scholarly journals Anthropogenic depletion of Iran’s aquifers

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (25) ◽  
pp. e2024221118
Author(s):  
Roohollah Noori ◽  
Mohsen Maghrebi ◽  
Ali Mirchi ◽  
Qiuhong Tang ◽  
Rabin Bhattarai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Groundwater Depletion ◽  
Groundwater Extraction ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Fresh Groundwater ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Groundwater Supply

Global groundwater assessments rank Iran among countries with the highest groundwater depletion rate using coarse spatial scales that hinder detection of regional imbalances between renewable groundwater supply and human withdrawals. Herein, we use in situ data from 12,230 piezometers, 14,856 observation wells, and groundwater extraction points to provide ground-based evidence about Iran’s widespread groundwater depletion and salinity problems. While the number of groundwater extraction points increased by 84.9% from 546,000 in 2002 to over a million in 2015, the annual groundwater withdrawal decreased by 18% (from 74.6 to 61.3 km3/y) primarily due to physical limits to fresh groundwater resources (i.e., depletion and/or salinization). On average, withdrawing 5.4 km3/y of nonrenewable water caused groundwater tables to decline 10 to 100 cm/y in different regions, averaging 49 cm/y across the country. This caused elevated annual average electrical conductivity (EC) of groundwater in vast arid/semiarid areas of central and eastern Iran (16 out of 30 subbasins), indicating “very high salinity hazard” for irrigation water. The annual average EC values were generally lower in the wetter northern and western regions, where groundwater EC improvements were detected in rare cases. Our results based on high-resolution groundwater measurements reveal alarming water security threats associated with declining fresh groundwater quantity and quality due to many years of unsustainable use. Our analysis offers insights into the environmental implications and limitations of water-intensive development plans that other water-scarce countries might adopt.

scholarly journals Impacts of Sea Level Rise and Groundwater Extraction Scenarios on Fresh Groundwater Resources in the Nile Delta Governorates, Egypt

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marmar Mabrouk ◽  
Andreja Jonoski ◽  
Gualbert H. P. Oude Essink ◽  
Stefan Uhlenbrook
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Nile Delta ◽  
Saline Water ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Salt Transport ◽  
Groundwater Extraction ◽  
Fresh Groundwater ◽  
The Impact

As Egypt’s population increases, the demand for fresh groundwater extraction will intensify. Consequently, the groundwater quality will deteriorate, including an increase in salinization. On the other hand, salinization caused by saltwater intrusion in the coastal Nile Delta Aquifer (NDA) is also threatening the groundwater resources. The aim of this article is to assess the situation in 2010 (since this is when most data is sufficiently available) regarding the available fresh groundwater resources and to evaluate future salinization in the NDA using a 3D variable-density groundwater flow model coupled with salt transport that was developed with SEAWAT. This is achieved by examining six future scenarios that combine two driving forces: increased extraction and sea level rise (SLR). Given the prognosis of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), the scenarios are used to assess the impact of groundwater extraction versus SLR on the seawater intrusion in the Delta and evaluate their contributions to increased groundwater salinization. The results show that groundwater extraction has a greater impact on salinization of the NDA than SLR, while the two factors combined cause the largest reduction of available fresh groundwater resources. The significant findings of this research are the determination of the groundwater volumes of fresh water, brackish, light brackish and saline water in the NDA as a whole and in each governorate and the identification of the governorates that are most vulnerable to salinization. It is highly recommended that the results of this analysis are considered in future mitigation and/or adaptation plans.

scholarly journals Assessment of groundwater resources: Nauru project 2010 – 2019

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Alberti ◽  
Ivana La Licata ◽  
Louis Bouchet
Keyword(s):  
Climate Changes ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Small Islands ◽  
Groundwater Extraction ◽  
Fresh Groundwater ◽  
Groundwater Exploitation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Freshwater Resource

Nauru is a small limestone island in the Pacific region where, as in many small islands in the world, the population heavilyrely upon groundwater as primary freshwater resource, in conjunction with rainwater and desalinated water.The Nauru project started in 2010 and led by Politecnico di Milano (http://nauru.como.polimi.it/), consisted on the hydrogeological characterization of the northern part of the island and the implementation of 3 numerical models for: (1) understanding the mechanisms governing groundwater flow and accumulation, (2) assess the adequate sustainable fresh groundwater exploitation in order to prevent saltwater upconing occurrences in the area more suitable for groundwater extraction and (3) to simulate future scenarios based on climate changes and population growth.

scholarly journals Impact of climate change on groundwater resource in a region with a fast depletion rate: the Mississippi Embayment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Ouyang ◽  
Yongshan Wan ◽  
Wei Jin ◽  
Theodor D. Leininger ◽  
Gary Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Groundwater Depletion ◽  
Groundwater Pumping ◽  
Mississippi Embayment ◽  
Aquifer Storage ◽  
Resource Managers ◽  
Groundwater Supply ◽  
The World ◽  
Depletion Rate

Abstract Mississippi Embayment (ME) is one of the fastest groundwater depletion regions around the world, while the impacts of climate change on groundwater resources in the region are complex and basically unknown. Using the U.S. Geological Survey's Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) model, such a challenge was addressed through the base, wet, and dry simulation scenarios. Over the 137-year simulation period from 1870 to 2007, the cumulative aquifer storage depletions were 1.70 × 1011, 1.73 × 1011, and 1.67 × 1011 m3, respectively, for the base, dry, and wet scenarios. As compared with that of the base scenario, the aquifer storage depletions were only 1.76% more for the dry scenario and 1.8% less for the wet scenario. A multiple regression analysis showed that the aquifer storage depletion rate was controlled more by the groundwater pumping and stream leakage rates and less by the groundwater net recharge rate. Groundwater table variation in the forest land was much smaller than in the crop land. Results suggested that groundwater pumping rather than climate change was a key driving force of groundwater depletion in the ME. Our findings provide a useful reference to water resource managers, foresters, and farmers in the ME and around the world when developing their groundwater supply strategies.

scholarly journals Impact of Natural and Anthropogenic Stresses on Surface and Groundwater Supply Sources of the Upper Awash Sub-Basin, Central Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Behailu Birhanu ◽  
Seifu Kebede ◽  
Katrina Charles ◽  
Meron Taye ◽  
Ayele Atlaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Conjunctive Use ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Groundwater Supply ◽  
Surface And Groundwater

Improving water security is critical to delivering the best outcomes for development. In Ethiopia, the upper Awash sub-basin supports expanding urban and industrial areas, with increasing water demands. Studies have preferentially focused either on surface water hydrology or on groundwater characterization. However, novel tools are required to support the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater for competing users under potential climate change impacts. In this paper, we present research based on a WEAP-MODFLOW link configured for four catchments in the upper Awash sub-basin (Akaki, Melka Kunture, Mojo, and Koka). The Akaki catchment supplies water for Addis Ababa city. Unlike most surface water hydrological models, both supply (surface water and groundwater) and demand (domestic, industrial, and livestock) are modeled. The tool was used to evaluate the impacts of population growth, leakage, expansion of surface and groundwater supply schemes, and climate change scenarios up to the year 2030. Considering the high population growth rate scenario for Addis Ababa city, the unmet domestic water demand may increase to 760 MCM in 2030. Water leakage through poor water supply distribution networks contributed about 23% of the unmet water demand. Though not significant compared with population and water loss stresses, climate change also affect the supply demand condition in the basin. Planning for more groundwater abstraction without considering additional surface water reservoir schemes will noticeably impact the groundwater resource, with groundwater levels projected to decline by more than 20 m. Even more groundwater level decline is observed In the Akaki catchment, where Addis Ababa city is located. Conjunctive use of surface and groundwater not only boosts the supply demand situation in the basin but will lift off some of the stresses from the groundwater resources. Even under the likely increase in temperature and low precipitation climate scenarios, the conjunctive use resulted in a significant increase in domestic water demand coverage from 26% for the reference condition to 90% in 2030, with minimum effect on the groundwater resources. To improve water security conditions through sustainable utilization of both surface and groundwater resources, policy responses need to consider surface and groundwater conjunctive use. Minimizing water leakage should also be given the highest priority.

scholarly journals Evaluation of numerical models by FerryBox and fixed platform in situ data in the southern North Sea

Ocean Science ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 879-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Haller ◽  
F. Janssen ◽  
J. Siddorn ◽  
W. Petersen ◽  
S. Dick
Keyword(s):  
North Sea ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
Southern North Sea ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Oyster Ground ◽  
Study Results

Abstract. For understanding and forecasting of hydrodynamics in coastal regions, numerical models have served as an important tool for many years. In order to assess the model performance, we compared simulations to observational data of water temperature and salinity. Observations were available from FerryBox transects in the southern North Sea and, additionally, from a fixed platform of the MARNET network. More detailed analyses have been made at three different stations, located off the English eastern coast, at the Oyster Ground and in the German Bight. FerryBoxes installed on ships of opportunity (SoO) provide high-frequency surface measurements along selected tracks on a regular basis. The results of two operational hydrodynamic models have been evaluated for two different time periods: BSHcmod v4 (January 2009 to April 2012) and FOAM AMM7 NEMO (April 2011 to April 2012). While they adequately simulate temperature, both models underestimate salinity, especially near the coast in the southern North Sea. Statistical errors differ between the two models and between the measured parameters. The root mean square error (RMSE) of water temperatures amounts to 0.72 °C (BSHcmod v4) and 0.44 °C (AMM7), while for salinity the performance of BSHcmod is slightly better (0.68 compared to 1.1). The study results reveal weaknesses in both models, in terms of variability, absolute levels and limited spatial resolution. Simulation of the transition zone between the coasts and the open sea is still a demanding task for operational modelling. Thus, FerryBox data, combined with other observations with differing temporal and spatial scales, can serve as an invaluable tool not only for model evaluation, but also for model optimization by assimilation of such high-frequency observations.

scholarly journals Classification and Estimation of Irrigation Waters Based on Remote Sensing Images: Case Study in Yucheng City (China)

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3503
Author(s):  
Qingshui Lu ◽  
Shangzhen Liang ◽  
Xinliang Xu
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Yellow River ◽  
Groundwater Depletion ◽  
The Yellow River ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Irrigation Season ◽  
Groundwater Supply ◽  
Yucheng City ◽  
Irrigation Waters

The downstream plain of the Yellow River is experiencing some of the most severe groundwater depletion in China. Although the Chinese government has issued policies to ensure that the Yellow River can provide enough irrigation waters for this region, groundwater levels continue to decrease. Yucheng City was selected as a case study. A new method was designed to classify the cropland into various irrigated cropland. Subsequently, we analyzed data regarding these irrigated-cropland categories, irrigation norms, and the minimum amount of irrigation water being applied to cropland. The results showed that 91.5% of farmland can be classified as double irrigated (by both canal/river and well water), while 8.5% of farmland can be classified as well irrigated. During the irrigation season, the sediments brought in by the river have blocked portions of the canals. This has led to 23% of the double-irrigated cropland being irrigated by groundwater, and it is thus a main factor causing reductions in groundwater supply. These blocked canals should be dredged by local governments to mitigate local groundwater depletion. The method for classifying irrigated cropland from high-resolution images is valid and it can be used in other irrigated areas with a declining groundwater table for the sustainable use of groundwater resources.

Fresh groundwater resources and their use in emergencies

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. S. Zektser ◽  
O. A. Karimova ◽  
A. V. Chetverikova
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Fresh Groundwater
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