Yarmouk River Basin

Detailed Description of Project

Orient was awarded to undertake all relevant hydrological and hydro geological investigations and assessments for the “Yarmouk River Basin Water Resources Assessment and Use” Project over the entire Basin in Syria, Jordan, and Golan Heights territories.

The study deals with the Yarmouk River Basin (YRB) water resources to assess and develop different scenarios for water use strategy of that Basin. The study was initiated as a result of unilateral development in Syria (with the exception of the Al-Wehdah Dam project) with the result that the water resources of the river basin have been exploited and even significantly overexploited in other places. It also concentrated on the reasons behind the diminishing water resources of the Yarmouk River Basin and their quality deterioration on the Jordanian side.

This study endeavour to achieve the development of water resources management and use strategy for the entire Yarmouk River Basin according to the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) defined by the Dublin principles. Through the promotion of the coordinated development and management strategy of water, land, and related resources in the river basin in the interest of maximizing the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner, without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. In essence, IWRM has to deal with all natural resources; beyond just dealing with water, but also dealing with soils, surface water and groundwater, water quantity, quality as well as water ecological aspects.

Hydrological and hydro geological investigations and assessment to Yarmouk River Basin Water were conducted quantitatively and qualitatively, as well as quantifying and determining the apparent decline of Yarmouk River flows. This required a detailed study for the effect of all parameters on the degradation of water quality, effective land-use, and river dependent ecosystems.