Aquifers of Saudi Arabia and their geological framework

Abstract EN

Aquifers of Saudi Arabia of major significance occur in sedimentary regions to the north, east, and south of the Arabian Shield.

On the north, they include the Tabuk Basin with the immense Saq and Tabuk sandstone aquifers and a Neogene sandy aquifer in the Wadi as Sirhan Basin.

The Interior Homocline and adjacent Arabian Platform of northeastern Saudi Arabia contain the most utilized and prolific aquifers of the Kingdom.

These are the Saq and Lower and Middle Tabuk aquifers, plus the major Mesozoic Minjur and Wasia-Biyadh sandstone aquifers.

Eastward, Tertiary carbonate aquifers include Umm er Radhuma Aquifer underlies almost all the Rub’ al Khali.

In the south, thick Paleozoic sandstones of the Wajid Aquifer contain large amounts of good quality water.

The present day hyper-arid climate of Saudi Arabia allows minimal recharge, so aquifers contain ‘fossil’ ground water 10,000 to 36,000 years old.

Although usable ground water in Saudi Arabian aquifers total 2,000 billion cubic meters, development should only take place under a plan for long-term use of the Kingdom’s finite groundwater resources.