Client:

USAID and Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI)

Projects:

Country Wide Groundwater Assessment

Location:

Afghanistan

In early 2003, UBR was retained by DAI to develop an overall assessment of groundwater conditions in Afghanistan at large and to assess potential river basins where groundwater might be in a state of overdevelopment. Vincent Uhl spent 1-month in Afghanistan, travelled to several river basins and interviewed/met with relevant governmental departments and NGOs and United Nations organizations.

UBR developed an analysis of recharge to the principal aquifer systems in the 5 major river basins and developed the scope of and elements for an in-depth analysis of river basins where overdevelopment of groundwater is a concern. A technical scope was also developed for river basins where groundwater is underutilized and represents a potential source for future irrigation use.

Download The Afghanistan Report in pdf format

USAID, Chemonics, and Basic Afghanistan Services (BAS)

Groundwater Assessment for Irrigation Potential

Location:

Khulm District; Northern Afghanistan

UBR provided technical assistance to our Afghan associate firm, Basic Afghanistan Services, in conducting a survey of a 300 square kilometer area in an evaluation of the potential for utilizing groundwater for irrigation. Over 60 open wells and drilled wells were inventoried and evaluated for yield and water quality conditions. The elements of a more comprehensive Phase 2 exploration program were developed for the Client.

Vince Uhl of UBR working in Afghanistan

USAID and Louis Berger Group, Inc.

Village Water Supply Assessment

Ghazni Province

In 2003, the Louis Berger Group, Inc. retained UBR to evaluate the drinking and irrigation water supply situation in 14 villages in Gilan District of Ghazni Province. These villages were reportedly experiencing water supply shortages. UBR coordinated this work with a local technical organization, Basic Afghanistan Services (BAS), an Afghan NGO specializing in water development and civil engineering.

The principal project objectives were to: Assess the adequacy of the current water supply sources (drinking and irrigation) for each village in terms of quantity, quality, and reliability; and Inventory the water sources in each village. For villages lacking access to adequate clean drinking water supply and reduced sources of irrigation water supply, assess alternatives to improve water supply conditions in these affected villages. The technical elements and projected costs were developed for an implementation phase involving the siting, installation and commissioning of alternative water supply sources or existing source improvements and a completion schedule.

Sixty-two (62) karezes; 86 hand dug wells; and 4 drilled wells were identified in the survey. Traditionally the karez and hand dug open wells have provided irrigation and drinking water to the 13 villages. The field program documented that many of the karezes and shallow dug wells had gone dry or diminished in yield due to lowering of the water table during an extended four year drought. In the case of the karezes, these water supply systems are sensitive to long term droughts as they are essentially skimming water from the top of the saturated zone (water table) and during a sustained drought period, water levels can fall below the bottom of the intake or mother wells.

Similarly, the hand dug open wells are generally constructed a few meters below the top of the water table and likewise their yields reduce or diminish entirely in a long-term drought.

Figure 3: Cross-section of a Kariz (Source: "The Warm Desert Environment" by Andrew Goudie and John Wilkinson, 1977)

Client:

Government of Botswana, Department of Water Affairs

Projects:

Maun Groundwater Resource Assessment and Development: Phase I

Location:

Maun, Botswana

The joint venture of UBR 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 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.

UBR 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 also 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.

Download PDF of Maun Case Study
For more details on Maun project

Water Resources Consultants (Pty) Ltd. and the Government
. of Botswana: Department of Water Affairs

Phase 2: Maun Groundwater Development Project

Location:

Northwest Botswana

Uhl, Baron, Rana & Associates, Inc. was retained by Water Resources Consultants (Pty) Ltd. in 2001 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. UBR provided technical expertise in the areas of area recharge assessment; drilling specification development and well design; modeling; groundwater sustainability assessments; and hydrogeochemical analysis.

Client:

Engineers without Borders

Projects:

Pro Bono Assistance to the University of Pennsylvania
. and The University of Delaware

Location:

Northwest Province and Western Province

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

Mr. Uhl assisted students in the village of Kop 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 for development and piping systems were mapped in the field and planning proceeded for coordination of system installation on a subsequent trip.

Mr. Rana mentored students from the University of Delaware’s student chapter of Engineers Without Borders (UD-EWB) on their initial assessment trip to the Village of Bakang located in the Western Province of Cameroon. Currently, the village community derives its water from unprotected hand dug wells and streams. It was found that many of the hand dug wells become dry during extended dry periods and many of these sources contain fecal coliform bacteria, contributing to outbreaks of cholera, amoebic dysentery, and typhoid.

Prior to and during this initial assessment trip, Mr. Rana assisted and mentored the UD-EWB students on proper groundwater exploration techniques, including satellite imagery interpretation, field mapping, lineament analysis, water source inventory and field water quality assessment. Also during this trip, the Project Team identified problems associated with the non-functioning of the village’s sole source hand-pump tube well, and facilitated its repair, providing some immediate potable water relief to the village community.

Future planned UD-EWB activities for the Village of Bakang are to drill a tube well equipped with solar-powered pumping equipment, convey the water to a concrete water tank constructed by the UD-EWB team with a storage capacity of 16 m³ and distribute the water to tap stands within the village.

Client:

Hospital Albert Schweitzer

Projects:

Procurement of a Drilling Rig and Spare Parts for
..Community Development

Location:

Artibonite River Valley in Central Haiti

Uhl, Baron, Rana & Associates, Inc. assisted the community development branch of the Hospital in the procurement and overhaul of a used cable tool drilling rig for use in Haiti. UBR located a suitable drilling rig, coordinated its repair and spare part purchase and arranged for shipment to Haiti. The drilling rig is being utilized for the installation of drinking water supply wells in the villages surrounding the hospital in the Artibonate Valley in Central Haiti.

Client:

District Towns; India

Projects:

Water Supply Development in Betul and Chhindwara Districts
. and City of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Location:

Central India

In the early 1970's, Vincent UhI initiated a groundwater development project in Central India that installed wells and distribution systems for villages, towns, cities, industries and farmers. During his 5 years in India, he was involved with the siting, drilling and testing of over 1,000 wells in areas underlain by sedimentary (sandstone and shale), crystalline, and volcanic bedrock.

In this timeframe, UhI directed groundwater development efforts for Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. This project involved the siting of production well locations through the use of electrical resistivity surveying methods; the installation and testing of 10 production wells in sandstone bedrock and the commissioning of several wells. A total of 1.2 million gallons per day of water was developed in a 2-month time frame as a result of the project.

For the District Town of Betul in Madhya Pradesh, UhI directed a project to site, install and test 10 production wells in the underlying granitic rocks. The project resulted in the development of a supplemental source of I million gallons per day over a 2-month period for this town.

During his tenure as the Project Manger, UhI directed several emergency water supply efforts for towns in the region and country.

The day-to-day operations of the project involved well siting through the use of surface geophysical techniques, well installation, aquifer testing, pump installation and maintenance and water quality testing and analysis.

Client:

Associates in Rural Development (ARD);
. USAID and Water Authority of Jordan – 2006

Projects:

Workshops for Water Meter Installation and Maintenance

Location:

Amman Jordan

In April 2006, James Horvath, Superintendent of Intake and Supply for the East Orange Water Commission and Vincent Uhl, Principal Hydrogeologist with UBR traveled to Jordan to provide assistance to the Jordan Ministry of Water in upgrading their water systems, specifically with respect to the metering and monitoring of large capacity irrigation wells throughout the country of Jordan.

Messrs. Horvath and Uhl conducted training sessions in the installation, repair and maintenance of water meters for large capacity irrigation wells for about 50 persons on the technical staff of the Ministry’s eight Regional Offices. The training sessions were held in the capital city of Amman. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Water Meter Installation and for Water Meter Maintenance and Testing developed by Messrs. Horvath and Uhl and Ms. Jaclyn Baron of UBR were adopted by the country of Jordan as their new official standard.

During the training program, an overview was developed of the country’s regional geologic conditions, well construction methods, well operational problems, and meter installations. In addition, Messrs. Uhl and Horvath visited the Jordan River Valley to assess meter installation procedures and assist in the trouble shooting of problem areas in this heavily irrigated part of the country.

The training program was part of a larger United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project being implemented by the firm Associates in Rural Development (ARD) to enhance the Water Authority of Jordan’s operations to improve the compliance and monitoring of groundwater resources country-wide. Groundwater provides over 70 percent of the country’s water production for drinking, irrigation, institutional, and industrial water supply. Metering of large capacity irrigation wells is considered a vital step in regulating and conserving the groundwater resources for sustainable future supply.

Download PDF of American Water Works Association – Pipeline Article

Client:

Ground Water Consultants (Pty) Ltd., Maseru, Lesotho

Projects:

Wellfield Evaluation

Location:

Roma Valley, Lesotho

The Roma Wellfield, located about 35 km from Lesotho’s capital city of Maseru, serves both the town of Roma and the National University of Lesotho with potable water supply. The wellfield experienced substantial declines in yield since installation. In 1993, UBR conducted a program to assess these declines. The program involved running pumping tests on individual wells to determine well efficiencies, and evaluating existing well construction. Recommendations were made for increasing individual well yields and efficiencies, and for future well construction criteria for replacement and new production wells. Recommendations were also developed for assessing groundwater recharge for an evaluation of wellfield sustainability.

Client:

WorldWater Pakistan

Projects:

Cholistan Groundwater Feasibility Analysis

Location:

Southeastern Punjab Province - Cholistan Desert

The Cholistan Desert in Southeastern Punjab Province relies entirely on deep hand dug open wells for drinking and livestock water supply. Water quality is almost entirely brackish to saline in the 120+ villages in this region. UBR visited the area in mid-2000, inventoried and sampled a selected subset of existing water supply sources, and through a review of existing reports and documents developed the elements of an exploration program to investigate deeper aquifier systems in the region.

Client:

Bohol Water Company, Inc.

Projects:

Bohol Municipalities Evaluation

Location:

Bohol, Philippines

In 2001, UBR conducted a project to assess the feasibility of utilizing groundwater as a sustainable source of public water supply for ten municipalities in the Province of Bohol in the central part of the Philippines. Our client, Bohol Water Company, Inc., was investigating the potential to be the bulk water supplier to ten municipalities near the capital city of Tagbilaran. Eight of the municipalities are located on the main island of Bohol, and two on nearby Panglao Island with an area of 91 km².

Principal Assignment:

• Inventory current sources of water supply (wells and springs) for the ten municipalities and develop recommendations for future usage;
  
• Evaluate the sustainability of the underlying aquifer systems for long term supply until the year 2020 and identify potential development constraints;
  
• Develop recommendations for a Phase 2 groundwater exploration program; and
  
• Outline preliminary development costs to meet the projected year 2005 water demand.

Our study and analysis showed that on the main island of Bohol, there is an abundance of developable groundwater from either wells or springs to meet present and long term future demands. On Panglao Island, where growth is projected to increase substantially, the groundwater resource is more limited and development should be carefully planned and executed. Click on map to expand.

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U.S. Trade and Development Agency/WorldWater Corporation

Rural Water Supply Assessmen

Location:

Cebu Province, Philippines

Cebu Province, one of the most densely inhabited islands in the Philippines, with an estimated population 3,000,000, is comprised of 48 municipalities and 1,172 barangays (rural communities). Approximately half of the island’s population live in rural areas. Rural population densities are between 200 and 400 people per square kilometer. Potable water supply in these rural areas is predominantly from hand-dug open wells and unprotected springs.

Uhl, Baron, Rana & Associates, Inc., in conjunction with WorldWater Philippines, conducted an assessment of the water supply conditions in the island’s rural communities. Field surveys were conducted to locate, inventory and evaluate existing water sources. Additionally, social surveys were performed by local Filipino scientists to assess current population and health concerns in the rural communities. The study evaluated the feasibility of developing protected sources of water and of applying solar technology for supply, treatment and distribution for areas lacking electricity.

Sulu Provincial Government

Hydrogeologic Assessment for Water Supply Development

Sulu Province – Philippines

Sulu Province, located in the southwest Philippines, consists of three island groups with a total land area of 1,679 Km2. The province has a population of about 540,000, with most people living in rural areas. This rural population relies predominantly on unprotected, hand-dug open wells for drinking water supply.

Uhl, Baron, Rana & Associates, Inc., in conjunction with WorldWater Philippines, conducted an assessment of the current water supply source conditions in the Province, evaluated current and projected water supply needs, assessed hydrogeologic conditions, and evaluated the feasibility of developing protected sources of water for areas and villages in need. Recommendations for a phased implementation approach were made to the provincial government with the goal of reaching full capacity within the rural areas in a 5-year time frame.

Client:

Hargeisa Water Authority

Projects:

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, Baron, Rana & Associates, Inc. was contracted by WorldWater Corporation to evaluate the City of Hargeisa welIfield and distribution system from the wellfleld 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 programme for the water utility.

Client:

WorldWater Corporation, USTDA, and the Government of Sri Lanka

Projects:

Village Water Supply Development

Location:

Hambantota District, Sri Lanka

In 2005 and 2006, the WorldWater Corporation retained UBR to conduct a feasibility study for the development of new sources of drinking water supply for six villages in Sri Lanka.. The study area, located in Hambantota District, is within the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka and underlain by granitic bedrock. High evapotranspiration rates and low groundwater recharge are characteristic for this area. The area experiences water-supply shortages due to the relatively low yielding granitic bedrock aquifer systems and water quality problems associated with high levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

The program objective was to identify potable groundwater supplies to serve a population of 14,000 within a 30 Km2 area. Mr. Rana led a project team consisting of geologists, hydrogeologists, geophysicists, and water engineers as well as local technicians. In-Country drilling companies were contracted for drilling and testing of 6 tube wells and an in-country laboratory for water quality analysis. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were consulted during the course of the project for community organization issues. The project successfully characterized the hydrogeology of the area in terms of well siting for optimizing yield and water quality; identified areas for development of potable groundwater supplies; and installed/tested 6 production wells that are being utilized for water supply purposes.

Principal Technical Activities:

• Satellite Image interpretation to assess optimal areas for groundwater exploration in a granitic bedrock aquifer environment.
• Surface geophysical surveys to identify locations for test exploration well drilling.
• Installation and testing of exploration/production wells to determine development capability and groundwater quality conditions.
• Design of water distribution systems for the installed exploration wells.

Download pdf case study