In wake of cold front, Jordan’s dam storage capacity reaches 46%

AMMAN — The overall water storage in the Kingdom's dams has reached 154 million cubic metres (mcm), 46 per cent of their overall capacity of 336.4mcm, the Water Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Minister of Water Raed Abul Saud noted that the accumulative rainfall since the beginning of the season has reached around 7,547 billion cubic metres, constituting 92.1 per cent of the annual average of around 8.1 billion cubic metres, according to the statement.

King Talal Dam stored the largest amount of water (1.4mcm) after the latest cold front over the weekend, increasing its total storage to 67.5mcm, 89.7 per cent of its total capacity of 75mcm, the statement cited Abul Saud as saying. 

Wadi Al Arab Dam received 300,000 cubic metres, increasing its water storage to 6.9mcm, 40.7 per cent of its total capacity of 16.7mcm, the statement said, noting that Al Wehdah Dam stored around 450,000 cubic metres of water, filling 15mcm (13.4 per cent) of its total 110mcm-capacity.

Water entering Kufranjah, Shurahbeel Bin Hasnah, Shuaib and Kufrain dams amounted to 160,000, 16,000, 340,000 and 173,000 cubic metres, respectively, according to the statement. 

As for the Karamah, Zarqa, Maen, Al Walah, Al Mujib, Al Tannour, Allujoun and Karak dams, no additional amounts of water were recorded during the latest cold front. 

The total amount of rainfall from the latest cold front reached 448mcm, according to Abul Saud, who noted that Amman witnessed the largest amount of rainfall at 168.7mcm within 24 hours only, followed by Mafraq (100.8mcm), Balqa (64mcm), Irbid (52.9mcm), Ajloun (19.3mcm), Zarqa (12.6mcm), Madaba (10.8mcm), Jerash (10mcm), Karak (3.6mcm), Maan (2mcm), Tafileh (1.9mcm) and Aqaba (1.4mcm). 

Abul Saud voiced hopes that the current rainy season will continue and improve water and agricultural conditions, increasing water storage in dams, which he stressed remain at less than 50 per cent of their total capacity.