Technology of Water Transmission Pipeline on Long Distance and Its Application for Gobi and Steppe Regions of Mongolia

摘要

The potential of annually water resources of Mongolia is 34.6 km3 of which 6.1 km{sup}3 are ground water resources. While the northern part of the country has sufficient water resources, the steppe and Gobi regions, which together represent 69 percent of the country's total land area, lack a surface water network and the demand for water in those areas is mostly supplied from ground water. In addition, as these regions are part of continental saline zones, a high percentage of minerals and hard content in the water makes it less suitable for consumption. The South and Southeastern Gobi Regions are also a focus of serious interest in the development of mining prospects that could provide much needed economic boost for the region and the country if they are developed correctly. These projects will need large amounts of water, and there is concern that increasing extraction rates from the non-renewable underground sources may cause irreversible environmental damage.