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A critical overview of transboundary aquifers shared by South Africa

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Abstract

Transboundary groundwater commonly implies a body of groundwater intersected by a political border with the attendant potential threat of dispute over a shared resource. This definition is inadequate in many parts of southern Africa. Approximately 96% of South Africa’s borders are underlain by low-yielding aquifers and, coupled with a low demand for water attendant on low population density, the risk of over-pumping or pollution leading to dispute is low, and a modified understanding is required. Examples of transboundary aquifers are used to illustrate implications for policy and management of southern African transboundary groundwater resources, where transmissivities are low and, less commonly, where over-pumping may indeed be a problem. The general lack of technical cooperation, data sharing, training and research between the riparian states on hydrogeology hampers a mutual understanding of the resources. The concept of transboundary groundwater must necessarily include aquifers where little cross-border flow occurs, but where cross-border cooperation will help to ensure sustainable cooperative utilisation of shared aquifer resources. This is imperative if future disputes are to be averted. Agreement between scientists is a necessary precursor to broader transnational governance agreements in regard to shared water resources, and recent initiatives by the Orange-Senqu River Commission promise closer integration.

Résumé

L’eau souterraine transfrontalière implique communément une masse d’eau souterraine intersectée par une frontière politique avec la menace potentielle correspondante de contestation de la ressource partagée. Cette définition est inappropriée dans de nombreuses parties de l’Afrique méridionale. Approximativement 96% des frontières de l’Afrique du Sud ont des aquifères faiblement productifs sous-jacents et, couplé avec une faible demande d’eau correspondant à une faible densité de population, le risque de surexploitation par pompage ou de pollution conduisant à une contestation est faible, et un accord de compromis est exigé. Des exemples d’aquifères transfrontaliers sont utilisés pour illustrer les implications pour la politique et la gestion des ressources en eau souterraine transfrontalière d’Afrique méridionale, ou les transmissivités sont faibles et, moins fréquemment, ou la surexploitation par pompage peut en effet être un problème. Le manque général de coopération technique, de partage de données, de formation et de recherche entre les états riverains en hydrogéologie entrave une compréhension commune des ressources. Le concept d’eau souterraine transfrontalière doit nécessairement inclure les aquifères où un petit écoulement transfrontière existe, mais où une coopération transfrontière permettra d’assurer une utilisation en commun des ressources aquifères partagées. Ceci est impératif si de futurs conflits doivent être évités. Un accord entre scientifiques est un préliminaire nécessaire à des accords gouvernementaux transnationaux en ce qui concerne les ressources en eau partagées, et des initiatives récentes de la Commission de la Rivière Orange-Senqu promettent une intégration plus étroite.

Resumen

Los recursos hídricos subterráneos transfronterizos esencialmente implican acuíferos que cruzan fronteras políticas con la concomitante amenaza de disputas por un recurso compartido. Tal definición no es adecuada en varios sectores de Sudáfrica. Acuíferos de bajo rendimiento subyacen aproximadamente un 96% de las fronteras de Sudáfrica y, sumado a una baja demanda de agua en virtud de la baja densidad poblacional, el riesgo de sobrebombeo o de degradación de las aguas que conducirían a disputas es muy bajo, y por ende se requiere de un conocimiento diferencial. Se presentan ejemplos de acuíferos transfronterizos para mostrar las implicancias en la gestión del recurso y la adopción de políticas para los recursos hídricos subterráneos compartidos de Sudáfrica, que se caracterizan por sus bajas transmisividades, y donde los pocos casos de sobrebombeo pueden representar un problema. La ausencia generalizada de cooperación técnica, entrenamiento e investigación entre los estados ribereños sobre aspectos hidrogeológicos dificultan la mutua comprensión de los recursos. El concepto de acuíferos transfronterizos debe necesariamente incluir aquellos acuíferos donde el flujo a través de las fronteras es pequeño, pero donde la cooperación entre los estados afectados ayudará a asegurar la sustentabilidad cooperativa de los recursos acuíferos compartidos. Esto resulta imperativo para evitar disputas futuras. El acuerdo entre científicos es un precursor necesario de acuerdos más amplios entre los gobiernos implicados con respecto a los recursos hídricos compartidos, y las recientes iniciativas de la Comisión del Río Orange-Senqu constituyen una promesa de una integración más ajustada.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Drs P. J. Ashton and A. R. Turton (CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa), and Dr N. Robins (BGS, Wallingford, UK), for their constructive comments on an early draft of this report. Mr Davies publishes with the permission of the Director, British Geological Survey. Thanks are also due to the anonymous reviewers who improved the final draft.

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Correspondence to J. E. Cobbing.

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Cobbing, J.E., Hobbs, P.J., Meyer, R. et al. A critical overview of transboundary aquifers shared by South Africa. Hydrogeol J 16, 1207–1214 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-008-0285-2

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