TY - GEN
T1 - Vulnerability of groundwater resources in Tongatapu
AU - White, I.
AU - Falkland, A.
AU - Fatai, T.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 34th IAHR Congress 2011. All rights reserved.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Two thirds of the population of the Kingdom of Tonga, live on the small, South Pacific raised limestone island of Tongatapu. Groundwater is the principle source of reticulated fresh water both in the capital Nuku'alofa and in rural villages and is sourced from a relatively thin, fresh groundwater lens overlying seawater. This paper describes a comprehensive, integrated assessment of the vulnerability of fresh groundwater in Tongatapu. Water resources policy and legislation, and the organisation structures for regulating and managing of water were examined. Threats to groundwater from seawater intrusion, overpumping, agriculture, waste disposal, industry, quarrying, urban settlements, population growth, droughts and climate change were analysed using existing data and field measurements. The impact of pumping on freshwater salinity is clearly discernible within ENSO signatures. Suggestions are made for improving the protection of water resources, mitigating saline water impacts, enhancing freshwater supplies and for reforming regulation and management.
AB - Two thirds of the population of the Kingdom of Tonga, live on the small, South Pacific raised limestone island of Tongatapu. Groundwater is the principle source of reticulated fresh water both in the capital Nuku'alofa and in rural villages and is sourced from a relatively thin, fresh groundwater lens overlying seawater. This paper describes a comprehensive, integrated assessment of the vulnerability of fresh groundwater in Tongatapu. Water resources policy and legislation, and the organisation structures for regulating and managing of water were examined. Threats to groundwater from seawater intrusion, overpumping, agriculture, waste disposal, industry, quarrying, urban settlements, population growth, droughts and climate change were analysed using existing data and field measurements. The impact of pumping on freshwater salinity is clearly discernible within ENSO signatures. Suggestions are made for improving the protection of water resources, mitigating saline water impacts, enhancing freshwater supplies and for reforming regulation and management.
KW - Climate variability
KW - Groundwater
KW - Vulnerability
KW - Water legislation
KW - Water pollution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056427980&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
T3 - 34th IAHR Congress 2011 - Balance and Uncertainty: Water in a Changing World, Incorporating the 33rd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium and the 10th Conference on Hydraulics in Water Engineering
SP - 879
EP - 887
BT - 34th IAHR Congress 2011 - Balance and Uncertainty
PB - International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)
T2 - 34th IAHR Congress 2011 - Balance and Uncertainty: Water in a Changing World, Incorporating the 33rd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium and the 10th Conference on Hydraulics in Water Engineering
Y2 - 26 June 2011 through 1 July 2011
ER -