Development of a groundwater management plan and applicability on different aquifer types

Abstract

The sustainability of groundwater as a domestic source of water is sometimes questioned because of the regular failure of water supply from groundwater to communities. The sustainability of the supply from groundwater sources cannot be only linked to the amount of groundwater that is abstracted from the aquifer but is directly linked to the management of the external environment around the aquifer or wellfield. The basic understanding and the complexity of groundwater management, the various aspects of groundwater management that can be identified and addressed in a management plan, and that can be implemented in a specific time frame, is the aim of this study. The concept of ‘management’ and a ‘plan’, including the difference between management and governance and how the difference is managed at a local scale provide a clear understanding for which groundwater management actions the Local Authority responsible for. The concept of groundwater management is divided into twelve principles and described in detail to explain the notion of each principle for when the management objectives are developed during the plan. The external drivers and legal framework setting that influences groundwater management are also explored. The characteristics of Groundwater Management Plans (GwMPs) were analysed from 32 GwMPs of world organisations, international (outside RSA) which included transboundary aquifers and authorities within South Africa. The five world organisations GwMPs were explicitly analysed for the development approach: preparation, development and implementation phases. The twenty international and sewen local GwMPs provide the opportunity to assess the legal/regulatory background, the purpose, the validation period, the elements, structure and format of each GwMP. The management objectives of all the GwMPs were tabled and classified according to the twelve groundwater principles. The result of the detailed assessment was a generic three-phase approach to prepare, develop and implement a GwMP. A Table of Content with element or chapters that can be used with the develop the GwMP to ensure all aspects are addressed and implementation is feasible. A final list of 150+ management objectives is addressing the most possible actions to manage the groundwater at a local authority. The challenges of implementing a GwMP can mostly be addressed by leadership and institutional arrangements. A summary template was developed to extract the operational information from the GwMP for daily use. Ultimately, this study concluded with the applicability of the summary template at three different aquifer types.