Fewer water conflicts through improved catchment management

Yara Project - Potash Mine

Mine water management is often concerned with having enough water for mining while using a strategy that safely, effectively, and legally manages the wastewater. Forward looking mine owners also consider the entire catchment area when planning for water use.

Our team provided water catchment services for the Yara project, a potash mine in the Danakil Desert, Ethiopia—one of the hottest and driest places on Earth. The project highlights the need for a holistic water use strategy as wildlife, vegetation, and small fish depend on the region’s unique ecosystem. Storm run-off occurs in the catchment wadis only a few times a year so the wildlife and local people are dependent on the groundwater.

Next, we performed baseline surveys for the catchment management process along with drilling services, satellite remote sensing, and geophysical surveys to determine the depth and quality of groundwater. We also planned, constructed, and implemented a groundwater monitoring network, as well as prepared maps of groundwater levels, temperature, and water quality. Our efforts determined the direction of water flows and built a 3-D conceptual model to simulate the groundwater system.