A Field Study of Changing Groundwater Levels in South Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The problem of changing groundwater levels in Jeddah had been a subject of several studies in the past. However, conflicting results in the annual groundwater rise still persists. Also, there is not one recharge mechanism responsible for the rising water table for the entire city and it is still to be determined which mechanism is responsible for which part of Jeddah so that an effective remedial measure could be selected appropriately. This field study focuses upon the groundwater level data obtained from 44 water wells located in South Jeddah. The analysis of groundwater levels reveals that although no significant change in the water levels has been observed in South Jeddah, a complex pattern of rise and fall in water levels does exist in several parts of the study area. The rise in water level is primarily associated with the exfiltration from cesspools in the areas where no drainage system exists. Overall, there is some sort of equilibrium established between the recharge and discharge mechanisms in South Jeddah.