COMPARATIVE STUDY OF WATER LEVEL FOR GROUNDWATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AT URBAN AREA IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE ARABIAN PENINSULA REGION

摘要

Groundwater resources are playing a vital role in the sustainability and development of the natural resources of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In previous decades, the studied area in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula region and the UAE has witnessed intensive developments and urban constructions, which have led to water demand increasing for farming, landscaping, as well as for domestic uses. The study area belongs to quaternary and limestone aquifer. The quaternary aquifer is composed of sand, gravel, silt as well as intercalated clay and shale layers. However, the limestone aquifer is represented by carbonate rocks as well as interbedded shale, clay and evaporate deposits. The main objectives of this study are to investigate groundwater condition represented by water level fluctuation and to analyze the setting of water level and its possible environmental risk. The objectives of this study were achieved by comparing water levels in 2010 and 2014.The water levels within the study area have risen to be between 2.3 m to 15 m from the ground surface. The results showed that the water levels are not uniform, rather than vary from one zone to another depending on the nature of the soil, sources of recharge and the population growth. The groundwater rising phenomenon in some zones is due to the inability of the aquifer to store and transmit more water due to weak hydrological properties as well as the occurrence of perched layers at the shallowest depths. By contrast, the deepest groundwater levels may reflect the impact of excessive pumping from the aquifer and improper well design. Additionally, the water level fluctuations in the study area resulted from seasonal rainfall and the stream runoff, which takes place in winter, and increase in temperature associated with semi-arid conditions in summer season. The outcomes of this study may be regarded as an early warning for the stockholders and decision makers in the municipality for consideration ahead of licensing of new buildings.