Water Resources of Saudi Arabia - KFUPMfaculty.kfupm.edu.sa/ES/makkawi/ENVS...

ENVS 521 - Module 6 1M. Makkawi, PhD

Water Resources Water Resources of of

Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia


Water Resources of Saudi Arabia

Surface water (48-10%)Groundwater(49-80% @ 70m-1000m depth)Desalinated water(3-6%)Reclaimed water(0-5%)

Water Supply in KSA

11451850 1926 1800 1800

1154

6480

9000

12300

16000

63 400 7391190 1300

0 100 335 710 1000

2362

8830

12000

16000

20100

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

22000

1980 1985 1990 2000 2010

Year

MC

MSurface waterGroundwaterDesalinated waterReclaimed waterTotal


Water Demands in Saudi Arabia

Domestic and industrial uses(15-21%)Agricultural uses(79-85%)

Water demand in KSA

5021400 1700

2500 3000

1860

7430

10600

13500

17000

2362

8830

12300

16000

20000

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

22000

1980 1985 1990 2000 2010

Year

MC

M

Domestic & Industrial

Agricultural

Total


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)


Surface Water

Average annual precipitation 90-500(SW)mm20-80% of precipitated water evaporates to the atmosphere200 dams were constructed allover KSALargest dams in KSA

Jezan dam sores 51 mcm of waterNajran dam stores 86 mcm of water

Dams:Prevent flush floodsRecharge alluvial (unconfined) aquifersAgricultural uses


Desalinated Water

Started in 1970Average desalination cost is SR 4.00 per cubic meter21 plants in the western province6 plants in the eastern provinceOperation modes

76% of plants are operated by multistage flash systems24% of plants are operated by reverse osmosis technology


Groundwater &Regional Geology of KSA


36o 40o 44o 48o 52o 56o 60o

30o

26o

22o

18o

14o

OMAN

Y E M

E N

GULF OFOMAN

I R A N

SAUDI ARABIA

R E D S E A

A R A B I A N S

E A

Wadi asSarhan

Turaif

Qat

ar

J o r

d a n

0 100 200 300 400 500 Km.

0 50 100 200 300 400 500 Miles.Arabian Gulf

Al Jauf

Tabuk

Hail

RIYADHA

A

B

C

A

A

F

E

D

B

B

C

H

G

C

D

A

B

B

STABLE REGION

ARABIAN SHIELDA. Western Arabian shieldB. Yemen-Adan PlateauC. Southern Arabian Shield

ARABIAN SHELFA. Tabuk SegmentB. Ha’il ArchC. Northern Tuwayq SegmentD. Widyan Basin MarginE. Central Arabian ArchF. Southern Tuwayq SegmentG. Hadramawt SegmentH. Hadarmawt Plateau

Interior Platform

BasinsA. Sirhan-Turayf BasinB. Dibdibba BasinC. Northern Persian Gulf BasinD. Rub’al Khali Basin

MOBILE BELTMountainsA. Zagros MountainsB. Oman Mountains

ForelandsA. Zagros Mountains ForelandB. Oman Mountains Foreland

Haqf-Haushi Swell

EXPLANATION

Regional Geology of KSA


E

E

W

? ?

WTIHAMA

Red Sea

ASIR Lava flows

BASEMENT COMPLEXIGNEOUS and METAMORPHIC

AD DAHNA

SAQTABUK

JAWF

MINJUR, JILH

ARUMA

WASIA

BIYADH

DAMMAMUMM ER RADHUMA

NEOGENE

AL HUFUFAL QATIF

BAHRAINA. GULF

GHAWAR

anticline

Probable fault

Groundwater discharge to surface

Sabkha (groundwater evaporation)

Infiltration / Recharge

Flow lines

Depleted aquifers

Fresh groundwater

Saline groundwater

SW-NE Cross-section of KSA


PRINCIPAL AQUIFERSin KSA


Proven reserves= 30,000 mcm


SECONDARY AQUIFERSin KSA


Age Formation Member Lithology HydrogeologicUnit

Quaternary andRecent

Surficial Deposits Gravel, Sand and Silt Aquifer with variableproductivity

Kharj Limestone, gypsum and granels AquiferHofuf Sandy marl and Sandy limestone AquiferDam Marl and Shale Aquitard

MIOCENE andPLIOCENE

Hadhrukh Silty Sandstone AquiferLimestone Aquifer

Alat Marl AquitardKhobar Limestone Aquifer

Alveolina Limestone LimestoneSaila Shale Shale

Dammam

Midra Shale Shale

EOCENE

RUS Marl, chalky limestone, gypsum

Aquitard

PALEOCENE Umm Er Radhuma Limestone, Dolomitic limestone Aquifer

Aruma Shales, Limestone Aquifer (poor)WasiaSakaka (in North -Western region

Sansdstone Aquifer

Biyadh Sandstone AquiferBuwaib Biogenic calcarenite, limestoneYamam Biogenic-pellet calcarenite Aquitard

CRETACEOUS

Sulay Chalky aphanitic limestone Aquifer (Local)Hith AnhydriteArab Calcarenite, Aphanitic limestone

Jubaila Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite

Aquitardto poor Aquifer

(locally)Hanifa Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite Aquifer (locally)

Tuwaiq Mountain Aphanitic Limestone AquitardDhruma Aphanitic limestone and

sandstoneAquifer

JURASSIC

Marrat Shales and aphanitic limestone AquitardMinjur Sandstone Aquifer

Jilh Sandstone, aphanitic limestone Poor AquiferTRIASSIC

Sudair Shales (red and green) AquitardPERMIAN Khuf Limestone, dolomites Aquifer

Unyzah (FAW) Sandstone Poor AquiferCARBONIFEROUSBerwath Argillaceous Sandstone Aquifer

Upper Limestone Aquifer DEVONIAN JaufShaibah Shale and sandstone AquitardTawil Sandstone Aquifer

Qusaibah Shale AquitardSILURIANMiddle Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer

Ra’an Shale AquitardLower Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer

Tabuk

Hanadir Shale AquitardORDOVICIAN

CAMBRIANSaq - Wajid Sandstone Aquifer

PRE-CAMBRIAN Basement Complex

Figure 1 Lithostratigraphic Succession and Hydrogeologic Units in Saudi Arabia (Modifiedafter Powers et. al 1966; MAW, 1984; and Edgell, 1997)


Age Formation Member Lithology HydrogeologicUnit

Quaternary andRecent

Surficial Deposits Gravel, Sand and Silt Aquifer with variableproductivity

Kharj Limestone, gypsum and granels AquiferHofuf Sandy marl and Sandy limestone AquiferDam Marl and Shale Aquitard

MIOCENE andPLIOCENE

Hadhrukh Silty Sandstone AquiferLimestone Aquifer

Alat Marl AquitardKhobar Limestone Aquifer

Alveolina Limestone LimestoneSaila Shale Shale

Dammam

Midra Shale Shale

EOCENE

RUS Marl, chalky limestone, gypsum

Aquitard

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.


Aruma Shales, Limestone Aquifer (poor)WasiaSakaka (in North -Western region

Sansdstone AquiferBiyadh Sandstone AquiferBuwaib Biogenic calcarenite, limestoneYamama Biogenic-pellet calcarenite Aquitard

CRETACEOUS

Sulay Chalky aphanitic limestone Aquifer (Local)Hith AnhydriteArab Calcarenite, Aphanitic limestone

Jubaila Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite

Aquitardto poor Aquifer

(locally)Hanifa Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite Aquifer (locally)

Tuwaiq Mountain Aphanitic Limestone AquitardDhruma Aphanitic limestone and

sandstoneAquifer

JURASSIC

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.


Minjur Sandstone AquiferJilh Sandstone, aphanitic limestone Poor Aquifer

TRIASSIC

Sudair Shales (red and green) AquitardPERMIAN Khuf Limestone, dolomites Aquifer

Unyzah (FAW) Sandstone Poor AquiferCARBONIFEROUS

Berwath Argillaceous Sandstone AquiferUpper Limestone Aquifer DEVONIAN Jauf

Shaibah Shale and sandstone AquitardTawil Sandstone Aquifer

Qusaibah Shale AquitardSILURIAN

Middle Tabuk Sandstone AquiferRa’an Shale Aquitard

Lower Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer

Tabuk

Hanadir Shale Aquitard

ORDOVICIAN

CAMBRIANSaq - 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)


Water in Empty Quarter!!!

Water Resources of Saudi Arabia - KFUPMfaculty.kfupm.edu.sa/ES/makkawi/ENVS...

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