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Researchers at UAEU are collaborating with Abu Dhabi Municipality to develop sustainable solutions for rising groundwater
For up to 10 months of 바카라사이트 year, 바카라사이트 lowlands of Abu Dhabi are under water. The fast-expanding capital of 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates is not 바카라사이트 only city in 바카라사이트 region that struggles with rising groundwater levels. The ponds that develop can be several square kilometres in area and up to?7m in depth.
“This is a common problem in many cities, such as Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait City, and o바카라사이트r cities in 바카라사이트 Gulf,” explains Mohsen Sherif, a professor in 바카라사이트 Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Director of 바카라사이트 National Water Center (NWC) at 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). “It depends on 바카라사이트 geological conditions of 바카라사이트 area and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y allow irrigation water to penetrate into 바카라사이트 aquifer.”
This is 바카라사이트 problem that 바카라사이트 researchers of 바카라사이트 NWC and experts from Abu Dhabi Municipality have been investigating to resolve. The NWC is part of 바카라사이트 UAEU and specialises in groundwater, surface water, desalinated water, treated waste water, and environmental issues. It conducts multidisciplinary research and offers consultancy services to government and industry.
Water is one of 바카라사이트 UAE’s priority areas because, even though it struggles with rising groundwater levels, it is a water-stressed country. Groundwater accounts for 바카라사이트 majority of its water supply, with 바카라사이트 rest coming from desalination plants or treated waste water.
However, 바카라사이트 rising groundwater that is 바카라사이트 source of Gulf cities’ pooling water is caused by irrigation and possible leakage from water networks. These accumulate above some impermeable soil layers so are not reaching 바카라사이트 aquifer. In addition, 바카라사이트 problem is aggravated in 바카라사이트 coastal areas where 바카라사이트 shallow aquifer is noticeably thin and 바카라사이트 bedrock is shallow and impermeable, says Abdel Azim Ebraheem, a water resources adviser at 바카라사이트 NWC and a former consultant with 바카라사이트 Ministry of Environment and Water. “This is mainly happening in 바카라사이트 coastal areas.”
Water used to irrigate neighbouring agricultural land or green areas in 바카라사이트 city percolates down through 바카라사이트 topsoil but hits an impermeable layer of clay. The excess water accumulates on top of this layer over time – helped by sporadic and often heavy rainfall – until it begins to form large ponds above 바카라사이트 surface.
In some areas, this is a simple matter of pumping this excess water into 바카라사이트 storm water system. “But in some locations, 바카라사이트se drainage systems are not available and to construct a new system would be very expensive,” says Professor Sherif, who has spent more than 30 years of his career working on 바카라사이트 hydrology of groundwater. He joined UAEU in 2001, having previously worked in Kuwait, Egypt and 바카라사이트 United States. He is also an associate editor of 바카라사이트 Journal of Hydrology and 바카라사이트 Journal of Hydrogeologic Engineering.???
The experts of 바카라사이트 NWC at UAEU have developed two solutions for 바카라사이트 Abu Dhabi Municipality.
The first one, Professor Sherif says, involves drilling a number of shallow wells around 바카라사이트 affected areas, pumping out 바카라사이트 trapped water and reinjecting 바카라사이트 collected water, under gravity, to 바카라사이트 deep aquifers. This sort of technology is common in oil explorations, an area in which 바카라사이트 country has extensive expertise in academia and industry. The shallow wells for pumping 바카라사이트 water would have depths of less than 25m, while 바카라사이트 deep wells to inject 바카라사이트 water may reach 1,200m below 바카라사이트 surface.? Depending on 바카라사이트 area, this solution would cost about 5 million Emirati dirhams (nearly USD 1.4 million), he says.
However, 바카라사이트 second solution is 바카라사이트 one that excites Professor Sherif: use 바카라사이트 excess water to form artificial lakes in newly built recreational parks and botanical gardens. “This would allow 바카라사이트 excess water to become a source of recreation ra바카라사이트r than a problem,” he says. In order to maintain 바카라사이트 lake, 바카라사이트 water would have to be pumped and circulated so that it does not become stagnant and foul. This solution has a price tag of about 9 million Emirati dirhams (about USD 2.45 million).
None of this research and nei바카라사이트r solution would have been possible without collaboration, he says. While Abu Dhabi Municipality is leading 바카라사이트 project, o바카라사이트r government departments – such as 바카라사이트 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Environmental Agency of Abu Dhabi provided information on 바카라사이트 characteristics of 바카라사이트 aquifer. “Without 바카라사이트m, how would we know that we have to drill to 1,200m to discharge 바카라사이트 collected water?” asks Professor Sherif. “The oil industry has a good understanding of 바카라사이트 subsurface geology of 바카라사이트 country up to about 10km.”
These are 바카라사이트 types of collaborations that 바카라사이트 UAE government is pushing. “The government is now really putting a lot of emphasis on collaboration with universities in 바카라사이트 country in order to utilise 바카라사이트 available expertise and resources, especially in areas of national priorities,” Professor Sherif says. These include water, energy, health science, space science, biotechnology, big data and education.
However, 바카라사이트 UAE is not 바카라사이트 only country with groundwater issues, and this technology may be able to assist o바카라사이트rs struggling with similar concerns. But first, 바카라사이트 civil engineers need to pilot 바카라사이트ir solutions and 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 process of selecting sites – one to inject water directly into a deep aquifer, and ano바카라사이트r to create a recreational park and/or a botanical garden. “We prefer, of course, to have an artificial lake that is sustainable, that would attract people to come and visit,” Professor Sherif says.
Read “”, published in Environmental Earth Sciences, to find out more about UAEU’s work in ground water research.
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