Jordan Valley Authority: Water harvesting projects in the southern regions have reached their maximum storage capacity

Weather of Arabia - As a result of the heavy rains during the past two days, which positively affected the water stock in water harvesting projects in general and in the southern and southeastern regions in particular, as desert ponds and dams in those regions reached their maximum storage capacity.

• Al-Ahmar Dam in Tafilah Governorate, with a storage capacity of (150) thousand cubic meters
• Al-Wahidi Dam, with a storage capacity of (750) thousand cubic meters
• Al-Hassanin barrier with a storage capacity of (320) thousand cubic meters
• Jardanah dam with a storage capacity of (2) million and 300 thousand cubic meters in Ma’an governorate
• Al-Qatraneh Dam, with a storage capacity of (1) million and (500) thousand cubic meters in Al-Karak Governorate, knowing that the number of excavations in those areas is 185, with a storage capacity of (18) million cubic meters
• There are 55 desert dams with a capacity of (21) million cubic meters

Hence, the importance of water harvesting projects must be emphasized, which enhance the preservation of the environmental systems adjacent to the water harvesting site and the diversity of crops such as fodder crops and pastoral shrubs, which helps reduce the economic burdens on livestock breeders, enhance water and food security, reduce the risk and effects of floods in the Jordanian Badia regions, and groundwater recharge.

The Jordan Valley Authority has worked during the past years to expand water harvesting projects to meet the challenges related to climate change and its repercussions and effects, and for the purposes of benefiting from the largest amount of rainwater to achieve water balance and bridge the deficit between the required quantities and the available quantities.