GIS-based framework for artificial aquifer recharge to secure sustainable strategic water reserves in Qatar arid environment peninsula

This study proposes a large-scale artificial aquifer recharge plan to increase the strategic water reserve to cope with future emergencies. The main aim of the plan is to restore groundwater levels to those of the 1980s through artificial recharge. Desalinated water or highly treated municipal sewage effluent could be artificially recharged into the aquifer to recharge it. Potentiometric surface of aquifers and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis were used to assess change in the groundwater levels between 1980 and 2009. Zones that have experienced considerable decline in groundwater levels from their former “natural” status—when the aquifers were barely exploited, were identified. These zones are considered optimum recharge sites as they could provide ‘natural’ ground storage chosen by nature. Therefore, working with nature (not against it) by re-filling these natural spaces is the optimum approach. The artificial recharge of the main and principal upper aquifer in Qatar (Rus and Um er Radhuma) is targeted and recommended. It is estimated that up to 182.8 Million Cubic Meter (mcm) could be recharged and stored in these proposed zones, to increase the strategic water reserve of the country. This increase would sustain supplies of high quality for up to three months if consumption is maintained at the 2018 level. Moreover, this additional reserve could last for over one year, if emergency measures were put in place—in case of serious water-shortages, and disaster preparedness, for example by reducing the per capita consumption to the global average per capita consumption.

Effect of Environmental Factors on Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Yield in the City of Jerusalem Occupied, Palestine

Apricot is a deciduous perennial tree, which classified within to the Rosacea family, sensitive to climatic factors, and its production has an economic role for many countries of the world, including Palestine. Mean annual temperatures and precipitation were analyzed, using data from a meteorological station of Jerusalem, Palestine, which has recorded between the year (1993-2012), and with the same number of years of apricot production, knowing that production data were taken from the Palestinian Statistics Center for the mentioned period. On the other hand, we used Professor Salvador Ravers Martins' methodology to classify the Earth in the process of analyzing environmental factors, there are two aspects of the factors: The first is climatic, which is the amount of rain or precipitation, mean monthly temperature and soil water reserve, and the second factor is the bioclimatic, which is annual ombrothermic index, simple continentality index, compensated thermicity index, and water deficit. In conclusion, Jerusalem was adversely affected by mean monthly temperature, precipitation, compensated thermicity index, deficit water, annual ombrothermic index during (1997-2002 and 2007-2012), but positively influenced by soil water reserve on apricot production, during (1993-1997 and 2002-2007), with a great rate of the variance in axis F1 (98.8%), axis F2 (0.82%) and symmetrical plot axes F1and F2 (99.8%), when the correspondence analysis was applied. However, humid areas characterized by mild summers are the suitable region for apricot production and productivity, with a temperature ranging between 22-24°C, at which high quality production can be obtained, the amount of rain is between 600 - 800 mm annually. Final, environmental regions in the thermomediterranean and the Mesomediterranean, with simple continentality index is 17 - 22, annual ombrothermic index is 2.5, while the compensated thermicity index is about 250/420, to obtain the highest ideal production of apricots in Jerusalem, Palestine.

Evapotranspiration in Sudan grass second culture grown under non – irrigated and optimal irrigated conditions

The aim of the present study was to establish the evapotranspiration of Sudan grass variety Engje-1, grown as a second crop for silage on meadow-cinnamon soil for the region of Southern Bulgaria under irrigation conditions and without irrigation. For this purpose, an experiment with Sudan variety Endje-1 was conducted in the experimental field of the Agricultural Institute – Stara Zagora on soil type meadow-cinnamon soil, after its predecessor barley. The Sudan grass is harvested in the brooming stage. Two variants were explored: Variant 1 – without irrigation (control) and Variant 2 – with optimal irrigation, 70-75% of field capacity (FC). Evapotranspiration of Sudan grass grown as a second crop under non-irrigated conditions, depending on the nature of the year, ranges from 168.7 mm to 183.7 mm. Under conditions of irrigation, the largest share in the formation of the water consumption is occupied by the irrigation norm – 87.1% on average (from 86.3 to 90.8%). Under irrigated conditions, the relative participation of the initial water reserve in the formation of evapotranspiration significantly decreases.

The Rational use of Agricultural Land in the Takhtamukay sky District, the Republic of Adygea

The authors have conducted an analysis of agricultural land use in the Takhtamukaysky district by categories and types of land and ownership. The agricultural land distribution has been analyzed as well based on the types of use. The conducted analysis has revealed the following: a tendency towards a decrease in agricultural land by 1.2%; a tendency towards a slight decrease in water reserve and land occupied by bogs; a tendency towards a decrease in land owned by the state or municipal entities, peasant (farming) enterprises, citizens engaged in gardening, haymaking and cattle pasture; a tendency towards a decrease in the unused land redistribution reserve