Management and sustainability of groundwater resources in Bahrain

Water Policy ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waleed K. Zubari ◽  
Ibrahim J. Lori
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Groundwater Balance ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
The Past ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
Dammam Aquifer ◽  
Management And Conservation ◽  
Severe Deterioration

In Bahrain, groundwater in the Dammam aquifer is the only natural source of relatively freshwater to meet the increasing demands for water. Heavy reliance on groundwater, particularly by the agricultural and municipal sectors, and its prolonged overexploitation over the last four decades have led to severe deterioration in its water quality. Currently, most of the original groundwater reservoir has been lost to salinization. In the past, groundwater management efforts were concentrated principally on supply management, where great efforts have been made to develop additional non-conventional and conventional water sources to alleviate groundwater stress, while demand management, conservation and protection of groundwater resources have not received much attention or emphasis. Based on future anticipated management efforts and programs, three alternative policy scenarios are considered in investigating groundwater balance and sustainability in Bahrain for the period 2002–2010: (1) supply augmentation and stabilization of agricultural water demands, (2) supply augmentation and demand management in the agricultural sector and (3) supply augmentation and unrestricted agricultural sector water demands. The current groundwater deficit could be lowered significantly in the second and the first scenarios. Evidently, the second scenario is to be preferred and constitutes an appropriate base for securing sustainable development of groundwater resources. However, it will depend on the effective implementation of the proposed demand management and conservation programs in the agricultural sector with their socio-economic, as well as political constraints and risks.

scholarly journals Applying a novel framework for the estimation of the full cost of water in a degraded rural watershed

Water Policy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Alamanos ◽  
M. Tsota ◽  
N. Mylopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Full Cost ◽  
Water Value ◽  
Support Tools ◽  
Agriculture Water

Abstract Water Resources Management's modern concerns include solutions on water scarcity, water quality problems and the use of economic and decision-support tools. Especially, the agricultural sector in South Europe under the requirements of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC(WFD) remains a challenge. Most scholars so far doubt and criticize the implementation of the full cost of irrigation water, review papers highlight the limited progress, and fewer cases provide guidance on how to address this case. The present study applies a novel methodological framework for the estimation of the full cost of irrigation water, based on hydro-economic concepts such as: water balance, profits from agriculture, water value, water quality, monetary, opportunity and environmental costs. Originally, the method has been applied only once in a rural watershed with surface and groundwater resources. Here, a degraded Greek watershed using only groundwater resources is the study area, and the results of the two cases are compared. The model was also examined under demand management strategies and recommendations to scrutinize the effects and the applicability of the proposed measures in hydrological and economic terms. The findings give useful insights on the future management of achieving economic objectives with environmental constraints and the harmonization of Greek agriculture to the WFD.

Future Climatic Patterns and Sustainability of Current Cropping Patterns in a Water-Scarce River Basin of Eastern India 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smaranika Mahapatra ◽  
Madan Kumar Jha
Keyword(s):  
Water Demand ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Monsoon Rainfall ◽  
Baseline Period ◽  
Eastern India ◽  
Crop Water ◽  
Cropping Patterns ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
Crop Water Demand ◽  
Water Scarce

<p>Agricultural sector, being the largest consumer of water is greatly affected by climatic variability and disasters. Most parts of the world already face an enormous challenge in meeting competitive and conflicting multi-sector water demands. Climate change has further exacerbated this challenge by putting the sustainability of current cropping patterns and irrigation practices in question. For ensuring climate-resilient food production, it is crucial to examine the patterns of the projected climate and potential impacts on the agricultural sector at a basin scale. Hence, this study was carried out for an already water-scarce basin, Rushikulya River basin (RRB), located in the coastal region of eastern India. The bias-corrected NorESM2-MM general circulation model of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project-6 (CMIP6) was used in this study under four shared socioeconomic pathway (SSPs) scenarios, namely SSP126, SSP245, SSP370 and SSP585. The projected climatic parameters and crop water demands of the basin were analyzed assuming existing cropping pattern in the future. Analysis of the results reveals a significant and rapid increase in the temperature at a rate of 0.02-0.5ºC/year during 2026-2100 under all SSPs except SSP126, whereas the rainfall is expected to increase slightly during 2026-2100 as compared to the baseline period (1990-2016), especially in the far future (2076-2100) under all the SSPs. In contrast, monsoon rainfall is predicted to decrease under SSP245 and SSP370, while a slight increase in the monsoon rainfall is evident under SSP126 and SSP585. Although the rainy days will decrease slightly in the future 25-year time window, the number of heavy rainfall events is predicted to increase by two to three times. Also, retrospective analysis of rainfall and evapotranspiration suggested an existence of rainfall deficit (rainfall-evapotranspiration) in the basin throughout the year, except during July to September. The rainfall deficit in the basin during 2026-2100 is found to remain more or less same in the non-monsoon season, except for the month of October under SSP245, SSP370 and SSP585 scenarios where deficit increases by two folds. Rainfall is expected to be in surplus by 4 to 5 times higher under all SSPs except for SSP245. As to the evapotranspiration, an insignificant increasing trend is observed under future climatic condition with only 2 to 4% rise in the crop water demand compared to the baseline period. As the basin is already water stressed during most months in a year under baseline and future climatic conditions, continuing the current practice of monsoon paddy dominant cultivation in the basin will further aggravate this situation. The results of this study will be helpful in formulating sustainable irrigation plans and adaptation measures to address climate-induced water stress in the basin.</p><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Climate change; CMIP6; SSP; Monsoon rainfall; Temperature; Crop water demand.</p>

scholarly journals Enhancing rural livelihoods in Tanza-nia : A small-holder farmers’ perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abel Kinyondo ◽  
Joseph Magashi
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Rural Livelihoods ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
The Past ◽  
Small Holder Farmers ◽  
The Government ◽  
Small Holder

Poverty reduction has been a difficult milestone for Tanzania to achieve despite recording remarkable economic growth over the past decade. This is because the attained growth is not inclusive, in that sectors contributing to this growth employ fewer people. Given the fact that agriculture continues to employ the majority of people in Tanzania, efforts to improve livelihoods should necessarily be geared towards transforming the sector. It is in this context that using a sample of 3,000 farmers from 13 regions of Tanzania; this Tanzania, this study set out to examine challenges facing farmers and their respective solutions following the sustainable livelihood framework. Findings show that improving farmers’ livelihoods would entail concerted efforts by the government to avail to farmers, quality and affordable seeds, fertilizer, agricultural infrastructures, subsidies, extension services, markets, information alert, affordable loans, and areas for pastures. This implies that the government needs to allocate enough funds to the agricultural sector if farmers’ needs are to be met. We note, however, that government’s allocation to the sector has alarmingly generally been exhibiting a declining trend for the past four years. It is against this background that we strongly recommend that the government rethinks its position and prioritize the agricultural sector in its budget.

scholarly journals Irrigation Tools and Strategies to Conserve Water and Ensure a Balance of Sustainability and Profitability

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2037
Author(s):  
Aliasghar Montazar
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Agricultural Water ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
Agricultural Water Use ◽  
Efficient Management ◽  
Management And Conservation

Efficient management and conservation practices for agricultural water use are essential for adapting to and mitigating the impacts of the current and future discrepancy between water supplies and water demands [...]

scholarly journals Monitoring and risk assessment for groundwater sources in rural communities of Romania (GROUNDWATERISK)

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oana Teodora Moldovan ◽  
Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund ◽  
Horia Leonard Banciu ◽  
Alexandra Dinu Cucoș ◽  
Erika Andrea Levei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
The Past ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Groundwater Ecosystems ◽  
Alternative Sources ◽  
Agricultural Areas

In the past 100 years, a decreasing rainfall trend has been recorded on Romanian territory, a trend that continues today. Therefore, realistic estimation of the groundwater resources is crucial, especially for the rural communities lacking the economic power to use alternative sources of drinking water. The groundwater sources used by rural communities in Romania generally originate directly from caves, wells or springs with no proper evaluation of the water quality. Groundwater is exposed to different pollutants, as bats' guano in caves, fertilizers in agricultural areas or livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, etc.) farms on the surface. On the other hand, the water extracted directly from inside the caves is affecting groundwater ecosystems, highly vulnerable to any human impact and neglected by European legislation so far. The project aims to monitor, during two consecutive years, groundwater sources with different degrees of above- and underground pollution, from different regions of Romania. To achieve the goals of the project, a multidisciplinary monitoring strategy that will include measurements of hydrological, physico-chemical and biological (microbiology and aquatic invertebrates’ assessment) parameters alongside the quantification of radon and stable isotopes, rainfall or possible inflows of water. The specific outcomes of this project are: i) to test, develop and validate a new, more rapid and efficient method for monitoring and risk assessment of groundwater sources – and not only – by using molecular techniques, and propose this method to the water agencies in Romania; ii) to propose for Romanian authorities to implement a harmonized coherent methodology to measure radon concentration in water, as a consequence of EURATOM Directive; and iii) to educate local communities that are using groundwater as source for drinking water and raise young people’s awareness on the benefits of ecosystem services provided by the groundwater.

World trends in agricultural engineering and the direction of technical and technological modernization of crop production in the Republic of Belarus

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-39
Author(s):  
I. L. Kovalev
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Agricultural Engineering ◽  
The Past ◽  
Current State ◽  
Technological Modernization ◽  
The Republic ◽  
State Programs

Some basic directions in the global development of agricultural machinery and global trends in the dig-ital transformation of agriculture are reviewed and identified based on analysis of reports and articles by well-known expert organizations in this field. The analysis of the technical re-equipment of the Belarusian crop production over the past decade has been carried out, the directions of digitalization of agricultural production of the republic identified by the current State programs in the agricultural sector and Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 8 "On the Development of the Digital Economy" have been determined.

World trends in agricultural engineering and the direction of technical and technological modernization of crop production in the republic of Belarus

2020 ◽  
pp. 28-44
Author(s):  
I.L. Kovalev
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Agricultural Engineering ◽  
The Past ◽  
Current State ◽  
Technological Modernization ◽  
The Republic ◽  
State Programs

Some basic directions in the global development of agricultural machinery and global trends in the digital transformation of agriculture are reviewed and identified based on analysis of reports and articles by well-known expert organizations in this field. The analysis of the technical re-equipment of the Belarusian crop production over the past decade has been carried out, the directions of digitalization of agricultural production of the republic identified by the current State programs in the agricultural sector and Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 8 “On the Development of the Digital Economy” have been determined.

Water management problems and solutions in a residential community of Al-Mafraq city, Jordan

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1371-1380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naji K. Al-Mefleh ◽  
Saad M. AlAyyash ◽  
Fatima A. Bani Khaled
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Management Problems ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
The Government

Abstract This study aims to investigate existing water management problems and potential solutions in the Al-Mafraq Governorate of Jordan, and to examine public awareness of water demand management at the household level. A questionnaire survey captured residents' perceptions of water quantity and quality. Results showed that 71% of respondents find the water pumped from the public system to be insufficient, and 40.9% find that water laws and regulations are implemented ineffectively. The study also showed that 85% of respondents are dependent upon groundwater wells, and 42.5% of respondents have suffered water contamination. Water quality is degraded due to pollution caused by solid waste and liquids, and salinity is increased due to the over-pumping and depletion of groundwater resources. The study recommends that the government incentivize residents to harvest water to deal with water shortages, religious motivations be explored in water conservation efforts, and water authorities should repair or replace old pipelines.

scholarly journals Expanding the knowledge about the occurrence of anurans in the highest amphibian diversity area of Atlantic Forest: Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, São Paulo, Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Rodrigues da Silva ◽  
Mariana Lúcio Lyra ◽  
Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad ◽  
Denise de Cerqueira Rossa-Feres
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Serra Do Mar ◽  
The Past ◽  
Anuran Species ◽  
Human Use ◽  
Management And Conservation

Abstract The vegetation cover in the Atlantic Forest has been converted to human use or degraded by human activities, which declined the vegetation to 16% of its original extent. Although several protected areas have been created in this Neotropical biome over the past decades, our knowledge of the amphibian species within these areas is still far from adequate. Here, we present lists of anuran species from three different areas of Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar: núcleos Curucutu, Santa Virgínia and São Sebastião. To survey anuran species, we visited six sampling units (two ponds, two streams and two trails inside forest fragments) in each locality. Samplings were accomplished from December 2014 to February 2015, December 2015 to February 2016 and December 2016 to February 2017, totalizing 27 days of field samplings in each sampling unit. We recorded 34 anuran species in the Núcleo Curucutu, 44 species in the Núcleo São Sebastião and 42 species in the Núcleo Santa Virgínia, totalizing 65 species belonging to 12 families (number of species in parentheses): Bufonidae (5), Brachycephalidae (6), Centrolenidae (1), Craugastoridae (1), Cycloramphidae (2), Hemiphractidae (1), Hylidae (29), Hylodidae (3), Leptodactylidae (12), Microhylidae (2), Odontophrynidae (2), and Phyllomedusidae (1). We hope that these lists can be useful for future studies as well as helping in the management and conservation planning of these protected areas.

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