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Proyecto

Climate Change and Saltwater Intrusion along the Eastern Mediterranean: Socioeconomic Vulnerability
 

Lebanon
Identificador del Proyecto
106706
Total del financiamiento
CAD 516,700.00
Estado de Proyecto
Completed
Fecha de finalización
Duración
36 meses

Programas y alianzas

Cambio climático

Principales instituciones

Resumen

The Eastern Mediterranean is highly vulnerable to saltwater intrusion into the freshwater aquifers along its coasts. The degradation of these aquifers would result in serious socioeconomic consequence to people living there.Más información

The Eastern Mediterranean is highly vulnerable to saltwater intrusion into the freshwater aquifers along its coasts. The degradation of these aquifers would result in serious socioeconomic consequence to people living there. This project will investigate how climate change is affecting the salinity of coastal aquifers at several locations in the region. Researchers will endeavour to understand the main drivers of aquifer salinization, whether due to climate change (sea level rise, changes in groundwater recharge rates) or known factors (population growth and associated increases in water extraction rates), and the relative importance of each. They will combine this information with information on domestic and agricultural water use to produce a set of vulnerability maps and mitigation measures to reduce the effects of saltwater intrusion on the local population and the environment. These measures will be tested in two small towns along the Lebanese coast in the Greater Beirut area. The project will contribute to better understanding of the relative impact of climate change on saltwater intrusion of coastal aquifers and suggest locally appropriate adaptation measures. It is also expected to improve the adaptive capacity of local communities to climate change, as well as providing policy alternatives for local governments

Publicaciones

Resultados de la investigación Opens in new tab
Paper
Idioma:

Inglés

Resumen

Lack of access to safe water supply and adequate sanitation services is directly linked to the livelihoods and incomes of the urban poor, with impacts on health and ability to earn, thus exacerbating poverty. This study assesses the socio-economic burden of water quality in a poor urban slum (Tripoli, Lebanon) in terms of increased morbidity and premature mortality using various econometric tools. Results indicate need for targeted interventions at the household and slum levels. Based on an economic benefit analysis, this research can be used by stakeholders to justify infrastructure investment and to pressure decision-makers towards the same purpose.

Autores
Maroun, Rania
Article
Idioma:

Inglés

Resumen

Coastal aquifers are increasingly threatened by seawater intrusion due to increased urbanization, groundwater exploitation, and global sea-level rise. Pattern diagrams, which constitute the outcome of several hydro-geochemical processes, have traditionally been used to characterize vulnerability to seawater intrusion. However, the formats of such diagrams do not facilitate the geospatial analysis of groundwater quality, thus limiting the ability of spatio-temporal mapping and monitoring. This raises the need to transform the information from current pattern diagrams into a format that can be readily used under a GIS framework to define vulnerable areas prone to seawater intrusion. In this study, a groundwater quality index specific to seawater intrusion (GQISWI) was developed for the purpose of aggregating data into a comprehensible format that allows spatial analysis. The index was evaluated with data from various coastal regions worldwide and then applied at a pilot karstic aquifer along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Autores
Tomaszkiewicz, M.
Paper
Idioma:

Inglés

Resumen

Concentration data exhibited large spatial variability in salinity levels across districts with Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels ranging from a low of 400 to as high as 29,000 ppm. Groundwater chemistry, ionic relationships, hydro-chemical diagrams and groundwater quality indices (GQI) were used to delineate saltwater intrusion (SWI) hotspots. Results of this study can help assess the extent and intensity of SWI and improve existing policy planning and management tools for coastal aquifers. Despite widespread studies of SWI, its investigation in karst aquifers remains limited, particularly in view of the challenges in understanding, characterization, as well as modeling of karst aquifers.

Autores
El-Fadel, Mutasem
Paper
Idioma:

Inglés

Resumen

This paper assesses diarrhea occurrence in two urban slums to identify salient factors influencing case prevalence. Rapid urbanization in settings of poor economic performance and governance has increased the number of people living in urban slums to about 1 billion people worldwide. In this study, water quality analysis showed contamination at the household level due primarily to the location of water storage tanks. Significant difference in diarrhea cases in both study areas correlated with the educational level of household head, financial status, type of water storage tank and cleaning frequency, along with adoption of measures to treat water, or use bottled water.

Autores
Maroun, R.
Article
Idioma:

Inglés

Resumen

This study aims at developing Groundwater Quality Indices (GQIs) that constitute a reliable tool in defining aquifer vulnerability. For this purpose, water quality sampling campaigns were conducted on 60 groundwater wells during most vulnerable periods of early and late summer to ensure the representativeness of the targeted GQI under worst case conditions. The samples were tested for various water quality indicators, which were then used to develop the GQIs through GIS-based mapping with spatial geostatistical analysis. The results contribute in filling a gap in GQI definition and form a basis for planning effective water quality management towards sustainable exploitation of groundwater resources particularly during summer periods when recharge is limited.

Autores
El-Fadel, M.
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