AMMAN — On Monday, the head of the
Jordan Valley Farmers Union, Adnan Khaddam, said that six out of 17 dams in Jordan are in danger of drying up, according to Al-Mamlaka TV.
اضافة اعلان
Khaddam said that the dams that are running dry include Al-Wala, Al-Mujib, Wadi Karak, Al-Tanour, Wadi Shuaib, and Zaqlab Dam.
He said that the King Talal Dam, the most important dam in Jordan, has reached the “danger line”.
“The current stock at the King Talal Dam is 19 million cubic meters of (sediment/silt laden water) out of a total capacity of 75 million cubic meters,” Khaddam said, adding that the sediment makes up about 10 million cubic meters of King Talal Dam.
“It is common knowledge in the water sector that the alarming red line for the water level in any dam is 40 percent of its capacity. The daily needs for irrigating crops in the Jordan Valley is between 400,000 to 550,000 cubic meters,” Khaddam said.
He said the case of King Talal Dam is distinct from other dams, as it does not depend on rainfall alone, but on ground water from Khirbet As-Samra as well.
Khaddam said the water from the King Talal Dam will not meet the needs of farmers up towards the end of this month, and that farmers will be affected by the drought. He called on the government to find solutions.
He said a rise in temperatures and a delay in the rainy season will increase the demand for irrigation, which will accelerate the drying up of the remaining dams.
Khaddam said that the rest of the dams are at their worst levels, calling for the formation of a committee to supervise all dams in Jordan because of the damage that has occurred to farmers, as well as the threat to drinking water.
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