Jordan Environment Watch: Water management

Nile Pollution threatens fishermen's livlihoods

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:13:53 GMT

The cradle of Egypt's historic civilisation is slowly losing its economic value for some livelihoods, especially fishing. This is a report from IRIN “It’s becoming so hard these days. I only managed to get a few fish yesterday,” said Galal Saed, 35, casting his net into the Nile near the town of Hawamdia, 25km south of Cairo. Saed said he usually catches 2kg of fish a day which allows... [read more]

Report documents measures taken to protect Jordan's water sources

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:21:56 GMT

Source: Jordan Times Tuesday Nov 10th 2009 By Hana Namrouqa The Ministry of Water and Irrigation on Monday highlighted the measures it has taken to protect the Kingdom's water sources, particularly the 110-kilometre King Abdullah Canal, which supplies the capital with a majority of its water needs. In a report released yesterday, the ministry underscored that several joint water committees... [read more]

Water Planning in Jordan disregards Climate Change

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:11:00 GMT

My article published in the Jordan Times today By Batir Wardam The 2008-2022 national water strategy has been officially endorsed. This document will set the planning platform for the most crucial development sector in the country for the next 14 years. In a country where values like good governance, accountability, transparency, public participation and decentralisation... [read more]

Water officials address Egyptian concerns over Red-Dead project

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:07:18 GMT

A good gesture from the Jordanian side to explain the details of the Red-Dead canal to Egyptian environmental officials and experts. The free flow of accurate information is very critical. Source: Jordan Times By Hana Namrouqa Ministry of Water and Irrigation officials on Tuesday met with an Egyptian delegation to address Cairo’s reservations over the Red-Dead Water Conveyance... [read more]

Jordan Spared a water crisis this year, but the future?

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:45:00 GMT

Source: IRIN Jordan may have been spared a major water crisis this year but the outlook is not good in the parched kingdom, and a range of measures and projects need to be implemented as quickly as possible, say experts. The government has said the kingdom will have enough water this year to supply its 5.6 million people, as its reservoirs are roughly half full: "We can meet the... [read more]

Jordan's JD5.86b water strategy finalised!!

Wed, 13 May 2009 14:09:13 GMT

The long-awaited water strategy for Jordan has been "finalised" by a committee of national experts. Now it could be appropriate to publish the strategy for the most important development concern of Jordan and discuss it after being finalised as in the traditional planning systems in the Arab World. However, this is the press coverage from Jordan Times A Royal panel tasked... [read more]

World bank Report: Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:16:53 GMT

The World Bank published last week a report entitled Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development. The report is the Bank’s first on the issue of water in the West Bank and Gaza. Together with two other recent reports, examining access to West Bank land and to telecommunication frequencies, it provides comprehensive insight into a critical, but largely unaddressed component... [read more]

World’s largest desalination plant opened in Saudi Arabia

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:59:00 GMT

Yet another record for desalination plants broken in saudi Arabia. Hope this will not cause complacenecy in water consumption effeciency measures. Arab News reports Siraj Wahab | Arab News Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday launched massive development projects worth SR54 billion in the Eastern Province’s newest industrial zone called Jubail-II. The... [read more]

Zarqa River Basin rehabilitation project launched

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:51:00 GMT

This is the press coverage by the Jordan Times of the launche of the capacity Building for Zarqa River Rehabilitation project, implemented by the Ministry of Environment and funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development. I happen to be the project coordinator and will hopefully post more in-depth information in the coming few days. By Hana Namrouqa AMMAN... [read more]

Jordanian Parliament Investigatioin: Israel to blame for Yarmouk water pollution

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:41:00 GMT

After two weeks of "investigation" a special committee in the Jordanian Parliament has blamed Israel for the pollution of the Yarmouk River water last month. Obviously the political statement was clear. By Khetam Malkawi A Lower House fact-finding committee has finished its investigation into last month's incident in which the King Abdullah Canal was contaminated with pollutants... [read more]

Jordan Protests Syrian violation of shared water in Yarmouk Basin

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:35:01 GMT

Source: Jordan Times By Hana Namrouqa Jordan sent a letter to Syria objecting to the cultivation of crops upstream and downstream on the Yarmouk River. The Jordanian side believes the farming activity is slowing the river's water flow and storage at Wihdeh Dam, a senior water official said . During a meeting of a technical subcommittee affiliated with the Jordanian-Syrian... [read more]

More on Radioactivity in Disi Aquifer

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:26:43 GMT

To begin with, I am attaching at the end of this post the full manuscript of the paper that caused the controversy in Jordan regarding the findings of high concentrations of Radium in samples from the Disi aquifer. I have received the paper from my fellow blogger Mohannad Arabiyat only minutes after publishing my initial post. He accessed it through his University library. Few hours ago I received... [read more]

The Curious Case of Radioactivity in Disi Aquifer

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:20:00 GMT

High controversy has been generated in Jordan in the last couple of days after the biggest global news agency "Reuters" published a news item about a scientific study claiming high levels of radioactive isotopes found in Jordan major strategic water reservoir; the Disi Basin. The scientific study was conducted by a team of researchers from the USA, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. One of the Jordanian... [read more]

Foreign Policy: Dry Yemen on the Verge of Collapse

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:25:00 GMT

American magazine Foreign Policy has published profiles on four countries that it considers as the most vulnerable in the world. The list includes Yemen for the very convincing argument of being the first country to run dry of water, coupled with economic turmoil and the rise of political and religious fundamentalism. Although the report might be over-gloomy it provides another alarm for the urgent... [read more]

What does water as a human right mean in the Middle East and North Africa region?

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:15:00 GMT

The notion of water as a human right is becoming increasingly important in developing water policies and local actions around the world. A new publication by IDRC systematically analyses the legal development of the concept of water as a human right with particular reference to MENA countries. http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/380-5/ The book focuses on: implications for... [read more]

Jordan Launches EDAMA Intiative on Energy Independence, Water Conservation

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:57:00 GMT

Source: Green Prophet http://greenprophet.com/2009/01/28/6409/edama-initiative-jordan/ by Rachel Bergstein Fresh on the heels of Israel, Egypt, and the UAE, who have all recently made commitments for a renewable energy future, Jordan recently launched EDAMA, an initiative to help Jordan reduce energy demand, water usage, and protect the environment. EDAMA... [read more]

Trio of Activists striving to save the Dead Sea are honored by TIME magazine

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:07:00 GMT

TIME magazine has selected three environmental activists working together across political borders to save the Dead Sea as heroes of the environemnt 2008. Here is the article from TIME The Holy Land is dying of thirst. Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories may once have been lands of milk and honey, but their fragile, semidesert ecosystem has been unable to withstand 60 years of overdevelopment,... [read more]

An in-depth analysis of water situation in Jordan by Jordan Business magazine

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:54:39 GMT

Jordan Business magazine has a very interesting feature on the water situation in Jordan in its September issue. The analytical feature is based on an exciting and frank interview with the former Minister of Water and irrigation and current deputee Dr Hazem Al Nasser. The interview sheds light on the problems of water theft and the debate about water allocations between agricultural needs and drinking... [read more]

Tackling the root causes of pollution in Jordan's Zarqa River

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:57:00 GMT

A new effort by the Ministry of Environment in Jordan will be initiated with the purpose of launching a long term plan for tackling and stopping the main root causes of pollution in Zarqa River. This is a report from IRIN AMMAN, 21 August 2008 (IRIN) - A team of local and international environmentalists is to conduct a six-month study of the polluted channel (known as `Saeil'), which cuts... [read more]

Yemen Confused between Water and Qat

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:25:00 GMT

Another alarming portrait of the water situation from yemen. This time published by Los Angeles Times By Borzou Daragahi, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 3, 2008 BEIT HUJAIRA, YEMEN -- Across the countryside of this nation on the heel of the Arabian Peninsula, the pumps and drills roar. Wildcatters bore as much as 1,000 feet into the earth and draw out the valuable liquid. They pump... [read more]

UAE academy to tackle regional water shortages

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:50:00 GMT

Another welcomed research institutions focusing on developing technological solutions to the region's water problems is established. We hope to see a highly professional crop of water specialists that can serve tackle the most important challenge in the region. This is a report by Wagdy Sawahel published by Science DevNet Wagdy Sawahel The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched... [read more]

World Bank: There are alternatives for the Red-Dead

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:01:12 GMT

While still supporting the socio-economic and environmental impact assessment studies for the proposed Red-Dead seas canal, the World Bank suggests that the canal is not the only option for saving the Dead Sea from gradual evaporation and decrease in sea level. This news feature from the Jordan Times sheds more light on the subject By Mohammad Ghazal Jordan Times 28 July 2008 AMMAN... [read more]

Disi Project to be launched in August: This time is for real?

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:33:55 GMT

Maybe we still need to wait for seven days to make sure, but according to official statements by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Jordan, work on the long awaited Disi Conveyor Project will finally start on August 3rd. After so much confusion and delays I hope you will appreciate that I will not be convinced until the bulldozers start moving. This is a feature by the Jordan Times published... [read more]

Mideast Facing Choice Between Crops and Water

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:41:00 GMT

Another alarming article published by the New York Times (July 21st) about the precarious effects of the combined water and food problems in the Middle East. By Andrew Martin Global food shortages have placed the Middle East and North Africa in a quandary, as they are forced to choose between growing more crops to feed an expanding population or preserving their already scant supply... [read more]

Jordan: The Costs of being a Banana Country!

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:36:00 GMT

This is a well researched and balanced feature from the Jordan Times about one of the most chronic patterns of water mis-management in Jordan. Social considerations, however are still used to cover up a system of unsustainable water utilization by a strong lobby of farmers. By Taylor Luck Jordan Times July 25th 2008 AMMAN - Domestically produced bananas cost the Kingdom... [read more]

Jordan Putting the Water Challenge on the Agenda of Mediterranean Union summit

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:13:51 GMT

Jordan is still marching on to a dismal potential fate of thirst and in need for positive breakthroughs in water demand management. A new essay by the Oxford Business Group explains more. Jordan's Prime Minister Nader Al Dahabi was in Paris last week for the inaugural Mediterranean Union summit, where he took the opportunity to highlight the problem of water supply in the Middle East. In an... [read more]

Abu Dhabi’s water conservation plans

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:28:00 GMT

Source: The National Vesela Todorova Abu Dhabi, which has the highest water consumption rate in the world, is planning to slash consumption and focus on conservation. Residents used an average of 550 litres of water a day compared with 85 litres in Jordan, a country with a similar climate, said Dr Mohammed Dawoud, manager of the water resources department at the Environment Agency – Abu... [read more]

The Cradle of Civilisation Issue Drought Warning

Mon, 26 May 2008 01:28:00 GMT

How disappointing and sad it is to see a country that is rich in water resources having two rivers (Tigris-Euphrates) passing through the country and being the cradle of irrigation face water shortage. Another drastic impact of the chaos caused by the US invasion of Iraq. This is a report from IRIN news Iraq is suffering from water shortages that could lead to widespread drought as a result... [read more]

WEF 2008 Scenarios: How Much Water do You Eat?

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:47:00 GMT

This is the summary of scenario session on water scarcity in relation to food (in)security which was held in WEF MENA 2008. Fahd Bin Abdulrahman Bin Sulaiman Balghunaim • E. Neville Isdell • Mahmoud Safwat Mohieldin •Raed Abu Al Saud • Mahmoud Abu Zeid Opening Remarks: • H.R.H. Prince Turki Bin Talal Al Saud Moderator: • Margaret Catley-Carlson In the Sustainable World, water scarcity,... [read more]

Groundwater in Jordan in Alarming Condition

Fri, 09 May 2008 13:24:00 GMT

Source: Jordan Times By: Hana Namrouqa The Kingdom’s underground water situation is alarming, a prominent water expert said on Wednesday. Elias Salameh, a professor specialised in the topic at the University of Jordan, said both the quality and quantity of the Kingdom’s water in aquifers are declining, pinning blame on overpumping and the meagre rainfall during the winter. Excessive... [read more]