Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

CWST - Center for Water Science and Technology

The 2nd meeting on Desert Urban Hydrology

The 2nd meeting on Desert Urban Hydrology, with special emphasis on The "Management of Water Supply and Effluent Discharge for Urban Development in the Arid Zone", will be convened on July 25-26, at the Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Sde-Boker campus of Ben-Gurion University. Pre-registration is requested.

Tentative program

1. INTRODUCTION:
   1. The Urban-Hydrology concept (the demands for water, supply options, distribution in the city, discharge or re-use).
   2. The city in the context of its environment

2. EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER CLIMATE ZONES;
   1. The Israeli coastal plain (semi-arid climate)
   2. Management of groundwater under a city, (Caracas)
   3. The European and the Australian experience.
   4. Water excesses in the humid zone; water logging in the Punjab
   5. Contamination by volatiles under a city

3. URBAN HYDROLOGY IN THE ARID ZONE - the case of the Negev.
   1. Sources of water supply:
      • Surface waters
      • Groundwater
      • Fossil water, possibilities and constraints on their use
      • Water imports
      • Desalinized and treated waters
   2. Water distribution, sewers and channeling within the city:
      Multi-purpose water supply
      • Leakages from the supply system
      • Differentiated effluent discharge
   3. Effluents: Treatment options, re-use possibilities and discharge:
      • Chemical characterization
      • Treatment
      • Rain-harvesting from rooftops
      • Runoff and effluent discharge options
      • Wetlands and Wadi infiltration as disposal options

4. Eco-hydrological impacts of urbanization:
   1. Effect on runoff generation
   2. Drainage pathways, infiltration and groundwater recharge.
   3. Salinization and pollution.
   4. Soil mechanical consequences (subsidence, shear stress).
   5. Effect on water chemistry
   6. Effect on the ITF- the Isotope Transfer Function

5. RESILIENCE AND LIMITS OF TOLERANCE OF THE ARID ENVIRONMENT TO WATER AND SALT LOADING;
   - environmentally imposed constraints on development.

6. ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ARID ZONE
   1. Economic and technical considerations for the choice of the water supply.
   2. Reuse of treated water

7. DISCUSSION:
   Planning of development and urbanization in the Negev
   in an environmentally compatible manner

   *Pre-registration is requested.

   For more details and registration please contact us:
   E-mail: cwst@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
   Phone: 08-6596714