Towards a Methodology for Assessment of Internationally Shared Aquifers International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre Dr Neno KukuricCairns, 2009

What is IGRAC? l IGRAC - International Groundwater Resource Assessment Centre is an UNESCO and WMO groundwater centre l IGRAC facilitates and promotes global sharing of information and knowledge required for sustainable groundwater resources development and management. l Focused on information and knowledge management, transboundary aquifer assessment and groundwater monitoring l Receives financial support from the government of The Netherlands l Hosted by the DELTARES in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

IGRAC Portal

l A map Transboundary Aquifers of the World l ISARM Portal ( l UN ILC assistance: International Legal Agreement on groundwater l TBA Methodology and a Course l GEF (Global Environment Facility) projects l ISARM Regional Activities l (cooperation with OAS, SADC, INWEB, UNECE, OOS, GWP-MED, GEF, UNEP, UNDP..). TBA Activities at IGRAC

A Map: TBAs of the World l Prepared as a Special Edition for the Fifth World Water Forum (Istanbul, March 2009) l Shows the present state of information regarding the occurrence and extent of TBAs world-wide. l The intention of the map is to provide a global overview of these important shared water resources and to encourage their further assessment.

TBAs of the World: Details

TBAs of the World (reverse side) procedure metadata assessment methodology examples references

ISARM Programme l The worldwide ISARM (Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management) Initiative is an UNESCO led multi- agency effort aimed at improving the understanding of hydrogeological, socio-economic, legal, institutional and environmental issues related to the management of transboundary aquifers. l Since its start in 2002, ISARM has launched a number of regional initiatives designed to assess transboundary aquifer systems and to encourage riparian states to work cooperatively toward mutually beneficial and sustainable aquifer development.

Global Overview of ISARM activities Hydrogeological assessment of transboundary aquifers

ISARM Portal

Regional ISARM activities Americas

Regional ISARM activities Africa

Regional ISARM activities Asia

Transboundary Aquifers Assessment l Transboundary aquifer or transboundary aquifer system means, respectively, an aquifer or aquifer system, parts of which are situated in different States;

Transboundary Aquifers Assessment l The fact: many aquifers cross the political borders l Potential cross-boundary problems: changes in groundwater flows, levels, volumes (quantity) and dissolved substances (quality). l Actions: TBA characterisation and an appropriate management. l Benefits: eliminating potential sources of conflict and improving the overall benefit from groundwater.

TBA Assessment Rationale l What does a TBA assessment encompass? l Clear need for general guidelines (as a procedure based on facts and structured experience from elsewhere) in order to enhance and alleviate a TBA assessment l ISARM programme: hydrological, legal, socio-economical, institutional and ecological aspects/facets of TBAs and suggested guidelines l In practice, mostly a hydrogeological assessment (to incorporate info on other aspects as well)

TBA assessment steps l Delineation and description l Classification, diagnostic analysis and zoning l Data harmonisation and information management l Delineation and description l “inventory” or “characterisation” (stage and scale dependent) l chiefly about collecting, combining and interpreting the field information l Classification, diagnostic analysis and zoning l information necessary for decision-making (problems, opportunities, most responsive aquifers and aquifer zones) l Data harmonisation and information management l Extra dimension in an international context (more difficult, more elaborated and politically sensitive)

Delineation and Description l chiefly about collecting, combining and interpreting the field information l “inventory” or “characterisation” (stage and scale dependent)

Standardised TBA Delineation (TBA Activities Americas)

Standardised TBA Delineation Tested in the Atlas of transboundary aquifers of Americas

Delineation and Description l A TDA description should a.o. include info recharge/discharge mechanism and hydraulic properties of aquifer to l determine direction and velocity of groundwater flow and its interaction with other water bodies (rivers, lakes, seas). l to assess aquifer’s vulnerability to overexploitation and pollution. l ISARM and EU ECE TBA inventories vary substantially in their content l Superimposed on these hydrogeological characteristics are the anthropogenic influences such as abstraction and pollution from various sources. UN ECE Facts & Figures: l Water uses l Pressure factors l Problems related to gw quality l Groundwater mngm. measures l Status l Future trends

◄ Physiography, Demography & Water Use ◄ Geological Setting of Aquifer ◄ Water Quantity & Quality ◄ Importance and need for TBA ◄ TBA cooperation ◄ References ◄ Authors Standardised TBA Description (TBA Activities Americas)

Classification, Diagnostics and Zoning

l Input for classification: l aquifer size and hydraulic properties, l vulnerability, l current functions, l observed or perceived stresses, l Possible groundwater interferences, etc. l Input for diagnostics: l inventory of major perceived issues and problems; l overview of possible actions l Priority and feasibility study, stakeholders and institutional analysis.

Classification, Diagnostics and Zoning l Activities at location 2 in country B will be much less risky for the aquifer in country A than activities at location 1 l Effects resulting from causes at larger distance will be smaller and come with more retardation l General flow direction does matter l Zoning: e.g. based on isochrones of propagation of the effects (may contribute to a realistic picture of the transboundary risks) km 1 2 Country A Country B

Classification, Diagnostics and Zoning 0250 km 1 2 Country A Country B II I II III l Activities at location 2 in country B will be much less risky for the aquifer in country A than activities at location 1 l Effects resulting from causes at larger distance will be smaller and come with more retardation l General flow direction does matter l Zoning: e.g. based on isochrones of propagation of the effects (may contribute to a realistic picture of the transboundary risks).

l Rationale l Assessment: availability and quality of data l Internationally – also data harmonisation & info management l Technical activity l Basically harmonisation of formats, classifications, terminologies, reference systems, levels, software and hardware specific, etc. l Heavily influenced by political, organisational, legal, cultural and economical situation and agenda l Objectives l Depend on scope and scale: visualisation, textual/spatial/temporal data, web-based, common processing, real-time Harmonisation & Info management

l Current situation l Mainly simple GIS- based databases (GEF projects) l Developed databases or systems are (according to the available information) neither web-based, nor real-time l Databases available via IGRAC and INWEB portals contain meta information on transboundary aquifers. l No cases have been reported of harmonisation going beyond items such as reference levels and measurement scales. l WISE accommodates delineated ‘groundwater bodies’, no observations are available yet Harmonisation & Info management l Ideally, on-line synchronised access to distributed information services (data and information remain at the source!

Harmonisation & Info management

Concluding notes l Challenges of TBA assessment l (invisible groundwater, usually slow changes, various approaches to aquifer assessment, lack of information, political will…) l Need for a generally accepted TBA assessment methodology l Enhancing the assessment l Improving information consistency l Providing clear info for decision makers (on issues at stake, promising TBA management strategies and zones for TBA management actions) l Importance of ISARM umbrella and cooperation with similar programmes and international projects (IWRM!) l Thank you for your attention! United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Meteorological Organization Government of The Netherlands Deltares