Plan to reduce over-extraction ofg rou ndwater from Am ma n-Zarqa

and Al-Azraq Basins

Ministry of Water and lrrigation

2010

Outline

Amman -Zarqa Basin

Figure (1 ) Amman -Zarqa Basin

Amman-Zarqa Basin

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Figure (3) gives an example on the decrease of water level in one of the basin

wells (Hallabat well,No. 6) , while Figure (4) gives an example on salinity level

increase in one of the basin wells (Hashemite well, No. 3).

Table (1) Safe yield and over-extraction of Amman-Zarqa basin

Figure (2) Safe yield and over-extraction of Amman-Zarqa basin

GW Abstraction from Amman Zarqa Basin

180

160

'J.40

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

r Abstraction (MCM)

# Safe Yield

Amman-Zarqa Basin 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Extraction(Mr') 148.6 139.4 t49.9 155.1 r54.3

Safe yield(Mmt) 87.s 87.5 87.5 87.5 87.5

Over-extraction(Mm3) 61.1 51.9 62.4 67.6 66.8

Percentage of over-extraction to the safe

vield169.8% 159.3o/o 171.3o/o 1773% 176.3o/o

Consumption of groundwater in various secúors (drinking,

i ndustry a nd agriculture)

The quantities of extraction, which exceeded 170o/o of the safe yield of extraction

from the basin as illustrated in the table (2), includes the amount of water

abstracted for drinking, which is estimated to be more than 80 million cubic meters,

and considered to equal almost 100% of the safe yield. While the amount of water

utilized for agriculture, which is more than 60 million cubic meters is equivalent to

70% of the safe yield of the basin, and a very small percentage of extraction is

being used for industry (Figure 5).

Table (2), Extraction quantities for various sectors

Amman-Water Basin 200s 2006 2007 2008 2009Agriculture 60.s 57.9 62.9 58.9 64.9

Drinking 81.1 75.2 80.0 83.4 78.8industry 7.1 6.3 6.9 6.6 6.9

Total 149 139 150 153 154Safe yield 87.5 87.5 87.5 87.5 87.s

Figure (5), Extraction from the basin for different sectors

7

GW Abstraction per use type from Amman Zarqa Basin

180.0

160.0

140.0

120.0

100.0

80.0

60.0

40.0

20.0

r lrrigation

r Municipal

I lndustr¡al

I Total

- Safe Yi el d

2008 20092005 2006 2007

Table (4), number of legal, working and non-working wells in Amman-Zarqabasin

year

Extraction from

legal wells

(lr¡m3)

Number of wells

Working

wells

Non-working

wells

2009 62.8 459 1129

Table (5), number of illegal, working and non-working wells in Amman-ZarqaBasin

year

Extraction from

illegal wells

(Mmt)

Number of wells

Working

wells

Non-working

wells

2009 3.6 99 32

I

Current Sfaúus

This basin is located in the eastern desert , (90) kilometers away from theeast of Amman, with an estimated area of about (12 4OO) km 2 in Jordan, andan average precipitation of (3000) mm / year. Shallow water layers aresurrounded by Basalt which is above the marble, and is composed of graniteand limestone, are the most important aquifers. And there is a deep confinedwater layer composed of limestone and granite which is considered theformative layers of Amman - Wadi Seer. This basin extends into Syria, wherethe subsurface water flowing from Syrian territory to Jordanian water levels isabout (18) million cubic meters annually.

Hi stori cal devel o pm ent

The quantity of safe extraction is about (24) million cubic meters of water

from the water layers, noting that extraction have exceeded the safe yield

to about 250% for the past five years, as shown in Table (6) and Figure

(7). The decrease in water level reached about (15 m) during the previous

twenty years with the increase in salinity level from 270 to more than 500

ppm.

Figure (8) gives an example on the decrease of water level in one of the basin

wells ( Azraq well- 12), while figure (9) gives an example on salinity level

increase in one of the basin wells (owsa well -10)

Table (6), Safe yield and over-extraction of Al-Azraq basin

Amman-Zarqa Basin 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Extraction(Mm') 58.2 59 66 5t.7 51.6

Safe yield(Mmt) 24 24 24 24 24

Over-extraction(Mm3) 34.2 35 42 27.7 27.7

Percentage of over-extraction to the safe

vield242.5% 245.8% 27s.0% 2r5.4% 215.2%

11

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Figure (9) salinity increase in one of the basin wells (Owsa- 10)

AWSA OBS- WELL NO 10AZRAQ BASIN

o

-Dare

Due to the presence of salt water in the basin, the extraction which

exceeds the safe yield of the basin will rush to movement of salty water

into the whereabouts of fresh water (such as drinking water field wells),

which causes the negative change on the quality of water as well as on

economic projects and investments in the basin, especially agricultural

ones.

Consumption of groundwater in various secfors (drinking,industry and agriculture)

Quantities of extraction, which exceeded 250% of the water safe yield of thebasin, as shown in Table (7), includes the amount of water extracted foragriculture, as estimated to be more than 33 million cubic meters, and is equalto almost 136% of the safe yield. while the amount of water extracted fordrinking is more than 22 million cubic meters, and equals to 96% of the safeyield. Only 8o/o of the safe yield is being used in industry (Figure (10)).

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How the exploited groundwater is distributed for alluses andfor d ifferent governorates

The following table shows the amounts of groundwater allocated to thevarious governorates from AlAzraq basin. Zarqa Governorate occupies thehighest percentage of total water extracted from the basin, where water ismostly used for agriculture and drinking.

Quantities and distribution of water extracted for agriculture

Table (9) and table (10) give detailed situation of Al-Azraq Basin wells interms of the number of working and non-working, legal and illegal wells.

Table (9), number of legal, working and non-working wells in Al-Azraq Basin

year

Extraction from

legalwells

(Mm')

Number of wells

Working

wells

Non-working

wells

2009 13.5 158 486

Table (8), Allocated water for different sectors in different governorates

Governorate Mafraq Zarqa Amman Total

Governomental drinking, Waj owned 5.1 17.0 1.5 23.6

Private drinking 00 01 02 0.3

lndustry 00 0.3 00 0.3

Agriculture 80 191 14 28.5

Discrete areas 0.1 01 00 0.1

Total 13.2 36.5 3.1 52.8

15

over-extraction of the basins.2. Water available during the off-peak season (winter) calculated to be 17o/o

added to the per capita share (80-1201/capita/day) during the peak period(summer time) according to the calculation model of the re-allocation plan.Based on the previous model, an assumed growth rate of industry (see Table

(11)), reflects the increase in demand in the industrial sector.

3. Additional quantities of water from the basins will be used for drinking,rather than agriculture, under the substitution mechanism which uses treatedwater resulting from sewage plants for agriculture. Accordingly, this planincludes an annual reduction in groundwater extraction procedures to reducethe amount of water abstracted for agricultural purposes from eachgovernorate. (see appendix 2,3)

Finally this plan assumes a constant amount of water coming to the capitalAmman from Zay and Zara-ma'en.

2.3 Reduction súages and procedures

This action plan consists of three phases: short, medium and long term. Eachphase is summarized as follows: (see annex 1)

1. Short{erm phase: The phase will start from the onset of implementationand end at the beginning of 2014. lt aims at detecting any additional violationson the extraction of the basins, and collecting information needed for thesecond phase, including the following actions:

o Starting a socio-economic survey for the investments that exploitgroundwater in the basins.

o Design suitable procedures for improving the groundwater monitoringsystem to ensure complete cessation of water depletion of the basins andsecuring formal approval of those procedures with the corporation of relatedparties, like the ministry of internal issues. (Which include the activation ofpunishment law clauses and similar illegations.)

able (1 h rateAiloun Jerash Balqa Mafrao Zarqa Amman Governorate

%4 %4 %5 %8 o/g %8 percentaqe

17

o Working along with the Ministry of Municipalities to take water issues intoconsideration when planning lands usages.

2. Medium-term phase: This phase aims to effectively reduce the over-extraction of water from the basins, and to find alternative sources to theamount that will be reduced aiming to reach safe yield. This phase will extendfrom 2014 to 2020 and will incorporate the following actions:

o Closing all illegal, non-working wells by the year 2020 according to thefollowing

See annex (4) that shows 32 wells for Amman -Zarqa Basin and annex (5)that shows 736 wells tor Azraq Basin.

Actually starting in the reduction of the over- extraction of basins for eachgovernorate, taking into account the volume of demand in each governorate,water quality and uses, and volumes being pumped) see annex 2 for thereduction plan of Amman-Zarqa Basin, and annex 3 for the plan of AzraqBasin), after ensuring new water sources alternatives to compensate for theover-extraction.The enforcement of new groundwater monitoring law.The leasing and procurement of some agricultural wells (taking into accountthe degree of salinity in these wells) and the exploitation of their waters fordrinking purposesEnsuring that all illegal, working wells are operating in accordance with thenew groundwater monitoring law.Reviewing the amount of water that will be extracted every five years for theadjusted wells.Starting the reduction of over- extraction of basins for each governorate,taking into account volume of demand, water quality and uses, and volumesbeing pumped, starting with governmental drinking water after consideringother water sources alternatives.Working with the Ministry of Finance and the Department of land and surveyto solve the problem of some land in Azraq.Begin the utilization of other sources of water for agricultural uses other thangroundwater (treated wastewater, water harvesting,).Activating the work with the Ministry of Municipalities for the applicationof water considerations in the planning of land use

3. Long-term phase: This phase aims to continue with the activities ofmedium{erm phase, those that maintain an amount of extraction from basinsequals to the safe yield, or to find new solutions to achieve the safe yieldlevels of the basins. This phase begins atter 2020.This phase will contain a

a

a

19

Year During2010

2011-2013

2014-2017

2018-2020

Total

# of wells to be closed 50 230 230 258 768

The over-extraction can be also reduced from the basin to a sufficient extentto reach the safe yield of 24 mm 3, where the reducing percentage in the over-extraction of the basin ranges from 37o/o in 2014 to nearly 100% in 2020. Thisratio has reduced the value of the current over-extraction of 27 .7 Mm3 to 17.5Mm 3 in 2014 and nearly 0 Mm 3 in 2020, which is equivalent to an average of13.4 Mm 3 between 2014 and 2020,Annex 3).

Results also indicate that by using the excess water from the off-peak periods,by using part of the water in excess from demand after the arrival of Disiwater, and by reducing the amount of water utilized for agriculture, whichconsidered to be the most water consuming sector in this basin, it will bepossible to reduce the percentage of over-extraction of the basin byapproximately 100% by the year 2020 to reach the safe yield.

Long-term phase results:

By comparing the results of the medium term phase with those of the plan'sobjectives, it becomes apparent that despite serious efforts to reduce overextraction of water from underground basins, Jordan is still in need of other projectsto support its efforts. This becomes even clearer when the growing needs of varioussectors (drinking, industry, tourism and agriculture) are taken into consideration.The Red-Dead canal project offers a viable solution and represents a way fonruardto meet demand and preserve Jordan's underground basins for future generations.

year 20L3 20L4 20t5 20t6 20L7 20L8 2019 2020Over-a bstraction 27.6 15.5 1.5.7 L5.0 L4.3 13.6 79 -0.5

%o of over-abstract¡ondecrease

o.44 0.43 0.46 048 0.51 o.7L 1..O2

Safe vield 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24% of over-abstraction to

safe yield21.s.4% L64.7% 165.5% 1,62.60/o L59.7% Ls6 8% L33.0% 98.0%

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