GROUNDWATER MONITORING

Groundwater monitoring and groundwater data acquisition are pre-requisites for any effective management of groundwater resources, in terms of both the groundwater quality and the availability of the groundwater resource itself. Because of the complexities of groundwater systems, the design and operation of an effective groundwater monitoring is far from simple.

There are four basic objectives for establishing a monitoring system:

  • Resource monitoring to increase the understanding of the groundwater system in a basin (recharge, discharge, interaction with surface water, changes in quality and quantity over time)
  • Compliance monitoring to get information on the effectiveness of management Measures
  • Protection monitoring for potential impacts on specific groundwater infrastructure or groundwater bodies
  • Pollution containment monitoring to provide early warning information on impacts of potential pollution hazards
1- SMART GROUNDWATER MONITORING SYSTEM

Groundwater resources in the lower valley of Medjerda are under increasing stress as there is a rapid growth in their usage. Water managers need more timely and accurate data to assess ground-water conditions to manage adverse situations such as drought and loss of pumpage in agriculture and domestic water supply. 

Currently groundwater researchers use stand-alone data logging equipment which is labor intensive and the method is not easily scalable if the number of logging locations increases. Although these data are important to understanding the water resource usage, they are not available in a timely fashion or at the frequency (days to weeks) that water resources managers need them to make relevant decisions. 

SMART IWRM Medjerda project implements a groundwater monitoring system based on a network of wirelessly-linked pressure sensors. The proposed solution will enable groundwater researchers and decision makers to have quick access to the groundwater data with less effort and cost. 

2- GROUNDWATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT

Groundwater quality monitoring and monitoring data availability and accessibility support the decision-making process in the strategy of groundwater protection and quality conservation and in anti-pollution policy enforcement (Identification of pollution sources). The implementation of groundwater quality monitoring data helps to improve the planning, development, protection and management of groundwater resources and to anticipate or reduce threats of groundwater pollution problems. 

During the SMART IWRM Medjerda project, the periodic assessment of the groundwater quality was carried out in order to evaluate the groundwater quality and to identify the origin of pollution.

The quality data will help researchers and decision-makers to model the transfer of pollutants and salt and to assess the saltwater intrusion phenomenon.