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TRANSBOUNDARY WATER MANAGEMENTLibya’s experience in the management oftransboundary aquifersOmar Salem, Senior Hydrogeologist, General Water Authority – Ministry of Water Resources, LibyaLibya shares several aquifer systems with neighbouring countries.The North-Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS)is shared with Algeria and Tunisia, the Nubian SandstoneAquifer System (NSAS) with Egypt, Sudan and Chad, the GefaraAquifer with Tunisia, and the Murzuk Aquifer System with Algeriaand Niger. About 85 per cent of the present water supply of Libyaoriginates from transboundary aquifer systems. This ratio varies inneighbouring countries according to the prevailing local conditions.Given their paramount importance in providing water needed forsecuring national and regional economic development, and theirsusceptibility to long-term adverse effects, the NSAS and NWSASwere singled out by the riparian states for additional studies. Thesewould ultimately lead to coordinated joint management throughmultilateral cooperation mechanisms under the auspices of specializedinternational organizations.The NSAS includes the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic aquifers in the southand the Neogene aquifers in the north. It extends over a surface area ofmore than 2.2 million km 2 in Libya, Egypt, Sudan and Chad. In Libya,it is known as the Kufra and Sarir basins, and forms the main supply oflocal water requirements for domestic and irrigation use in addition towater supply for oil production activities and, more recently, as a sourcefor the Man-made River Project. Water exploitation from the NSAS issteadily increasing in Egypt, but is still modest in Sudan and Chad.About 85 per cent of Libya’s water supply originates fromtransboundary aquifer systemsSource: GWA LibyaOn the other hand, the NWSAS extends over asurface area of over 1 million km 2 in Libya, Algeriaand Tunisia. In Libya, it is known as the Hamada alHamra Basin and is subdivided into two sub-basins:the Ghadames in the west and the Sawf al Jin in theeast. It terminates at the sabkha of Tawurgha alongthe Mediterranean.The NWSAS contains two main groundwater aquifers:the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous sandstone,known regionally as the Continental Intercalaire andlocally as the Kikla aquifer; and the Upper Cretaceouslimestone known regionally as the Complex Terminaland locally as the Nalut and Mizda aquifers.Since the early 1970s, water authorities in theconcerned countries have launched bilateral and multilateraldialogues leading to mutual agreements to launchsystematic programmes for joint monitoring and assessmentof their transboundary groundwater resources.These later expedited the establishment of permanentjoint institutions, namely the Joint Commissionfor the Study and Development of the NSAS and theConsultation Mechanism for the NWSAS.Joint Commission for the NSASThe Joint Commission for the NSAS was establishedin Tripoli in 1989 between Libya and Egypt, andwas joined at a later stage by Sudan and Chad. It wasentrusted with the following tasks:• collection, analysis, integration and disseminationof data• conducting complementary hydrogeological studies• planning for the development of water resourcesaccording to agreed exploitation policies at nationaland regional levels• managing the aquifer on sound scientific bases• conducting capacity building programmes• ensuring rational use of the NSAS water• assessing the environmental impact of waterdevelopment• organizing workshops and consolidating tieswith corresponding regional and internationalorganizations.During the past two decades the commission, incollaboration with international organizations, hassucceeded in implementing several projects.[ 85 ]