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Mapping groundwater development costs for the transboundary Western Aquifer Basin, Palestine/Israel

Cartographie des coûts d’aménagement des eaux souterraines pour le bassin aquifère occidental transfrontalier, Palestine/Israël

Mapeos de los costos del desarrollo de aguas subterráneas para el acuífero transfronterizo de la Cuenca Occidental, Palestina/Israel

跨巴勒斯坦/以色列的西部含水层盆地地下水开发成本制图

Mapeamento dos custos de gestão das águas subterrâneas do Aquífero transfronteiriço da Bacia Ocidental, Palestina/Israel

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Abstract

The costs of developing groundwater in the Western Aquifer Basin vary considerably across the West Bank and Israel. One of the main reasons for this variability is the diverse hydrogeological conditions within the aquifer. Using data from recent hydrogeological investigations, an estimate of the variation of both the drilling and pumping costs was calculated and then mapped across the Upper and Lower Aquifers within the Western Aquifer Basin. These groundwater cost maps proved helpful in analyzing the impacts of hydrogeology on water supply, and also in communicating complex hydrogeological information to a broader audience. The maps clearly demonstrate that the most cost-effective area to develop groundwater is along the Green Line—the 1949 armistice boundary between Israel and the Palestinian West Bank. Any migration of this boundary eastwards will affect the cost and feasibility of developing groundwater within Palestine, making abstraction from the Upper Aquifer impracticable, and increasing the cost of developing the Lower Aquifer. Therefore, the separation wall, which is being constructed to the east of the Armistice Line in Palestinian territory, will significantly reduce the ability of the Palestinians to develop groundwater resources.

Résumé

Les coûts d’aménagement des eaux souterraines dans le bassin aquifère occidental varient considérablement en Cisjordanie et en Israël. L’une des principales raisons de cette variabilité est la diversité des conditions hydrogéologiques au sein de l’aquifère. La variation des coûts de forage et de pompage a été estimée au moyen de données acquises lors de récentes investigations hydrogéologiques, puis a été cartographiée pour les aquifères supérieur et inférieur du bassin aquifère occidental. Ces cartes des coûts des eaux souterraines ont démontré leur intérêt pour l’analyse des impacts de l’hydrogéologie sur l’alimentation en eau et pour la diffusion d’une information hydrogéologique complexe à un public le plus large possible. Les cartes font clairement la démonstration que la zone où l’aménagement des eaux souterraines est le plus rentable est le long de la Ligne Verte — la frontière de l’armistice de 1949 en Israël et la Cisjordanie palestinienne. Tout déplacement de cette frontière vers l’Est augmentera le coût et la faisabilité de l’aménagement des eaux souterraines en Palestine, rendant les pompages depuis l’aquifère supérieur irréalisables, et augmentant le coût de l’aménagement de l’aquifère inférieur. Le mur de séparation, qui est en cours de construction à l’est de la ligne d’armistice en territoire palestinien, réduira donc significativement la capacité des palestiniens à aménager des ressources en eaux souterraines.

Resumen

Los costos del desarrollo de aguas subterráneas en el acuífero de la Cuenca Occidental varían considerablemente a través de Cisjordania e Israel. Una de las principales razones de esta variabilidad es la diversa condición hidrogeológica dentro del acuífero. Usando datos de investigaciones hidrogeológicas recientes se calculó una estimación de la variación de los costos de perforación y bombeo y luego se mapearon a través de los acuíferos superior e inferior dentro del acuífero de la cuenca occidental. Estos mapas de costo de las aguas subterráneas probaron ser útiles en el análisis de los impactos de la hidrogeología sobre el abastecimiento de agua, y también en la comunicación de la compleja información hidrogeológica a una audiencia más amplia. Los mapas demuestran claramente que el área efectiva más costosa para desarrollar las aguas subterráneas es a lo largo de la Línea Verde — el límite del armisticio de 1949 entre Israel y la Cisjordania Palestina. Cualquier migración de este límite hacia el este incrementará el costo y la factibilidad del desarrollo de las aguas subterráneas dentro de Palestina, haciendo impracticable la extracción desde el acuífero superior, e incrementando los costos de desarrollo del acuífero inferior, Por lo tanto, el muro de separación, que está siendo construido hacia el este de la Línea del Armisticio en territorio palestino, reducirá significativamente la capacidad de los palestinos para desarrollar los recursos de aguas subterráneas.

摘要

西部含水层盆地的地下水开发成本从约旦河西岸到以色列变化很大。其主要原因之一是含水层水文地质条件多样。利用最近的水文地质调查数据, 估算了西部含水层盆地上、下含水层钻孔和抽水成本的变化, 并形成成本图。这些地下水成本图有助于分析水文地质对供水的影响和更广泛地传达复杂的水文地质信息。成本图清晰地显示地下水资源开发成本最经济的区域沿绿线 (1949年巴以约旦河西岸停战边界) 分布。该边界的东移会增加巴勒斯坦地下水资源的开发成本和可行性, 使上含水层的开采不切实际, 并增加了开发下含水层的成本。因此, 正在停战线东部巴勒斯坦境内建造的离隔墙, 将会显著降低巴勒斯坦开发地下水资源的能力。

Resumo

Os custos de gestão para o aproveitamento da água subterrânea do Aquífero da Bacia Ocidental (Western Aquifer Basin) variam consideravelmente ao longo do Banco Ocidental (West Bank) e de Israel. Uma das principais razões para essa variabilidade é a diversidade das condições hidrogeológicas dentro do aquífero. Com base em dados de investigações hidrogeológicas recentes, foi calculada uma estimativa da variação dos custos, tanto da perfuração como da bombagem, e estes foram mapeados através dos Aquíferos Superior e Inferior, dentro do Aquífero da Bacia Ocidental. Estes mapas de custo da água subterrânea provaram ser úteis na análise dos impactes da hidrogeologia no fornecimento de água e também para comunicar informação hidrogeológica complexa a uma audiência mais ampla. Os mapas demonstram claramente que a área com preço mais eficaz, para o aproveitamento de água subterrânea, é ao longo da Linha Verde (Green Line) — que é a fronteira do armistício de 1949 entre Israel e o Banco Ocidental, na Palestina. Qualquer migração desta fronteira para leste aumentará o custo e a possibilidade do aproveitamento de água subterrânea na Palestina, tornando impraticável a extracção do Aquífero Superior, e aumentando os custos para o aproveitamento do Aquífero Inferior. Por isso, o muro de separação, que está a ser construído para leste da Linha do Armistício, no território Palestiniano, irá reduzir significativamente a capacidade dos Palestinianos para desenvolver o aproveitamento dos recursos em água subterrânea.

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Acknowledgements

This paper is published by permission of the Executive Director of the British Geological Survey (NERC). The project was funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The views expressed are not necessarily the views of DFID. This work formed part of the wider SUSMAQ project, and the help of project managers Geoff Parkin and Amjad Aliewi is gratefully acknowledged.

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MacDonald, A.M., Ó Dochartaigh, B.É., Calow, R.C. et al. Mapping groundwater development costs for the transboundary Western Aquifer Basin, Palestine/Israel. Hydrogeol J 17, 1579–1587 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-009-0471-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-009-0471-x

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