Water Resources In Jordan Research Articles

Assessment of droughts in Jordan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify drought conditions in Jordan in the period 1960‐2006 for two major basins – the Yarmouk and the Zarqa. This study aims to look at the long‐term drought conditions (hydrological droughts) and to investigate the possibility of changes in the monthly precipitation pattern for the period of 1997‐2006, as this period has suffered from the average slightly dry conditions for the two basins.Design/methodology/approachThe Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) is used to assess drought conditions in the Yarmouk and Zarqa basins. The SPI is applied on an annual basis to assess the hydrological long‐term droughts. Average monthly precipitation is used as the input to the SPI procedure.FindingsThe SPI is applied on an annual basis (12 months) SPI‐12. Results of the SPI‐12 assessment show that the years 1978, 1995, and 1999 represented extremely dry conditions in both basins. The years 1989 and 1993 represented severely dry conditions in the Zarqa basin and extremely dry conditions in the Yarmouk basin. The statistical procedure for precipitation anomalies identifies precipitation anomalies for the years 2000, 2003, and 2006. However, due to the limited number of anomaly years this study does not conclude that there is a change in the pattern of monthly precipitation of the tested period 1997‐ 2006.Research limitations/implicationsUsing the SPI method this work can be extended to compare drought conditions in the remaining major basins in the country.Originality/valueThe paper provides important information about drought conditions in Jordan and ways to assess precipitation anomalies and pattern changes. This can be beneficial to the planning of water resources in Jordan and the associated developments (agricultural, industrial, tourism, and residential).

An Econometric Model for Water Sector in Jordan

Problem statement: This study argued that there is an economic approach to reduce water problems faced by Jordan. The study took into consideration the increasing population size, the declining rainfall, a deepening shortage of supply and increasing demand for water, the production of agricultural and industrial sectors, price of unit exports, and lack of financial resources. Approach: The framework for a tool which takes into consideration the links between economic growth and the availability of water was developed in this study, in the form of a dynamic simulation econometric model. The model served as a quantitative tool to evaluate the water policy measures and forecast the effect of future policy variables on the water status in Jordan. Results: Agricultural, industrial and other types of production are affected by water uses which in turn are influenced by production and other socioeconomic variables, including population size, the extent of production market, and the size of linkage effects working through certain increases in water consumption. The results also showed the model can be used to solve key issues related to the formulation and implementation of water policy. They also identified lessons for water management policy within a broad socio-economic perspective. Conclusions: First, with regard to production sector, a major effect can be attributed to the supply of water. Second, gross domestic products of agricultural, industrial and other sectors were found to be highly significant factors in influencing the supply of water. Finally, priorities for making the most of Jordan's water resources should be given to options affecting water-supply strategy which relates the supply of water to the level of production.

Jordan's Water Resources

The water shortages facing Jordan are profound and, while the country is presently undertaking extensive reform and investment into the water sector, forecasts indicate that a significant shortfall will still exist. The problem is not only that there is not enough water but this is compounded by the high population growth rate of the country. The rate of population growth in Jordan is 3.6 percent, and with a current population of around 5 million, it is expected to reach 7 million by the year 2010. The increasing population, industrial requirements, and the need for irrigation water puts increased pressure on water industries. Added to that, the living standards have increased in Jordan during the second half of the 20th century, raising the per capita use of water. The present per capita daily water use is 85 liters, which is very small compared to the United Kingdom's average of 225 liters/day. But if living standards continue to rise at the present rate, the water consumption will also increase. Various sources of non-conventional supply have been considered to meet this shortfall and a review of current literature revealed one option to consider: water importation, which presents a justifiable mechanism for alleviating this need. This paper presents a review of the available water resources in Jordan. Then it covers the water demands within the country and where the deficit can be addressed. Scenarios of additional volumes of water supply to Jordan are also detailed and then the possibilities of water importation are discussed.

Desalination of brackish water by nanofiltration and reverse osmosis

Jordan is characterised by an arid climate and its population is increasing at an annual rate of about 3.6%. The annual consumption of fresh water per capita is less than 200 m 3 compared to the international average of 7500 m 3. Jordan's water resources comprise surface water (41%), ground water (54%) and treated wastewater (5%). With such a high population growth rate and fast socio-economic development, water demand and wastewater production is steeply increasing and the gap between water supply and demand is getting wider. On the other hand, the constraints for water resources development are also increasing due to high investment costs and water quality degradation caused by over exploitation of aquifers. Jordan is likely to face a potable water crisis by 2010, by depleting the fresh water sources. Desalination of water from the Red Sea by reverse osmosis (R0) and/or desalination of brackish water from some basins by nanofiltration (NF) or RO might be technically and economically viable to cope with water scarcity and overcome water deficit in Jordan. In this work, treatment of brackish water by RO and NF into potable water is investigated. Brackish water samples were collected from Zarqa basin, Jordan, and characterised in terms of pH, conductivity, total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS) and total organic carbon (TOC). The brackish water samples were pre-treated through microfiltration (MF) cartridges in order to get rid of the suspended matter. A pilot plant equipped with composite RO and NF membranes was operated at 20 bar, ambient temperature, natural pH and up to water recovery rates of 95%. The results show that both processes are efficient, as they highly reduce the organic and inorganic contents present in the raw waters. The technical and economical feasibilities of NF and RO processes for the production of potable water from brackish water were compared. This study contributes for the development of efficient technologies for the production of affordable potable water in Mediterranean countries where the threat of water shortages is a serious problem, especially in summer.

Control and Management Study of Jordan's Water Resources

The paper addresses the main options to reduce the long-term water gap and the specific projects for future pursuit. Water imports from areas outside Jordan by land and/or sea and desalination of seawater using single seashore plants or the intersea project are the main options for supplementing the available conventional water in Jordan. The assessment of the different potential options to meet the future demand considered the technical and economic aspects, the environmental impacts, and the socio-economic and political implications. Seawater desalination seems to be the most suitable development option according to the prevailing conditions and available data.

Computer aided decision support system for water strategic planning in Jordan

The Nominal Group Technique and a multi-criteria decision aid software are utilised to develop a decision support system for strategic planning of water resources in Jordan. The system described is novel in that it integrates the various decision analytical management techniques in order to increase the flexibility and efficiency of the decision making process.

The artesian thermal groundwaters of northern Jordan: insights into their recharge history and age

The scarcity of water resources in Jordan imposes strategic difficulties for economic development and has been a basis for disputes with neighbouring countries. A welcomed discovery in the past decade is the occurrence of artesian thermal groundwaters at Mukhebeh in the lower Yarmouk valley, which produce over 40 × 106 m3 year−1 of fresh water. The principal resources occur in the upper B2 Formation (Campanian), a limestone overlain by confining marls of the B3 Formation (Maastrichtian). Additional resources are found near by along the eastern Jordan Rift Valley (JRV), in the underlying A7 limestone (Turonian).Groundwaters in the Mukhebeh (B2) wells are low salinity (500 mg l−1 TDS) Ca(Mg)-HCO3 waters with elevated HS− attributed to sulphate reduction driven by oxidation of aquifer-derived organic matter. The JRV (A7) groundwaters are similar to the B2 waters with the exception of higher Mg2+ and HCO3− attributed to dolomite dissolution and sulphate reduction. Groundwaters from JRV 1 and the Maqla spring at Mukhebeh are NaCl waters with a strong Ca(Mg)-HCO3 facies (900 to 1000 mg 1−1 TDS). The elevated temperatures of all groundwaters (30 to 54°C) can be attributed to heating along a local geothermal gradient of 2.5°C per 100 m. Departures from this gradient are due to vertical flow in fault zones and possibly to the local influence of an intrusion (MK-7).All groundwaters are characterized by a late Holocene (modern) stable isotope signature. Groundwaters from the high yielding upper B2 aquifer (MK wells) have a δ18O/δ2H composition demonstrating recharge in the B2 outcrop region, near and to the east of Irbid, within the Yarmouk River basin. Conversely, the deeper A7 aquifer groundwaters (JRV wells) are recharged at a lower elevation in the rift valley margin, where incised wadis have exposed these strata. The deepest Al to A6 strata (Magla spring and JRV 1 well) contain the isotopically most depleted groundwaters. Based on comparison with precipitation and phreatic groundwaters, recharge in the highest landscape of northern Jordan is likely, although a source of recharge from the northern Golan region of Syria cannot be excluded.All thermal waters are essentially 3H-free. Estimates of their mean subsurface residence times have been constrained on the basis of 14C inDIC Significant corrections have been made for 14C-dilution processes including carbonate dissolution, sulphate reduction and a tertiary process involving either incorporation of mantle CO2 or matrix exchange. All dilution processes were quantified on the basis of geochemical and 13C mass balance equations. Modelled ages show that recharge for most B2 and A7 groundwaters occurred during the late Holocene (recent to 5 ka BP).

Radon measurements in different types of natural waters in Jordan

Results on radon ( 222Rn) concentration for different natural water resources in Jordan, using CR-39 plastic detectors are presented. The activity density of 222 Rn ranges from 3.3–10.7 Bq/l (cold spring water), 3.2–5.5 Bq/l (hot spring water), 3.1–5.7 Bq/l (well water), 2.5–4.7 Bq/l (drinking water) and 4.3–6.3 Bq/l (sea water). Thus, no unusual radon levels in Jordanian water were observed.

Water in the Middle East: Legal, Political and Commercial Implications

Part I - Legal and political perspectives: the International Law Commission and Middle East waters, A. Khasswneh International watercourses - World Bank experience and policy, R. Krishna regulating the competitive use of fresh water resources, F. Du Bois international law of environmental rights - remedies for pollution injury, A. Boyle customs and the shari'a the rights that attach to water, C. Mallat petite et grande hydraulique - Moroccan models, M. Zirari Devif building international water managements institutions - the role of treaties and other legal arrangements, J. Dellapenna the Nile - constraints and opportunities for basin-wide co-operation, I. Tamrat water resources in the Middle East - some guiding principles, A. El Morr Turkey and the River Euphrates - the context within international law, H. Chalabi the West Bank between Palestine, Israel and Jordan, A. Qasem law and water in the Gaza Strip, E. Benvenisti. Part 2 Commercial perspectives: the potential role of privatization in the management of water resources in the Middle East, D. Storer is water an exploitable commercial product?, D. Kinnersley sources of financing - an analysis of World Bank policies, G. Matthews opportunities for private sector banks, T. Kassem political and economic risk assessment for the provider of funds, J. Roberts engineering and water shortage in the Middle East, T. Evans water technology and the future, J. Wellbank and J. Keary sustainable development of water resources in Jordan, Manuel Schiffler policy options for downstream states, Greg Shapland water in the Gaza Strip, Yusuf Abu Mailah striking the right price for water?, J.A. Allan.

Jordan's Water Resources: Technical Perspective

ABSTRACT Jordan is suffereing from both water scarcity and maldistribution. The water shortage in Jordan has been exacerbated by the complexity of the hydropolitics in the region, the high rate of population growth, and the forced immigration of hundreds of thousands of Jordanian and Palestinian returnees from the Arabian Gulf countries. Located in a semiarid climatic region, about 91.4 per cent of the country receives an average annual rainfall less than 200 mm. Jordan's total rainfall volume is estimated to be about 7200 MCM (million cubic meters) of precipitation. More than 85 per cent of the rainfall goes for evaporation. The conventional water supply in Jordan has been estimated to be 880 MCM per year This includes the safe yield of all available groundwater and surface water resources. Water demand was about 767 MCM for 1991, and is expected to grow to 1,000 MCM by 1995. Irrigation water forms 73 per cent of the total water demand, whereas municipal and industrial demands form 22 and 5 per cent, respectively. Within the next jive years, Jordan will not be able to meet its increasing demands, even if it uses all conventional and nonconventional local water resources. From a technical point of view, a few solutions are proposed to meet the future challenges of increased demands and limited supplies: increasing the local water supply; efficient use of the available supply; intrastate water transfer and regional cooperation; and restriction on water use. Most of these solutions are expensive and may have socioeconomic consequences in the area. However; once fair and comprehensive peace is achieved, regional cooperation and integration in the area is a very promising solution. It may be hoped that water will be a catalyst of cooperation rather than a substance of conflict.

Hydrochemistry of precipitation of northern Jordan

In this paper, the precipitation water quality in Jordan is discussed with respect to a station located in central northern Jordan and supported by analyses from different other locations. In contrast to industrialized countries, precipitation over Jordan is dominantly alkaline. Only after heavy rain does the rainwater turn acidic. The dissolved solids concentration has a weighted average of about 30 mg/l, consisting mainly of Ca, Mg, Na, HCO3, and Cl. Relatively high concentrations of bromide are found in the precipitation water in Jordan, with a weighted average of 180 μg/l. Hence, the high bromide concentration in Jordan's water resources can be explained. The presence of alkaline water also explains the genesis of tripoli deposits in some areas in Jordan.