assessment of artificial groundwater recharge in some...
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Assessment of Artificial Groundwater Recharge in Some
Wadies in UAE by using Isotope Hydrology
Techniques
Presented by :Ahmed Saif Al Matri
Head , Water Resources SectionMinistry of Environment & Water U.A.E
Prepared for :
The 8th Gulf Water Conference
Manama – Bahrain
3 – 6 March 2008
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Location map of the United Arab Emirates
52o 53o 54o 55o 56o
25o
24o
23o
50 km
OMAN
ARABIA
Arabian Gulf
Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Ras Al Khaimah
Gulf
of
Om
anN
Diba
Kalba
Al Ain
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
Iran
SaudiArabia
Iraq
Kuwait
Qatar
UAE
ArabianSea
AFRICA
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Climate
The UAE has an arid to semi-arid climate with high
temperature and infrequent irregular low rainfall .
Mean max. temperature reach > 40 o C in summer .
High relative humidity ( reaches > 97 % ) .
Average daily evaporation 8.2 mm .
Average annual mean rainfall is around 115 mm .
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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GEOMORPHOLOGY AND GEOLOGY
The geomorphic features have a major role incontrolling the movement of both surface andgroundwater. Geology, on the other hand,encompasses the distribution of outcrops,stratigraphic sequences, and structural zones.These greatly influence runoff volumes, infiltrationrates and surface and groundwater quality. Thefollowing discussion outlines the main geomorphicfeatures in UAE, geologic setting, and structuralelements.
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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The Main Geomorphic Features in the UAE
52o 53o 54o 55o 56o
25o
24o
23o
50 km
OMAN
ARABIA
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
Arabian Gulf
Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Ras Al Khaimah
Gulf
of
Om
an
N
Diba
Kalba
Al Ain
MountainsGravel PlainsLinear Dunes, Star Dunes and Playa DepositsAncient and Recent DunesCoastal Sabkhas
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Geologic Setting
• The northern Oman Mountains in UAE are composed of two major classes of rocks . The first is an authothonous sequence including Proterzoic basement rocks and some early Paleozoic sediments covered transgessively by carbonate platform deposits ranging in age from late Permian to late Cretaceous, and two allochthonous sequences. The lower sequence is composed of sedimentary rocks and is known as the Hawaina Group. This sequence is overlain by the Semail Suite, which consists of a slab of former oceanic crust . The Maastrichtian to Neogene sediments was laid down after the main episode of nappe emplacement. The actual relief of the Oman Mountains is due to tectonic movements that occurred during “post-nappes” times, i.e. during the Cenozoic. These movements resulted in the uplifting of the mountains.
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Geologic Map of the United Arab Emirates
52o 53o 54o 55o 56o
25o
24o
23o
50 km
OMAN
ARABIA
Arabian Gulf
Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Ras Al Khaimah
Gulf
of
Om
an
N
Diba
Kalba
Al Ain
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
Eolian SandSurfacial GravelsGypsum DepositsSabkha Deposits
Marl and Limestone
Limestone, Marl and SandstoneSemail OphioliteHawasina ComplexMusndam Limestone
Hith Anhydrite and arab Formatin
Triassic and Permian Rocks
QUATERNARY
TERTIARY
CRETACEOUS
JURRASSIC
TRIASSIC
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Geologic Structure
The UAE can be differentiated into five structural
provinces, from north to south, including: Ru’us Al Gibal,
Diba zone, ophiolite sequence, wadi Hatta zone, and the
western area .
Ru’us Al Gibal area is characterized by thrust faults that
are inclined in the east and south directions. Sometimes
the thrust plain slopes towards east to the zone of
overturned and recumbent folds.
The Diba zone is a topographically low and extends for 30
km from northeast to southwest, with an average width of
20 km.
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Geologic Structure
The UAE can be differentiated into five structuralprovinces, from north to south, including: Ru’us AlGibal, Diba zone, ophiolite sequence, wadi Hattazone, and the western area .
Ru’us Al Gibal area is characterized by thrust faultsthat are inclined in the east and south directions.Sometimes the thrust plain slopes towards east tothe zone of overturned and recumbent folds.
The Diba zone is a topographically low and extendsfor 30 km from northeast to southwest, with anaverage width of 20 km.
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Major Drainage Basins
56o
26o
OMAN
Shaam
N
UNITED
ARAB
EMIRATES
Ras Al Khaimah
Ajman
Dubai
Diba
Gulf
of
Oman
Arabian
Gulf
25o
Sharjah
Fujairah
Kalba
Khor Fakkan
OMAN
Umm Al Quwain
1
2
18
3
419
13
1424
27
17
22
8
12
23
15
16
10
9
7
6 5
WaterDivide
55o 56o
26o
25o
24o
OMAN
ShaamN
UNITED
ARAB
EMIRATES
Ras Al Khaimah
Umm Al Quwain
Ajman
Sharjah
Dubai
Diba
Fujairah
Kalba
Gulf
of
Oman
Arabian
Gulf
OMAN
FoldFaultThrust FaultFracture
Main Geologic Structures
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Water Resources
> ConventionalSurface runoff : 25 main wadies with average runoff 185 MCM
Groundwater : The groundwater is main resource for agriculture.
Renewable : shallow alluvial aquifers ( gravel plains ) .
Non-renewable (fossil ) : deep aquifers ( sedimentary rocks ).
Falajes & Springs : Annual discharge 20 MCM .
> Non - conventional
Desalinated Water : Total capacity 1370 MCM / y
Sewage Recycled Water : Total capacity 309 MCM / y
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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The main aquifers in the UAE include :
•Limestone aquifer in the North and East.
•Fractured ophiolite group in the East .
•Gravel aquifers flaking the Eastern Mountain
ranges on the East and West.
•Sand dunes aquifers in the South and West.
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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The Main Aquifers in the United Arab Emirates
52o 53o 54o 55o
25o
24o
23o
50 kmARABIA
Arabian Gulf
Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Ras Al KhaimahN
Al Ain
Gulf
of
Om
an
56o
Kalba
Diba
OMAN
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
Northern limestone aquiferOphiolite aquiferEastern gravel aquiferWestern gravel aquiferSand dune aquiferCoastal sabkhas
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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The main objective of Dams construction
project is to retain surface runoff in the wadies
which is going losses to the sea , and achieve :
Recharge the g. w . aquifers .
Improve water quality and level.
Reduce seawater intrusion at the coastal areas.
Water harvesting .
Flood protection and control .
Enhance soil characteristics in the farms by adding
silt removed from dams’ reservoirs.
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Groundwater Flow Systems in
UAE
Gulf ofOmanArabian
Gulf
SabkhaDeposits
Western DesertArea B
u S
akh
nah
Sp
rin
g
Jab
al H
afi
t
Kh
att
an
d S
iji
Sp
rin
gs
Al JawwPlain
No
rth
ern
Om
an
M
ou
nta
ins
Sea Level
W ERegional groundwater flow system
Intermediate groundwater flow system
Local groundwater flow system
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Wurrayah Dam
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Dam Location Wadi Wurrayah – Fuj.
Completion Date December 1997
Dam Purpose Groundwater Recharge
and Flood Protection
Reservoir Capacity 5.2 million cubic meters
Dam Type Earth – Rock Fill
Dam Height 33 meter
Dam Length 150 meter
Benefited Area Khor fakkan , Bedyah
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Water storage in Wur Dam during the period
2001 - 2006
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
Sto
rag
e (
MC
M )
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006Year
Al Matri A. S. 2008
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Mean annual variation in groundwater level
for some observation wells in Wurrayah
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006Year
Wat
er l
evel
fro
m m
sl (
met
er )
Wur - 1
Wur - 3
Wur - 4
Wur - 5
Al Matri a. S. 2008
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Ground water level variation during rain season ( 2007 )
for some observation wells in Wurrayah
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
AUG SEPT OCT NOV DECMonth
Wat
er l
evel
fro
m m
sl (
met
er )
Wur - 1
Wur - 3
Wur - 4
Wur - 5
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Schoeller – Berkaloff Diagram (Wur Basin)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Na K
Mg
Ca Cl
SO
4
HC
O3+C
O3
Co
nte
nt
(mg
/l)
Mean Wur 3
Mean Wur 5
Mean Wur 6
Mean Wur Dam
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Variation of 3H content in the Dam water and
observation wells in Wurryah Basin
0
0,5
1
1,5
2
2,5
3
2002.1
2.0
1
2002.1
2.0
9
2002.1
2.1
4
2002.1
2.1
8
2002.1
2.2
2
2002.1
2.2
8
2003.0
1.0
4
2003.0
1.1
5
2003.0
1.2
2
2003.0
1.2
8
2003.0
2.0
5
2003.0
2.1
6
2003.0
3.1
6
2003.0
3.2
3
Date of sampling
Tri
tiu
m c
on
ten
t (T
U)
WUR3 WUR5
WUR6 Dam
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Tawyeen Dam
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Schoeller-Berkaloff Diagram (Tw Basin )
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Na K
Mg
Ca Cl
SO
4
HC
O3+
CO
3
Mean TW 2
Mean TW 6
Mean TW 8
Mean TW 9
Mean TW 10
Mean TW Dam
Co
nte
nt
(mg
/l)
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QuaternaryAquifer UAE
Characteristic stable isotope concentrations of some
major aquifer in the Gulf region and Middle East
20
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
-50
Seawater
Jabal Hafitaquifer UAE
LiwaAquifer
UAE
ShallowAquiferQatar
NeogeneSaudi Arabia
Umm er RadumaSaudi Arabia
Yarmok BasinBasalt AquiferSyria
Oxygen-18 (o/oo SMOW)
Deu
teri
um
(o
/oo
SM
OW
)
DammamAquifer Kuwait
Yarmok BasinMiddle AquiferJordan
Wadi Al BihAquifer UAE
-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
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Variation of 3H content in the Dam water and
observation wells in Tawyeen basin
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
2002.1
1.2
0
2002.0
7.1
1
2002.1
1.2
0
2002.1
2.0
6
2002.1
2.0
6
2003.1
0.1
4
2002.1
1.0
4
2003.0
7.2
8
2002.1
1.0
4
Date of sampling
Tri
tiu
m c
on
ten
t (T
U) TW2 TW6 TW8
Dam TW9 TW10
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18O / 2H Diagram of Wurrayah , Tawyeen
Dams and Observation Wells
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10
18
O (‰ vs SMOW)
2 H
( ‰ v
s SM
OW
) Wur wells
TW wells
Wur dam
TW dam
North UAE MWL
GMAL
OMWL
EMWL
Rain Avarage in UAE
Rain avarage in North UAEEvaporation line of the two
dams water, the Wur wells
water and the evaporated
rain in north UAE
Suposed position
of the EMWL
confirmed by the non
evaporated rain water
Evaporation line of the
TW wells
Isotopic composition of the
two dams waters before its
evaporation
Isotopic composition of the rain
water recharching the TW wells
before its evaporation
Non evaporated rain
waters
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Wur. Dam reservoir contribution
estimated by the isotopic balance
Dam reservoir
contribution ( % )
Average 18 O
43.2- 2.71Wur - 2
34.1- 2.53Wur -5
22.9- 2.32Wur - 6
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Discussion :
Drawdown range between 4 – 10 m due to extensive
use .
Groundwater level increase due to the storage in the
Dam reservoir 2 – 11 m .
Isotope analysis show the a relatively similar
variation in the concentration of major elements in both
Dam and Observation wells.
There is meaningful contribution to the recharge
through the Wur. Dam in the wadi .
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Recommendations
Considering the significant results obtained from
Wurrayah Basin , it is highly recommended :
Promote the isotopic methods in water management .
Continue investigations for other Basins in the UAE with
contribution and support of IAEA .
Encourage the use of isotopic tracers for various
investigations .
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