Groundwater resources of the world and their use

I.S. Zektser, L.G. Everett92-9220-007-0

This monograph represents many years of groundwater data accumulation by a large number of noted hydrogeologists located throughout the world. The project began under the direction of the Russian Academy of Sciences during the time of the USSR. In that context, a substantial part of the descriptive material on hydrogeologic phenomena relies on former USSR examples. By far however, the majority of the material in the book is derived from major continental studies and specific country investigations within those continents. As the English Editor, several points need to be made relative to the document. First, the book represents a multi cultural approach to groundwater resources and their use. As a result, many of the fundamental concepts in hydrogeology are interpreted slightly differently in other countries. In fact, there are a number of hydrogeologic phenomena introduced that for the most part have not been presented internationally. Since various cultures review the science of hydrogeology with their own nuances, a substantial effort was made to provide classic references in the science of hydrogeology. Attempts were not made to show that one country’s approach to a problem was better than another countries cultural approach to the same problem. The focus of the monograph was to present data and scientific principals, which are relevant to groundwater use in each of the countries.

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Table of contents :
Start……Page 1
Contents……Page 8
1. Introduction……Page 13
2.1 Main concepts of groundwater use……Page 17
2.2 Importance of groundwater for water supply……Page 20
2.3 Economic aspects of groundwater use……Page 24
2.4 Managerial and administrative problems of groundwater development……Page 26
2.5 Social and cultural problems of groundwater exploitation……Page 28
2.6 Medical problems of groundwater use for drinking water supply……Page 29
3.1 The state of knowledge of regional groundwater resources and groundwater discharge investigations……Page 35
3.2 Environment and principals of ecological-hydrogeological zoning……Page 40
3.3 Main regularities of fresh groundwater resource generation and distribution……Page 43
3.4 Groundwater resources and water quality……Page 50
3.5 Fresh groundwater protection from pollution and depletion; groundwater ‘over-exploitation’……Page 55
4.1 Methods for assessing groundwater safe yield……Page 59
4.2 Methods for the quantitative assessment and mapping of groundwater discharge to rivers, lakes and seas……Page 63
4.3 Principles of assessment and mapping of groundwater quality……Page 91
4.4 Groundwater vulnerability, assessment and mapping……Page 97
5.1 Groundwater resources and their use in Europe……Page 107
5.2 Groundwater resources and their use in selected countries in Asia……Page 121
5.3 Groundwater resources and their use in North America……Page 175
5.4 Groundwater resources and their use in South America, Central America and the Caribbean……Page 189
5.5 Groundwater resources and their use in Africa……Page 209
5.6 Groundwater resources and their use in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea……Page 237
6.1 Quantitative characteristics of the groundwater contribution to the water balance and total water resources……Page 277
6.2 Groundwater contribution to the water and salt balance of seas and oceans……Page 280
6.3 Predictive evaluation of possible changes in groundwater flow under the effect of climate changes and the human impact……Page 285
6.4 Human activities impact on groundwater resources and their use……Page 292
7.1 Mineral water……Page 299
7.2 Thermal-power water……Page 301
7.3 The utilization of thermal water……Page 304
8.1 Main factors aiding and constraining groundwater management……Page 311
8.2 Socio-economic conditions: management objectives and agents……Page 313
8.3 Decision-making criteria and constraints……Page 315
9. Conclusion……Page 319
References……Page 321
Appendix: List of tables and figures……Page 343