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Unlike other geologic surveys
worldwide, the Saudi Geological Survey faces a number of unique
responsibilities that arise from its being the major national earth science
body of the Kingdom. Foremost of these special responsibilities are the
obligations it has towards the well-being and prosperity of the two holiest
cities of Islam, Makkah al Mukarramah (Makkah the Holy) and Madinah al
Munawwarah (Madinah the Illuminated).
The Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques, HM King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz,and his brother, the previous king,
HM King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, have taken keen interest in the affairs of
Muslims all over the world, and particularly in those matters that affect
the Holy Cities. The Zamzam well, which is located within the precinct of
the Holy Mosque in Makkah, is sacred to Muslims because of its miraculous
origin. Muslims cherish the holy water from the well, and hence Their
Majesties’ special interest in and attention to Zamzam in all its aspects.
Under a Royal Decree, the Zamzam
Studies and Research Center was created by SGS to secure the supply, in
terms of quality and quantity, of the holy water of Zamzam. As a result the
Center has set up a series of investigative projects to define, quantify,
and monitor the water source, and provide the information needed to manage
and sustain supplies in the face of increasing demand by residents and
pilgrims.
The
Miracle of Zamzam Well
According to Arab historians, the
Zamzam Well, except for a few periods when it became dry or was buried
under sand, has been in use for around 4000 years. The well marks the site
of a spring that, miraculously , had issued forth from a barren and
desolate wadi (non perennial stream) where the Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be
upon him-pbuh), under Allah's command, had left his wife Hajar and their
infant son Ismail (pbuh). In her desperate search for water, Hajar ran
seven times back and forth in the scorching heat between the two hills of
Safa and Marwa to provide water for Ismail (pbuh), who was dying of thirst.
Allah, in His mercy, sent the Angel Gabriel, who scraped the ground,
causing the spring to appear. On finding the spring, and fearing that it
might run out of water, Hajar enclosed it in sand and stones. The name
Zamzam originates from the phrase Zomë Zomë, meaning ‘stop flowing’, a
command repeated by Hajar during her attempt to contain the spring water.
The area around the spring, which was later converted to a well, became a
resting place for caravans, and eventually grew into the trading city of Makkah,
birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) later
returned to rebuild the first Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah), originally
build by Adam (pbuh). Because of its square shape, it is called The Ka’ba.
It is the holiest Muslim shrine. The Ka’ba now stands in the center of the
Holy Mosque, also called Al-Haram. The Zamzam well is located within the
Holy Mosque at about 20 m east of the Ka’ba.
All able-bodied Muslims with
sufficient financial means are obliged to make the pilgrimage to Makkah,
known as the Hajj, at least once in lifetime. During the Hajj, pilgrims
perform a number of rituals in the Al-Haram and outside Makkah at Muna,
Arafat, and Muzdalifa. One of the rituals known as the Umrah, includes
Tawaf (seven times circling) of Ka’ba and Sai between the hills of Safa and
Marwa, which is to re-enact Hajar’s search for water Umrah can be performed
at any time of the year. Millions of Umrah pilgrims visit Makkah throughout
the year, the peak season being the month of Ramadan. Muslims drink Zamzam
water during their visit and also carry it back home.
Structure
and hydrogeology of the Well
The Zamzam Well is hand-excavated
and is about 30.5 m deep, with an internal diameter ranging from 1.08 to
2.66 m. Hydrogeologically, the well lies within Wadi Ibrahim, which runs
through the Holy City of Makkah, and taps groundwater from the wadi
alluvium and, to a much lesser extent, the underlying fresh bedrock. The
well is now housed in a basement room, protected by glass panels that allow
a clear view of the well. Electric pumps are used to draw water from the
well, replacing the ropes and buckets. No visitor is allowed to enter the
Zamzam Well room and surroundings. Outside this room, there was a service
area, where cold Zamzam water fountains and dispensing containers were
provided for drinking purposes. Recently, the Al-Haram Tawaf area has been
extended to cover the entrance to this area and it is no more accessible to
pilgrims. Instead, cold Zamzam water fountains and dispensing containers
are now placed at the periphery of Tawaf area.
The upper 13.5 m of the well is
excavated in the sandy alluvium of the Wadi Ibrahim, and the lower 17.0 m
in the underlying diorite bedrock. In between lies a 0.5 m thick highly
permeable weathered rock. Most of the alluvial section of the well is lined
with stone masonry except for the uppermost 1m, which has a reinforced
concrete collar.. The weathered rock section is lined with stone and it is
this section that provides the main water entry into the well.
Research
issues and objectives
Zamzam Studies and Research
Center at SGS is to provide the required scientific solutions for effective
monitoring and management of the aquifer feeding the Zamzam well and to
ensure the purity and security of supply. The Center is currently focusing
on the following aspects of management of the aquifer, the well and the
Zamzam supply and distribution system:
•
Monitoring and managing demand to prevent depletion,
•
Urbanization of the Wadi Ibrahim catchment and its effect on recharge,
•
Management of storm drainage in relation to recharge,
•
Maintaining groundwater movement and quality through building controls,
•
Upgrading of the Zamzam pumping and storage system,
•
Optimization of Zamzam supply and distribution,
Monitoring and managing demand to prevent
depletion
With the increasing accessibility
of affordable air travel, the number of Muslims visiting the Holy City of
Makkah has risen dramatically over the past 3 decades, from around 400,000
per year in the mid 1970’s to over several millions since the mid-1990’s.
Water levels in the Zamzam Well
were formerly monitored by a simple drum hydrograph, but this has now been
replaced by a more sophisticated real-time multi-parameter monitoring
system, which makes digital records of water level' electric conductivity,
pH, Eh and Temperature. The datalogger is accessible by SGS through the
internet and the data can be examined and downloaded without going to the
well. A network of other monitoring wells has also been installed
throughout Wadi Ibrahim to monitor the response of the entire aquifer
system to the recharge and discharge. Some of these wells are fitted with
automatic digital water level recorders. .
With the increasing number of
visitors, demand for Zamzam water was continually increasing. SGS’ task is
to estimate sustainable well yield and recommend measures to prevent
further increase in demand to ensure that sustainable supply limits are not
exceeded.
Urbanization
of the Wadi Ibrahim catchment and its effect on recharge
To sustain groundwater supply
from wells, aquifers need to be continually recharged, either from direct
infiltration of rainwater or from rivers flowing over the aquifer. In arid
climates, where there is no permanent surface drainage, natural recharge is
limited to rainfall from occasional, brief storms. Supply can be severely
threatened during long dry periods, when water is effectively ‘mined’ from
the aquifer with no source of replenishment.
The surface area or ‘outcrop’ of the
Wadi Ibrahim alluvium covers only 60 square km. Limited recharge of the
wadi alluvium aquifer occurs through infiltration of rainwater falling
directly on the outcrop, supplemented by run-off from adjacent hillsides.
Urban development of Makkah has now extended over the wadi bed, diminishing
the already meager amount of rainwater infiltration into the underlying
aquifer due to surface sealing and channeling of rainwater into storm
drainage systems.
Modeling of aquifer recharge is
therefore crucial to ensure that supply and demand for Zamzam water is
appropriately balanced. The Zamzam Studies and Research Center is therefore
assessing and quantifying the effects of urbanization on recharge, and
developing recommendations for planning controls to limit further
development on the outcrop of the wadi alluvium aquifer.
Management
of storm drainage in relation to recharge
Storm drains are designed
specifically to prevent flooding by capturing rainwater falling on sealed
urban surfaces such as roads and buildings, and carry the water away into
wadis or into safe areas where it can be allowed to flood, infiltrate into
the ground or evaporate. The Center has in undertaken intensive modeling of
natural drainage patterns with Wadi Ibrahim catchment are in order to
define ways and means of harnessing storm water.
Maintaining
groundwater movement and quality through building controls
Makkah is unusual among Saudi
Araban cities because of its high proportion of relatively high-rise
buildings, some of which are many decades old. High-rise development
continues to present a solution to urban expansion over the Wadi Ibrahim
catchment are, but the deep foundations required can expose the water table
to contamination and also restrict groundwater movement. Strict building
controls are therefore required for allowing high rise developments in
sensitive areas, indicated by near real-time maps and models of the water
table elevation calculated from monitoring well data, and by risk
assessments of the likely impact on groundwater quality. Engineering
geology maps of Makkah also help to highlight zones of lower development
risk.
The Zamzam Studies and Research
Center aims to present solutions to these complex and inter-related
problems through a modern, integrated and multi-faceted approach to water
catchment management and conservation. Through these actions, the quality
and quantity of supply from the Zamzam Well can continue to be sustained to
meet the spiritual needs of the world’s one billion Muslims.
Upgrading of Zamzam pumping and storage
system
In order to manage demand water
from Zamzam well is pumped, treated and stored in underground storage tanks
a continual basis. Before distribution to consumers and transportation to
Madinah Zamzam water is treated by a series of sand filters, micro filters
and ultraviolet disinfection. Zamzam Studies and Research Center is engaged
in design of upgrading the treatment system. Already, two phases of
upgrading have been completed and the third phase is in active consideration.
Moreover, the Center strictly follow these activities and ensures strict
quality assurance measures.
Optimization of Zamzam supply and
distribution
All pilgrims carry Zamzam water
back home usually in plastic containers of 10 or 20 liters size, which they
fill themselves from several filling points, situated around the Al-Haram
and at a central filling station. But, more commonly they buy the filled
containers from roadside venders on the outskirts of Makkah. This
distribution system is wanting in hygiene and offsets the efforts of
treatment. Therefore, Zamzam Studies and Research Center is in the process
of evaluation of the present filling system and design of upgrading that
will minimize direct human involvement and discourage peddling by venders.
Structure and hydrogeology of the Well
The Zamzam Well is hand-excavated
and is about 30.5 m deep, with an internal diameter ranging from 1.08 to
2.66 m. hydrogeologically, the well lies within Wadi Ibrahim, which runs
through the Holy City of Makkah, and taps groundwater from the wadi
alluvium and, to a much lesser extent, the underlying fresh bedrock. The
well is now housed in a basement room, protected by glass panels that allow
a clear view of the well. Electric pumps are used to draw water from the
well, replacing the ropes and buckets. No visitor is allowed to enter the
Zamzam Well room and surroundings. Outside this room, there was a service
area, where cold Zamzam water fountains and dispensing containers were
provided for drinking purposes. Recently, the Al-Haram Tawaf area has been
extended to cover the entrance to this area and it is no more accessible to
pilgrims. Instead, cold Zamzam water fountains and dispensing containers
are now placed at the periphery of Tawaf area.
The upper 13.5 m of the well is
excavated in the sandy alluvium of the Wadi Ibrahim, and the lower 17.0 m
in the underlying diorite bedrock. In between lies a 0.5 m thick highly
permeable weathered rock. Most of the alluvial section of the well is lined
with stone masonry except for the uppermost 1m, which has a reinforced
concrete collar.. The weathered rock section is lined with stone and it is
this section that provides the main water entry into the well.
Source: Saudi Geological Survey (http://www.sgs.org.sa/index.cfm?sec=311&page=)
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