Kingdom's major dams now over half full — Water Ministry

AMMAN — The depression that brought snow and heavy rain to Jordan this week channelled more than 16.5 million cubic metres (mcm) of water into the Kingdom's dams, according to the Water Ministry.

The dams now hold 54.24 per cent (176.52mcm) of their total capacity of 325mcm, Water Ministry Assistant Secretary General Adnan Zu'bi said.

A depression and a very cold polar front started affecting the country on Saturday, bringing heavy rain and snowfall to many areas. 

"Rainfall since the start of the season in October constituted 65.1 per cent of the Kingdom's long-term annual average of rainfall of 8 billion cubic metres. The country received 5338.8mcm [or around 5.34 billion cubic metres] of rain since the start of the wet season," Zu'bi said. 

During this time last year, the dams held 165mcm, according to the ministry.

"The recent rain is an indication of a good wet season. It will help increase the quality of the stored water at the dams, recharge the aquifers and improve natural pastures," Water Minister Hazem Nasser said  in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan times.

Dams are located across the Kingdom while there are more than 143 large ponds to collect floodwater in the desert and over 25 sand dams, according to the ministry.

The Kingdom’s 10 major dams are: King Talal, Wadi Al Arab, Sharhabil, Kafrein, Wadi Shuaib, Karameh, Tannour, Waleh, Mujib and Wihdeh.

Although expensive to build, dams are vital for the Kingdom to secure its water needs, according to experts.

Plans are under way to raise the capacity of the country's dams by 25 per cent to reach 400mcm by the year 2025, according to the ministry, which said that its goal will be achieved by building more dams and raising the walls of already existing ones, including Waleh Dam in Madaba Governorate.