Two giant projects to address the chronic problems of water in Jordan, one of the ten driest countries in the world, causing concern for the impacts to the environment. The first plans are to draw water from the Disi groundwater reserves, located in the area Mdawwara, and transported over 300 km from the capital Amman.
The second project includes the drilling of a 200-km canal linking the Dead Sea to the Red Sea. The former head of the Jordan Valley Authority, Dureid Mahasneh, said that "projects such as the Disi are harmful to the environment." The first project involves the drilling of 55 wells and construction of storage facilities in Amman, where daily water consumption is 160 liters per person.
"The capital will benefit from the Disi water reserve for 50 years," argued Bassam Saleh, Secretary General of the Department of Water. However, a study at Duke University (USA) has revealed in 2008 that Disi is "highly clean". The radiation level is 20 times the acceptable level, including the presence of potentially carcinogenic elements in the soil.
In these circumstances, "How can we advance this project?" He asked Mahasneh. "We know there is radiation in the groundwater. We will try to dilute the same amount of water from other sources," Saleh argued, the project director. Launched in 2008, it is expected that the project, with a total cost of 990 million dollars, to be completed in 2012.
The other project involves the construction of a canal linking the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, at a cost of four billion dollars. The aim is to restore the water level of the sea, the saltiest of the world where the level drops to half a meter per year. Also, try to create a desalination plant to provide 200 million cubic meters of drinking water per year.
According Munqeth Mehyar, president of Friends of the Earth Middle East, this project is also of concern. "It will cause untold damage." It will be an ecological disaster coral reefs and the entire ecosystem of the Gulf of Aqaba, "he warned." Six studies on the project's impact on the environment are ongoing, "said Fayez Batayneh, responsible to the Ministry of Water.
To Mahasneh, environmental problems of the sea channel are "exaggerated" and "this project is more feasible and less harmful than Disi. But it reveals" a chaotic strategy. "He gives the example" culture of certain agricultural products for export, which consume lots of water. We should import these products and protect our water.
"Red Sea, a paradise for divers, is one of the seabed among the best in the world. Degradation began in the 1960's, when Israel, Jordan and Syria began to divert water from the Jordan River, which fed it. For decades, it took almost 95% share of the river for agricultural and industrial purposes.
Over 60 percent of annual water consumption in Jordan (900 million m3) is dedicated to agriculture. Only Israel deviates more than 60 percent of river. 92% of the area of Jordan is desert. With a population of 6.3 million, grew by about 3.5% per year. The country relies mainly on rainfall for their water needs, which will reach 1.6 million m3 in 2015. 
The second project includes the drilling of a 200-km canal linking the Dead Sea to the Red Sea. The former head of the Jordan Valley Authority, Dureid Mahasneh, said that "projects such as the Disi are harmful to the environment." The first project involves the drilling of 55 wells and construction of storage facilities in Amman, where daily water consumption is 160 liters per person.
"The capital will benefit from the Disi water reserve for 50 years," argued Bassam Saleh, Secretary General of the Department of Water. However, a study at Duke University (USA) has revealed in 2008 that Disi is "highly clean". The radiation level is 20 times the acceptable level, including the presence of potentially carcinogenic elements in the soil.
In these circumstances, "How can we advance this project?" He asked Mahasneh. "We know there is radiation in the groundwater. We will try to dilute the same amount of water from other sources," Saleh argued, the project director. Launched in 2008, it is expected that the project, with a total cost of 990 million dollars, to be completed in 2012.
The other project involves the construction of a canal linking the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, at a cost of four billion dollars. The aim is to restore the water level of the sea, the saltiest of the world where the level drops to half a meter per year. Also, try to create a desalination plant to provide 200 million cubic meters of drinking water per year.
According Munqeth Mehyar, president of Friends of the Earth Middle East, this project is also of concern. "It will cause untold damage." It will be an ecological disaster coral reefs and the entire ecosystem of the Gulf of Aqaba, "he warned." Six studies on the project's impact on the environment are ongoing, "said Fayez Batayneh, responsible to the Ministry of Water.
To Mahasneh, environmental problems of the sea channel are "exaggerated" and "this project is more feasible and less harmful than Disi. But it reveals" a chaotic strategy. "He gives the example" culture of certain agricultural products for export, which consume lots of water. We should import these products and protect our water.
"Red Sea, a paradise for divers, is one of the seabed among the best in the world. Degradation began in the 1960's, when Israel, Jordan and Syria began to divert water from the Jordan River, which fed it. For decades, it took almost 95% share of the river for agricultural and industrial purposes.
Over 60 percent of annual water consumption in Jordan (900 million m3) is dedicated to agriculture. Only Israel deviates more than 60 percent of river. 92% of the area of Jordan is desert. With a population of 6.3 million, grew by about 3.5% per year. The country relies mainly on rainfall for their water needs, which will reach 1.6 million m3 in 2015.
No comments:
Post a Comment