Groundwater in Kuwait
Raafat Misak, Wafaa Hussain
Abstract
Abstract The fresh and brackish groundwater resources in the State of Kuwait are restricted to two main water-bearing formations (aquifers). These are the Dammam Formation and Kuwait Group. The Kuwait Group aquifer is generally unconfined, i.e., water table condition, whereas the Dammam fractured limestone Formation is a confined-semi confined aquifer. The quality of groundwater in Kuwait varies from brackish in the southwest to brine in the northeast of Kuwait. Fresh groundwater bodies of TDS less than 1000 mg/l occur on saline groundwater of TDS 100,000 mg/l in the north and the northeast, e.g. Raudhatain and Umm Al-Aish water fields. Generally, the water table varies from zero at the Arabian Gulf Coast to about 90 m below the surface in the southwest. Significant ongoing and future groundwater projects include monitoring groundwater level and water quality, establishing hydrological, geological and hydrochemical databases, reducing groundwater levels, long-term monitoring for groundwater quality e.g. Raudhtain and Um-Al Aish freshwater reservoirs and environment treatment of groundwater reservoirs. The current study discusses the following parts: groundwater quality, groundwater geology, aquifer systems, Al-Raudhatain freshwater field, groundwater misuse and consequences (case of Wafra Agricultural Area), and Monitoring water ponds and saline soils, Al Wafra Agricultural Area (2008–2011).