KFUPM
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KPFUM WATER SECTION
Center for Water and Environment
Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
1) HISTORY OF WATER SECTION
a) In 1981: the Water Section was initially established as a Water Resources Research Group (WRRG) within the Division of Water Resources and Environment at the Research Institute of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in 1981 to be the umbrella for researchers and faculty members of the University for carrying out applied research in different fields of water resources. This was to help the Kingdom as a scarce water country in solving the emerging water challenges for governmental and private sector agencies.
b) In 1993: after successful achievements of the carried applied research projects in improvement of water management and conservation in several parts of the Kingdom for domestic, industrial and agricultural purpose, the WRRG was converted into a Water Section (WS). The WS has been given broader mission and objectives in order to be more flexible to respond to the dynamic water problems on regional and national levels.
2) MISSION THE WATER SECTION
One of the major missions on which the Research Institute was established was to carry out applied research in Water Resources because water is the base of sustainable development of the Kingdom. The Water Section (WS) has been established at the Research Institute of the University as an umbrella for researchers and faculty members in different academic departments of the University for carrying out applied research in different fields of water resource. The mission of the WS is to transfer or to develop the most cost effective and suitable technologies in different disciplines of water resources for Saudi Arabia to meet its present and future water needs. Specifically, the WS carries out applied research in water resources evaluation, planning, and management to promote proper utilization and conservation of water resources in the Kingdom.
3) OBJECTIVES OF THE WATER SECTION
The main goals of the WS is to contribute effectively through applied research to the improvement of water use efficiency and conservation, and to solve the immediate and long term water problems in domestic, industrial and agricultural sectors.
4) EXPERTISE OF THE WATER SECTION
In a water scarce country such as Saudi Arabia, the rapid population growth, improvement of standard of living, extensive urbanization and industrialization, and expansion of agricultural areas have resulted in accelerating the levels of water demands. These challenges entail a whole series of measures to encourage greater efficiency, productivity, conservation and quality control of the resource. This requires a more integrated and equitable approach in the water management that leads to minimization of unsustainable exploitation of water resources and fairer water allocation to water sectors. Expertise is available at the Water Section to address above critical water issues which include the following:
Water Resources planning, development and Conservation include:
• Water resources assessment and development
• Modeling of surface water systems.
• Application of remote sensing in water resources.
• Use of GIS in water resources planning and management.
• Design of hydrological networks.
• Weather modification impacts on water resources.
• Water legislations and regulation aspects of water resources
• Water resources economics.
• Water quality assessment
• Water conservation.
• Training on water technologies.
Groundwater Management include:
• Groundwater exploration, assessment and development.
• Aquifer characterization and assessment.
• Development of groundwater flow and salute transport simulation models.
• Design and operation of underground strategic reservoirs.
• Design of well and well fields.
• Development of groundwater abstraction policies.
Irrigation Water Management include:
• Modeling of Crop irrigation requirements.
• Irrigation water scheduling and operation
• Dynamic operation of irrigation systems
• Decision support system for irrigation water planning.
• Irrigation Automation.
Urban Water Management include:
• Watershed Modeling in urban areas
• Control of shallow water table rise in urban areas.
• Wastewater reuse model.
• Decision support system for urban water planning.
• Leakage detection and control.
• Management of urban Water and wastewater networks
5) RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The completed studies by the WS have been oriented towards solving the immediate and rising water challenges for private and governmental agencies in different regions of the Kingdom. The implementation of the developed scientific technologies have contributed significantly to solving different types of water challenges and in improving the management and utilization of conventional and non-convention water resources. The original and new findings of these studies have added to the scientific knowledge to local and international researchers and specialists in different areas of water resources.
The WS has completed more than sixty funded applied research projects for private sector and public organizations. This has included coastal aquifer management, groundwater assessment and development, aquifers characterization, well and well field designs, surface water management, industrial water treatment and reuse, irrigation water management and water conservation. These research projects have lead to major improvements of water utilization and management in agricultural, industrial and commercial projects in different regions of the Kingdom. Examples of theses studies have included the followings:
• Development and implementation of new computer models for unsteady flow simulation and distribution in complex multi branched open canal system for Al-Hassa Irrigation and Drainage Project.
• Introduction and successful implementation of new treatment technologies for brine wastewater in industrial plants in the Kingdom.
• Development and successful implementations of new groundwater management and pumping schemes for the protection of groundwater quality and levels in multi-aquifer systems in several rural and urban areas under long-term excessive water withdrawal conditions in several parts of the Kingdom.
• Investigation and proposed successful solutions for shallow groundwater table conditions in local urban areas.
• Development and successful implementation of new computer models for operation and managements of groundwater for irrigation in major agricultural projects containing large number of wells and cropped fields.
• Assessment of fresh groundwater resources for drinking purposes in the Kingdom.
• Assessment of groundwater quality and pollution control in aquifer systems.
• Assessments of the impact of possible climate change on water resources and desertification in the Kingdom.
• Assessment and testing of new materials for agricultural water conservation.
• Development of regional water management schemes.
• Decision support systems for national water planning and management.
• Decision support system for groundwater development, operation and management.
6) LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE WATER SECTION
The applied research experience and the successful accomplishments of the WS in water resources studies, training, consultations and publications with regional water, offices, agricultural companies, industrial organizations, and international organizations have resulted in the following types of recognitions for the Section.
• Membership of the Governing Board of the IHE-UNESCO Water Institute, Delft, Netherlands.
• Membership of the Advisory Board of the United Nations University/the International Network on Water, Environment and Health (UNU/INWEH), McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
• Membership of the Advisory Board of the United Nations University/the International Network on Water, Environment and Health (UNU/INWEH),
• Membership of the Governing Board of the UNESCO Water Research and Training Center in Cairo,
• International Scientific Evaluation Board of the International Hydrology Program of the UNESCO.
• Directorship of International Water Resources Association (IWRA).
• Appreciation letters from the clients
• The Water Section has won Five national and international awards in recognition for the research accomplishments.
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