Journal of Global Resources

Volume 2

January 2016 Page 159-170
ISSN: 2395-3160 (Print), 2455-2445 (Online)

21
MANAGING TRANSBORDER OF GROUNDWATER BASIN IN GREAT MAN MADE RIVER
AUTHORITY - LIBYA
Abdallah Mohamed Benidris1 and Mohamed Omar Kumati2
1

Director of the Data, Studies & Researches Centre,
Great Man-Made River Authority, Benghazi, Libya
Email: abenidris@yahoo.com
2
Data, Studies and Researches Head Section,
Great Man-Made River Authority, Benghazi, Libya
Email: kumati1974@yahoo.com

Abstract: This paper is an attempt to pinpoint the progress in managing trans bordergroundwater basins in North Africa, namely the Nubian Aquifer System (NAS) that is sharedby Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Chad and the North-Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS)
which stretches across an area of more than one million square kilometres, is shared byAlgeria, Tunisia and Libya. The success in managing these water resources systems hinges
on unified corporation of the states sharing these groundwater systems. The framework of thisunified corporation is the establishment of a joint authority to study the resources system andmonitor their piezometric development. The creation of a unified management strategy can beachieved by the establishment of a unified data base and calibrated hydro-geological model in
addition to consultation scheme among the states sharing the groundwater resources. This
paper introduces the trans-border cooperation in the framework of the Great Man Made River
Project. In this case, the trans-border cooperation is strictly applicable to Jaghbub (in Libya)/
Siwa (in Egypt) region and Ghadames (in Libya)/Algerian development where joint cooperationof the two neighbouring states will result in a sound and sustainable resources development
strategy on both sides of the boundaries.
Keywords: GMRA, GMRP, Groundwater, Hydro-Geological, Modeling.
Introduction
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the earth, with its diverse and abundant life forms,
including over six billion humans, is facing a serious water crisis. All the signs suggest that it isgetting worse and will continue to do so, unless corrective action is taken. This crisis is one ofwater governance, essentially caused by the ways in which we mismanage water. Solving thewater crisis in its many aspects is one of the several challenges facing human kind as we
confront life in this third millennium and it has to be seen in that context. Currently humans
withdraw approximately 600-700 km3 of groundwater per year (Shiklomanov, 1997). Some ofthis water is fossil water (ancient water that isn’t routinely replenished) that comes from deep
sources isolated from the normal runoff cycle. Although over-drafting and contamination ofgroundwater are known to be widespread and growing problems. Comprehensive data on
groundwater resources and pollution trends are not available at the global level. Better
management of water resources is the key to mitigating water scarcities in the future andavoiding further damage to aquatic ecosystem. In the short term, more efficient use of water
could dramatically expand available resources. The Middle East and North Africa are regions
plagued by lack of water. While action and cooperation among the states are necessary insector other than water and the environment, water stands to become a tool which can159enhance peaceful relations between the parties. The hydro-geological and simulation studiesof the (NAS) concluded with following results:
The total volume of freshwater in storage in the (NAS) is about 373 x 1012 m3 and thecorresponding recoverable volumes amounts to 8.9 x 1012 m3 representing 2.4 percent of
the total volume in place. Based on the current abstraction rate of 1380 Mm3 per year, therecoverable volume for (NAS) would last for a period of 4680 years.
In Post Nubian Aquifer System (PNAS) the volume of fresh groundwater amounts to 84.60
x 1012 m3 and the corresponding recoverable freshwater is about 5.57 x 1012 m3.
The mathematical simulation model developed by the Centre for Environment andDevelopment for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE) indicates regional behaviour of
the aquifer systems as the result of the regional influence of future development
scenarios. The model indicates limits for the development in the case of Siwa in Egypt
and Jaghbub in Libya. The two sites are contiguous to the boundary between the twostates where substantial hydraulic interface occurs. Thus, abstractions from Siwa andJaghbub development have to avoid groundwater deterioration from saline water existing
very close to the north of these sites.
Groundwater flow across the political boundary by CEDARE model indicates a flow in(PNAS) from Libya to Egypt amounting 1.17 m3/sec during a simulation period of 50 years
while no significant variation would occur in the groundwater flow across the Sudan –Egypt border in the case if Egypt implemented East Oweinat project as planned. An
increase of groundwater flow from Libya to Egypt is also predicated in correspondence tothe piezometric depression created in Egypt by planned additional development of the
New Valley and Siwa.
This paper is an attempt to pinpoint the progress in managing trans border groundwater basinsin North Africa, namely The Nubian Aquifer System (NAS) that is shared by Egypt, Libya,
Sudan and Chad and The North-Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS) which stretches
across an area of more than one million square kilometres, is shared by Algeria, Tunisia and
Libya.
The Nubian Aquifer System (NAS)
During the past four decades, Egypt, Libya and Sudan have made separate attempts todevelop the NAS. Since early seventies the three countries have expressed their interest in
regional cooperation to share their experiences and to develop this regional aquifer system.
They agreed to form a joint authority to study the NAS and also agreed to seek international
technical assistance to establish a regional strategy for the utilization of the NAS. In March
1999 Chad actually became an active member of the authority. The Centre for Environmentand Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), The Sahara and Sahel
Observatory (SSO) and The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) among
others joined forces to develop a programme for the utilization of the NAS. The formulation of
the regional strategy utilization study programme was funded by IFAD and was executed by
CEDARE.
1.1 Location
The NAS underlies an area in excess of 2.5 million km2 within the Eastern Sahara in NorthEast Africa (figure 1). The area occupied by the aquifer system extends between Latitudes 14°- 33° and Longitudes 19° - 34° to cover in Egypt 828,000 km2, in Libya 760,000 km2, in Sudan
376,000 km2 and in Chad 235,000 km2.

160

Figure 1: Location Map of the NAS.

1.2 The Geology of the (NAS) and (PNAS)
The regional geological sequence of the NAS was originally established in Late Proterozoic
times and continued into Tertiary. The long term geological and geophysical surveys revealed
that the basement rocks are dominated by granites and overlain by a very thick sequence of
sedimentary deposits. The stratigraphy of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediment(sedimentary section) of the NAS is essentially obtained from the published technical reports
and works mainly (Pallas - 1978, El-Ramely – 1983, Klizsch et. al. - 1987, Said – 1990 andIssawi - 1999). Using the geological time scale system in the description of the sedimentary
section and avoiding all the local names given in the different countries to the stratigraphic
units, the succession is differentiated into:
The Cenozoic on top, comprising the Tertiary and the Quaternary carbonate sediments.
The Mesozoic in the middle, comprising the Triassic, the Jurassic and the Cretaceous.
This section is dominated by carbonate faces of marine origin intercalated with continental
deposits.
The Paleozoic at the base, dominated by sand faces with minor inter beds of carbonate
beds.
1.3 The Hydrogeology of the (NAS) and (PNAS)The strata of great hydro-geological interest are differentiated into two aquifer systems:
The Nubian Aquifer System (NAS); underlying almost all the area of Egypt, Eastern Libya,
Northern Sudan and Northern Chad. This consists of continental clastic sediments, mainly
sandstone. It includes the main aquifers and overlies the Pre-Cambrian basement rocks.
The strata forming the NAS range in age from the Cambrian to the Lower Cretaceous.
The Post Nubian Aquifer System (PNAS); occurring to the north of the 26th parallel in thewestern desert of Egypt and North Eastern Libya. It is composed of marine sediments
generally of clay, marl and limestone overlain by continental clastic sediments which
exhibit faces variation in the Northern parts of Egypt and Libya to pass laterally into
carbonate faces. This succession ranges in age from the Upper Cretaceous to Recent.
The two systems are separated by low permeability layers (aquitard or confining beds).

161

1.3.1 Groundwater Extraction from the (NAS)
Groundwater from the NAS has been utilized since centuries in the Oases all over the area
through springs and shallow wells. In 1960 the groundwater was extracted mainly fromnaturally flowing shallow wells and springs while now 97 percent of the extracted water ispumped from deep wells. The total extraction water from the NAS in 1998 is approximately
1376 Mm3, of which 683 Mm3 in Egypt, 286 Mm3 in Libya and 407 Mm3 in Sudan (CEDARE –2001). The total groundwater extracted from the PNAS in 1998 is approximately 911 Mm3, of
which 346 Mm3 in Egypt and 565 Mm3 in Libya.
1.3.2 Groundwater Quality of the (NAS) and (PNAS)
Water quality in the unconfined part of the NAS is good (TDS less than 1000 ppm) to excellent(TDS less than 500 ppm) all over the area. For the confined part of this system particularly inthe area up to Latitude 30° in Egypt and Latitude 26° in Libya, the water quality changes
laterally and vertically where the upper part of the confined aquifer system (Mesozoic) contains
fresh water (TDS less than 2000 ppm) while the lower part of the confined aquifer system(Paleozoic) becomes saline very rapidly north of the Latitude 26° and west of Longitude 27° tillit reaches the freshwater / saline-water interface where the whole aquifer become saturated
with hyper-saline water. On qualitative basis, the groundwater of the PNAS shows a wide
variation in chemical quality. In areas of intensive development as Sarir, Jalo, Siwa and Wadi
El-Fareigh the good quality of water is endangered by up-coning and/or the lateral flow ofsaline water.
1.3.3 The (NAS) and (PNAS) Potential Groundwater Resources
The CEDARE study concluded that the total volume of fresh groundwater stored in the NAS isabout 373 x 1012 m3. The total recovered groundwater from the NAS is about 8.9 x 1012 m3
representing approximately 2.4 percent of the volume in the aquifer storage. Therefore, if theannual groundwater extraction of 1380 Mm3/year presently extracted in the aquifer foursharing countries would be kept constant, the recoverable reserves would last for a period of
about 4860 years. The study also indicated that the total volume of fresh groundwater in PNAS
storage is about 84.60 x 1012 m3. If we limit the freshwater occurrence to the North by thedepression marked by several Sabkhas along the parallel 30° north the recoverable volume of
freshwater is about 5.57 x 1012 m3.
1.3.4 Mathematical Model of the (NAS) and (PNAS)
The model developed by the CEDARE for the NAS and PNAS is not supposed to provide a
detailed prediction of the aquifer response to various water development scenarios, but it has
been designed to predict the regional behavior of the aquifer and the regional influence ofwater development scenarios in existing and future well fields. As anticipated, the unconfinedpart of the NAS includes the most important groundwater potential of the whole basins;therefore, the extension of the cones of depression resulting from the water abstraction inexisting and future planned well fields in that part of the Nubian domain is always limited.
North of the 26th parallel, on the contrary, where the Nubian is under confined condition, theaquifer response to water abstraction makes up a unique large cone of depression, thoughdeeper in correspondence to the abstraction zones. This behavior of the Nubian aquifers,
north of 26th parallel made it necessary to limit the future groundwater abstraction much lower
than proposed. In the case of Siwa in Egypt and Jaghbub in Libya (at the political border) theinterference between the two development areas is so strong, hence, the planned abstraction
have to be limited to 68 Mm3/year from both areas to avoid the deterioration of thegroundwater with the saline water that exists very close at the north.

162

The flow across the political boundaries was calculated by the CEDARE model at various
periods of the simulations as follow:
For the PNAS, the flow from Libya to Egypt would be approximately 1.17 m3/sec. all overthe simulated period (1960-2060).
For the NAS, no significant variation would occur in the flow across the Sudan – Egypt
border if Egypt implements East Oweinat project as planned. An increase of the flow from
Libya to Egypt would also be observed in relation to the piezometric depression created in
Egypt by additional development of the New Valley and Siwa.
2. The North – Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS)
The Saharan Aquifer Systems is the name given to two main bearing layers, the IntercalaryContinental (IC) the deeper of the two and the Terminal Complex (TC) an aquifer strongly
exploited. The aquifers stretch across an area, in North Africa, of more than one million square
kilometers of which 60 percent in Algeria, a little less than 10 percent in Tunisia and 30
percent in Libya. Because of the Sahara climate, the two aquifers system receives little
recharge, i.e. a total of about one million m3/yr, which mainly infiltrates the piedmont of the
Sahara Atlas mountains in Algeria, and Jabal Nefusa and Dahar in Libya and Tunisia
respectively. Considerable reserves have been accumulated in the two aquifers from pervious
Pleistocene pluvial periods (fossil water). A conclusion can be drawn from previous recharge
studies that the two aquifer systems receive, at the present, very little meteoric recharge andthe management of these aquifers should take into account the impending ultimate depletionof their reserves. Thus, the problem encountered by the three sharing states is how far can the
Sahara aquifers be exploited above their recharge rates (defining the safe yield of the two
aquifers) and maintain sustainable development and avoid risking irremediable harm to theresource level. During the last three decades, abstractions from wells have seriously
punctured these groundwater reserves. Between 1970 – 2000 the amount of water that was
drawn for agricultural, industrial and domestic use rose from 0.6 to 2.5 billion m3/yr, and as thewells dried up, they were replaced by deeper wells.
The Saharan system has been identified and exploited through 8800 water points,
wells and sources of which, 3500 in (IC) and 5300 in (TC). The breakdown per country is;
6500 in Algeria, 1200 in Tunisia and 1100 in Libya. Continuing the abstraction trend in thethree countries could jeopardize the future of the Sahara regions, where the first signs ofdeterioration in the state of the water resources are already beginning to appear. This is themain problem facing the development of (NWSAS). The increased development of (NWSAS)
is creating sizable risk such as strong inter-country hydraulic interference effects, deteriorationof water quality, elimination of artesian, excessive pumping depths, etc. Thus, the three
countries sharing the resource system realized the impending problems of sustainable use of
these reserves and strove to improve the existing state of knowledge and the natural
management of these reserves. Therefore, a joint comprehensive programme was launchedby the three countries under the administration of the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (SSO) tomodel and evaluate the usable resources and predict their future use.
3.1 The Geology of the (NWSAS)
The term Intercalary Continental (IC) refers to a continental sequence between two marine
sedimentary cycles: the Palaeozoic cycle, the final phase of the Hercynian Orogeny below,
and the Upper Cretaceous cycle above, The Terminal Complex (TC) is a very mixed groupthat includes Upper Cretaceous carbonate formations and clastic deposits from the Tertiary,
particularly the Miocene. Figure (2) is a geological map of the North Western Sahara platform
which shows extensive outcrops of the Upper Cretaceous that starts with the Cenomanian163

transgression. A geological database from 175 oil wells and deep water boreholes, were used
in a lithostratigraphic correlation of the regional geological succession of aquifer formations
identified in Algeria, Tunisia and Libya respectively. The final step of a simplification produced
a conceptual model of the (NWSAS) exhibiting three aquifer layer separated by semipermeable layers (aquitard). If we exclude the salt water aquifer layers of the Triassic andJurassic in Algeria and fresh water aquifer of the Triassic sandstone aquifer in Libya andassuming purely lithostratigraphic criteria what we get three superimposed water bearing
formation levels of unequal size, their vertical organization and regional connections clearly
become apparent. From bottom up the three superimposed layers are as follows:
The Intercalary Continental (IC) in Algeria and Tunisia extends in Libya as the Kiklah
aquifer.
The Turonian Aquifer in Algeria and Tunisia extends in Libya as the Nalut aquifer.
The Limestone Aquifer in Algeria and Tunisia (Senonian and Eocene carbonates) in
Algeria extends as the Nefzaoua limestone aquifer in Tunisia and its equivalent is the
Mizdah aquifer in Libya. The Mio – Pliocene aquifer is also included in this group to form
the Terminal Complex (TC).
Figure 2: The Geology of North – Western Sahara Platform.

3.2 The Hydro-geological Simulation Model
One of the main objectives of the study on the North – Western Saharan Aquifer System wasto construct a multi – layered digital simulation model. The model was programmed to make acoherent synthesis of data and hydro-geological knowledge acquired on aquifers and water
resources assessment projects contributed by the sharing states, as well as to determine theexploitable resources and draw up the terms and conditions for managing these resources on
the basis of development scenarios. The model consists of 16,523 elements and covers an
area of nearly 2,580,000 km2.
3.2.1 The Exploratory Simulation
Initially, the exploratory simulation were adopted to assess the ability of the (NWSAS) toachieve the three countries objectives for water resources and give indication of what isrequired and how far we can go exploiting these water resources given the uncertainties

164

regarding hydro-geological, economic and social parameters. The exploratory simulations arerun for 50 years and the initial references state being the year 2000 as reproduced by themodel. This scenario consists of keeping the year 2000 abstraction rates as shown in table (1)below and computing water level changes in the system over the next 50 years. This unlikely
scenario is necessary in order to assess and compare the effects of the various otherscenarios in an informed manner.
Table 1: The year 2000 abstraction rates for the exploratory simulation – zero (m3/sec)
Country
(IC)
(TC)
Total
Algeria
21.2
20.9
42.1
Libya
3.4
7.4
11.8
Tunisia
2.7
14.5
17.2
Total
30.2
42.8
70.1
Source: The Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe(CEDARE) 2001, Regional Strategy for the Utilization of the Nubian Aquifer System, Vol. I, II & III.

Drawdowns are calculated and figure (3) and figure (4) show in turn the map ofdrawdowns in the (IC) and (TC) respectively in year 2050. The effects of maintain the year
2000 abstraction rates would result in a considerable drawdowns by year 2050 throughout theAlgerian Lower Sahara in the (IC) and in Tunisia the drawdown is about 20 m everywhere. In
Libya the drawdowns are about 25 m in a 100 km X 300 km strip around the main exploitation
at Bani-Walid, Wadi Zamzam, Wadi Ninah and Sufaljin. Elsewhere, drawdowns are calculated
at 10 m throughout Al-Hamada Al-Hamra. Artesianism is lost in El-Borma and Ghadames
sectors.
In the case of the Terminal Complex (TC) drawdowns in Algeria are more than 30 m
throughout the Oued Rhir Valley and reach 60 m north of the Chotts. In Tunisia drawdowns
are between 20 m and 30 m throughout Djerid and Nefzaoua. In Libya the maximum
drawdown (about 60 m) is in the south – east, around Soknoh, Hammam and Ferjan. The next
two exploratory simulations are related to Libya:
Figure 3: The Drawdown in the Intercalary Continental (IC) Aquifer (2000 – 2050)

165

Figure 4: The Drawdown in the Terminal Complex (TC) Aquifer (2000 – 2050)

3.2.1.1 The Ghadames Field (Phase 4 of the GMRP)
This simulation represents constant abstraction at a rate of 2.85 m3/sec in the Ghadames –Derj wellfield presently under construction. Abstractions are from the (IC) aquifer from 2001 to
2050. The net drawdown equals the drawdown calculated from this simulation minus thecorresponding drawdown calculated in the zero simulation. This represents the specific impactof the Ghadames abstractions as shown in the drawdown map of figure (5). The effects of this
scenario are negligible in the case of the (TC) aquifer. However, in the Intercalary Continental
calculated net drawdown are around 100 m in the Ghadames – Derj wellfield and these effects
become negligible in a distance of 200 to 300 km away from the field. The Tunisian far south isaffected throughout by the withdrawals from Ghadames wellfield where induced drawdowns
vary between 10 m (200 km from the wellfield to 80 m at Borj El-Khadra). In Algeria induced
drawdowns are around 60 m in the Debdeb region.
Figure 5: The Net Drawdowns in the Intercalary Continental (IC) Aquifer in year 2050, Ghadames Wellfield.

166

3.2.1.2 The GMRP Abstraction at Jabal AL-Hassauna Wellfield (Phase II)
These abstractions are effected by two wellfields, the North – East and East wellfields at Jabal
Al-Hassauna, amount to 23 m3/sec by pumping from Cambro – Ordovician sandstone aquifer.
The numerical values for the drawdowns from the Cambro – Ordovician were obtained from
Geomath's simulation (6) are imposed on the corresponding NWSAS model from year 2001 to
2050. The specific impact in Jabal Hassauna wellfields after deducting the effects ofmaintaining the 2000 abstractions rates on the (IC) are shown in figure (6).
Figure 6: The Net Drawdowns in the Intercalary Continental (IC) Aquifer in year 2050,
Hasouna Wellfield

In the (TC) aquifer, the net drawdowns induced by Jabal Al-Hassauna withdrawals areslight with a maximum of 10 to 20 m in the centre of Hun Graben. On the other hand, in the(IC), the influence of Jabal AL-Hassauna withdrawals is limited to the Hamada – El-Hamra
basin and does not reach as far as the Algerian and Tunisian borders. In Libya, calculated
drawdowns for a ring centered on the wellfields with maximum of 50 m in south.
3.3 The Consultation Mechanism
Exploratory simulations and analyses of their results have pinpointed the risks of certain
harmful consequences attached to continual development of the water resources at its actual
pace. On the other hand, the predicative simulations is to check the raising of the (NWSAS)
abstractions from 2.2 billion cubic meters per year, the year 2000 estimate to 7.8 billion cubic
meters per year with undue disregard for restrictions imposed to parry the risk of resource
degradation. In the case of (NWSAS) optimal solutions are possible only if the region
traditionally subjected to intense exploitation is abandoned in favor of unconfined (high specificyield) and distant regions. These optimistic results of predictive simulations need to be strongly
tempered. Emphasis must be placed on the need to confirm certain of these results andrequire further investigation. Increased exploitation of the (NWSAS) is only possible if sufficienthydro-geological information is available so that the impending risks inherent in the water
resources system can be minimized and managed. This can be achieved by the three states
sharing the water resources system to work together on some form of concerted basin
management scheme in order to minimize impending risks inherent in the water resources
system and thus maintain a sustainable resource management. After lengthy debate during
three national workshops held in Tripoli, Tunisia and Algeria in November 2002 the following
points of convergence and consensus were achieved:
167

Continuation of work on improving the state of knowledge of the system and how it isutilized.
Establishment of a consultation mechanism and anchor it in an institution (during the firstphase, at the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (SSO), an international organization).
Establishment Gradual implementation, of a simple, effectively structured mechanism thatcan become more elaborate and autonomous, and in time will be assigned more
important attributions.
Another regional workshop was held at the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
headquarters in Rome during Dec. 2002, in which the creation of the consultation mechanism
and the three countries recommendations were validated.
3. The Libyan Example of Trans border Cooperation: The Great Man Made River Project
The renewable water resource in North Africa represents only 2.5 percent from the total water
resources of Africa while groundwater abstraction rates in North Africa amount to 46 percent of
the total abstractions in African Continent. In Algeria, more than 60 percent of its waterrequirement is derived from groundwater resources while in Libya this percentage amounts up
to 96 percent. However, it is obvious that North Africa consumes more water than is locallyavailable of the renewable water resources. This has lead the countries of the region,
especially Libya, to exploit the non-renewable water resources (fossil water) accumulated in
the basins of southern desert region. Although, there are several projects operating actuallyand exploiting groundwater from sharing basins in the region but this paper would present theGreat Man Made River Project, especially The Kufra - Tazerbo Water Supply System andGhadames – Zuwarah - Az–Zawiyah System (Phase 4) that are exploiting the ancientgroundwater from the NAS and the North Western Sahara System respectively, as an ideal
example of the cooperative interactions that occurred in managing transborder basins.
The Great Man Made River Project scheme was devised to convey high quality groundwater from deep aquifers in the Sahara Desert to the coast were over 90 percent of the
population live. These vast water basins were discovered during the exploration for oil. Water
is extracted in well fields and conveyed to the coast through four-meter diameter pre-stressed
concrete cylinder pipes. Because of the size of the pipes and the amount of water they convey
over thousands of kilometers, the scheme became known as The Great Man Made River
Project (Figure 7). Phase I or the Sarir-Sirt/Tazerbo-Benghazi (SS/TB) conveyance of the
project consists of two lines and involves conveying two million cubic meters of water per day,from well fields in Sarir and Tazerbo to end reservoirs at Sirt and Benghazi. The total length of
PCC pipes used is 1900 kilometers, the majority being four meters in diameter. The system isdesigned to ultimately carry a flow of 3.68 million cubic meters per day in the future, with theadditional water being drawn from a wellfield at Kufra. This phase is complete and underoperation. Phase II of the Great Man Made River Project involves conveying two million cubic
meters of water from well fields at East Jabal Hasouna and North East Jabal Hasouna to
Tarhouna and Tripoli. Two hundred eighty-seven production wells at the East Jabal Hasounawell field will produce 1.4 million cubic meters of water per day and 153 production wells at
North East Jabal Hasouna will produce a total of 0.6 million cubic meters per day. This phaseis complete and under operation. The Gardabiya-Sedada system will link Phases I and II,
enabling bi-directional flow. This phase is currently under construction and progress is 27
percent complete. Future phases include:
The Kufra-Tazerbo System, which will add 1.68 million cubic meters per day to the Phase I
conveyance from about 285 wells in Kufra. At present, this phase is under construction.
Jaghboub – Tobruk System, which will supply Tobruk and the eastern coast of Libya with 50
million cubic meters per year of water for domestic use from about 47 wells in Jaghbub.
168

Exploratory wells are currently being
being drilled in Jaghbub in order to determine the optimum
location of the well-field.
Ghadames – Zuwarah, Al-Zawiyah
Zawiyah System, which will have a total production of 90 million
cubic meters per year from 106 wells in Ghadames. This phase is currently being underunconstruction.
The Great Man Made River Project will ultimately convey over 6 million cubic meters of water
per day through mainly 4-meter
meter diameter pipes.
Figure 7: The Great Man Made River Project Systems

4. Conclusion
1. The Kufra - Tazerbo Water Supply System is based on the development of a new
major wellfield at Kufra (in the Nubian Aquifer System), with a planned yield of 1.68
Mm3/day. The Kufra wellfield supply will be connected through a conveyance pipeline
directly to the Sarir – Sirt / Tazerbo -Benghazi
Benghazi System at a point approximately 100 km
south of Sarir.
The Kufra – Tazerbo Water Supply Project consists of:
285 wells in the wellfield area.
4 meter diameter of Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP) for the main
conveyance pipeline.
pipeline. (Contract of pipe manufacturing has been awarded
approximately $1000 million).
383 km is the total length of the main conveyance pipeline. (Contract of pipe laying
has been awarded approximately $600 million).
10 conveying pumps at the Pump Station.
2 Regulating Stations, 2 Flow Control Stations, and Break Pressure Station.

169

2. Ghadames – Zuwarah, Az– Zawiyah System (Phase 4) will be a water supply systemfrom wellfield near Ghadames (The North – Western Sahara Aquifer System), locatedabout 600 km south-west of Tripoli (about 400 km south of Zuwarah) , convey thewater through pipeline and distribute to various settlements and existing agriculturalprojects on route and to coastal towns to Az- Zawiyah and Abu-Kammash.
The Ghadames Water Supply Project consists of several components:
The well field, comprising 106 wells and the pipes used to convey water to the tankof the main wellfield pumping station (PS-1).
The subsystem between the pumping station of the wellfield and the tank of thesecond pumping station (PS-2). The total length of the section of pipe is about 62km.
The subsystem between the second pumping station and the tank of the third
pumping station (PS-3). The total length of the section of pipe is about 80 km.
The subsystem between the third pumping station and the Jawabiyah reservoir
located at the highest point of the pipeline. The total length of the section of pipe isabout 80 km.
The El Haraba branch, which serves different villages of the mountain area. Thisconsists of a pumping station (PS-4) located on the site of the Jawabiyah reservoir
and of a 61 km-long transmission main.
The downstream gravity subsystem, which serves all downstream towns andvillages either directly from the pipeline itself or via the Al-Jawsh, Abu-Kammash
and Az-Zawiyah branches. The Az-Zawiyah branch, which at first delivers water to
Az-Zawiyah, is designed to convey water to Az-Zawiyah via PI-51 (control valve
station) Az-Zawiyah branch in the other direction from Az-Zawiyah to AbuKammash, when Az-Zawiyah will be supplied from Tripoli. In addition, note that thehuge difference in altitude between Jawabiyah and the coastal zone, solutions
were taken to limit the pressures to admissible maximum values. The total lengthof the section of pipe is about 305 km.
5. References
1. The Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE)
2001, Regional Strategy for the Utilization of the Nubian Aquifer System, Vol. I, II & III.
2. Pallas, P. (1978), Water resources of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Technicalreport of the Secretariat of Dams and Water Resources, Tripoli, 80p.
3. El Ramly, 1. (1983), Water resources study of zone V-A1 Kufra and Sirt Basins Socialist People’s
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Technical report of the Secretariat of Agricultural Reclamation and Land
Development, Tripoli, pp. 136+ appendices.
4. Klitzcch, E. et al. (1987) "Geology of the Sedimentary Basins of Northern Sudan and Bordering Areas",
Proceeding of the Special Research Project in Arid Areas, Berlin
5. Said, R. (1990), the geology of Egypt, Balkema/Rotterdam and Brookfield, 733p.
6. Issawi, B. et. al. (1999), The Phanerozoic geology of Egypt. Special Publication No. 76 by the Egyptian
Geological Survey, 462p.
7. The Sahara and Sahel Observatory 2003, the North Western Sahara Aquifer System, Synthesis
Report.
8. Engineering Consulting Office for Utilities (Tripoli-Libya) and SAFEGE Consulting Engineers
2002, Ghadames Water Supply Project, Hydraulic Report (Main Components), Sizing of the
Different Components of System, Vol. I.

170