Water Resources of Saudi Arabia Resources of Saudi Arabia 1
Water Resources of Saudi Arabia Water Supply in KSA Surface water (48-10%) Groundwater (49-80% @ 70m- 1000m depth) Desalinated water (3-6%) Reclaimed water (0-5%) MCM 22000 20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 20100 16000 16000 12000 12300 8830 9000 6480 2362 1850 1926 1800 1800 1145 1154 1190 1300 400 739 710 1000 63 0 100 335 1980 1985 1990 2000 2010 Surface water Groundwater Desalinated water Reclaimed water Total Year Resources of Saudi Arabia 2
Water Demands in Saudi Arabia Water demand in KSA 22000 Domestic and industrial uses (15-21%) Agricultural uses (79-85%) MCM 20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 8830 12300 7430 16000 10600 20000 13500 17000 Domestic & Industrial Agricultural Total 4000 2000 2362 5021860 1400 1700 2500 3000 0 1980 1985 1990 2000 2010 Year Resources of Saudi Arabia 3
Problems Associated with Water Demands Increasing number of private & farming wells (26,000 in 1982 85,000 in 1997???) Uncontrolled pumping (sharp drop in water levels) (Sea water intrusion in eastern province and dryness of natural springs in the eastern, central and western provinces) Water quality deterioration (high TDS levels) Uncontrolled agricultural practices (Around 88% of water resources are used by agriculture out of which only 30% is really needed!! This means that about 62% of the total water resources are lost!!!) Over-irrigation increases soil salinity (sabkhanization) Leakage from water supply systems (About 20% of water leaks from domestic water supply systems) Resources of Saudi Arabia 4
Surface Water Average annual precipitation 90-500(SW)mm 20-80% of precipitated water evaporates to the atmosphere 200 dams were constructed allover KSA Largest dams in KSA Jezan dam sores 51 mcm of water Najran dam stores 86 mcm of water Dams: Prevent flush floods Recharge alluvial (unconfined) aquifers Agricultural uses Resources of Saudi Arabia 5
Desalinated Water Started in 1970 Average desalination cost is SR 4.00 per cubic meter 21 plants in the western province 6 plants in the eastern province Operation modes 76% of plants are operated by multistage flash systems 24% of plants are operated by reverse osmosis technology Resources of Saudi Arabia 6
Groundwater &Regional Geology of KSA Resources of Saudi Arabia 7
Regional Geology of KSA 36 o 40 o 44 o 48 o 52 o 56 o 60 o 30 o 26 o 22 o 18 o 14 o J o r d a n Turaif A Tabuk R E D S E A Wadi as Sarhan Al Jauf A B D Hail A SAUDI ARABIA Y E M E N B C RIYADH E F B C C A Arabian Gulf H Qatar G D I R A N A GULF OF OMAN OMAN A R A B I A N S E A 0 100 200 300 400 500 Km. 0 50 100 200 300 400 500 Miles. B B EXPLANATION STABLE REGION ARABIAN SHIELD A. Western Arabian shield B. Yemen-Adan Plateau C. Southern Arabian Shield ARABIAN SHELF A. Tabuk Segment B. Ha il Arch C. Northern Tuwayq Segment D. Widyan Basin Margin E. Central Arabian Arch F. Southern Tuwayq Segment G. Hadramawt Segment H. Hadarmawt Plateau Interior Platform Basins A. Sirhan-Turayf Basin B. Dibdibba Basin C. Northern Persian Gulf Basin D. Rub al Khali Basin MOBILE BELT Mountains A. Zagros Mountains B. Oman Mountains Forelands A. Zagros Mountains Foreland B. Oman Mountains Foreland Haqf-Haushi Swell Resources of Saudi Arabia 8
SW-NE Cross-section of KSA E W TIHAMA Red Sea ASIR Lava flows AD DAHNA W E BASEMENT COMPLEX IGNEOUS and METAMORPHIC SAQ TABUK JAWF MINJUR, JILH ARUMA DAMMAM WASIA BIYADH NEOGENE UMM ER RADHUMA GHAWAR anticline?? AL HUFUF AL QATIF BAHRAIN A. GULF Probable fault Groundwater discharge to surface Sabkha (groundwater evaporation) Infiltration / Recharge Flow lines Depleted aquifers Fresh groundwater Saline groundwater Resources of Saudi Arabia 9
PRINCIPAL AQUIFERS in KSA Resources of Saudi Arabia 10
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Proven reserves= 30,000 mcm Resources of Saudi Arabia 12
Proven reserves= 65,000 mcm Resources of Saudi Arabia 13
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Proven reserves= 17,500 mcm Resources of Saudi Arabia 15
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Proven reserves= 120,000 mcm Resources of Saudi Arabia 17
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Proven reserves= 16,000 mcm Resources of Saudi Arabia 19
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Proven reserves= 5,000 mcm Resources of Saudi Arabia 21
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SECONDARY AQUIFERS in KSA Resources of Saudi Arabia 24
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Age Formation Member Lithology Hydrogeologic Unit Quaternary and Recent MIOCENE and PLIOCENE EOCENE Surficial Deposits Gravel, Sand and Silt Aquifer with variable productivity Kharj Limestone, gypsum and granels Aquifer Hofuf Sandy marl and Sandy limestone Aquifer Dam Marl and Shale Aquitard Hadhrukh Silty Sandstone Aquifer Limestone Aquifer Alat Marl Aquitard Khobar Limestone Aquifer Dammam Alveolina Limestone Limestone Saila Shale Shale Aquitard Midra Shale Shale RUS Marl, chalky limestone, gypsum PALEOCENE Umm Er Radhuma Limestone, Dolomitic limestone Aquifer Aruma Shales, Limestone Aquifer (poor) Wasia Sakaka (in North - Sansdstone Aquifer CRETACEOUS Western region Biyadh Sandstone Aquifer Buwaib Biogenic calcarenite, limestone Yamam Biogenic-pellet calcarenite Aquitard Sulay Chalky aphanitic limestone Aquifer (Local) Hith Anhydrite Aquitard Arab Calcarenite, Aphanitic limestone to poor Aquifer Jubaila Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite (locally) Hanifa Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite Aquifer (locally) JURASSIC Tuwaiq Mountain Aphanitic Limestone Aquitard Dhruma Aphanitic limestone and sandstone Aquifer Marrat Shales and aphanitic limestone Aquitard Minjur Sandstone Aquifer TRIASSIC Jilh Sandstone, aphanitic limestone Poor Aquifer Sudair Shales (red and green) Aquitard PERMIAN Khuf Limestone, dolomites Aquifer CARBONIFEROUS Unyzah (FAW) Sandstone Poor Aquifer Berwath Argillaceous Sandstone Aquifer DEVONIAN Jauf Upper Limestone Aquifer Shaibah Shale and sandstone Aquitard Tawil Sandstone Aquifer SILURIAN Qusaibah Shale Aquitard Middle Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer Tabuk Ra an Shale Aquitard ORDOVICIAN Lower Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer Hanadir Shale Aquitard Saq - Wajid Sandstone Aquifer CAMBRIAN PRE-CAMBRIAN Basement Complex Figure 1 Lithostratigraphic Succession and Hydrogeologic Units in Saudi Arabia (Modified after Powers et. al 1966; MAW, 1984; and Edgell, 1997) Resources of Saudi Arabia 32
Age Formation Member Lithology Hydrogeologic Unit Surficial Deposits Gravel, Sand and Silt Aquifer with variable productivity Kharj Limestone, gypsum and granels Aquifer Hofuf Sandy marl and Sandy limestone Aquifer Quaternary and Recent MIOCENE and PLIOCENE EOCENE Dam Marl and Shale Aquitard Hadhrukh Silty Sandstone Aquifer Alat Limestone Aquifer Marl Aquitard Dammam Khobar Limestone Aquifer Alveolina Limestone Limestone Saila Shale Shale Aquitard Midra Shale Shale RUS Marl, chalky limestone, gypsum PALEOCENE Umm Er Radhuma Limestone, Dolomitic limestone Aquifer Lithostratigraphic succession and hydrogeologic units in Saudi Arabia (modified after Powers et al. 1966, MAW 1984, Edgell 1997), Contd. Resources of Saudi Arabia 33
CRETACEOUS JURASSIC Aruma Shales, Limestone Aquifer (poor) Wasia Sakaka (in North - Sansdstone Western region Aquifer Biyadh Sandstone Aquifer Buwaib Biogenic calcarenite, limestone Yamama Biogenic-pellet calcarenite Aquitard Sulay Chalky aphanitic limestone Aquifer (Local) Hith Anhydrite Aquitard Arab Calcarenite, Aphanitic limestone to poor Aquifer Jubaila Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite (locally) Hanifa Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite Aquifer (locally) Tuwaiq Mountain Aphanitic Limestone Aquitard Dhruma Aphanitic limestone and sandstone Aquifer Marrat Shales and aphanitic limestone Aquitard Lithostratigraphic succession and hydrogeologic units in Saudi Arabia (modified after Powers et. al 1966, MAW 1984, Edgell 1997) Contd. Resources of Saudi Arabia 34
TRIASSIC Minjur Sandstone Aquifer Jilh Sandstone, aphanitic limestone Poor Aquifer Sudair Shales (red and green) Aquitard PERMIAN Khuf Limestone, dolomites Aquifer CARBONIFEROUS DEVONIAN SILURIAN ORDOVICIAN CAMBRIAN Unyzah (FAW) Sandstone Poor Aquifer Berwath Argillaceous Sandstone Aquifer Jauf Upper Limestone Aquifer Shaibah Shale and sandstone Aquitard Tawil Sandstone Aquifer Qusaibah Shale Aquitard Tabuk Middle Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer Ra an Shale Aquitard Lower Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer Hanadir Shale Aquitard Saq - Wajid Sandstone Aquifer PRE-CAMBRIAN Basement Complex Lithostratigraphic succession and hydrogeologic units in Saudi Arabia (modified after Powers et. al 1966, MAW 1984, Edgell 1997) Resources of Saudi Arabia 35