The extraction of information on groundwater for a geographically small, water-scarce and groundwater reliant region

Published on 29 May 2025 , by Aisha Aljawder

The extraction of information on groundwater for a geographically small, water-scarce and groundwater reliant region

Published on 29 May 2025 , by Aisha Aljawder

Challenge-ID

Description

The Kingdom of Bahrain has an arid climate with minimal rainfall amount per year. The rapid increase in urbanization and population growth has placed a huge demand on water resources. The only natural resources available in the country and what has been relied on historically for water usage are spring waters and ground water, which are quickly being depleted due to the increasing demands on water needs. To understand the quantity of groundwater currently available to support the country’s survival needs, space technologies are a crucial tool that can be explored.

Has this problem been acknowledged in the past?

The Kingdom of Bahrain is actively working on managing our water resources through multiple methods such as establishing the Bahrain Water Resources Database. The Kingdom of Bahrain has also established the Water Resources Council to develop laws that protect water resources and to develop policies for sustainable water usage.

Can this challenge be solved using space technologies and data?

There have been applications that have utilized a range of optical, radar, elevation as well as Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data to derive groundwater related parameters.

Expected timeframe to develop a solution

There is no specific timeframe for developing a solution as set by the agency. Only a methodology for analyzing data for groundwater needs to be developed.

Potential consequences if no action happens

The major consequences would stem from the inefficient utilization of water resources for the increasing domestic, industrial and agricultural needs of the country. Furthermore, this delays the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), more specifically Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

What are additional physical requirements for a solution?

Physical requirements will majorly consist of ground truthing capabilities. Relevant equipment and personnel will be needed to extract groundwater measurements will aid in evaluating the performance of space technologies in addressing this challenge.

Problem Definition

The rising demands on water resources prompts the issue of water security in the region. Through space technologies and satellite imagery, the comprehension on current groundwater availability and historical changes can be increased. Observing historical trends will aid decision-makers in taking the necessary actions to prevent the threatening decrease in groundwater quantities. However, with geographically small countries such as the Kingdom of Bahrain, obtaining data related to groundwater quantities through satellite act as a challenge due to the need for very high-resolution datasets. Hence, solutions need to be explored to extract information relevant to groundwater, considering the geographical size of the country.

Success criteria

There are four main goals to be achieved through the development of a solution for this challenge:

1. Estimation of groundwater quantity across time considering the geographical size of the country

2. Identification of potential areas with higher groundwater quantities for investigation

3. Development of capacities in the utilization of space data for various sectors such as the water sector

4. Provision of data support for the countries’ national stakeholders to utilize the analyzed space data in implementing the procedures needed to tackle the challenge of groundwater depletion

Relevant data sources/publications

Adams, K. H., Reager, J. T., Rosen, P., Wiese, D. N., Farr, T. G., Rao, S., Haines, B. J., Argus, D. F., Liu, Z., Smith, R., Famiglietti, J. S., & Rodell, M. “Remote Sensing of Groundwater: Current Capabilities and Future Directions.” Water Resources Research 58, no. 10 (2022): 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032219.