Management of Groundwater Resources in a Coastal Belt Aquifer System of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Effective management of groundwater is an important tool for long-term sustainability of its productivity and quality. Numerical simulation techniques have been proven effective in defining the groundwater conditions under different management alternatives. A groundwater flow model of a multi-aquifer system in the coastal belt of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has been developed using numerical simulation techniques. The simulated system included the Alat, the Khobar, and the Umm Er Radhuma aquifers with intervening Alat marl and Rus aquitards. Calibrated hydraulic properties have indicated that the aquifers are highly fissured at the structural highs such as Dammam dome and Qatif anticline. The calibrated model was subsequently utilized to predict the responses of aquifers over a planning horizon of 22 years (1998-2020) under various pumping alternatives. The model results indicated that the Khobar and the Alat aquifers are very productive along the Dammam-Qatif belt, and less productive at Abqaiq region. The Umm Er Radhuma aquifer has demonstrated relatively low declines in water levels throughout the study area indicating very high productivity. Continuation of the present pumping trends will continue to lower water levels. Implementation of water conservation measures in municipal purposes alone will reduce the expected drawdown by about 50 percent

Keywords:

• Groundwater
• effective management
• numerical simulation
• conservation
• multi-aquifer system
• Saudi Arabia
• coastal belt
• water-level declines