Key Threats to Key Threats to Quality of Life Quality of Life

(QOL) in the UAE (QOL) in the UAE

ContentsContents

Basic statistics for the UAE Basic statistics for the UAE Quality Of Life (QOL) Quality Of Life (QOL) Threats to quality of life (QOL) Threats to quality of life (QOL) Examples of some major threats to Examples of some major threats to

our QOL in the UAE with solutions our QOL in the UAE with solutions (Ground Water)(Ground Water)

Basic statistics for the Basic statistics for the UAEUAE

UAE Middle East (region)

1. Total population 4,104,695 300,000,000

2. Total Nationals 824,921 (% 20,1) NA

3. Total land area (sq km)

82,880 6,500,000

4. Annual rainfall in

U.A.E From 60 To 150mm 250 mm

5. total area of vegetation (sq km)

UAE: 1,881 (% 2,27) Abu Dhabi : 1,627

6. % employment % 62 NA

*7. GDP per capita $ 45,200 NA

* gross domestic product (GDP): The value of all the goods and services produced within the borders of a nation in a given year.

Quality Of Life (QOL)Quality Of Life (QOL)

QOL is the degree of enjoyment and QOL is the degree of enjoyment and satisfaction experienced in everyday satisfaction experienced in everyday life as opposed to financial or life as opposed to financial or material well-being material well-being

Quality of life is a descriptive term Quality of life is a descriptive term that refers to people’s emotional, that refers to people’s emotional, social and physical wellbeing, and social and physical wellbeing, and their ability to function in the their ability to function in the ordinary tasks of living. ordinary tasks of living.

Threats to quality of life Threats to quality of life (QOL)(QOL)

Help me on this one Help me on this one Professor.Professor.

pleaseplease

The Availability of The Availability of FreshwaterFreshwater

There is a shortage in water in There is a shortage in water in Middle East. As cities expand, they Middle East. As cities expand, they can accommodate growth only by can accommodate growth only by developing water resources for new developing water resources for new homes, business, and industries. homes, business, and industries. Underground water resources are Underground water resources are being utilized in such away that being utilized in such away that many countries gone heavily into many countries gone heavily into desalination. Such as UAEdesalination. Such as UAE

DesalinationDesalination

Desalinating of 1 cubic meter of Desalinating of 1 cubic meter of water is casting the government Dhs water is casting the government Dhs 4.44.4

The government is providing 1 cubic The government is providing 1 cubic meter of desalinated water to meter of desalinated water to residents with the rate of Dhs 2.2 residents with the rate of Dhs 2.2

Eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate’s Water SourcesEastern Abu Dhabi Emirate’s Water Sources Identified Areas of Fresh, Brackish, and Saline Identified Areas of Fresh, Brackish, and Saline

Ground WaterGround Water

Water-Quality Map of Al Ain Area

Abu Dhabi Emirate’s Water Sources Abu Dhabi Emirate’s Water Sources Identified Areas of Fresh, Brackish, and Saline Ground

Water Identified Areas of Renewable and Non-Renewable Fresh Water

Liwa, Non-Renewableat least 7,000 years old

Eastern Region,Al Ain Area,Renewable 25-45 years old near Al Hayer.

Al Hayer 27 Years old

36 Years old

45 Years old

28 Years old

33 Years old

33 Years old

31 Years old

Air2

Wadi Sinebil

Wadi Mugayrah

Location of GWP wells sampled, and age of ground water. Age of ground water is shown as the number of years it took for water to flow through the ground water system to the well after rain fell in the mountains and wadis.

12

JA P 3

330000 340000 350000 360000 370000 380000 390000 400000

2660000

2670000

2680000

2690000

2700000

2710000

2720000

2730000

2740000

D ubai

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

B uraim i

O M A N

Water Level Declines Since 1980

Al Remah

Al Saad

Water-level decline, in meters

Al Foah

Mohayer

Hydrographs showing water levels changes in monitoring wells. Water levels declined 60 meters in 2 years from 1998 t0 2000,

• In the 1960’sIn the 1960’s the Emirate began an program of developing the Emirate began an program of developing farms, gardens, and forests using ground waterfarms, gardens, and forests using ground water and treated and treated water.water.

• Tens of thousands of wells have been drilled for this program. Tens of thousands of wells have been drilled for this program.

• Fertilizers and agricultural chemicals are heavily applied to Fertilizers and agricultural chemicals are heavily applied to many agricultural areas. many agricultural areas.

• Agriculture activities have caused water-level declines in areas Agriculture activities have caused water-level declines in areas and in some cases caused the ground water to change from and in some cases caused the ground water to change from fresh to brackish with large increases in nitrate and salt fresh to brackish with large increases in nitrate and salt concentrations.concentrations.

Discontinuing agriculturein recharge areas may allow recharge to dilute and flush away contaminants.

LANDSAT satellite images from 1996 and May 2004, showing large changes in areas near Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.

• Maps show the large increases in farm areas since the late 1980’s

• In 2000, almost 3% of the land area of the Emirate is measured vegetation, up from the 0% in 1972.

FARMING ACTIVITIES INLIWA CRESCENT AREA, 1987

FARMING ACTIVITIES IN LIWA CRESCENT AREA, 1996

ResultsResults The Al Ain, Al The Al Ain, Al

Khazna, and Al Khazna, and Al Hayer, study Hayer, study areas had areas had increased at increased at least a 1.5 least a 1.5 times in times in measured areas measured areas of vegetation.of vegetation.

Al Wagan Al Wagan increased over increased over 4 times the 4 times the measured measured vegetation in vegetation in 1996.1996.

ResultsResults The total area of vegetation measured The total area of vegetation measured

from 1996 imagery was 77,200 hectares.from 1996 imagery was 77,200 hectares.

The total area of vegetation measured The total area of vegetation measured from 2000 imagery was 162,700 hectares.from 2000 imagery was 162,700 hectares.

The amount of measured vegetation more The amount of measured vegetation more than doubled between 1996 to 2000than doubled between 1996 to 2000

A

A’

B

B’

C

C’

D

D’

E’E

F

F’G

G’

InSAR land deformation map averaged from 1996 to 1999

Deformation along E-E’

Distance (km)

Distance (km)

Deformation along F-F’

The graphs show deformation or land subsidence possibly caused by ground-water declines causing soils to collapse. Some deformation sites are located in areas of large ground-water pumpage.

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(mm

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Lin

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(mm

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Effects of Agriculture on the Effects of Agriculture on the Ground–Water Resources Ground–Water Resources

In Abu Dhabi EmirateIn Abu Dhabi Emirate

In the last few years the Nitrate In the last few years the Nitrate concentrations in ground water in concentrations in ground water in farm areas has increased from 2 farm areas has increased from 2 mg/L to more than 200 mg/L (WHO mg/L to more than 200 mg/L (WHO Standard is 10 mg/L), and Standard is 10 mg/L), and concentrations of salts have also concentrations of salts have also increased dramatically.increased dramatically.

Cancer in UAECancer in UAE The number of cancer cases in the The number of cancer cases in the

UAE increased due to various UAE increased due to various factors including pollution, factors including pollution, uncontrolled use of insecticides and uncontrolled use of insecticides and fertilizers.fertilizers.

Cancer is the third major cause of Cancer is the third major cause of death in the UAE after heart death in the UAE after heart diseases and road accidents. diseases and road accidents.

The rate of cancer incidence is more The rate of cancer incidence is more than one thousand case annually.than one thousand case annually.

Recommendations :Recommendations :1.1. MINIMIZE CONTAMINATION OF FRESH MINIMIZE CONTAMINATION OF FRESH

WATER AQUIFERS.WATER AQUIFERS.

2.2. LIMIT PUMPING OF FRESH LIMIT PUMPING OF FRESH

GROUNDWATER .GROUNDWATER .

3.3. MAINTAIN A RESERVE OF FRESH MAINTAIN A RESERVE OF FRESH

GROUND WATER FOR EMERGENCY GROUND WATER FOR EMERGENCY

USE.USE.

4.4. MONITOR AND STUDY GROUND-MONITOR AND STUDY GROUND-

WATER CONDITIONSWATER CONDITIONS

5.5. IMPLEMENT ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IMPLEMENT ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE

OF GROUNDWATER.OF GROUNDWATER.