Sedimentation rates in two water harvesting schemes at the Jordanian Badia

Jordan is among the least countries in its water resources and about 85% of its area is desertic which is referred to as the Badia region. Only 5% of the population of Jordan occupies this area. The growing power of urban communities during the twentieth century has affected the local inhabitants (Bedouin) social life and the physical environment of arid lands in which they live in Jordan. The 15% of the total area of the country (urban areas) are not able anymore to absorb the expanding population. Therefore, people have started to move to the Badia. This area is very poor in its surface water resources. Due to this reason the Jordanian government started a development program for the region. Part of the program is providing water resources by establishing water harvesting schemes. It is of prime importance to maintain these schemes to support the growing development in the area.In this research, two of these schemes had been investigated for their sediment characteristics and rate of deposition. They are Beqawiya (constructed 1994) and Suweied (constructed 1995). The sediments in both schemes were generally fine sand which is poorly sorted and negatively skewed. The rate of sedimentation was found to be 1679 and 1583 m3/ year in Beqawiya and Suweied respectively.Validerad; 2012; 20120728 (nadhir