Water Resources and their

Sustainable Management

Environmental Issues in Lebanon (ENVI004)

Beirut
Dr. Safa Baydoun
"Ensure availability and sustainable
management of water and sanitation
for all“ of 17 Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015 by UN
for 2030.
 Freshwater Is an Irreplaceable Resource
That is Managed Poorly
• Freshwater makes up a very small fraction of
all water on the planet.
• While nearly 70 percent of the world is
covered by water, only 2.5-3.00 percent of it is
fresh.
• Even then, just 1 percent of our freshwater is
easily accessible, with much of it trapped in
glaciers and snow.
 There is very Little Fresh Accessible

• Unsustainable use of fresh water pushes

this resources to be very scarce (too little
to meet needs).

• One of every six people in the world does

not have sufficient access to clean water,
and this situation will certainly get worse.
 Unsustainable Use of Water

Occurs by:
• Wasting it,
• Polluting it,
• and charging too little (not full prizing)
for this irreplaceable natural resource.
This results in water scarcity (shortage)
Why access to water is an important issue?
• Access to water is
– A global health issue (drinking and sanitation)
– An economic issue (vital for reducing poverty and
producing food and energy)
– A national and global security issue (prevent
tensions over access to shared water resources)
– An environmental issue to sustain ecosystem
service
 Hydrologic cycle
• Movement of water in the seas, land, and
air.
• Driven by solar energy and gravity.
• Human activities have negatively
impacted this cycle by causing pollution,
overusing, increasing runoff (water that
runs over land) causing much amounts to
be wasted in oceans.
 Condensation Condensation
Ice and
snow

Transpiration
from plants
Precipitation
to land Evaporation of
surface water Evaporation
from ocean
Runoff

Lakes and
reservoirs Precipitation
to ocean
Runoff
Increased runoff on land
covered with crops,
Infiltration and buildings and pavement
percolation into Increased runoff
aquifer from cutting
Runoff forests and filling
wetlands

Groundwater Overpumping
in aquifers of aquifers Water pollution
Runoff

Ocean

Natural process
Natural reservoir
Human impacts
Natural pathway
Pathway affected by human activities
Groundwater and Surface Water Are Critical
Resources

• Surface Water forms form precipitation and

snowmelt that flows in rivers, streams, lakes,
wetlands, estuaries, and ultimately to the oceans. It
is impacted by extensive us and pollution
• Ground water falls in dry weather or when
withdrawing is faster than recharging by
precipitation that percolates downward or from the
side from nearby rivers and streams. It is impacted
by extensive withdrawal and pollution
 Virtual Water
• Virtual water is indirect use of water by the
mean of agricultural and manufacturing
products.
• Example: 2400 liters of water is needed for
the production of 1 Hamburger
• Virtual water as grains and other foods can be
exported/ imported
Virtual Water Use
What are the Factors that cause Water
Scarcity?
• Main factors causing water scarcity are:
–Dry climates and drought
–Population growth and increased
demand
–Economic growth
–Wasteful use of water
Water Resources are at High Risk of Overuse
• Surface and groundwater are mostly
renewable
• But are used at faster rates than they are
replenished
• Agriculture consumes around 70-80% of fresh
water resources
• Levels of groundwater are falling in many
parts of the world
Very Deep Groundwater is Now Tapped !!!!

• Deep Groundwater may contain enough water to

provide billions of people for centuries
• Major concerns
1. Nonrenewable
2. Little is known about the geological and
ecological impacts of pumping deep
groundwater
3. Some flow beneath more than one country
4. Costs of tapping is very high
 What are the Solution to Water Scarcity?

• Pumping more groundwater and using deep

groundwater are NOT the answers to water
scarcity. The answer is:
– Sustainable water use (using only the
replenished rechargeable portion)
–Conservation (protecting and using
rationally without wasting)
–
Means of Water Conservation in Agriculture

– Improving irrigation efficiency by using new

irrigation technology (trickle irrigation)
– Not growing water demanding crops in
arid areas
–Raising water pricing to encourage water
conservation.
Water Conservation at Homes and Industry

• Recycling water in industry

• Fixing leaks in the plumbing systems
• Using less water in landscaping
• Using gray water and treated water in in
agriculture and some industries
• Raising water pricing
 How Can We Use Water More Sustainably?

• We can use water more sustainably by:

– Cutting water wastage
– Raising water prices
– Slowing population growth
– Protecting groundwater, forests, and other
ecosystems
–Protection against pollution
–Developing agreements between countries
regarding shared water resources
Rain Harvesting and Storage of Flooding Water
to Conserve Water Resources
• Rain harvesting by collecting rain water at
local and large levels
• Storing flooding water by creation
engineering structure such as lakes and
reservoirs. This can also;
–Reduce the threat of flooding which can
also be achieved by protecting natural
vegetation and not building in areas
subject to frequent flooding.
Unsustainable approaches to Water Scarcity

• Unsustainable approaches to tackle water

scarcity such as:
– Building dams
– Water diversion projects
– Desalination of seawater
Can increase water supplies but have major
negative impacts on ecosystems !!!!!
 Is Building More Dams the Answer?

• Building has can increase storage capacities

and supplies in some areas, but it has
disrupted ecosystems.
Large Dams and Reservoirs Have Advantages
and Disadvantages (1)

• Advantages:
–Capture and store runoff
–Release water as needed
–Control floods
– Generate electricity
– Supply irrigation water
–Recreation (reservoirs)
Large Dams and Reservoirs Have Advantages
and Disadvantages (2)

• Disadvantages
–Impaired ecological services of rivers
–Loss of plant and animal species
–Evaporation and seepage into porous rock
beds make lose large amount of water.
–Fill up with sediment, usually within 50
years
–Can cause other streams and lakes to dry
up
Is Transferring Water from One Place to Another
the Answer?

• Transferring water from one place to

another can increase water supplies in
some areas. But, similarly to building
dams, it disrupts ecosystems.
Is Converting Salty Seawater to Freshwater
(Desalination) the Answer?
• We can convert salty ocean water to freshwater,
but, this has several disadvantages:

– High cost and energy footprint

– Could affect many marine organisms
– Large quantity of brine (salty) wastes
 In Summary: Three Big Ideas

1. Water is very precious but facing growing scarcity

2. Most important way is to reduce overall water use
and waste is by conservation and using water more
sustainably.
3. Sustainable use of water can be done by cutting
water wastage, raising water prices, slowing
population growth, and protecting groundwater and
forests, and other ecosystems that store and release
water.