TITLE:
Dam Safety in Jordan: Factors Affecting Dam Safety, Responsibilities and Required Actions
AUTHORS:
Elias Salamah, Tayel El-Hasan, Maher Abu-Jamah
KEYWORDS:
Dams, Jordan, Siltation, Flood Water, Stability, Climate Change
JOURNAL NAME:
Engineering,
Vol.15 No.9,
September
22,
2023
ABSTRACT: Dams in Jordan are exposed to a variety of natural and manmade threats like
dams worldwide, but with some peculiar threats due to Jordan’s semi-arid climate,
steep topography, tectonic activity, especially along the Jordan Rift Valley, position
in the turbulent Middle East area, and weak socio-economic situation. In this study, the threats facing the main dams
in Jordan are discussed and their sources are defined. The responsible agencies for reducing the threats
and eliminating their sources are identified, as long as they are manmade. Natural threats are dealt with as superimposed and Jordan has to adapt
to them by taking the necessary protective measures. The study concludes that all
dams in Jordan are threatened by climate change and siltation and hence reduction
in storage. The quality of stored water in dams, which are used for supplying drinking
water such as Al-Wehdah, Wadi Al-Arab, Ziglab, Al-Wala and to a certain extent Al-Mujib
is threatened by pollution due to urbanization, agricultural and industrial activities.
All dams in Jordan are exposed to sabotage threats,
which may negatively affect dams’ water quantities and quality. The stability of dams due to engineering failures is
observed in the cases of Al-Kafrain, the left abutment of Al-Mujib, the spillway
of Wheidi and eventually Al-Wala Dam. The latter was raised based on unique construction technology.
The study recommends developing and implementing, as soon as possible, rigorous action plans to eliminate or, minimize
the impacts of threats facing dams in Jordan.