Considering groundwater use to improve the assessment of groundwater pumping for irrigation in North Africa

Groundwater resources in semi-arid areas and especially in the Mediterranean face a growing demand for irrigated agriculture and, to a lesser extent, for domestic uses. Consequently, groundwater reserves are affected and water-table drops are widely observed. This leads to strong constraints on groundwater access for farmers, while managers worry about the future evolution of the water resources. A common problem for building proper groundwater management plans is the difficulty in assessing individual groundwater withdrawals at regional scale. Predicting future trends of these groundwater withdrawals is even more challenging. The basic question is how to assess the water budget variables and their evolution when they are deeply linked to human activities, themselves driven by countless factors (access to natural resources, public policies, market, etc.). This study provides some possible answers by focusing on the assessment of groundwater withdrawals for irrigated agriculture at three sites in North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria). Efforts were made to understand the different features that influence irrigation practices, and an adaptive user-oriented methodology was used to monitor groundwater withdrawals. For each site, different key factors affecting the regional groundwater abstraction and its past evolution were identified by involving farmers’ knowledge. Factors such as farmer access to land and groundwater or development of public infrastructures (electrical distribution network) are crucial to decode the results of well inventories and assess the regional groundwater abstraction and its future trend. This leads one to look with caution at the number of wells cited in the literature, which could be oversimplified.     

A quantitative assessment of groundwater resources in the Middle East and North Africa region

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the world’s most water-stressed region, with its countries constituting 12 of the 15 most water-stressed countries globally. Because of data paucity, comprehensive regional-scale assessments of groundwater resources in the MENA region have been lacking. The presented study addresses this issue by using a distributed ArcGIS model, parametrized with gridded data sets, to estimate groundwater storage reserves in the region based on generated aquifer saturated thickness and effective porosity estimates. Furthermore, monthly gravimetric datasets (GRACE) and land surface parameters (GLDAS) were used to quantify changes in groundwater storage between 2003 and 2014. Total groundwater reserves in the region were estimated at 1.28 × 10⁶ cubic kilometers (km³) with an uncertainty range between 816,000 and 1.93 × 10⁶ km³. Most of the reserves are located within large sedimentary basins in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia accounting for approximately 75% of the region’s total freshwater reserves. Alternatively, small groundwater reserves were found in fractured Precambrian basement exposures. As for groundwater changes between 2003 and 2014, all MENA countries except for Morocco exhibited declines in groundwater storage. However, given the region’s large groundwater reserves, groundwater changes between 2003 and 2014 are minimal and represent no immediate short-term threat to the MENA region, with some exceptions. Notwithstanding this, the study recommends the development of sustainable and efficient groundwater management policies to optimally utilize the region’s groundwater resources, especially in the face of climate change, demographic expansion, and socio-economic development.     

Adjustment preferences to groundwater depletion in the American high plains

This paper explores the adjustments that residents in one part of the High Plains prefer in coping with the depletion of the Ogallala aquifer. The authors identify 31 possible adjustment policies and report on public preferences, examining differences among socioeconomic groups and also the preferred governmental agencies to administer specific programs. Adjustments involving improved water use efficiency were most favored; those entailing financial incentives were least liked. The local groundwater management district was the preferred agency overall. Most significant differences in preference were between those in agribusiness and those outside agriculture.     

华北滹滏平原地下水位下降与灌溉农业关系

针对华北粮蔬主产区滹滏平原浅层地下水位不断下降成因问题,基于大量实测资料和相关分析方法与MapGIS技术,通过对近50年来区内地下水位、粮蔬播种强度、有效灌溉面积变化特征和降水量、气温变化下地下水位下降对粮蔬播种强度响应机制研究,结果表明:1980年前粮蔬播种强度每增加0.01或夏粮和蔬菜播种面积每增加1万hm2,研究区地下水位下降幅度为0.36 m或0.43 m;1980年以来随粮蔬播种强度增大,地下水位下降幅度明显增大,粮蔬播种强度每增加0.01或夏粮和蔬菜播种面积每增加1万hm2,地下水位降幅分别达0.69 m和1.15 m。不仅与因播种强度增大导致农业开采量增加有关,而且还与1980年以来降水量不断减少密切相关。降水量减少100 mm,区内农业开采量增加35.7 mm。     

The key role of supply chain actors in groundwater irrigation development in North Africa

The role played by supply chain actors in the rapid development of groundwater-based irrigated agriculture is analyzed. Agricultural groundwater use has increased tremendously in the past 50 years, leading to the decline of water tables. Groundwater use has enabled intensification of existing farming systems and ensured economic growth. This “groundwater economy” has been growing rapidly due to the initiative of farmers and the involvement of a wide range of supply chain actors, including suppliers of equipment, inputs retailers, and distributors of irrigated agricultural products. In North Africa, the actors in irrigated production chains often operate at the margin of public policies and are usually described as “informal”, “unstructured”, and as participating in “groundwater anarchy”. This paper underlines the crucial role of supply chain actors in the development of groundwater irrigation, a role largely ignored by public policies and rarely studied. The analysis is based on three case studies in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, and focuses on the horticultural sub-sector, in particular on onions and tomatoes, which are irrigated high value crops. The study demonstrates that although supply chain actors are catalyzers of the expansion of groundwater irrigation, they could also become actors in adaptation to the declining water tables. Through their informal activities, they help reduce market risks, facilitate credit and access to subsidies, and disseminate innovation. The interest associated with making these actors visible to agricultural institutions is discussed, along with methods of getting them involved in the management of the resource on which they depend.     

Comparison of GRACE data and groundwater levels for the assessment of groundwater depletion in Jordan

Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) derived groundwater storage (GWS) data are compared with in-situ groundwater levels from five groundwater basins in Jordan, using newly gridded GRACE GRCTellus land data. It is shown that (1) the time series for GRACE-derived GWS data and in-situ groundwater-level measurements can be correlated, with R ² from 0.55 to 0.74, (2) the correlation can be widely ascribed to the seasonal and trend component, since the detrended and deseasonalized time series show no significant correlation for most cases, implying that anomalous signals that deviate from the trend or seasonal behaviour are overlaid by noise, (3) estimates for water losses in Jordan based on the trend of GRACE data from 2003 to 2013 could be up to four times higher than previously assumed using estimated recharge and abstraction rates, and (4) a significant time-lagged cross correlation of the monthly changes in GRACE-derived groundwater storage and precipitation data was found, suggesting that the conventional method for deriving GWS from GRACE data probably does not account for the typical conditions in the study basins. Furthermore, a new method for deriving plausible specific yields from GRACE data and groundwater levels is demonstrated.     

基于氢氧同位素的华北平原降水入渗过程

华北平原地下水浅埋区水循环主要以垂直方向上的入渗、蒸发和蒸腾的方式存在,同位素可以作为一种有效"示踪剂"揭示降水入渗补给地下水的过程。选择华北平原中、东部地下水浅埋区的衡水和沧州为典型实验点,研究不同降水特征、土壤质地和植被条件下入渗过程的差异性。结果表明,土壤非均质条件下(沧州),降水入渗补给过程中伴随着蒸发、植被蒸腾作用以及与土壤前期水分的强烈混合作用,活塞流入渗的同时土壤100 cm深度可能还存在大孔隙优先流;土壤均质条件下(衡水),降水向下均匀入渗,入渗速度较快,土壤水运动以新水基本代替老水的活塞流为主要形式,并经过强烈的蒸发浓缩作用补给地下水。     

Quality evaluation of groundwater in the North China Plain

This paper presents a method combining single-indicator comprehensive evaluation and influence factor identification to measure groundwater quality. This method not only reflects groundwater quality classification with clear physical significance, but also divides the possibilities of man-made pollution in regional groundwater. The paper selects 6 063 representative groundwater wells in the North China Plain to evaluate 49 groundwater inorganic and organic index and comes to a conclusion: Controlled by geological environment and hydrogeological conditions, the groundwater quality in the North China Plain deteriorates from the bottom of maintain to coastal area, with Class I to III groundwater decreasing from 49% to 3.9% while Class V groundwater increasing from 21% to 86.9%; the quality of deep groundwater is better than that of shallow groundwater; the contribution rate of manganese, total hardness, total dissolved solids and iodide in shallow groundwater to over-III type water exceeds 50%; the contribution rate of nitrite in pollution index reaches 20%; while heavy metal and organic indexes have limited impact on regional groundwater quality. The North China Plain is an important economic area in China. Over decades, it has witnessed intense human activities, and water resource quantity demanded has been far greater than quantity supplied. Due to scarce surface water resource, groundwater becomes the pillar supporting regional economic development. This has led to increasing groundwater exploitation and development. According to statistics, the exploitation degree of shallow groundwater reaches 105% in the North China Plain and 118% in the Hebei Plain; the exploitation degree of deep groundwater reaches 143% in the North China Plain and 163% in the Hebei Plain. The serious over-exploitation of groundwater brings various geological environmental problems, with the worsening of groundwater quality being a typical one. Besides impact brought by human activities, the poor quality of natural water in the North China Plain is also an important factor. Therefore, to understand the current regional groundwater quality situation and to master influence factors and influence degree can provide reliable scientific protection for regional economic development.     

Nutrient chemistry of groundwater in an intensively irrigated region of southern India

The concentration of nutrients in groundwater acts as an indicator to identify the influence of agricultural activities on the shallow subsurface environment. Hence, the present study was carried out to assess nutrient concentration (nitrate, phosphate and potassium) and understand its spatial and seasonal variations in the groundwater of Palar and Cheyyar River basin, Tamil Nadu, India. The groundwater samples collected from 43 wells were analyzed for nutrients once a month from January 1998 to June 1999. Results of the study suggested that agricultural activities, including application of fertilizers, soil mineralization processes and irrigation return flow, are major processes regulating the nutrients chemistry in the groundwater of this region. Groundwater in the sedimentary formation has comparatively higher concentration of nutrients than the groundwater in hard rock formations, which seems to be due to the adsorption of nutrients by the weathered rock materials. The seasonal water level fluctuation shows that rising water level increases nutrients concentration in groundwater due to the agriculture related activities. The results also indicate that nitrate and potassium concentrations are within the recommended drinking water limits, whereas phosphate concentration exceeds its drinking water limit and 35% of the samples are unsuitable for drinking purposes.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at     

A new technique to estimate net groundwater use across large irrigated areas by combining remote sensing and water balance approaches, Rechna Doab, Pakistan

Over-exploitation of groundwater resources threatens the future of irrigated agriculture, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In order to reverse this trend, and to ensure future food security, the achievement of sustainable groundwater use is ranking high on the agenda of water policy makers. Spatio-temporally distributed information on net groundwater use—i.e. the difference between tubewell withdrawals for irrigation and net recharge—is often unknown at the river basin scale. Conventionally, groundwater use is estimated from tubewell inventories or phreatic surface fluctuations. There are shortcomings related to the application of these approaches. An alternative methodology for computing the various water balance components of the unsaturated zone by using geo-information techniques is provided in this paper. With this approach, groundwater recharge will not be quantified explicitly, but is part of net groundwater use, and the spatial variation can be quantitatively described. Records of routine climatic data, canal discharges at major offtakes, phreatic surface depth fluctuations, and simplified information on soil textural properties are required as input data into this new Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing tool. The Rechna Doab region (approximately 2.97 million ha), located in the Indus basin irrigation system of Pakistan, has been used as a case study. On an annual basis, an areal average net groundwater use of 82 mm year^–1 was estimated. The current result deviates 65% from the specific yield method. The deviation from estimates using tubewell withdrawal related data is even higher.

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Resumen La sobre-explotación de recursos de agua subterránea amenaza el futuro de la agricultura de riego, especialmente en las regiones áridas y semi-áridas del mundo. Para revertir esta tendencia, y para garantizar seguridad alimentaria futura, la meta del uso sostenible del agua subterránea se encuentra alto en la agenda de los políticos. Información espacial y temporal en cuanto al uso neto de agua subterránea- i.e. la diferencia entre las extracciones de agua de pozos entubados para riego y recarga neta- se desconoce frecuentemente a la escala de cuenca hidrográfica. Generalmente, el uso de agua subterránea se estima a partir de inventarios de pozos o fluctuaciones de superficies freáticas. Existen deficiencias en relación con las aplicaciones de estos enfoques. En este artículo se aporta una metodología alternativa para calcular los diferentes componentes del balance hídrico de la zona no saturada utilizando técnicas geoinformativas. Aunque con este enfoque no se cuantifica de manera explícita la recarga de agua subterránea, la cual es parte del uso neto de agua subterránea, puede describirse cuantitativamente la variación espacial. Para esta nueva herramienta de Sistemas de Información Geográfica y Sensores Remotos se requieren datos de entrada como registros rutinarios de datos climáticos, descargas de canales en salidas principales, fluctuaciones de profundidades de superficies freáticas, e información simplificada de las propiedades texturales de los suelos. Se ha utilizado como estudio de caso la región Rechna Doab (aproximadamente 2.97 millones ha), localizada en el sistema de riego de la cuenca Indus de Pakistán. Se ha estimado un uso promedio areal anual de agua subterránea de 82 mm año^–1. El resultado obtenido difiere en un 65% del método de productividad específica. La diferencia en relación a estimados provenientes de extracciones en pozos entubados es aún mucho más alta.

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Résumé La surexploitation des ressources en eau souterraine menace le futur de lagriculture irrigué, spécialement dans les zones arides et semi-arides du monde. De manière à renverser la tendance, et dassurer la sécurité alimentaire, lutilisation durable des eaux souterraines est devenue une priorité dans lagenda des politiques de leau. La distribution spatio-temporelle de lusage net de leau souterraine (la différence entre l ‹eau pompée et la recharge nette) est rarement connue à léchelle dun bassin versant. Conventionnellement, lutilisation des eaux souterraines est estimée à partir des données de rabattement ou les données de fluctuation du niveau de la nappe phréatique. Il y a des défauts dans ces approches. Une méthodologie alternative pour calculer les différents composants de la balance hydrologique est présentée dans cet article. Avec cette approche, la recharge des eaux souterraines ne sera pas quantifiée de manière explicite, mais sera considérée comme une part de lutilisation nette en eau souterraine, et la variation spatiale peut être décrite quantitativement. Les chroniques des données climatiques, les débits du réseau hydrographique majeur, les fluctuations de la surface de la nappe phréatique, et des données basiques sur la texture du sol sont nécessaires et sont rentrées dans un nouveau Système dInformation Géographique et outil de télédétection. La région de Rechna Doab au Pakistan, environ 2.97 millions dhectare, localisée dans le bassin irrigué de lIndus, a été utilisé comme cas détude. Sur base annuelle, lutilisation nette de leau souterraine est estimée à 82 mm. en moyenne. Le résultat obtenu diffère de 65% du résultat de la méthode du débit spécifique. La différence avec le résultat obtenu en observant le rabattement des puits est encore plus élevée.

     

Sustainability of groundwater in Mali,West Africa

The following paper describes the goals and some preliminary work in the Bani sustainability study, an ongoing project in Mali, West Africa. Rural communities in Mali are increasingly relying on hand-pumps, which tap groundwater resources, as a means of obtaining potable water. The long-term sustainable yield of groundwater resources is not known but can be evaluated in sustainability study. In 2005, a groundwater sustainability study was established along the Bani River of Mali. The Bani study collected groundwater levels that were used in a conceptual groundwater flow model—the Bani model—to develop an understanding of current aquifer conditions and to make limited predictions of sustainability under various future scenarios. The Bani model showed the climatic parameters of recharge (derived from precipitation) and evapotranspiration to influence simulated groundwater levels and groundwater volume available, while increased pumping rates, due to population growth, showed little effect. When considered in the context of the actual Bani sustainability study area, the change in groundwater levels resulting from climatic parameters may have negative implications, especially during several consecutive years of decreased precipitation, such as drought, or if downward trends anticipated for precipitation continue.     

Modeling the impact of groundwater depletion on the hydrochemical characteristic of groundwater within Mullusi carbonate aquifer-west Iraq

The study of groundwater impact on the hydrochemical characteristic of groundwater within Mullusi aquifer, west Iraq was conducted using the chemical analysis results in 14 production wells and groundwater levels observation in 17 water wells. The interpretation of hydrochemical phenomena related to ions sources was determined based on spatial analysis maps of various hydrochemical ratios using ArcGis software. The study also determined the relation of groundwater velocity and static water levels with the hydrochemical ratios using statistical application of Curve expert v1.3 program. The variations of ion concentration were examined using the statistical significant differences for chemical constituents of water within Mullusi aquifer. The impact of dewatering due to high exploitation was explained by increasing the magnesium and chloride concentrations and lowering static water levels. Magnesium and chloride concentration may reach their maximum limits for drinking at a groundwater level of 485 m asl. Accordingly, any decline in the water level of Mullusi aquifer that occurs from 4.5 to 30.5 m may cause deterioration in groundwater quality. This study modeled the effect of groundwater depletion on the groundwater quality in a theoretical equations approach.     

岩溶区矿山污染地下水的水生植物修复初步研究

选取黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata Royle)和水绵(Spirogyra communis,Hassall)作为研究对象,分析其对某铅锌矿尾矿库重金属废水的富集能力,综述重金属在黑藻和水绵体内的富集机制,探讨了利用黑藻和水绵进行岩溶矿山重金属污染水修复的应用前景。结果表明:黑藻和水绵体内的重金属绝对含量较高,并且植株长势良好,生物量大,说明这两种水生植物对重金属有避性或耐性。分析测试发现,在黑藻和水绵体内,重金属的富集系数较高,其中Pb最大,其后依次是As>Co>Mn>Cu>Cd>Zn>Ni>Cr,富集系数最少的是Hg,水绵体内的富集系数要大于黑藻。对比研究发现,这两类藻类体内的重金属含量和富集系数均高于非岩溶区。黑藻对重金属的富集机制主要有3种,即重金属作用下抗氧化酶活性增强、被动吸收和离子交换作用,而水绵特殊的分子生物结构可能是其吸附重金属的重要机制。黑藻和水绵在南方岩溶区广泛分布,利用黑藻和水绵修复重金属污染的岩溶水具有较好前景。      

Conflicts and water governance challenge in irrigated areas of semi-arid regions

Agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions faces two of the principal global challenges: sustainability and water scarcity in the context of climate changes. To overcome the water scarcity constraint, Tunisia adopted different strategies and policies. Since 1989, it has embarked on a policy of decentralization and participatory water management in irrigated areas “IA.” This policy has led to the state disengagement in favor of collective water management. Since then, water management becomes a task of irrigator associations. These associations have experienced a series of transformations ranging from “collective interest associations: CIA” to the current form “Development Agricultural Groups: GDAs.” In spite of these institutional changes, GDAs are suffering from several problems impeding their functioning such as budgetary deficit, conflicts between stakeholders, leaving of irrigated activity by some farmers, and inequality. The current situation of GDA and most IA hypothesizes the existence of local governance problems; these governance problems are causing a performance decrease in IA. The analysis of the interdependence between governance and performance of irrigation water management, in Nadhour IA, is the main aim of this paper. To conduct this analysis, the strategic analysis approach was adopted. Assuming that IA forms a concrete action system, the analysis of structured games between actors allowed assessing their power, convergence, divergence, and ambivalence. Results confirm the hypothesis of a significant effect of governance problems, including political source, on the performance of water management in IA.     

Climatic changes in areas adjacent to the North Atlantic during the last glacial-interglacial transition (14-9 ka BP): A contribution to IGCP-253

This paper presents a summary of the evidence for climatic changes during the last glacial-interglacial transition (14-9 ka BP) in land areas adjacent to the North Atlantic. It is a synthesis of the results of the 12 regional summaries compiled by contributors to the North Atlantic Seaboard Programme of IGCP-253 that are published separately in this issue of Journal of Quaternary Science. Eighteen palaeotemperature curves are compared and arranged in three transects, one from southern Europe to Spitsbergen, a second from Ireland to Poland, and the third from southern New England to the Labrador-Baffin Shelf area. Ten maps are presented that summarise the synoptic climatic conditions of the region in 500-year time periods. The purpose of the exercise is to examine the extent to which any emerging patterns support the Ruddiman and Mclntyre model of large-scale shifts in the position of the oceanice Polar Front during the last glacial-interglacial transition. Some broad agreement emerges, although the influence of oceanic changes is diminished in areas that lay in close proximity to the Laurentide and Fennoscandian ice sheets. Attention is drawn to limitations in the compilations and to the potential for improved models in the future.     

Metal enrichment in the groundwater of the arid environment in South Africa

This paper presents the enrichment tendency and spatial distribution of metals in the groundwater which is pumped out from the granitic aquifers in South Africa. Groundwater is the sole source of water supply for the local community in the study area (Namaqualand), and hence, it was necessary to understand the controlling geochemical processes and interrelationship of metals in the groundwater. The geochemical association of metals has been assessed based on the geostatistical methods. The results show that geochemical processes such as oxidation, leaching, and evaporation besides water–rock interaction are very important in controlling metal enrichment in the groundwater from highly mineralized rocks. The metal enrichment index for selected toxic metals in groundwater increases in the order of Cd > U > Cr > Pb. The observed enrichment trend could be considered as a result of mineralization of basement rocks which is facilitated by active geochemical process in the arid environment. The lack of aquifer flushing due to negligible recharge helps the metals to concentrate at shallow groundwater zones supported by severe evaporation process.