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Methodology for Assessment ofTransboundary Aquifers (TBA)
International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre
Dr Neno Kukuric Almaty , 2010
TBA Assessment in Central Asia
What is IGRAC?IGRAC - International Groundwater Resource AssessmentCentre is an UNESCO and WMO groundwater centre
IGRAC facilitates and promotes global sharing of informationand knowledge required for sustainable groundwater resourcesdevelopment and management.
Focused on information andknowledge management,transboundary aquifer assessmentand groundwater monitoring
Receives financial support from thegovernment of The Netherlands
Hosted by the DELTARES in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
A map Transboundary Aquifers of the World
ISARM Portal (www.isarm.net)
UN ILC assistance: International LegalAgreement on groundwater
TBA Methodology and a Course
GEF (Global Environment Facility) projects
ISARM Regional Activities(cooperation with OAS, SADC, INWEB, UNECE,OOS, GWP-MED, GEF, UNEP, UNDP..).
TBA Activities at IGRAC
Transboundary Aquifers AssessmentTransboundary aquifer or transboundary aquifer systemmeans, respectively, an aquifer or aquifer system, parts ofwhich are situated in different States;
Transboundary Aquifers AssessmentThe fact: many aquifers cross the political borders
Potential cross-boundary problems: changesin groundwater flows, levels, volumes(quantity) and dissolvedsubstances (quality).
Actions: TBAcharacterisation and anappropriate management.
Benefits: eliminatingpotential sources of conflictand improving the overallbenefit from groundwater.
TBA Assessment RationaleWhat does a TBA assessment encompass?
There is still no elaborated guidelines for TBA assessmentbut UN, EU and GEF have already accumulated somevaluable experience.
ISARM programme: hydrological, legal,socio-economical, institutional andecological aspects/facets of TBAs andsuggested guidelines
In practice, mostly ahydrogeological assessment(to incorporate info on otheraspects as well)
TBA assessment stepsDelineation and descriptionClassification, diagnostic analysis and zoningData harmonisation and information management
Delineation and description“inventory” or “characterisation” (stage and scale dependent)chiefly about collecting, combining and interpreting the fieldinformation
Classification, diagnostic analysis and zoninginformation necessary for decision-making (problems,opportunities, most responsive aquifers and aquifer zones)
Data harmonisation and information managementExtra dimension in an international context (more difficult,more elaborated and politically sensitive)
Delineation and Descriptionchiefly about collecting, combining and interpreting the fieldinformation“inventory” or “characterisation” (stage and scale dependent)
Standardised TBA Delineation(TBA Activities Americas)
Standardised TBA Delineation
Tested in the Atlas of transboundary aquifers of Americas
Delineation and DescriptionA TDA description should a.o. include info recharge/dischargemechanism and hydraulic properties of aquifer to
determine direction and velocity of groundwater flow and itsinteraction with other water bodies (rivers, lakes, seas).to assess aquifer’s vulnerability to overexploitation and pollution.
ISARM and UNECE TBA havelot of resemblances but theyare not identical
Superimposed on thesehydrogeological characteristicsare the anthropogenicinfluences such as abstractionand pollution from varioussources.
UN ECE Facts & Figures:Water usesPressure factorsProblems related to gw qualityProblems related to gw qualityGroundwater mngm. measuresStatusFuture trends
Physiography, Demography & Water Use
Geological Setting of Aquifer
Water Quantity & Quality
Importance and need for TBA
TBA cooperation
References
Authors
Standardised TBA Description(TBA Activities Americas)
Classification, Diagnostics and Zoning
Classification, Diagnostics and ZoningInput for classification:
aquifer size and hydraulic properties,vulnerability,current functions,observed or perceived stresses,Possible groundwater interferences, etc.
Input for diagnostics:inventory of major perceived issues andproblems;overview of possible actionsPriority and feasibility study, stakeholders andinstitutional analysis.
Classification, Diagnostics and Zoning
Activities at location 2 in country B will be much less risky for theaquifer in country A than activities at location 1Effects resulting from causes at larger distance will be smaller andcome with more retardationGeneral flow direction does matterZoning: e.g. based on isochrones of propagation of the effects (maycontribute to a realistic picture of the transboundary risks).
0 250 km
1
2
Country A Country B
Classification, Diagnostics and Zoning
0 250 km
1
2
Country A Country B
II I II
III
Activities at location 2 in country B will be much less risky for theaquifer in country A than activities at location 1Effects resulting from causes at larger distance will be smaller andcome with more retardationGeneral flow direction does matterZoning: e.g. based on isochrones of propagation of the effects (maycontribute to a realistic picture of the transboundary risks).
RationaleAssessment: availability and quality of dataInternationally – also data harmonisation & infomanagement
Technical activityBasically harmonisation of formats, classifications,terminologies, reference systems, levels, software andhardware specific, etc.Heavily influenced by political, organisational, legal,cultural and economical situation and agenda
ObjectivesDepend on scope and scale: visualisation,textual/spatial/temporal data, web-based, commonprocessing, real-time
Harmonisation & Info management
Current situationMainly simple GIS- based databases (GEF projects)Developed databases or systems are (according to theavailable information) neither web-based, nor real-timeDatabases available via IGRAC and INWEB portals containmeta information on transboundary aquifers.No cases have been reported of harmonisation going beyonditems such as reference levels and measurement scales.WISE accommodates delineated ‘groundwater bodies’, noobservations are available yet
Harmonisation & Info management
Ideally, on-line synchronised accessto distributed information services(data and information remain at thesource!
Harmonisation & Info management
TBA Assessment in Central Asia
International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre
Dr Neno Kukuric Almaty, 2010
TBAs of the World (reverse side)
procedure
metadata
assessment methodology
examples
references
TBAs of the World: Details
State of info in Caucasus & C. AsiaTransboundary Aquifers in Asia with Special Emphasis toChina
First Assessment of TBAs from 2007 (UNECE led)Scale & scope, Pressure factors, Status, trends, impactsand Management responses
State of info in Caucasus & C. Asia
A Map: TBAs of the WorldPrepared as a Special Edition for the Fifth World WaterForum (Istanbul, March 2009)Shows the present state of information regarding theoccurrence and extent of TBAs world-wide.
The intention of the map is to provide a global overview ofthese important shared water resources and to encouragetheir further assessment.
First Assessment Fact & Figures
State of info in Caucasus & C. Asia
State of info in Caucasus & C. AsiaUNESCO/IGRAC assessment 2009
State of info in Caucasus & C. AsiaUNESCO/IGRAC assessment 2009
State of info in Caucasus & C. AsiaUNESCO/IGRAC assessment 2009
How to proceed?Material
The First Assessment MapThe First assessment Fact & FiguresThe World Map & MethodologyThe UNESCO/IGRAC map update 2009UNECE datasheetsOther material
ProcedureSynthesis of the materialFurther filling the groundwater datasheetsFurther delineation of the aquifersWrapping up
Thanks
United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization
World MeteorologicalOrganization
Government ofThe Netherlands
Deltares