Hydrology of conflicts over shallow groundwater use and management in low coral islands

White Ian M., Falkland A., Crennan L., Metutera Taboia, Etuati B., Metai Eita, Perez Pascal, Dray Anne. 2002. Hydrology of conflicts over shallow groundwater use and management in low coral islands. In : International Symposium Low-lying coastal areas - hydrology and integrated coastal zone management, Bremerhaven, Germany, 9-12 September 2002. s.l. : s.n., 6 p. International Symposium on Low-lying Coastal Areas. Hydrology and Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Bremerhaven, Allemagne, 9 Septembre 2002/12 Septembre 2002.

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Résumé : Groundwater is the major freshwater source in coral islands. Its availability, quality, and management are central to sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Increasing populations, growing per capita demand and restricted land areas limit water availability and generate conflicts. Shallow groundwater in the Pacific is vulnerable in ENSO-related droughts and over-extraction causes seawater intrusion. Human settlements, animal production, and agro-chemicals coupled to very permeable soils, with limited water-holding capacity, result in rapid impacts on groundwater quality and human health. Coconuts, breadfruit, papaws, bananas and crops such as swamp taro, decrease groundwater supplies through direct evapotranspiration from the watertable. The trade-off between maximising and protecting groundwater resources and maximising overlying crop production presents a dilemma for island communities as does the tensions between the demands of an urbanised society and traditional cultural practices. This paper describes an UNESCO IHP project on the hydrology and hydrodynamics of shallow groundwater and the socio-cultural aspects of groundwater use in coral islands. The study was in Tarawa atoll, Kiribati in the central Pacific. A simple daily water balance model was used to suggest groundwater extraction strategies and management options. The lack of comprehensive water legislation and legal agreements between the government and landowners, combined with confusion over the responsibilities of government agencies and community vandalism to water supply infrastructure, are indicators of the tensions between the subsistence past and the urban future faced by many small island communities. The potential for using multi-agent systems to reduce conflicts is discussed.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : atoll, utilisation de l'eau, approvisionnement en eau, eau douce, hydrologie, eau souterraine, nappe souterraine, environnement socioculturel, environnement socioéconomique

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Kiribati

Mots-clés complémentaires : Lagon, Système multiagents

Classification Agris : E50 - Sociologie rurale
P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion

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