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Water Resources

of
Saudi Arabia

ENVS 524 - Module 3, Water


M. Makkawi, PhD Resources of Saudi Arabia 1
Water Resources of Saudi Arabia

Water Supply in KSA


22000
„ Surface water 20000
20100

(48-10%) 18000
Groundwater
16000 16000
„ 16000

(49-80% @ 70m- 14000


12000 12300
Surface water
1000m depth) 12000
Groundwater
MCM

Desalinated water
„ Desalinated water 10000 8830 9000
Reclaimed water
(3-6%) 8000 6480 Total
6000
„ Reclaimed water
4000 2362
(0-5%) 2000 1145
1154
1850 1926 1800 1800

1190 13001000
400100 739 710
335
0 63 0

1980 1985 1990 2000 2010


Year

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Water Demands in Saudi Arabia

Water demand in KSA


22000
20000 20000
„ Domestic and 18000
industrial uses 16000 16000
17000

(15-21%) 14000 13500


12300 Domestic & Industrial
12000
Agricultural uses
MCM

„
10600 Agricultural
10000
(79-85%) 8000
8830 Total
7430
6000
4000 3000
2500
1400 1700
2000 23625021860
0
1980 1985 1990 2000 2010
Year

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Problems Associated with
Water Demands
„ Increasing number of private & farming wells
(26,000 in 1982 – 85,000 in 1997 ???)
„ Uncontrolled pumping (sharp drop in water levels)
(Sea water intrusion in eastern province and dryness of natural
springs in the eastern, central and western provinces)
„ Water quality deterioration (high TDS levels)
„ Uncontrolled agricultural practices
(Around 88% of water resources are used by agriculture out of
which only 30% is really needed !! This means that about 62% of the
total water resources are lost!!!)
„ Over-irrigation increases soil salinity (sabkhanization)
„ Leakage from water supply systems
(About 20% of water leaks from domestic water supply systems)

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Surface Water
„ Average annual precipitation 90-500(SW)mm
„ 20-80% of precipitated water evaporates to the atmosphere
„ 200 dams were constructed allover KSA
„ Largest dams in KSA
… Jezan dam sores 51 mcm of water
… Najran dam stores 86 mcm of water
„ Dams:
… Prevent flush floods
… Recharge alluvial (unconfined) aquifers
… Agricultural uses

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Desalinated Water

„ Started in 1970
„ Average desalination cost is SR 4.00 per cubic meter
„ 21 plants in the western province
„ 6 plants in the eastern province
„ Operation modes
… 76% of plants are operated by multistage flash systems
… 24% of plants are operated by reverse osmosis technology

ENVS 524 - Module 3, Water


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Groundwater &Regional Geology
of KSA

ENVS 524 - Module 3, Water


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Regional Geology of KSA
36o 40o 44o 48o 52o 56o 60o

Turaif

an
rd Wadi as
30o A Sarhan EXPLANATION
D
Jo

A IRAN
STABLE REGION
Al Jauf B C A
B

Ar
Tabuk
A ARABIAN SHIELD

ab
A. Western Arabian shield
26 o
C B. Yemen-Adan Plateau

ian
Hail C. Southern Arabian Shield

ARABIAN SHELF

Gu
Qatar
A. Tabuk Segment
GULF OF

lf
B. Ha’il Arch
OMAN C. Northern Tuwayq Segment
D. Widyan Basin Margin
A RIYADH E. Central Arabian Arch
B F. Southern Tuwayq Segment
D G. Hadramawt Segment
22o
H. Hadarmawt Plateau
E
RE

B
Interior Platform
SAUDI ARABIA
D

OMAN
Basins
A. Sirhan-Turayf Basin
SE

B. Dibdibba Basin
C. Northern Persian Gulf Basin
F
A

D. Rub’al Khali Basin


18o
MOBILE BELT
G Mountains
A. Zagros Mountains

S EA B. Oman Mountains

N Forelands
YEMEN

A
H BI A. Zagros Mountains Foreland
B RA
B. Oman Mountains Foreland

14o A Haqf-Haushi Swell

C 0 100 200 300 400 500 Km.


0 50 100 200 300 400 500 Miles.

ENVS 524 - Module 3, Water


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SW-NE Cross-section of KSA
E

ASIR Lava flows W


W
TIHAMA AD DAHNA
Red Sea E
DA
AL HUFUF
MI
MM
AM NEOGENE AL QATIF
NJ
UR
ARUMA BAHRAIN
,J UMM ER RADHUMA A. GULF
IL WASIA
H
SAQ GHAWAR
TABUK
BIYADH anticline
JAWF
BASEMENT COMPLEX
? ?
IGNEOUS and
METAMORPHIC

Probable fault
Groundwater discharge to surface
Sabkha (groundwater evaporation)
Infiltration / Recharge
Flow lines
Depleted aquifers
Fresh groundwater
Saline groundwater

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PRINCIPAL AQUIFERS
in KSA

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Proven reserves= 30,000 mcm

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Proven reserves= 65,000 mcm

ENVS 524 - Module 3, Water


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ENVS 524 - Module 3, Water
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Proven reserves= 17,500 mcm

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Proven reserves= 120,000 mcm

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Proven reserves= 16,000 mcm

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Proven reserves= 5,000 mcm

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ENVS 524 - Module 3, Water
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SECONDARY AQUIFERS
in KSA

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Age Formation Member Lithology Hydrogeologic
Unit
Quaternary and Surficial Deposits Gravel, Sand and Silt Aquifer with variable
Recent productivity
Kharj Limestone, gypsum and granels Aquifer
MIOCENE and Hofuf Sandy marl and Sandy limestone Aquifer
PLIOCENE Dam Marl and Shale Aquitard
Hadhrukh Silty Sandstone Aquifer
Limestone Aquifer
Alat Marl Aquitard
Khobar Limestone Aquifer
EOCENE Dammam Alveolina Limestone Limestone
Saila Shale Shale Aquitard
Midra Shale Shale
RUS Marl, chalky limestone, gypsum

PALEOCENE Umm Er Radhuma Limestone, Dolomitic limestone Aquifer

Aruma Shales, Limestone Aquifer (poor)


Wasia
Sakaka (in North - Sansdstone Aquifer
CRETACEOUS Western region
Biyadh Sandstone Aquifer
Buwaib Biogenic calcarenite, limestone
Yamam Biogenic-pellet calcarenite Aquitard
Sulay Chalky aphanitic limestone Aquifer (Local)
Hith Anhydrite Aquitard
Arab Calcarenite, Aphanitic limestone to poor Aquifer
Jubaila Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite (locally)
Hanifa Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite Aquifer (locally)
JURASSIC Tuwaiq Mountain Aphanitic Limestone Aquitard
Dhruma Aphanitic limestone and Aquifer
sandstone
Marrat Shales and aphanitic limestone Aquitard
Minjur Sandstone Aquifer
TRIASSIC
Jilh Sandstone, aphanitic limestone Poor Aquifer
Sudair Shales (red and green) Aquitard
PERMIAN Khuf Limestone, dolomites Aquifer
CARBONIFEROUS Unyzah (FAW) Sandstone Poor Aquifer
Berwath Argillaceous Sandstone Aquifer
DEVONIAN Jauf Upper Limestone Aquifer
Shaibah Shale and sandstone Aquitard
Tawil Sandstone Aquifer
SILURIAN Qusaibah Shale Aquitard
Middle Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer
Tabuk Ra’an Shale Aquitard
ORDOVICIAN Lower Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer
Hanadir Shale Aquitard
Saq - Wajid Sandstone Aquifer
CAMBRIAN

PRE-CAMBRIAN Basement Complex

Figure 1 Lithostratigraphic Succession and Hydrogeologic Units in Saudi Arabia (Modified


after Powers et. al 1966; MAW, 1984; and Edgell, 1997)

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Age Formation Member Lithology Hydrogeologic
Unit
Quaternary and Surficial Deposits Gravel, Sand and Silt Aquifer with variable
Recent productivity
Kharj Limestone, gypsum and granels Aquifer
MIOCENE and Hofuf Sandy marl and Sandy limestone
PLIOCENE Aquifer
Dam Marl and Shale Aquitard
Hadhrukh Silty Sandstone Aquifer
Limestone Aquifer
Alat Marl Aquitard
Khobar Limestone Aquifer
EOCENE Dammam
Alveolina Limestone Limestone
Saila Shale Shale Aquitard
Midra Shale Shale
RUS Marl, chalky limestone, gypsum

PALEOCENE Umm Er Radhuma Limestone, Dolomitic limestone Aquifer

Lithostratigraphic succession and hydrogeologic units in Saudi Arabia (modified after Powers et al. 1966,

MAW 1984, Edgell 1997), Contd.


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Aruma Shales, Limestone Aquifer (poor)
Wasia
Sakaka (in North - Sansdstone Aquifer
CRETACEOUS Western region
Biyadh Sandstone Aquifer
Buwaib Biogenic calcarenite, limestone
Yamama Biogenic-pellet calcarenite Aquitard
Sulay Chalky aphanitic limestone Aquifer (Local)
Hith Anhydrite Aquitard
Arab Calcarenite, Aphanitic limestone to poor Aquifer
Jubaila Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite (locally)
Hanifa Aphanitic Limestone, calcarenite Aquifer (locally)
JURASSIC Tuwaiq Mountain Aphanitic Limestone Aquitard
Dhruma Aphanitic limestone and Aquifer
sandstone
Marrat Shales and aphanitic limestone Aquitard

Lithostratigraphic succession and hydrogeologic units in Saudi Arabia (modified after Powers et. al 1966,
MAW 1984, Edgell 1997) Contd.

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Minjur Sandstone Aquifer
TRIASSIC
Jilh Sandstone, aphanitic limestone Poor Aquifer
Sudair Shales (red and green) Aquitard
PERMIAN Khuf Limestone, dolomites Aquifer
CARBONIFEROUS Unyzah (FAW) Sandstone Poor Aquifer
Berwath Argillaceous Sandstone Aquifer
DEVONIAN Jauf Upper Limestone Aquifer
Shaibah Shale and sandstone Aquitard
Tawil Sandstone Aquifer
SILURIAN Qusaibah Shale Aquitard
Middle Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer
Tabuk
Ra’an Shale Aquitard
ORDOVICIAN Lower Tabuk Sandstone Aquifer
Hanadir Shale Aquitard
Saq - Wajid Sandstone Aquifer
CAMBRIAN

PRE-CAMBRIAN Basement Complex

Lithostratigraphic succession and hydrogeologic units in Saudi Arabia (modified after Powers et. al 1966,
MAW 1984, Edgell 1997)

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