Status of Groundwater Governance at the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Dr. Ahmed A. Murad

Geology Department, UAE University

Amman, Jordan 8 October– 10 October 2012 Regional Consultation on the Groundwater Resources Governance in

the Arab States Region

Hydrologic Features

(Department of Metrology, Ministry of Economy,

2007)

Evapotranspiration

1,000-1,250 mm/year

1,250-1,500 mm/year

1,500-1,750 mm/year

1,750-2,000 mm/year

2,000-2,250 mm/year

2,250-2,500 mm/year

2,500-2,750 mm/year

> 2,750 mm/year

Arabian Sea

Arabian Gulf

R e

d S

e a

Indian OceanAtlantic Ocean

Mediterranean Sea

A F R I C A

A S I A

(After FAO, 2005)

Evapotranspiration Map

Major aquifers in UAE

After Rizk et al., 1997

Groundwater Dependency (%)

Challenges facing Groundwater Sustainability

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

Gro

un

dw

ate

r p

rod

uc

tio

ns

(m

illio

ns

ga

llo

ns

)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000Population in Abu

Dhabi

Groundw ater

Productions (millions

gallons)

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

Gro

un

dw

ate

r p

rod

ucti

on

s

(mil

lio

ns g

all

on

s)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

Population in

Northern Emirates

Groundwater

Productions

(millions gallons)

Population Growths Impact

Agricultural Activities Impact Abu Dhabi

1800000

1900000

2000000

2100000

2200000

2300000

2400000

2000 2001 2002 2003

Year

Cu

ltiv

ated

A

rea

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

Gro

un

d w

ater

Pro

du

ctio

ns

The cultivated Area in Abu Dhabi Groundwater Productions

Northern and Eastern Emirates

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

450000

2000 2001 2002 2003

Year

Cu

ltiv

ated

Are

a

8800

9000

9200

9400

9600

9800

10000

10200

10400

10600

Gro

un

dw

ater

Wat

er

Pro

du

ctio

ns

The cultivated Area in Northern Emirates Groundwater Productions

Groundwater Salinity Map (Ministry of Environment and Water, 2009)

Data Scattering

Water Data are scattering and not organized (Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, Ministry of Environment and Water, Water Authorities, Municipalities, …etc).

Data scattering will affect the scientific results and research.

Groundwater Governance

Management of Groundwater resources through:

Responsibility

Participation

Information availability

Transparency

Custom

Rule of Law

Responsibility

There are different institutions and governmental organizations involved in groundwater governance in UAE. These are: Ministry of Environment and Water, Environment Agency- Abu Dhabi (EAD),Environment and Protected Areas Authority-Sharjah (EPAA),Environment Protection and Development Authority (EPDA)- Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA), Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA),Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (SEWA), Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA) & Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA).

The existing institutions are in federal and local governmental levels.

Those institutions are strongly cooperating and also supported by each other to do their tasks.

Participation

The community participated actively in awareness campaigns: National Awareness Campaign

Water Saving Campaign – “Rethink Your Lifestyle

Ministry of Education with cooperation with water-related organizations started to include topics related to water to educate students the importance of water as one of the main natural resources and how they can help to conserve water.

Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi conducted Abu Dhabi Water Collaboration Meeting in November 2010 that gather all local governmental entities and stakeholders: To coordinate approach to resolving water issues

To share best practices.

To better understand the issues for a better targeted response.

To link water to climate change in a comprehensive way.

To jointly develop scenarios and solutions.

To use our resources (money + people) more effectively.

To be more transparent.

Information Availability

Water related Data are available at different levels.

Website information for all water related entities also available.

Reports and documents are mostly available to the public.

But those information are:

Scattered and not well-organized

Lack of sufficient data

Data are partially analyzed

Sometimes access to the data is difficult

Transparency

There are different meetings between

stakeholders and governmental water-

related organizations to discuss different

aspects related to the water.

The purpose of those meetings is to be

more transparent. Ex: Abu Dhabi Water

Collaboration Meeting (November, 2010)

Water Laws

Regulating drilling the groundwater in Abu Dhabi

(Decree 6, 2006).

Current water polices in the UAE emphasized on

protecting and development of water resources

(Decree 32, 1999).

Falaj System

The falaj is man made stream or water path

which connects the groundwater at the foot slopes

of the mountains and transports it to the surface for

irrigation and other uses.

After Rizk, 1997

Saturated Zone Unsaturated Zone

Water Table

S h a f t s

Palm Oasis

S h a f t s

T u n n e l

Open Canal

Water Distribution Zone

Recharge Area

Recharge Area

Falaj System

The falaj is the best system the represent different

components of groundwater governance

(Responsibility, Participation, Transparency,

Custom & Law)

Summary of Groundwater Governance in UAE

Groundwater governance exists in UAE.

The falaj is the system that represents the components of groundwater governance.

The government is working with stakeholders to improve the governance in different levels.

Level of participation should be increased.

Transparency should be improved.

Laws and regulations should be enforced strictly.

Information availability should be organized.

Thank Your For Listening