Kuwait is an arid country with very few natural water resources. Ground water in Kuwait is mostly saline with some brackish zones existing in the southwestern region. With an annual average rainfall and evapotranspiration of about 105 mm and 2270 mm, respectively, recharge of aquifers by rainfall is negligible. However, in northern Kuwait, unique geomorphologic conditions and lithological formations have contributed to the formation of fresh to brackish ground water lenses. Fresh ground water lenses with total dissolved solids (TDS) less than 1000 p.p.m. were exploited for potable purposes. Brackish ground water with TDS between 1000 and 5000 p.p.m. was used for irrigation. Ground water extraction for irrigation has increased gradually since the 1960s and reached about 200 Ml day −1 in 1989. About 30% of irrigated water was lost as evapotranspiration and the rest infiltrated back to the aquifer. As a result, the TDS of ground water at several locations within the farming region increased to about 8000 p.p.m. in 1989. The maximum decline in ground water levels owing to pumping was about 3–5 m in the central farming region. It is estimated that in the next 10 years, if irrigation were to be continued at the 1989 rate, then only about 10–25% of the existing wells will have TDS levels less than 7500 p.p.m.