Abu Dhabi groundwater well inventory project launched

Abu Dhabi: In its efforts to conserve national water resources, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has launched a first-of-its-kind inventory project on groundwater wells for the emirate of Abu Dhabi that will create an inventory of all the wells used for agriculture, forestry, entertainment and any other purpose.

The project is based on the directives of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region and chairman of EAD, to contribute to conservation of groundwater by strategising its use and limiting its consumption to ensure its sustainability for future generations.

The information gathered through this initiative will also help stakeholders set integrated groundwater resource management plans, help farm owners minimise the financial burden resulting from drilling non-productive wells, improve overall farm efficiencies and maximise the use of each farmer’s groundwater quota for irrigation.

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, secretary-general of EAD, said, “This all-encompassing inventory project is going to have a positive impact for all those involved, with the end goal of finding more efficient ways to grow local crops while reducing wastage of our scarce water resources.”

Groundwater is a non-renewable resource which makes protecting it a crucial necessity, particularly as it accounts for 65 per cent of the emirate’s water budget. The groundwater abstraction is greater than 20 times the natural production rate.

The data collected will be used to determine groundwater abstraction rates, a key component of the emirate’s water budget. This will help EAD create an evidence-based approach to conserve this vital resource and sustainably manage it for many years to come.

The groundwater well inventory project also aims to regulate drilling operations and groundwater use in agriculture and other irrigation purposes, helping farmers select the most appropriate drilling methods, in addition to educating them on sustainable abstraction practices.

Another outcome will be a specialised database for groundwater in Abu Dhabi which will be made available to planners, developers, researchers and private sector organisations.

The project is taking place in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, the Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Services Centre, the Ministry of Environment and Water, and the Municipalities and the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi, SCAD.

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The project is being carried out in three phases over 30 months.

First phase: Inventory of Abu Dhabi’s groundwater wells used for the irrigation of farms, forests, parks, gardens and other purposes. Data on groundwater abstraction, quality, current levels, salinity and use will also be recorded.

Second phase: Update on the soil mapping project, which concluded in 2012. Collection and analysis of soil samples from a total of 25,000 farms located throughout Abu Dhabi emirate. [This will determine the best ways to manage farms and the most suitable crops to grow].

Third phase: Analysis of water and soil data and a first-of-its-kind water atlas for the emirate of Abu Dhabi. This atlas will classify the well by type, water quantity and quality, as well as the abstraction rate and the change in water levels.