Client:

Government of Botswana, Department of Water Affairs

Project:

Maun Groundwater Resource Assessment and Development: Phase I

Location:

Maun, Botswana

The joint venture of UHL & Associates, Inc. and Water Resource Consultants (Pty) Ltd. (WRC) was contracted by the Department of Water Affairs, Government of Botswana to conduct a groundwater resource assessment and development feasibility study for a 5,000 square mile area in northwest Botswana with the objective of securing a safe sustainable source for the town of Maun to the year 2030. The study area is on the fringes of the Okavango Delta, one of the largest inland deltas in the world. The study was initiated after a major dam project proposed by Snowy Mountain Engineering Corp (SMEC) of Australia on behalf of the government was terminated after a critical review by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). The study area is primarily in and on the fringes of the Kalahari Desert. Prior to the study, freshwater resources were thought to be very limited and confined to near perennial and seasonal water courses.

UHL and WRC headed the project team which was comprised of 30 technical experts in the fields of remote sensing, vegetation analysis, geomorphology, structural geology, surface water hydrology, hydrogeochemistry, isotope studies, geophysics, hydrogeology, geology, artificial recharge, economics, cost engineering and ecology.

The project resulted in the identification of several new sources (aquifers) that can be utilized for supply to Maun and the region well into the 21st century.

Principal Technical Activities:

• Groundwater exploration using airborne geophysics (magnetic and electromagnetic); satellite imagery interpretation and surface geophysical studies to identify areas for field drilling exploration.
• Groundwater resource investigation through the installation of 50 test wells. Aquifer pumping tests were run on 46 wells. Two deep bedrock test wells were installed to depths of 1,000 and 247 meters to evaluate groundwater development potential and water quality conditions in deeper bedrock aquifer systems.
• Groundwater development feasibility and sustainability analysis through aquifer modeling; recharge analysis; and groundwater-surface water interaction study.
• Supplementary project activities included: artificial recharge feasibility studies; groundwater modeling; isotope studies and seismic monitoring.
  
  

Phase 2: Maun Groundwater Development Project

Location:

Northwest Botswana

UHL & Associates, Inc. was retained by Water Resources Consultants (Pty) Ltd. in 2001 to 2004 to assist in the Phase 2 Maun Groundwater Development Project. This Project Phase involved the siting and installation of two production wellfields to provide water to the Town of Maun and surroundings. UHL provided technical expertise in the areas of aquifer recharge assessment; drilling specification development and well design; modeling; groundwater sustainability assessments; and hydro-geochemical analysis.

Client:

Engineers without Borders

Projects:

Location:

Northwest Province and Western Province

Vincent Uhl mentored engineering students from the University of Pennsylvania during an assessment phase evaluation of potential water supply sources for village water supply systems.

Mr. Uhl assisted students in the villages of Kop and Gundom in the Northwest Province in the evaluation of potential spring sources that might be used for a permanent piped water supply system. Springs were identified; flows measured and water quality samples collected and analyzed. After the collected data were analyzed, 2 springs were selected in each village for development and piping systems were mapped in the field and planning proceeded for coordination of system installation on a subsequent trip.

Client:

Hargeisa Water Authority

Project:

Assessment of City of Hargeisa Wellfield

Location:

Hargeisa, Somaliland

The Hargeisa Water Authority has an exceptionally challenging mission to keep the water supply flowing into Hargeisa, the largest population center and seat of government in Somaliland. This hillside metropolis of over 300,000 people obtains its water from a wellfield located in the Ged Dheeble valley about 20 kilometers distant from the city.

UHL was contracted by WorldWater Corporation to evaluate the City of Hargeisa wellfield and distribution system from the wellfield to the City. The City's water supply system was installed by the Chinese Government in the early 1970's and expanded in 1986-88. The system was designed to deliver 8,000 to 10,000 m3/day or 2.0 to 2.5 million gallons per day. Water extracted from twelve production boreholes is pumped through two twin underground 300 mm diameter pipelines over a 20 km distance and 260 m elevation to in-ground storage tanks overlooking the city.

Due to damage to the system during a civil war in the late 1980's, only 6 production boreholes were operative at the time of the study. Our evaluation involved an analysis and testing of the 6 existing production boreholes; an assessment of requirements to reactivate the 6 boreholes that have not been operative for over a decade and the outline of a program for additional groundwater exploration in nearby basins. We also outlined the elements of a program to evaluate recharge to the aquifer system supplying the city and initiated a water level and water quality monitoring program for the water utility.