Best practices in groundwater management at the regional scale

Introduction:

In order to achieve Target 6.5 of SDG6 entitled “by 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels” and appropriate establishment of water governance which insists on policy-making and water resources management as a way to achieve sustainable development, since Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) requires technical, economical, institutional, policy, administrative and contribution instruments, it should be implemented in a manner that by using aforementioned instruments basis of appropriate water governance be provided.

On the other hand, according to the motto of world water day in 2022 (Groundwater: Making the invisible visible) and the seventh thematic working groups of UNESCO committees on Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) (i.e., groundwater and human settlements), one of the important and effective factors for appropriate water resources management is precise and righteous management of groundwater resources.

Intensified dependency of arid and semi-arid regions on groundwater resources, population growth, and increasing demand for water resources and also occurring drought events and land subsidence in recent years has led to overexploitation of groundwater resources and not taking quantitative and qualitative criteria/privacy of water resources in recent decades has caused irreparable damages to such vital resources, so that most of available and strategic water sources are destroyed or endangered. Moreover, human activities in nature and the implementation of development plans without considering sustainable development principles, the integrity of surface and groundwater resources, and soil and water conservation have caused intensified crises.

One of the main questions about groundwater resources management is which strategy and the most targeted plan are suitable to address groundwater challenges. And what is the best structure to implement plans and achieve goals? What are the targets, strategies, plans, and executive structure of the RCWUM Governing Board (GB) member states? it is recommended that the targets, strategies, plans, and executive structure of these member states are evaluated and discussed.

Objectives:

Stabilization of annual drop in groundwater level and recovery/recharge major part of the deficit of groundwater reservoirs
Controlling land subsidence caused by overexploitation of groundwater resources
Optimization of groundwater level network monitoring and online evaluation of groundwater level in different plains and evaluation of groundwater level fluctuations
Increasing the reliability of water supply for different uses
Enhancing the quality of groundwater resources and preventing pollutants
Controlling withdrawals from groundwater resources with advanced new instruments

Scope and Target Group:

RCUWM governing board member states, particularly countries with arid and semi-arid dominant climate (countries with high water stress are in priority)

Outline of activities:

Getting familiar with the experiences of RCUWM governing board member states about targets, strategies and plans of groundwater resources management
Getting familiar with the experiences of RCUWM governing board member states about the appropriate executive structure for groundwater resources management

Expected Outcomes:

Analyzing/ Evaluating the plans and actions implemented in RCUWM governing board member states for groundwater resources management
Achieving the best strategy and designing the most basic action plan for groundwater resources management
Procurement of an appropriate executive structure for groundwater resources management