Order No. A-28 of the Minister of Nature, Environment and Tourism validating the Regulation on classification of groundwater reserves. Country/Territory Mongolia Document type Regulation Date 2012 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Water Keyword Groundwater Water abstraction Freshwater resources management Basin/catchment/watershed Classification/declassification Data collection/reporting Access-to-information Inland waters Geographical area Asia, Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Asia, Landlocked Developing Nations Abstract Based on the practical value of the hydrogeological survey stage, the level of data reliability, the groundwater deposit group, the type, the operational regime, and the practical value in the current socio-economic condition, groundwater resources are classified as sufficient and reserve resources. Assessment of groundwater resources determined by the hydrogeological findings (prospecting, forecast and detailed accounting, as well as completion, assurance and exploration) shall be determined by balance, hydraulic and hydrodynamics method A, B, C, and prospective P. In the case of resource estimation, additional designs may be used for modeling and other options. Classification and quality of groundwater resources and methods of estimate thereof depend upon the type of deposit. Based on geomorphological, geological-structural and hydro-geological features, the groundwater potential is classified according to the following categories: (a) river valley; (b) shallow deposits from the sediments, mountain slopes, hills and intervalley splittings; (c) groundwater under pressure in the platform of the artesian watershed; (d) groundwater deposit in the fold of mountainous areas; (e) freshwater deposits in sand dunes and semi-desert areas; (f) glacial waters; and (h) deposits in permafrost zone. In accordance with the geological and hydro-geological conditions, the types of groundwater aquifer shall be classified into three main categories: (a) I group with normal geological and hydro-geological conditions; (b) II group groundwater deposit with complex geological and hydro-geological conditions; and (c) III group with very complex geological and hydro-geological conditions. Groundwater resources are classified according to the following scenarios based on the relevant information on hydrogeological research, the appropriate results, the level of reliability, level of exploitation, and the preparation for water abstraction into the following categories: (a) resource stock: stable - A grade; workable - B grade; available – C grade; and (b) possible reserves - P grade. Full text Mongolian Website www.legalinfo.mn