Participatory Planning

Case Study: Jordan

Amman-Zarqa Basin

Amman-Zarqa Basin, Jordan

Intense groundwater development

1970’s – government launches full-scale

agricultural development program 1980’s – market-driven private development Urban development

Intense groundwater development

Total abstraction: 145 MCM (1999)

Out of which irrigation: 80 MCM Safe Yield: 70 MCM This resulted in:

– Water shortage and salinity

increase

– Drying up of springs

– Water quality deterioration

– Groundwater table decline

Static Water Level Umm Jimal, North Badia, Well AL1521

440

445

450

455

460

465

25-1

-86

7-1-

87

28-9

-87

22-8

-88

26-7

-89

24-6

-90

15-5

-91

30-3

-92

11-1

-93

16-1

1-93

6-9-

94

6-8-

95

9-6-

96

13-7

-97

10-5

-98

19-4

-99

13-3

-00

TIME (YEAR )

WA

TE

R L

EV

EL

(M.A

SL)

Groundwater table decline

USD 8.3 M because of higher pumping cost USD 7.1 M because of well deepening USD 25.6 because of abandoning of wells USD 33.0 because of crop losses due to salinity increases

Estimate of losses (20 yrs)

Participatory developmentof options in

groundwater management in Amman-Zarqa Basin

Stakeholders discussions

Process

Rapid appraisal by team of professionals Field interviews 50% of well-owners Confidence building:

– Presentation of water overview

– Offer to measure water quality

Process

Individual farmers asked to suggest practical actions Small groups meetings involving community leaders Workshop with various well-owners and community

leaders

Outcome (1)

Want to reduce irrigation water consumption but

without loss of income Want to be better informed on water conservation

methods and after-sales services of drip systems Willingness to ‘sell out’ wells against fair

compensation Metering is not considered a reliable tool; charging

is not accepted

Outcome (2)

Support ban on unlicensed drilling Additional water resources

– Willing to reduce recycled water (50%)

– Explore local water harvesting or sharing

aquifers with Syria Accept idea of Groundwater Managment

Consultative Committee (77%)

Follow up

Different options:

– Assessment of legal implications

– Estimate of impact on abstraction Discussion, workshop and scenario development

on:

1) Water management extension services

2) Buy-out of irrigation wells

3) Limiting annual abstraction and/or crop area

4) Exchange of groundwater with recycled

waste water

5) Municipal and urban pumping reduction Option 1,3,4, 5 implemented or piloted

Acknowledgement

This case study is based on:

Mohamed Chebaane, Hazim El-Nasir, Jim Fitch, Amal Hijazi and

Amer Jabbarin:

‘Participatory groundwater management in Jordan: development

and analysis of option’

(Hydrogeology Journal, 12: 14-32)

Pictures were kindly made available by Mohamed Chebaane