifers and groundwater resources in the Kingdom.

Thank You