Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Groundwater modelling in arid and semi-arid areas: an introduction
- 2 Hydrological processes, groundwater recharge and surface-water/groundwater interactions in arid and semi-arid areas
- 3 Conceptual models for recharge sequences in arid and semi-arid regions using isotopic and geochemical methods
- 4 Groundwater flow and transport
- 5 Performing unbiased groundwater modelling: application of the theory of regionalised variables
- 6 Groundwater vulnerability and protection
- 7 Variable density groundwater flow: from modelling to applications
- 8 Sustainable water management in arid and semi-arid regions
- Index
- Plate section
- References
8 - Sustainable water management in arid and semi-arid regions
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 December 2010
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Groundwater modelling in arid and semi-arid areas: an introduction
- 2 Hydrological processes, groundwater recharge and surface-water/groundwater interactions in arid and semi-arid areas
- 3 Conceptual models for recharge sequences in arid and semi-arid regions using isotopic and geochemical methods
- 4 Groundwater flow and transport
- 5 Performing unbiased groundwater modelling: application of the theory of regionalised variables
- 6 Groundwater vulnerability and protection
- 7 Variable density groundwater flow: from modelling to applications
- 8 Sustainable water management in arid and semi-arid regions
- Index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
INTRODUCTION
As a result of the ever-growing global population, pressure on water resources is increasing continuously, above all in arid and semi-arid regions. In many cases, the presently applied management practices are non-sustainable and lead to serious water-related problems such as the depletion of aquifers, the accumulation of substances to harmful levels, to water conflicts or economically infeasible costs. In this contribution, we illustrate these problems with several case studies. The northwest Sahara aquifer system is used to show the consequences of the overpumping of aquifers. A typical upstream–downstream problem is discussed with the example of the Okavango delta. Another case study discussed is the Yanqi basin in China. The Yanqi basin is a typical example showing how inappropriate irrigation practices can lead to soil salinisation and ecological problems of the downstream. Possible solutions to these problems and the role of numerical modelling as a tool to develop sustainable management practices are discussed. Some of the most common problems in setting up reliable models are highlighted and ideas how to address these problems are given. In the last part of this chapter, we discuss strategies to close the existing gap in thinking between scientists and decision makers.
DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT
In a pragmatic definition, sustainable water management describes a practice which prevents irreversible damage to the resource water and resources related to it such as soils and ecosystems and which preserves in the long-term the ability of the resource to extend its services (including ecological services).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Groundwater Modelling in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas , pp. 119 - 130Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010
References
, , and (1998a) A remote sensing surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL). 1. Formulation. Journal of Hydrology 213(1–4), 198–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , et al. (1998b) A remote sensing surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL). 2. Validation. Journal of Hydrology, 213(1–4), 213–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2006) A regional coupled surface water/groundwater model of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Water Resour. Res. 42, W04403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1994) Game Theory and the Social Contract. Vol. 1. MIT Press.
(2005) Water and Salt Management in the Yanqi Basin, China. IHW. PhD Thesis. ETH Zurich No.16210, ISBN 3–906445–26–7, http://e-collection.ethbib.ethz.ch/show?type=diss&nr=16210.Google Scholar
, , and (2004) Using remote sensing to regionalize local precipitation recharge rates obtained from the chloride method. Journal of Hydrology 294(4), 241–250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , (2007a) Generating soil electrical conductivity maps at regional level by integrating measurements on the ground and remote sensing data. Int J Remote Sens, 28(15), 3341–3361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , and (2007b) How can remote sensing contribute in groundwater modeling?Hydrogeology Journal 15, 5–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , and (2008) Splitting up remotely sensed maps of evapotranspiration into maps of evaporation and transpiration. Water Resour Res, 44 W08428, doi:10.1029/2007WR006063.Google Scholar
(2007) Climate Change Affecting the Okavango Delta. Diploma Thesis, July 2007; ETH, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Institute of Environmental Engineering (IfU). http://e-collection.ethbib.ethz.ch/show?type=dipl&nr=338. Cited 27 November 2007.Google Scholar
and (1973) Recursos em terras com aptidão para o regadio da bacia do Cubango, Série Técnica, no. 33, Instituto de Investigação Agronómica de Angola, Nova Lisboa, Angola, 1973 (in Portuguese).Google Scholar
, and (2001) Study on the pattern of water resources utililzation and environmental conservation of Yanqi Basin. In Development, Planning and Management of Surface and Groundwater Resources, ed. , 333–340. IAHR Congress proceedings. Tsinghua University Press, Beijing, China.Google Scholar
(2006) Food and Agriculture Statistics Global Outlook. http://faostat.fao.org/Portals/_Faostat/documents/pdf/world.pdf. Statistics Division of the FAO.
, and (2004) Joint estimation of transmissivities and recharges – application: stochastic characterization of well capture zones. Journal of Hydrology 294, 87–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and (2008) Equally likely inverse solutions of a groundwater flow problem including pattern information from remote sensing images. Water Resour. Res. doi: 10.1029/2007WR006097.CrossRef
(1993) Water in Crisis: A Guide to the World's Fresh Water Resources. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
(2007) Okavango Delta Management Plan Project: Draft Final Okavango Delta Management Plan. Department of Environmental Affairs, Gaborone, Botswana.
, , and (1997) Objectively determined 10-day African rainfall estimates created for famine early warning systems. Int. J. Rem. Sens. 18, 2147–2159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2000) Salinity management for sustainable irrigation: integrating science. Environment and Economics. World Bank.Google Scholar
, and (1995) Salinisation of Land and Water Resources: Human Causes, Extent and Management. CAB International.Google Scholar
, , and (2006) Can irrigation be sustainable?Agricultural Water Management 80, 87–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , and (2009) Calibration of a groundwater model using pattern information from remote sensing data. Journal of Hydrology, 377(1–2), 120–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2006) Modeling and managing the interactions between hydrology, ecology and economics. J. Hydrol. 328, 408–416.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2005) Enclave tourism and its socio-economic impacts in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Tour. Manag. 26, 157–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2006) Groundwater in the wetlands of the Okavango delta and its contribution to the structure and function of the ecosystem. J. Hydrol. 320, 264–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , and (2009) The role of remote sensing in hydrological modelling of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. J. Environ. Manag. 90(7), 2252–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
, , (2010) Estimating future ecoregion distributions within the Okavango Delta Wetlands based on hydrological simulations and future climate and development scenarios. Journal of Hydrology 381(1–2), 89–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2004) Can the desert bloom? Lessons learned from the Israeli case. Ground Water 42, 651–657.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(1989) The common property aquifer as a differential game. Water Resour. Res. 25, 9–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2003) The North West Sahara Aquifer System: Joint Management of a Transborder Basin. Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel.
, and (1994) Sustainability of conjunctive water-use for salinity control in irrigation areas – theory and application to the Shepparton Region, Australia. Irrigation Science 14, 177–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , et al. (2006) Species diversity of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Aquat. Sci. 68, 310–337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2000) S-SEBI: A simple remote sensing algorithm to estimate the surface energy balance. Phys. Chem. Earth (B) 25, 147–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (1994) Direct anthropogenic contributions to sea-level rise in the 20th century. Nature 367(6458), 54–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (1993). Derivation of actual evapotranspiration in the Senegalese Sahel, using NOAA-AVHRR data during the 1987 growing-season. Remote Sensing of Environment 46(2), 164–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2003) Wetlands management. In Water Resources and Environment, ed. Technical Note G.3. Washingtonhttp://iucn.org/places/medoffice/cdflow/conten/5/pdf/5/3-International-Guid/World-Bank-ENG/Waterbody-Management/NoteG3Waterbody.pdf, The World Bank.Google Scholar
(2004) Optimal Utilization of a Non-Renewable Transboundary Groundwater Resource – Methodology, Case Study and Policy Implications. PhD Thesis, http://e-collection.ethbib.ethz.ch/show?type=diss&nr=15635, Zurich, Switzerland.Google Scholar
and (2006) A multiobjective discrete stochastic optimization approach to shared aquifer management: methodology and application. Water Resour. Res. 42(2).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2006) World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision and World Urbanization Prospects: The 2005 Revision, Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, http://esa.un.org/unpp.
(1971) Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Ramsar (Iran), 2 February 1971. UN Treaty Series No. 14583. As amended by the Paris Protocol, 3 December 1982, and Regina Amendments, 28 May 1987.
, , , and (2007) Salinization of groundwater in the Nefzawa oases region, Tunisia: Results of a regional-scale hydrogeologic approach. Hydrogeology Journal doi 10.1007/s10040–007–0185-x.
- 4
- Cited by