1. Water Resources Management and
Governance in Lebanon:
Role of CNRS
Amin Shaban
National Council for Scientific Research,
Beirut, Lebanon
“Groundwater management in the Middle East
and North Africa GEF program (MENARID)"
Beirut, 16-18 June,
(Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)

2. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
CNRS
Seismology Remote Sensing Marine Science Atomic Energy
Scientific Units
Unite of Science & Technology
Systems Sectors
Image Processing
GIS
GPS
Soil
Water
Agriculture
Environment
geology Ecology
Is a public institution established
in 1962 and assigned with to
formulate national science and
technology policy and initiating
scientific research programmes
It is reported directly
to the President of the
Council of Ministers

3. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Satellite
Images
Image
Processing
and GIS
sofwares
Topographic Maps
(Digital & HC)
Geologic Maps
(Digital & HC)
Land Cover/ Use Maps
(Digital & HC)
Aerial photos
Soil Maps
(Digital & HC)
Differential
GPSs
Water Testing
Sondes
Meteorological
stations
Plotters &
Digitizers
Hydrologic &
Climatic Records
Available data and Instruments at RSC
ASD-Spectro-
radiometer

4. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Satellite Bands Resolution Revisit
time
Swath width Altitude
Landsat 7
ETM 7
30 m,
120 m thermal,
15 m pan.
16 days
183 km x
183 km 705 km
SPOT 5 5 m,
2.5 m pan.
26 days 60 km x
63 km
905 km
ASTER
14
15 VNIR,
30 m SWIR,
90 m TIR.
16 days
60 km x
60 km
705 km
IKONOS 5 0.82 m 3 days 11.3 km x
11.3 km
681 km
Quick Bird 5 0.60 m 1-3 days 16.5 km x
16.5 km
450 km
MODIS 36 250 m,
1 km
2/ days 2030 km
x 1354 km
705 km
Used Satellite Images
(used to study water resources)

5. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Use of Satellite Images for Monitoring
and Assessment
1. Observing terrain features and identification of land cover/use.
2. Monitoring surface water bodies, and applying hydrological measures.
3. Identifying the hydrological linkages between surface and groundwater.
4. Recognizing hydrological clues to predict groundwater flow and storage.
15/2/2013 15/2/201415/2/2012

6. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
1. Identification of fracture systems (springs, GW flow/storage,
water harvesting, etc.)
2. Recharge potential zones (wet /dry areas & clues to GW)
3. Groundwater potential zones (GW exploration & assessment)
4. Delineating snow cover (feeding springs and rivers & water
harvesting)
5. Detecting GW discharge to the sea (source area on-land)
6. Monitoring surface water flow (water budget & supply &
harvesting)
7. Climate change influence on hydrological droughts
(agri. drought)
Major Topics

7. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Projects on Water Resources
Project Title Dates Partners Source of
Funds
Airborne Thermal Infrared Survey to
Identify Submarine Springs along the
Northern Coastline of Lebanon
1997-
2000
CNRS, GORS,
Ministry of Water
Resources
Ministry of Water
Resources
Assessment of Natural Resources in
the Karstic Coastal Mediterranean
1998-
2001
Mediterranean
countries
European
Commission
Application of Remote Sensing in
Studying the Hydrogeology of
Occidental Lebanon
2000-
2002
CNRS, GORS, CNRS, GORS,
Design a Co-operative Ecosystem
Management Protocol for the
Sustainable Development of the Akkar
Watershed of Lebanon and Syria
2001-
2003
IDRC, CNRS,
GORS IDRC
Sustainable Management of Scarce
Resources in the Coastal Zones
2002-
2006
Mediterranean
countries
European
Commission
Ecosystem Approach to the Sustainable
Management of the Litani Watershed
2003-
2007
IDRC, CNRS,
LRA, DSA IDRC

8. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Projects on Water Resources
Project Title Dates Partners Source of
Funds
Mapping Watersheds for Sustainable
Management in Lebanon
2007-
2012 CNRS CNRS
Using Satellite Images to Monitoring
Snow Cover Dynamics on the
Lebanese Mountains
2010-
2013
CNRS CNRS
In-Situ Investigation to Measure Snow
Water/Equivalent in Mount Lebanon 2010-to
date
CNRS, CESBIO,
USJ
CNRS, CESBIO,
USJ
Investigation of Climatic & Hydrological
Trends in Lebanon: Implication with
Water Resources Management
2011-to
date
CNRS, Istituto di
metodologie per
l'analisi ambientale
(CNR), Italy
CNRS, CNR
Regional Coordination on Improved
Water Resources Management and
Capacity Building
2010-to
date
CNRS, Jordan,
Egypt, Morocco,
Tunisia, NASA
GEF, WB, Arab
Water Council ,
Arab partners

9. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Key points: Examples from Lebanon
Rainfall Assessment
Records over 6 decades show small oscillations in rainfall,
but no remarkable, just a decline of about 35-40mm.
However, there is an obvious change in the rainfall
patterns towards becoming more torrential than the regular
rainfall pattern.

10. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Key points: Examples from Lebanon
Solid Precipitation (Snow) Assessment
 Snow in Lebanon often covers an area of about 2200-
2400km2 in average. However, the investigated time
series (2000-2013) shows no remarkable change.
However, the melting rate has been increased lately due to
the higher temperature and then due to sunlight radiation.

11. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Key points: Examples from Lebanon
Temperature Assessment
 There is increase in the maximum temperature rate over
the period (1974-2012), from 27.5°C to 32°C.
 Besides, there is also a decrease in the minimum by
0.6°C, over the same time period.

12. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Key points: Examples from Lebanon
Rivers and Springs
The assessment has been applied to typical Lebanese
rivers and springs over the last .
There is obvious decline in water discharge that
sometimes reaches 50% of the normal average.

13. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Key points: Examples from Lebanon
Groundwater
There are 324 wells have been investigated over about
3 decades. This includes the discharge and water table.
 There is a obvious drawdown estimated at 40-55% and
10-15% in water pumped from the Cenomanian and
Jurassic aquifers; respectively.
The declines has been well
measured also in the discharge
as in the figure
29l/sec
20l/sec

14. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
CNRS Local Cooperation
Ministry of Energy
and Water
Ministry
Agriculture
Ministry of
Environment
Litani River
Authority
Lebanese
Agriculture
Research Institute
Geographic
Affairs, Lebanese
Army
NGOs MunicipalitiesUniversities
CNRS

15. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
CNRS Regional and International
Cooperation
European
Commission
USAID
International
Implementing
Agencies (BGR,
GIZ, etc.)
World Bank
International
Specialized Agencies
(NASA, ESA,
CIHEAM)
UNESCO-IHP
IRDC UN EntitiesInt. Universities &
Research Centers
CNRS
Regional
Agencies
(ACSAD, AWC)

16. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Example (1): Cooperation
 Project funded by GEF implemented by World Bank:
“Regional Coordination on Improved Water Resources
Management and Capacity Building” (2010-2015)
Climate/Water
Drought
Evapotranspiration
Crop Yield
Floods
 Cooperation among counterparts and long-
term management plan
 National institutions involved
- MoEW
- MoA
 Regional & International institutions
involvement
- Partners from MENA countries
- International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture
(ICBA), Dubai
- NASA
(Data manipulation, trainings, action
plans, indicative maps, etc.)

17. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
• Groundwater storage
• Infiltration rate per
zone
• Water retention
• Soil moisture
• Groundwater loss to
the sea
• Springs catchment
• Water contamination
• Selecting irrigation
system
Main Output (Example)
VH = 35-38%
H = 30-35%
M = 25-30%
L = 15-25%
VL = <15%

18. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Example (2): Cooperation
 Cooperation with UNESCO-IHP:
 The Lebanese National Committee of IHP is
assigned to CNRS. We join all IHP periodical
meetings and event (Yemen, Khartoum, Morocco, etc.).
CNRS frequently participates in UNESCO-IHP
workshops on different topics.
 CNRS cooperated with UNESCO-IHP in several
reports and studies (climate change, wetlands, etc.)
 Recently, CNRS and UNESCO-IHP are preparing a
proposal for one-years activity (impact of CC on
groundwater resources and LCU in the coastal wetlands).

19. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Main Output (Example)
• Assessing CC certainty
in the coastal
wetlands of Lebanon
• CC impact on
groundwater (volume
& quality)
• CC and Land cove/use
changes
• Propositions for
adaptation and
mitigation measures

20. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Monitoring and assessment, since CNRS has
advanced tools for water monitoring, exploration and
volumetric measures.
Related Components for Water Governance1/2
Water policies and strategies, which can be built
on the understanding of major water components,
including mainly water regime, loss, consumption
and many other measurable items.
Economics of water sector, as a fundamental topic
to be implemented through different approaches,
such as pricing, funding mechanism, privatization,
etc.

21. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Data and information management, and this needs
datasets (uniform and complete) or different water
elements.
Related Components for Water Governance2/2
Framework and managing capacity, such as the
involvement of different sectors in new water
methodologies and management approaches
(capacity building, training, etc.).
Water legislations, which can be established once
the physical and anthropogenic challenges are
determined.

22. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Conclusion
1. CNRS, as a governmental body, using advanced
techniques to deduce essential measures and concepts
on water resources management.
2. Information and data resulted from projects and
researches (CNRS) have integral role in clarifying the
major understandings on water resources in Lebanon.
3. There is linkage between CNRS and other institutions
on the national level to promote cooperation and joint
works on water resources management.
4. This is a substantial component helps decision
makers implementing optimal water governance.

23. Groundwater management in the MENA GEF program (MENARID)" Beirut, 16-18 June, 2014, (Co-convened by UNESCO-IHP, ICARDA, IFAD)
Thank You