Alternative water management
scenarios for Saudi Arabia
De Jong, R.L.
,
Al Layla, R.I.,
Selen, W.J.
Civil Engineering
University of Petroleum &
Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract
The
socioeconomic future of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia will to a
large extent depend on the successful matching of its extremely limited water
resources with demands for water primarily determined by population growth.
Reviews and roughly quantifies the demand and supply parameters and then
proceeds to analyze four scenarios for water resources management according to
four different strategies. The multiobjective approach uses the goal
programming algorithm, and the most significant output parameters appear to be
the notional 'water sector cost' and the rate at which non-renewable
groundwater will be mined and exhausted, thereby endangering the Kingdom's
water security. -Authors
