Strategic groundwater resources planning in arid regions
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Strategic groundwater resources planning in arid regions Zekai Şen & Saleh A. Al Sefry & Saleh A. Al Ghamdi & Wahib A. Ashi & Wael A. Bardi
Received: 13 August 2012 / Accepted: 23 September 2012 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2012
Abstract A strategic approach is presented for future groundwater reservoir planning in arid regions where the evaluation of groundwater resources is restricted by scarcity of rainfall, data paucity, restrictive and unrepresentative methodologies, weak economies, almost nonexisting management and optimization programs, frequent groundwater quality variables along short distances, etc. This paper explains the necessary steps in preparing an effective strategic planning program that is expected to provide all the necessary data for identifying alternative solution scenarios especially in arid regions. It is shown on the basis of available scarce data that the risk model of these factors appears as the logarithmic normal probability distribution. The basic decision variables in groundwater storage and recharge planning are furnished with application to Wadi Fatimah in the western central part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea coast. The approach given in this paper provides a basic example for future groundwater reservoir strategic use and management studies in the Kingdom in particular and in any part of the arid regions of the world, in general. Keywords Arid region . Aridity index . Groundwater . Management . Risk . Strategy . Wadi
Introduction There are three basic water problems faced by human beings: having too much, too little, or too dirty water (Kundzewich Z. Şen (*) Civil Engineering Faculty, Hydraulics and Water Resources Division, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, 34469, Istanbul, Turkey e-mail: [email protected] S. A. Al Sefry : S. A. Al Ghamdi : W. A. Ashi : W. A. Bardi Hydrogeological projects-Saudi Geological Survey, PO Box 54141, Jeddah 21514, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2001). The primary manifestation in the arid regions is the amount of groundwater that is too little to serve different human activities in a local development plan. The intensity and range of groundwater scarcity in arid regions differ from location to other, but it is necessary to have a unified methodology for the evaluation and decision making against different alternative risky situations. Although there are a bundle of methodologies that can be applied in humid areas, unfortunately their implementation in arid regions is hindered basically due to data paucity and different hydrological and geological environments. In cases of emergency, the scarcity and little volume of groundwater might be exploited in an irrational manner due to ignorance of the future circumstances. This is basically true if there are no preplanned strategic rules, regulations, and evaluation methodologies in exploiting the available water volumes. A common feature in any arid region is the frequent water deficit occurrence due to either dry years or over-exploitation or mismanagement. In arid regi
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