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Public release date: 19-Apr-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Michael Bishop
michael.bishop@iop.org
44-117-930-1032
Institute of Physics
A scattergun approach to borehole drilling in Africa is likely to be unsuccessful.
This is the message from a group of UK researchers who have, for the first time, quantified the amount, and potential yield, of groundwater across the whole of Africa.
They estimate the total volume of groundwater to be around 0.66 million km3 more than 100 times the available surface freshwater on the continent and hope that the assessment can inform plans to improve access to water in Africa, where 300 million people do not have access to safe drinking water.
The results have been published today, 20 April, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters.
The researchers, from the British Geological Survey and University College London, warn that high yielding boreholes will not be found using a scattergun approach and a more careful and exploratory approach that takes into account local groundwater conditions will be needed, which they hope their new study will encourage.
Their results show that in many populated areas in Africa, there is sufficient groundwater to supply hand pumps that communities can use for drinking water. These hand pumps can deliver around 0.1-0.3 litres per second.
Opportunities for boreholes yielding five litres per second or more the usual amount needed for commercial irrigation are not widespread and limited to specific areas, such as countries in the north of Africa.
Central to the researchers' methods was the collation of existing national hydrogeological maps as well as 283 aquifer studies from 152 publications. The vast amount of data was compiled into a single database in which the researchers were able to make their calculations.
The amount of groundwater present in a certain region is reliant on the interplay between the geology of the area, the amount of weathering and the amount of rainfall experienced both in the past and present. All of these factors were considered to estimate the volume and potential yield of groundwater in each aquifer.
As a result of population growth in Africa and a planned increase in irrigation to meet food demands, water use is set to increase markedly over the next few decades. Climate change will pose a huge threat to this increase; however, groundwater responds much more slowly to increasing climatic variability as opposed to surface water, so will act as a buffer to climate change.
The lead author of the study, Dr Alan MacDonald, said: "Groundwater is such an important water resource in Africa and underpins much of the drinking water supply. Appropriately sited and developed boreholes for low yielding rural water supply and hand pumps are likely to be successful and resilient to climate change.
"High yielding boreholes should not be developed without a thorough understanding of the local groundwater conditions."
###
For more information, see the project pages on the British Geological Survey website at: www.bgs.ac.uk/gwresilience
From Friday 20 April, this paper can be downloaded from http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/2/024009/article
Notes to Editors
Contact
1. For further information, a full draft of the journal paper or contact with one of the researchers, contact IOP Press Officer, Michael Bishop:
Tel: 0117 930 1032
E-mail: Michael.bishop@iop.org
Quantitative maps of groundwater resources in Africa
2. The published version of the paper 'Quantitative maps of groundwater resources in Africa' (A M MacDonald et al 2012 Environ. Res. Lett. 7 024009) will be freely available online from Friday 20 April. It will be available at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/2/024009/article
Environmental Research Letters
3. Environmental Research Letters is an open access journal that covers all of environmental science, providing a coherent and integrated approach including research articles, perspectives and editorials.
IOP Publishing
4. IOP Publishing provides publications through which leading-edge scientific research is distributed worldwide. IOP Publishing is central to the Institute of Physics (IOP), a not-for-profit society. Any financial surplus earned by IOP Publishing goes to support science through the activities of IOP.Beyond our traditional journals programme, we make high-value scientific information easily accessible through an ever-evolving portfolio of community websites, magazines, conference proceedings and a multitude of electronic services. Focused on making the most of new technologies, we're continually improving our electronic interfaces to make it easier for researchers to find exactly what they need, when they need it, in the format that suits them best. Go to http://ioppublishing.org/.
The Institute of Physics
5. The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society promoting physics and bringing physicists together for the benefit of all.
It has a worldwide membership of around 40 000 comprising physicists from all sectors, as well as those with an interest in physics. It works to advance physics research, application and education; and engages with policymakers and the public to develop awareness and understanding of physics. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in professional scientific communications. Go to www.iop.org
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 19-Apr-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Michael Bishop
michael.bishop@iop.org
44-117-930-1032
Institute of Physics
A scattergun approach to borehole drilling in Africa is likely to be unsuccessful.
This is the message from a group of UK researchers who have, for the first time, quantified the amount, and potential yield, of groundwater across the whole of Africa.
They estimate the total volume of groundwater to be around 0.66 million km3 more than 100 times the available surface freshwater on the continent and hope that the assessment can inform plans to improve access to water in Africa, where 300 million people do not have access to safe drinking water.
The results have been published today, 20 April, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters.
The researchers, from the British Geological Survey and University College London, warn that high yielding boreholes will not be found using a scattergun approach and a more careful and exploratory approach that takes into account local groundwater conditions will be needed, which they hope their new study will encourage.
Their results show that in many populated areas in Africa, there is sufficient groundwater to supply hand pumps that communities can use for drinking water. These hand pumps can deliver around 0.1-0.3 litres per second.
Opportunities for boreholes yielding five litres per second or more the usual amount needed for commercial irrigation are not widespread and limited to specific areas, such as countries in the north of Africa.
Central to the researchers' methods was the collation of existing national hydrogeological maps as well as 283 aquifer studies from 152 publications. The vast amount of data was compiled into a single database in which the researchers were able to make their calculations.
The amount of groundwater present in a certain region is reliant on the interplay between the geology of the area, the amount of weathering and the amount of rainfall experienced both in the past and present. All of these factors were considered to estimate the volume and potential yield of groundwater in each aquifer.
As a result of population growth in Africa and a planned increase in irrigation to meet food demands, water use is set to increase markedly over the next few decades. Climate change will pose a huge threat to this increase; however, groundwater responds much more slowly to increasing climatic variability as opposed to surface water, so will act as a buffer to climate change.
The lead author of the study, Dr Alan MacDonald, said: "Groundwater is such an important water resource in Africa and underpins much of the drinking water supply. Appropriately sited and developed boreholes for low yielding rural water supply and hand pumps are likely to be successful and resilient to climate change.
"High yielding boreholes should not be developed without a thorough understanding of the local groundwater conditions."
###
For more information, see the project pages on the British Geological Survey website at: www.bgs.ac.uk/gwresilience
From Friday 20 April, this paper can be downloaded from http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/2/024009/article
Notes to Editors
Contact
1. For further information, a full draft of the journal paper or contact with one of the researchers, contact IOP Press Officer, Michael Bishop:
Tel: 0117 930 1032
E-mail: Michael.bishop@iop.org
Quantitative maps of groundwater resources in Africa
2. The published version of the paper 'Quantitative maps of groundwater resources in Africa' (A M MacDonald et al 2012 Environ. Res. Lett. 7 024009) will be freely available online from Friday 20 April. It will be available at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/2/024009/article
Environmental Research Letters
3. Environmental Research Letters is an open access journal that covers all of environmental science, providing a coherent and integrated approach including research articles, perspectives and editorials.
IOP Publishing
4. IOP Publishing provides publications through which leading-edge scientific research is distributed worldwide. IOP Publishing is central to the Institute of Physics (IOP), a not-for-profit society. Any financial surplus earned by IOP Publishing goes to support science through the activities of IOP.Beyond our traditional journals programme, we make high-value scientific information easily accessible through an ever-evolving portfolio of community websites, magazines, conference proceedings and a multitude of electronic services. Focused on making the most of new technologies, we're continually improving our electronic interfaces to make it easier for researchers to find exactly what they need, when they need it, in the format that suits them best. Go to http://ioppublishing.org/.
The Institute of Physics
5. The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society promoting physics and bringing physicists together for the benefit of all.
It has a worldwide membership of around 40 000 comprising physicists from all sectors, as well as those with an interest in physics. It works to advance physics research, application and education; and engages with policymakers and the public to develop awareness and understanding of physics. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in professional scientific communications. Go to www.iop.org
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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