R. Klingbeil, 2017. Water Resources in the Middle East and North Africa – Challenges and Way Forward

Water Resources in the
Middle East and North Africa –
Challenges and Way Forward
Dr. Ralf Klingbeil
Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR)
Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
Hannover, Germany
Presentation as part of the
Module ”International Water Issues“
Master Program Hydro Science & Engineering
TU Dresden, 18 April 2017

Middle East North Africa (MENA)
Arab / UN ESCWA Region
• 22 Arab
countries
• 18 UN ESCWA
member states
• Sub-regions
• Maghreb
• Mashreq
• GCC
• … plus
TU Dresden, Hydro Science & Engineering,
International Water Issues www.unescwa.org
Slide 218 April 2017

International Water Issues
Slide 3
Arab & World Water
Day, 03 & 20 Mar 2015:
Falaj Al-Khatmeen and
Falaj Dares, Oman
18 April 2017

Opening Quotes
“Arabs are already in the heart of the water
catastrophe.”
“Any delay in a serious response to the water
challenge corresponds to mass suicide. The water
apocalypse is knocking on Arab doors, right now.”
Najib Saab, Secretary General
Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED)
12 June 2010

Overview
• Many Dimensions of Water
• Governance - Demographics - Food - Energy - Water - Land
• Regional Conditions
• Water Resources and Uses
• Water and Social Justice
• Transboundary Water and Cooperation
• Outlook

World Economic Forum 2016
Global Risks of Highest Concern
2016
WEF,2016.Whatarethetopglobalrisksfor2016?
14Jan2016,http://reports.weforum.org/global-risks-2016.

World Economic Forum 2017
Global Risks Landscape 2017:
Impact vs. Likelihood
WEF,2017.TheGlobalRisksReport2017.WorldEconomic
ForumGlobalRisksPerceptionSurvey2016.11Jan2017,
https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-risks-report-2017.

Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), Jan 2017
Schmidt (BMEL): “Food security is not
possible without water!”
http://www.bmel.de/EN/Agriculture/Global-Food-Situation-
FAO/_Texte/GFFA-2017.html
BMEL:
„Agriculture is faced with
the task of producing more
food with less water “
GFFA Communiqué:
Four central challenges:
• reducing the risks of
water scarcity,
• curbing water pollution,
• managing surplus water,
and
• safeguarding adequate
access of agriculture to
water.

The World Bank
Companies Constraint by Corruption
TheWorldBank,2016.EnterpriseSurveys,
www.enterprisesurveys.org.
1 in 3 Companies Constrained by Corruption, MENA: 1 in 2
Percent of firms identifying corruption as a major constraint
Percent of firms expected to give gifts to get a water connection

Arab Science and Technology
“Arab world’s path to
progress goes through science”
• R&D as % of GDP
• Egypt: 0.4
South Korea: 4.0
• Researchers per million people
• Arab region: 371
World: 1,081
• Sudan: 19
Bahrain: 50
Oman: 137
…
Egypt: 581
Morocco: 864
Tunisia: 1,394
• Scientific and technical articles:
• Arab region:
1.3% of journal entries published
• Patent applications:
• Arab region: 0.1% at US Patent and
Trademark Office (2013)
• Disconnect between businesses
and R&D community
• Egypt: only 5% of R&D from
private sector
• Gender
• Female university students: > 50%,
Female researchers: only 37% of
researchers
www.thearabweekly.com,04March2016

Credit: Nicholas Clive Marcroft
Let’s talk about water …

Availability, Uses,
Challenges
• Resources per capita
• Non-renewable (ground) water
• Droughts
• Opportunities
Inamo,20001.

Regional Water Overview - Water Availability and Demand
MENA - The Many Dimensions of Water
Governance
Demographics
Food
Water
& Land
Energy

Actual Renewable Freshwater Resources
per Capita by Region
FAOAQUASTAT,WB2007

Percent of Total Renewable Water
Resources Withdrawn, by Region
FAOAQUASTAT,WB2007

Total Renewable Water per Person
in ESCWA Region
ESCWA,2009
Extreme Water Scarcity
Water Scarcity
Water Stress

Total Actual Renewable Water
Resources per Capita in MENA
FAOAQUASTAT,WB2007
Water Stress
Water Scarcity
Extreme Water Scarcity

Sources of Water
ICBA,Barghouti,2009

Access to Water and Sanitation
Inequalities Between Urban and Rural Areas
Inequalities Between Different Countries
UNESCWA,2014.SocialJusticeinthePoliciesofArabStates.
0 20 40 60 80 100
Regional
Iraq
Morocco
Somalia
Yemen
Water
Urban
Rural
0 20 40 60 80 100
Regional
Djibouti
Mauretania
Morocco
Somalia
The Sudan
Yemen
Sanitation
Urban
Rural
• Direct negative impacts esp. on women and children;
increasing gender-related social injustice in rural communities

Scarcity and Drought - Iraq
Displacement due to Drought
Water Needs 2008 - 2010
IOM,July2010

Scarcity and Drought - Syria
Scarcity of water and groundwater – or
scarcity of adequate water governance?
Triggers for migration / displacement:
• Drought, physical scarcity,
• Economic scarcity,
inappropriate governance, …
Left:irinnews.org,2009.Syria’sdrought-affectedprovincesasof
Aug2009,right:Evans,J.P.,2009.21stCenturyClimateChange
intheMiddleEast.

Scarcity and Drought - Syria
Scarcity of water and groundwater – or
scarcity of adequate water governance?
Triggers and drivers for migration and displacement:
• Environmental drivers:
Physical water scarcity due to long period of drought,
possibly related to longer term changes of hydrological
patterns as a result / impact of climate change
• Economic drivers:
Limited employment opportunities, macro-economic policies,
neo-liberal deregulatory plans, decrease in oil production,
i.e. state revenues, cutting fuel subsidies in May 2008
• Socio-political and demographic drivers:
‘loyalty for patronage’, no real improvement of services,
changes in land ownership regulations, youth buldge,
Iraqi refugees, Syrian returnees from Lebanon
Voskoboynik,2016.No,ClimateChangedidnot“cause”theSyrian
war.PULSE.
Fröhlich2016.ClimateMigrantsasProtestors?Dispelling
MisconceptionsaboutGlobalEnvironmentalChangeinPre-
RevolutionarySyria.ContemporaryLevant,1,1,38-50.

Scarcity and Drought - Lebanon
2014 - One drought comes rarely alone
bg:MEW,2014.NationalWaterConservationCampaign,Lebanon,
fg:TuTiempo.net,2016.http://en.tutiempo.net/climate/ws-401000.html..
2003-2004
2007-2008
2013-2014

Scarcity and Drought - Lebanon
2014 drought impacted on
groundwater and spring discharges
Margane,BGR,2014.

Water and scarcity in the MENA Region
Three Levels of (Water) Scarcity
TheWorldBank,2007.MakingtheMostofScarcity.

Lebanon
Groundwater Recharge:
Rain and Snow in Mountains

Lebanon
Where / How
Does Recharge Take Place ?
PartlyfromMargane,BGR,2013.

Lebanon
Average precipitation related to
snow water equivalent for 2008 to 2012
MEW,UNDP,2014.AssessmentofGroundwaterResourcesofLebanon.

Lebanon
Research Questions on
Recharge Mechanisms
• What are the exact recharge mechanisms for the
most important groundwater discharges, i.e.
springs?
• Where, when and how much snow is necessary to
sustain long term average discharge in most
important springs?

Water Quality - Gaza / Palestine, Batinah / Oman
Saline Water Intrusion
Sanitation / Agricultural Return Flows
PWA,2013andZekri,2015,afterAl-Barwani&Helmi,2006.

Technical solutions / approaches
Managed Aquifer Recharge
Aquifer Storage and Recovery
• The purposeful recharge of water to suitable
aquifers under controlled conditions for
subsequent recovery or environmental benefit
UNESCO,2005.

Subsurface Solutions
Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Areas
Overexploitation
of freshwater
lenses
Upconing
of brackish/
saline water
Low efficiency
of conventional
ASR systems
Modified after KWR (2015)

SubSol Project
Modified after KWR (2015)
ASR Coastal
ASR with partially
penetrating wells
Freshkeeper
Well configurations to
prevent upconing
Freshmaker
Management of
freshwater lenses

Freshmaker - Concept
2 horizontal directional drilled wells (HDDW) –
shallow and deep
Injection phase
Freshwater injection in shallow HDDW1
Saltwater abstraction in deep HDDW2
Abstraction phase
Freshwater abstraction in shallow HDDW1
Saltwater abstraction in deep HDDW2
 Increase thickness of the freshwater lense;
prevent upconing during abstraction

ASR Coastal - Concept
Infiltration, storage and recovery of
freshwater using multiple partially
penetrating wells (MPPW) to deal with
buoyancy effects
Injection phase
Freshwater injection in deeper wells
Abstraction phase
Option 1: Freshwater abstraction in
shallow wells
Option 2: Additional brackish water
abstraction in deeper wells; RO treatment

Freshkeeper - Concept
The freshwater wells inland
are protected by interception
of the intruding seawater.
The intercepted water is
desalinated with reverse
osmosis (RO)
The membrane concentrate is
disposed to the underlying
saline aquifer
Raat et al. (2015)

Agriculture and
Water
• Irrigated agriculture:
Where and for what?
• Economic considerations
• Food losses and wastage
Inamo,20001.

Agriculture Contributions to GDP
GDP Shares in MENA Region
ICBA,Barghouti,2009.

Water and food in the MENA Region
Irrigated Agriculture, Saudi Arabia
FAOAQUASTAT,2008.

Non-Renewable Groundwater - Food Production
Agricultural Groundwater Use, Saudi Arabia
1991
2000
2012

Wheat Production, Consumption, and Trade,
1983-2019, Saudi Arabia
GeoEconomica,2011.SaudiArabia’sFood
Diplomacy:SearchingforFertileGround.

Accumulated 30 yrs GW Abstractions
1975 - 2004 per Region, Saudi Arabia
WaterWatch,2006

Non-Renewable Groundwater
Challenges with “Sustainable Use”
•Clear
improvement
of human well-
being and
livelihood
•An “exit
strategy” as
the aquifer is
depleted
•Incorporation
of inter-
generational
equity into its
development
•Balance
between short-
term benefits
and long-term
costs
After:Foster,S.etal.,2003.UtilizationofNon-Renewable
Groundwater.GW-Mate.
we are here, but
where are we going
next?

Water and food
Food Losses - Food Wastage: Water Losses
BCFN,2013.FoodWaste:Causes,ImpactsandProposals.

Water and food
Total Water Footprint, GB
BCFN,2013.FoodWaste:Causes,ImpactsandProposals.
X million m3

Water and food
MENA Region: Qatar
Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA):
“(...) more than half of the
municipal waste generated (...)
contains discarded food.”
The Peninsula, 05 Jun 2013
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/240072-massive-amount-of-food-wa

Transboundary
Water Resources
• Legal development
• Knowledge base
• UN ESCWA - BGR Inventory of Shared
Water Resources in Western Asia (2013)
• Transboundary Cooperation
Inamo,20001.

Shared Groundwater - Transboundary Aquifers
Schematic Diagram of Shared Aquifer
RedrawnbyUNESCWA-BGR,2013,
basedonPuriandArnold2002.

Legal Instruments: Global and Regional
1966 Helsinki
Rules
1997 UN Watercourse
Convention
...
2014 UNWC Entry
into Force
2008 UN GA
Law of TBAs
2011 1st UN
GA Review
2013 2nd UN
GA Review
2016 3rd UN
GA Review
1992 UN ECE
Water Convention
1999 Protocol on
Water and Health
2003 UN ECE
Amendment
1998 SADC Water
Protocol
2000 SADC Revised
Water Protocol
2000 EU
WFD
2006 EU
GW Dir
2010 AMWC Res
for Drafting AWC
Annual AMWC
Reviews

Challenges for Cooperation on
Transboundary Water Resources
Klingbeil&Al-Hamdi,2010.
Historic and Prior Use
Renewable vs. Non-renewable
Groundwater
Differences between Recharge
and Use / Abstraction Areas
Spatial Extent of Surface and
Groundwater Catchments
Aquifer Management Units ≠
Entire Aquifer / Aquifer System

Shared Water Resources
www.waterinventory.org

Inventory of
Shared Water Resources in Western Asia
Euphrates River – Syrian Arab Republic
The Inventory is…
the first UN-led effort to take
stock of the region’s shared
surface and groundwater
resources in a comprehensive,
systematic and standardized
manner.
Key Themes:
• Hydrology, hydrogeology
• Water resources development
and use
• Agreements and cross-border
management efforts
Objectives:
• Identify and document the state
of shared water resources and
their use
• Improve the knowledge base
and facilitate information
access
• Create awareness and
stimulate informed dialogue
within and between riparian
countries
• Support regional processes
towards improved dialogue and
cooperation over shared water
resources

Inventory of Shared Water Resources in
Western Asia - Overview
• A total of 22 shared aquifer
systems and 6 shared river basins
were identified.
• 9 chapters on shared surface
waters and 17 chapters on
shared aquifer systems, each
following a standardized
structure and methodology.
• 624 pages of detailed
information with 60 new maps
and over 200 figures, tables and
boxes.

Inventory of Shared Water Resources
in Western Asia

Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia
Saq Ram Aquifer System (West)
Example:
Saq-Ram Aquifer System (West)
‘Disi’ Aquifer
• approximate exploitability
• groundwater development

Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia
Saq Ram Aquifer System (West)
Example:
Water Use
Remote
Sensing
Studies
Agricultural
Statistics

Inventory of

Inventory of
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
contact:
waterinventory@un.org
United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
P.O. Box 11-8575
Beirut, Lebanon

Shared Water Resources - Transboundary Cooperation
Track 2 - Research Cooperation:
Kuwait and Neighbours
• Neogene Aquifer System (South-East):
Dibdibba - Kuwait Group, Dibdibba Delta
• Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
(KISR) research project based on
ESCWA - BGR Inventory
• Process:
• KISR / ESCWA Workshop Shared Groundwater
Aquifers in GCC Countries, April 2014,
• Support and technical inputs for research
proposal on shared groundwater aquifers
between Kuwait and neighbouring countries,
2014 - 2015,
• Research proposal submitted and under review

Track 2 - Research Cooperation:
Oman and UAE
Sultan Qaboos University, Oman and
United Arab Emirates University, UAE
• Many years of joint research
projects between SQU and UAEU,
• Funding shared 50%/50%,
• Research objectives:
• Origin of shallow & deep groundwater
along Oman - UAE border,
• Age structure of deep & shallow groundwater,
• Simulate groundwater flow in basin, construct
water balance for basin, estimate safe yields,
• Estimation of economic return from water uses
for both parties sharing the resource

Track 1 – Intergov. Cooperation:
Jordan River Basin Dialogue
• 2013 Request from Palestinian Water Authority (PWA),
based on ESCWA - BGR Inventory
• UN ESCWA facilitated 1st official Jordan river riparian
dialogue between Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine,
Amman, April 2014
• Addressed themes: Hydrology and hydrogeology,
historic development of water use and options for
further riparian cooperation

Water, Energy and Food in the MENA Region
Groundwater between
Jordan and Saudi Arabia
Energy for Water:
Saq-Ram Aquifer System
• Exploitable area
• Irrigation areas
• Energy use for
groundwater pumping
UNESCWA,2016.

Summary - Outlook
• Social justice -
Inter-generational justice
• Ecological sustainable use of
renewable water resources
• Socio-economic best benefits from
non-renewable water resources
• Better sector-governance – water integrity
• Transboundary cooperation
• Sustainable water management:
Essential for improved socio-economic
development perspectives

Arab Transformations
Yesterday! – Today. – Tomorrow?
Woertz,E.,2013.OilforFood.

R. Klingbeil, 2017. Water Resources in the Middle East and North Africa – Challenges and Way Forward

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