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Groundwater resources in the Jabal Al Hass region, northwest Syria: an assessment of past use and future potential

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Abstract

In many cases, the development of groundwater resources to boost agricultural production in dry areas has led to a continuous decline in groundwater levels; this has called into question the sustainability of such exploitation. In developing countries, limited budgets and scarce hydrological data often do not allow groundwater resources to be assessed through groundwater modeling. A case study is presented of a low-cost water-balance approach to groundwater resource assessments in a 1,550 km2 semi-arid region in northwestern Syria. The past development of irrigated agriculture and its effect on the groundwater system were studied by analysis of Landsat images and long-term groundwater level changes, respectively. All components of the groundwater balance were determined. Groundwater recharge was estimated using the chloride mass balance method. Over the past three decades, groundwater levels have declined, on average, 23 m, coinciding with a two-fold increase in the groundwater-irrigated area. Groundwater resources are currently depleted by a value that lies between 9.5×106 and 118×106 m3 year−1, which is larger than can be compensated for by a future decrease in natural discharge or changes in boundary conditions. However, groundwater resources are likely to be sufficient to supply domestic and livestock needs in the area.

Résumé

Dans plusieurs cas, le développement des ressources en eau souterraine pour augmenter les productions agricoles dans les zones sèches a mené à un déclin continu des niveaux piézométriques ; ceci remet en question la durabilité de telles exploitations. Dans les pays en voie de développement, les budgets limités et le peu de données hydrologiques ne permettent pas souvent de dresser le bilan des ressources en eau souterraine à travers la modélisation hydrogéologique. Un cas d’étude est présenté, reprenant une approche par bilan hydrologique peu coûteuse pour évaluer les eaux souterraines dans une région semi-aride de 1550 km2 du Nord-Ouest de la Syrie. L’historique du développement de l’agriculture irriguée et les effets sur le système hydrogéologique ont été analysés au moyen d’images Landsat et du changement sur le long terme des niveaux piézométriques. Toutes les composantes du bilan hydrologiques ont été déterminées. La recharge de l’eau souterraine a été estimée suivant la méthode du bilan massique des chlorures. Sur les trois dernières décennies, les niveaux piézométriques ont diminué - en moyenne de 23 mètres - ce qui coïncide avec une augmentation croissante de la surface irriguée par de l’eau souterraine. Les ressources en eau souterraine sont pour l’instant diminuées d’un taux situé entre 9.5×106 et 118×106 m3an−1, ce qui est largement supérieur à ce qui peut être compensé par une diminution de la recharge naturelle ou des changements des conditions aux limites. Toutefois, les ressources en eau souterraine sont suffisantes pour supporter l’alimentation domestique et les besoins des élevages dans la zone concernée.

Resumen

En muchos casos, el desarrollo de recursos del agua subterránea, para incrementar la producción agrícola en las áreas secas, ha llevado a un descenso continuo en los niveles del agua subterránea; esto ha originado cuestionamientos acerca de la sostenibilidad de tal explotación. En los países en vías de desarrollo, a menudo, tanto los presupuestos limitados como los datos hidrológicos escasos, no permiten evaluar los recursos del agua subterránea a través del modelamiento de agua subterránea. Se presenta un estudio de caso, de un método económico para realizar un balance hídrico, destinado a evaluar el recurso de agua subterránea en una región semiárida de 1550 km2, en el noroeste de Siria. El desarrollo pasado de agricultura irrigada y su efecto en el sistema del agua subterránea, fueron estudiados mediante el análisis de imágenes de Landsat y de los cambios de largo plazo en los niveles de agua subterránea, respectivamente. Todos los componentes del balance del agua subterránea fueron determinados. Se estimó la recarga de agua subterránea, mediante el uso del método de balance de masas de cloruros. Durante las últimas tres décadas, los niveles del agua subterránea han descendido, en el promedio 23 m, coincidiendo con un aumento, en dos órdenes de magnitud, en el área irrigada con agua subterránea. Los recursos de Agua subterránea son gastados actualmente en cantidades que oscilan entre 9.5×106 y 118×106 m3/año, las cuales son mayores que lo que puede compensarse por una disminución futura en la descarga natural o por cambios en las condiciones de contorno del acuífero. Sin embargo, es probable que los recursos del agua subterránea sean suficientes para suministrar el consumo doméstico y del ganado que se necesitan en el área.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the ICARDA staff that assisted with the fieldwork and prepared the laboratory analyses of this study. We would also like to acknowledge P. d’Altan, who analyzed the satellite images and prepared the final maps and figures. Thanks are also due to B. Abou Zakhem, of Syria’s Atomic Energy Commission, for generously sharing the results obtained from hydrochemical analyses of water samples from Khanasir Valley. We would like to acknowledge J.J. de Vries and K. Hemker of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for the advice given during the MSc thesis research of the first author, which formed the background of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic

    Elco Luijendijk & Adriana Bruggeman

  2. Now at Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Elco Luijendijk

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  1. Elco Luijendijk
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  2. Adriana Bruggeman
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Correspondence to Elco Luijendijk.

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Luijendijk, E., Bruggeman, A. Groundwater resources in the Jabal Al Hass region, northwest Syria: an assessment of past use and future potential. Hydrogeol J 16, 511–530 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-008-0282-5

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