Brayden Bishop – Undergraduate - Environmental Science
Preserving the Wadi Rum Aquifers: A Path to Sustainable Water Management in Jordan
The Wadi Rum Aquifers in Jordan are an essential water source in one of the world's most arid regions. This ancient groundwater is crucial for sustaining local communities, supporting agricultural activities, and fueling the expanding tourism industry. However, the rising demand driven by population growth and tourism development is leading to over-extraction, threatening the aquifer's sustainability. Jordan's acute water scarcity underscores the urgency to tackle this issue, as the depletion of these aquifers endangers long-term water availability and disrupts the delicate balance of the region's ecosystem. Climate change further complicates the situation, with expected shifts in precipitation patterns and increased evaporation rates exacerbating water scarcity. This project underscores the critical need to balance the use of this precious resource with sustainable practices. It examines the socio-economic and environmental impacts of unsustainable groundwater extraction and evaluates strategies to mitigate these impacts, such as implementing water-saving technologies and adopting more efficient agricultural practices. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts among government entities, local communities, and international organizations to improve water management and conservation practices. By addressing the complexities of aquifer use in Wadi Rum, this study aims to contribute to an integrated water management framework that ensures the resilience of this essential resource for future generations. The findings highlight the necessity of immediate action to safeguard the aquifer while maintaining the socio-economic benefits it provides to the region.
Carrie DeBarger - Undergraduate - Geography and Spanish
Water Reclamation and Conflict Around the Jordan River in Jordan
Jordan, with its turbulent middle eastern climate, is no stranger to water crises. Water in Jordan is both religiously and culturally significant, and a precious resource in recent times of scarcity. The Jordan River, flowing between Jordan and the region of West Bank where Israel and Palestine are at odds, has come under the spotlight as a component of the conflict. Jordan has turned to water reclamation use, specifically for irrigation, in an attempt to alleviate the stress of the water scarcity issues and conflict. Though the use of reclaimed water for crop irrigation introduces pathogens and bacteria, there are also environmental benefits to its use: it requires less fertilizer and less fresh water consumption. There have been several initiatives in Jordan that aim toward building water reuse infrastructure, like the Water Network Project and the As-Samra Expansion Project. These initiatives are funded by private grant programs that Jordan is eligible for due to its economic state and severity of its water crisis. Led by the Jordanian government, they aim to repair existing water infrastructure and improve wastewater treatment practices. However, opinions of Jordanians on reclaimed water use are mixed. Despite water scarcity and poor crop yields, local farmers say the reclaimed water is unsanitary and not worth the risk. This paper examines the disconnect between the government and community when it comes to water governance in times of crisis, and explores the different interpretations of the hydrosocial cycle in Jordan.
Alex Fulton – Undergraduate - Geography
New Governance Following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
During the 2003 invasion of Iraq by US led coalition forces, water infrastructure and the systems of governance supporting it were destroyed. Water infrastructure like dams were treated as strategic targets leading to their destruction. The government employees running the system previously left because of the fighting or were killed during it. The subsequent reconstruction of Iraq led by the United States was extremely complex involving private contractors, US and other government agencies, non-government agencies and what was left of the Iraqi government. This paper will explore this failed strategy through a wastewater project that was proposed in Fallujah. Meant to strengthen the city’s feelings towards the new Iraqi government, the plant was only ever partially constructed. I will examine what the United States new governance plan meant and what it now means for the Iraqi citizens.
Faith Machuca - Graduate - Geography
Water Scarcity in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
Water Governance, Current Challenges, and Possible Solutions
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the most arid countries on Earth and faces severe water scarcity due to minimal freshwater resources and climate change. The country’s water governance is marked by centralized state control and market-driven approaches that reinforce inequality in water access and distribution. Saudi Arabia’s policies have historically prioritized large-scale modernization projects and urban expansion over water sustainability. With over 80% of the nation’s water allocated toward agriculture, water-intensive crops and the over-extraction of nonrenewable aquifers have become critical concerns. While advanced tools like hydroponic systems offer promising solutions, challenges remain in making them accessible to all stakeholders. Through the lens of the hydrosocial cycle, this work explores how water infrastructure projects, such as desalination and wastewater reuse, are reshaping human-water relationships in Saudi Arabia. These technologies not only address water scarcity but also serve as symbols of the state’s modernization efforts. This paper argues that effectively tackling water scarcity in Saudi Arabia requires a holistic approach that integrates sustainable governance, technological innovation, and participatory decision-making to balance modernization goals with environmental realities. Saudi Arabia’s water strategies serve as a powerful case study of how political and social technologies influence water management in resource-scarce regions.
Makayla Meyers-Lewallen - Undergraduate - Public Health
Understanding Qatar's Approach to Water Sustainability
Qatar is the country with the highest incomes per capita in the world due to its rapid economic growth and its fossil fuel intensive economy. Although Qatar has the highest average amount of money earned per person, it is among the poorest countries in natural freshwater resources. Poor natural freshwater resources in this case, are caused by an insufficient water supply for the population size, contamination or pollution, and overuse. This is a significant matter because despite the city’s wealth there is still an insufficient supply of this vital resource that has an effect on the economy, the community, and agriculture. This paper will address the expenses and costs of desalination and electric power plants, the costs of using natural gasses (fossil fuels), as well as the cost of using steam and gas turbines. This paper recognizes how the lack of natural renewable water sources contributes(d) to the abandonment of farms and began the decline of agriculture for Qatar. To confront these issues, the Qatari government is focusing on desalination power plants and waste water treatment centers, to provide the community with water. Finally, the relationship between the desalination of seawater and electric power production will be discussed, as well as its impacts on increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Gavin Schulz - Undergraduate - College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources
Water Scarcity in Yemen: Agricultural and Social Ramifications
Located in the Southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen is now facing one of the world's most disastrous water crises. A country once characterized by rich agricultural traditions has faced the collapse of aging infrastructure and political destabilization which have made it difficult to manage severe groundwater depletion. In turn, Yemenis continue to suffer from food and water shortages which threaten the lives of nearly 14.5 million people. Beginning in the 1970s, traditional practices of tribal water governance were replaced with the introduction of tube well drilling. Years later, the water table has been significantly depleted to the point that water levels are estimated to drop nearly 20 feet annually. Much of the agricultural practices which Yemenis rely on for food have ground to a halt with wells going dry and this has left millions without food or water. Additionally, aging infrastructure and misguided agricultural policies prove to be challenges in finding solutions to water scarcity. The war on terror put a halt to any potential remedy for this growing water crisis. With financial aid being cut off for nearly a decade during the Bush administration, further aid has been supplied under the condition of cooperation with the United States and its allies in war throughout the Middle East. This paper will discuss how a history of mismanagement surrounding Yemen's water resources coupled with destabilization have had drastic effects on the nation's water supply and citizens as well as what can be done to solve this issue.