Management of groundwater in urban centers : a case study greater Dammam Metropolitan Area

الملخص EN

Effective management of groundwater resources in urban centers of arid regions is vital for sustainable development and groundwater protection especially with rapid growth of water demands under water stress conditions.

Greater Dammam Metropolitan area is a good example of a rapid growing urban center due to comprehensive development and population growth.

The water demands have increases by many tines during the last three decades.

Groundwater from local aquifers namely Dammam and Umm Er Radhuma, supplies more than 85% of the total water demands.

The aquifers have been subjected to extensive and increasing groundwater pumping, especially during the last three decades.

Negative impacts such as significant decline in water levels have been experienced in the area.

A new groundwater management scheme in terms of improving the long–term water pumping policies is required for protection of the aquifers groundwater productivity.

A special numerical simulation model of the multi-aquifer system including Dammam and Umm Er Radhuma aquifers has been developed to assess the behavior of the aquifer system under long-term water stresses in Dammam Metropolitan Area.

The developed numerical simulation model has been utilized to predict the responses of the aquifer system in terms of decline in water level under different pumping schemes from the two aquifers during the next 30 years.

The model results have postulated the importance of Umm Er Radhuma (UER) aquifer as a major water supply source to Dammam Metropolitan Area, as well as a potential recharge source of more than 30% the total water pumped from Dammam aquifer.

These findings have been utilized in improving the present and future groundwater management and conservation for the study area.

Similar techniques can be used to improve the groundwater management in other parts of the country as well as other arid regions.