Groundwater Management for Sustainable Development of Urban and Rural Areas in Extremely Arid Regions: A Case Study

In Saudi Arabia, the recharge to local and regional aquifers is mostly indirect, very limited and insignificant, especially with low annual precipitation. Most of the stored groundwater in local and regional aquifers is non-renewable fossil water. With rapid socio-economic developments and increasing population coupled with agricultural and industrial growth in the Kingdom, especially after the large increase in oil revenues after 1974, the water demands have increased drastically. By understanding the aquifer features, the country followed a planned approach based on controlling aquifer development and demand management to use its groundwater resources. The socio-economic developments in rural areas have been very pronounced. Corrective demand management measures including reduction in cultivated areas and modification in agricultural support policies in addition to the augmentation of water supplies by the reuse of treated wastewater have reduced the stress on groundwater. The establishment of a special Ministry for water and the adoption of a national water planning approach and the use of an integrated water resources management tool are expected to contribute effectively to the achievement of sustainable groundwater resources and the national interest of the country.