Groundwater resources development and the environment in the central region of the Arabian Gulf

Abstract

Abstract The oil‐producing states of the southern littoral of the Arabian Gulf (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) all face an increasing problem in providing water supplies to meet the unprecedented growth in economic activity derived almost entirely from their very substantial oil production revenues during the past decade. Groundwater has been exploited at an increasing rate and by 1982, amounted to some 1,200 Mm3yr−1; in the developed areas, this is well in excess of the safe yield of the aquifer system. The impact of this continuing over‐abstraction of groundwater is now reflected in the salinization of arable soil and declining agricultural productivity; a diminution of natural spring flow into the Gulf thereby affecting fisheries; and an increasing reliance upon high‐cost distilled sea water to meet the rising demands for potable water, which in 1982 amounted to 1,600 Mm3yr‐1. While the present state of development could not have been achieved without recourse to distilled sea water as a major source of water, distillation plants have a limited life of 20 years and are highly vulnerable to accidental interruption, oil spillage in the seawater intakes, explosion and fire, with the added disadvantage that the primary energy source is normally gas associated with oil production. Any reduction in this activity for economic or political reasons causes a shortfall in energy for distillation. The need for careful conservation and efficient use of groundwater resources is therefore of vital importance since they constitute the only natural water resource in a highly developed and important area of the world.