Elizabeth Guillen– Undergraduate– Forest Ecology & Environmental Science
The Development of Desalination in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is home to the most development of desalination in the world. This is due to the increasing demands for water of a growing population and because the country is located in a very arid region that lacks adequate access to large amounts of freshwater. The country also hopes to serve as a model for other countries that are considering implementation of desalination. As desalination in Saudi Arabia has developed, the water has been used for industrial activities which ultimately frees up more ground water to be used for agricultural practices. Desalination techniques are still being developed and improved upon to ensure sustainability, in particular to reduce waste and limit energy use. Current methods are not always efficient in energy use, are not cost effective, and can have severe ecological consequences; therefore, it is important for the state to develop this process in a more sustainable manner. What are the options for increasing sustainability in desalination in Saudi Arabia? This paper examines the development of alternative energy-driven desalination techniques in Saudi Arabia and how this fits with goals of reducing pollution and increasing sustainability.
Jacob Rosenbaum - Undergraduate- Environmental Science
The Jordan River, Dead Sea, and Desalination in Israel
The Jordan River spans several countries and is a significant water source for both Israel and Jordan, although recently it has been running at about 20 percent of its historic flows. Water is diverted, stored in reservoirs behind dams on the Jordan River or its tributaries, and used primarily for irrigation and municipal uses. Water is also withdrawn from the area’s aquifers, at rates more than 100 million cubic meters per year above the annual recharge rates. The current ground water extraction rates and diversions of water from the Jordan River cannot be maintained long-term, yet demand exists and is anticipated to continue to grow. One way that Israeli coastal areas have begun to address water scarcity is through the use of desalination. Desalination processes brackish or saline water so it is suitable for direct use or to recharge aquifers. One proposal is that Israel, which has coastal access, desalinate sea water and provide it to Jordan in exchange for electricity that could be generated by solar fields located in Jordan. Other proposals, more limited in nature, suggest desalinating the brackish Jordan River water before it reaches the Dead Sea to provide potable water to the lower reaches of the river, while simultaneously reducing the rate of disappearance of the Dead Sea. In this paper I examine proposals for additional desalination in Israel designed to alleviate the declines in the Jordan River and Dead Sea.
Joshua Sapper - Undergraduate - Environmental Science
Examining the Vulnerability of Groundwater Aquifers in Abarkooh and Datansha Island.
There is no question that groundwater resources are particularly vulnerable amid increasing climate and water crises across the globe. Groundwater systems around the world are being utilized to supplement surface water reservoirs, and in turn many groundwater resources are being pumped and used unsustainably. This paper analyzes the impacts of unsustainable groundwater pumping in two vulnerable aquifers, one in Abarkooh, Iran and another on Datansha Island in Guangzhou, China. Both aquifers are defined as karst, meaning that the landscape is prone to sinkholes, sinking caves and streams, erosion, and other issues due to the dissolving bedrock and arid or semi-arid conditions present. This provides the ideal conditions to analyze and understand both the declining aquifers and the consequent impacts on groundwater quality, groundwater availability, groundwater recharge, and subsidence events plaguing these areas. Examining meteorological, hydrogeological, and groundwater monitoring data in these two aquifers facilitates better informed management or political decisions for the future, such as sustainable pumping or erosion mitigation.
Elizabeth Siewert- Undergraduate - Environmental Science
The Impacts of Mining and Desalination on Perception of Water Scarcity within Antofagasta, Chile
Governments, corporations, and citizens alike are searching for new sources of water and often compete over water. Within the last three decades, copper mining has become a particularly important export for the country of Chile, especially within the Antofagasta Region. As a form of compensation for using and degrading surface water, mining corporations have supported desalination plants that provide potable water to communities. Despite the provision of a new water source, residents in the area continue to view themselves within the parameters of water scarcity, as a significant portion of residents sustain distrust in the mining corporations in the area. This is cause for concern as, although physical water insufficiencies can be overcome through additional supply, perceptual scarcities may persist, furthering the concerns of water accessibility. Lack of confidence in water source in combination with the ambiguities of legal framework and policy has generated conflict within the Antofagasta area. If left untreated, these issues could leave the residents of Antofagasta feeling persistent instability in the source of their water and perpetual concern regarding water governance and distribution within their community. This project examines the progression of the apprehension felt amidst the residents of Antofagasta regarding water quality and availability through the evaluation of legal and political in the area alongside survey results from water consumers within the region.
