Approaches to achieve sustainable use and management of groundwater resources in Qatar

Abstract

This paper reviews the hydro-geochemical characterization of Qatar's aquifer. In addition, it highlights the opportunities in the current groundwater management practices to achieve a sustainable groundwater use in Qatar such as assessing and monitoring the groundwater quantity and quality. In this review article, the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework is used to analyze the water resource system in Qatar; begins by describing the causal chain from driving forces of impacts and finally state the responses. As the main driver is the intensive use of groundwater for agriculture irrigation, this causes high pressure on groundwater abstraction and deteriorate the state of the groundwater environment in term of quantity and quality, which has an impact on the food and water supply demands. Therefore, the final response highlights the need for the enhancing the rainfall infiltration to the aquifers, recharging the groundwater aquifers using treated sewage effluent or desalinated water development of groundwater treatment techniques, the use of efficient water irrigation practices, the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation and the development of certain water-use tariff structures and awareness campaigns for farmers.