The Environmental Atlas of Abu Dhabi Emirate

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141

G ROUNDWATER D EPTH & W ATER Q UALITY M ONITORING

Ra's al- Khaimah

Umm al-Qaiwain

Groundwater accounts for approximately seventy-one per cent of the water consumed in Abu Dhabi Emirate. Tomonitorthisimportant limitedresource,anextensive groundwater monitoring network was enacted by Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) in 1998. In 2005, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi became responsible for managing the Abu Dhabi Groundwater Monitoring Network (AGMN), which is tasked with providing groundwater level and water quality data from aquifers throughout the Emirate. At

present, the network comprises 320 monitoring wells, twenty rain gauges, four meteorological stations and two soil moisture sensors. Water levels and water quality data are recorded once every three hours and the data are transmitted by electronic telemetry units to a central database known as the Water Resources Information System (AWRIS). These data are used to determine the status and trend of groundwater levels and quality throughout the Emirate in order to better manage and regulate this vital resource.

A r a b i a n G u l f

Ajman

Sharjah

Qatar

Dubai

Depth to Water of Monitoring Well from Mean Sea Level (as of January 2009)

0-10 m 10-20 m 20-30 m

30-40 m 40-50 m 50-60 m 60-70 m

70-80 m 80-90 m 90-100 m

>100 m

25°N

25°N

0

15

Mkasib

Abu Dhabi

Qaffay

30

Muhayyimat

Ghaghah

45

Musaffah

Bani Yas

Al Ain

Jebel Dhanna

Number of Monitoring Wells by Depth

60

Ruwais

Sila'a

Tarif

24°N

24°N

Habshan

Ghayathi

Madinat Zayed

Bu Hasa

Towns

Large/Medium Towns

Roads

Dual Carriageway

EAD Groundwater Monitoring Wells Depth to Water (Below Mean Sea Level) 0 - 10m

Oman

10 - 20m 20 - 30m 30 - 40m 40 - 50m 50 - 60m 60 - 70m 70 - 80m 80 - 90m 90 - 100m >100m

Liwa

23°N

23°N

Saudi Arabia

Water Quality

20

0

20

40 Kilometres

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