MEDA DATABASE ON TRANSBOUNBDARY AQUIFERS Version 2.1 23/08/07
(ESCWA-UNESCO-UNECA-UNECE)
QUESTIONNAIRE ON TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS IN THE MEDA REGION
Please complete using Word document format.
Please complete a separate questionnaire for each aquifer
Please return by e-mail to: al-mooji@un.org and R.Stephan@unesco.org with copies to: iganouli@civil.auth.gr and a.aureli@unesco.org, by 31st August 2007.
1. NAME OF THE TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFER, LOCATION & COUNTRIES
Please give the name(s) or other identification property of the shared aquifer, its approximate location (province, department) and say which countries share it.
Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, located in North East Africa, and shared between Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Chad
2. AQUIFER CHARACTERISTICS
2. 1 Please look at the four simplified pictures below and indicate which of them most closely characterises your transboundary aquifer. If none, please provide a conceptual sketch of your transboundary aquifer in the blank box below.
Please tick: Example 1 2 3 4 5
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2.2 General Characteristics
Aquifer hydrogeological type porous karstic fissured rock other
Predominant lithology...............................................Sandstone...................................................……….
Stratigraphic age……… Nubian (including Paleozoic and Mezosoic) and Post Nubian (including the Tertiary continental deposits in Libya and the Tertiary Carbonate rocks in Egypt) …………………………………………………….
Areal extent (km2)........ 2.2 million.............Population resident in this area and main occupation………………
Thickness: mean (m)............. maximum (m)...............
Shared international boundary length (km)……………………………
Dominant groundwater flow direction (Natural Flow Direction): from South West to North East
Link with surface water systems: strong medium weak
2.3 Map
Please provide a clear map of the transboundary aquifer, including aquifer boundaries and geographical coordinates. The map should preferably be supplied as a GIS-file
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2.4 Hydrogeological Characteristics and Groundwater Use
Rainfall: average annual and seasonal distribution It varies from 0-50mm in the north, to 50-300 in the southern part ……………………………………
Recharge / discharge area…Discharge areas in the development areas and oases…………………………..
Level changes (m/yr) – natural, induced by pumping, or other reasons…1-2 m decline in head per year……………………
Total available non- renewable groundwater reserves (Mm3/yr): Total non-renewable reserve 15000 km3 total (not annaul)……………………
Total available annually renewable groundwater resources (Mm3/yr):…………N/A………
Total groundwater abstractions (Mm3/yr) (estimated where not measured) ………2 Bm3/yr………………
Flow in/out across national boundary (Mm3/yr)……………N/A………………….
Groundwater flow direction and gradient across boundary…from south west to north east / Natural Hydraulic Gradient = 0.5 m/km………………………………..
Water uses (total, by sector, principal uses, current - estimated and future - projected)………………………….
Deficits and other resource concerns (e.g. quality, extremes, environmental degradation, interactions with surface water bodies / other aquifers)…………Depletion of non-renewable groundwater resources
3. MONITORING DATA
Please note that stakeholders should comply with the WMO Resolution 25 on international exchange of hydrological and related data. (http://www.wmo.ch/index-en.html). If appropriate insert Excel tables into the Word document in order to provide information and available data on quantity, quality and accessibility, including:
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Proposed regional monitoring network including existing obs. points and proposed ones
· Observation networks
· Maps, with available scales, GIS and remote sensing imagery
· Type of data and monitoring equipment
· Data archives and their adequacy
· Institutions in charge
· Research centres
3.1 Quantity
· No. of monitoring stations
· Frequency of measurements
· Water levels
· Additional information
3.2 Quality
· No. of monitoring sites
· Frequency of measurements
· Nitrogen compounds
· Salinity and major ions
· Heavy metals
· Pesticides
· Industrial organic compounds
4. IMPORTANCE OF TRANSBOUNDARY GROUNDWATERS
Uses and Functions
Does the groundwater in this transboundary aquifer have direct uses and/or other functions?
No Why not? Irrelevant groundwater resource
Problems with groundwater
(if yes, indicate these in section 5)
or:
Yes Uses Shared Aquifer Groundwater as % of total water use in the area
Total Shared Groundwater as % of total water use
Total Groundwater as % of total water use
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Other functions Support of ecosystems
Support of agriculture
(directly from shallow water table)
Preventing land subsidence
Maintaining baseflow and springs
Seasonal heatstorage
Any other function
(please specify) Drinking water
Groundwater abstraction and use in the aquifer
Indicate in the table the percentage of total groundwater abstraction accounted for by each use
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Type of use |
Percentage |
If you do not know the exact percentage, than mark one of the following options |
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< 25 % |
25 – 50 % |
50 – 75 % |
> 75 % |
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Drinking water |
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X |
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Irrigation |
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X |
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Industry |
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Mining |
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Thermal spa |
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Livestock |
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Other (please specify) |
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Please indicate the year to which these figures apply..2000..............
5. WHICH PROBLEMS ARE OBSERVED IN TRANSBOUNDARY GROUNDWATERS?
5.1 Problems related to groundwater quantity
a) Specify if possible the average trend of groundwater level decline (m/year) .1m/yr.................
b) Indicate in the table the type and scale of problem associated with groundwater abstraction from the aquifer
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Problem |
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1. Local and moderate |
2. Local but severe |
3. Widespread but moderate |
4. Widespread and severe |
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Increased pumping lifts or costs |
X |
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Reduction of borehole yields |
X |
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Reduced baseflow and springflow |
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X |
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Degradation of ecosystems |
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Sea water intrusion |
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X |
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Salt water upconing/downconing |
X |
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Polluted water drawn into aquifer |
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Land subsidence |
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Other (please specify) |
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5.2 Problems related to groundwater quality
Indicate in the table the type, nature and scale of groundwater quality problems in the aquifer
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Problem |
Nature of problem |
Typical range of concentrations |
Scale, using classes 1-4 from table above |
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Natural origins |
From human activities |
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Salinisation |
X |
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high |
2 |
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Nitrogen species |
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Pesticides |
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Heavy metals |
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Pathogens |
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Industrial organic compounds |
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Hydrocarbons |
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Other (please specify) |
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5.3 Evidence for transboundary effects
a) Do you observe any decline of groundwater levels (or piezometric levels) caused or probably caused by activities in neighbouring countries?
Yes No
b) Do you observe any groundwater pollution caused or probably caused by activities in neighbouring countries?
Yes No
6. TRANSBOUNDARY MANAGEMENT MEASURES
Indicate in the table which measures are presently being implemented or need to be applied
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Management Measures |
Already used and effective |
Used, but Need to be improved |
Need to be applied |
Currently planned |
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Transboundary institutions (commissions, agreements, treaties, etc.) |
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X |
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Groundwater abstraction management by regulation (licensing, taxation) |
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X |
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Groundwater abstraction management by incentives or disincentives (subsidies, credits, energy prices, energy supply, etc.) |
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X |
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Increasing efficiency of groundwater use |
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X |
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Monitoring of groundwater quantity |
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X |
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Monitoring of groundwater quality |
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X |
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Public awareness campaigns |
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X |
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Protection zones for public supplies |
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Vulnerability mapping for land use planning |
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Good agricultural practices |
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X |
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Groundwater integrated into river basin management |
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Wastewater reuse or artificial recharge |
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Treatment of urban wastewater |
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Treatment of industrial effluents |
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Exchange of data between countries |
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X |
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Other (please specify) |
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7. POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE PROPERTIES
- Does your country have domestic legislation on water resources ? In particular, does this legislation include a part on groundwater resources, or is there a separate groundwater legislation? Could you give an indication of the main provisions concerning groundwater, such as abstraction, licensing, pollution prevention zoning mechanisms etc.
Enforcement is needed
- What is the governmental institutional set-up for water management in your country, at national and sub-national level? (Give full name of institution(s), and a brief description of the relevant internal structure and mandate). Is there any specific government institution for groundwater management?
In Egypt, the Ministry of water resources and Irrigation. The groundwater Sector is one of the sectors of the ministry and is responsible of groundwater management.
In Libya, the General Water Authority, and is directly responsible of groundwater management.
In Sudan, the Ministry of water resources and irrigation. The groundwater and wadis directorate is responsible of groundwater management.
In Chad, the minsitry of water resources and irrigation. Direction de L’hydraulic et de L’Assainissement is responsible of groundwater management
- Are there any arrangements or agreements with your neighboring States regarding the transboundary aquifers ? Is there any form of cooperation with the neighboring States on the transboundary aquifers?
There is an agreement for establishing the “Joint Authority for the study and development of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer”, which was established in 1992.
There are also agreements signed under the umbrella of “the regional programme for the development of a regional strategy for the utlization of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System” which was executed by CEDARE, for monitoring and exchange of information.
8. NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS OF PERSON(S) COMPLETING THIS FORM:
Name……Amr Abdel-Megeed……………………………………………………………………
Institution…CEDARE………………………………………………………………………
Address……2 el-Hegaz street, Heliopolis , Cairo, Egypt………………………
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Tel…202-24513921..Fax:202-24513918…………
E-mail……………………amegeed@cedare.int