**2.3 Water situation**

Jordan is considered to be a highly water-stressed country, with only 153 cubic meter per capita per year available in 2006 compared to an average of 1,200 m3 per capita for the whole of the Middle East (FAO, 2007).

The availability of water is classified as very low on the Water Stress Index, which indicates the degree of water shortage or scarcity. Water Stress Index is the value of annual rainfall that charges surface and groundwater divided by the total population (m3/capita/year). Countries with less than 1,700 m3/capita/year are regarded as countries with "existing stress", while countries with less than 1,000 m3/capita/year are regarded as having "scarcity" and countries with less than 500 m3/capita/year are regarded as having "absolute scarcity". With 153 m3/capita/year Jordan falls into the category of "absolute scarcity"– a category comprising only 12 countries (UNEP 2002 in Fisher, 2005).

Jordan is an arid to semi-arid country with land area of 92,000 sq km, located to the east of the Jordan River. Jordan's topographic features are variable. A mountainous range runs from the north to the south of the country. To the east of the mountain ranges, ground slopes gently to form the eastern deserts, to the west ground slopes steeply towards the Jordan Rift valley. The Jordan Rift valley extends from lake Tiberias in the north, at ground elevation of –220 m, to the Red Sea at Aqaba. At 120 km south of lake Tiberias lies the Dead Sea with water level at approximately –405 m. The southern Ghors and Wadi Araba, south of the Dead Sea, form the southern part of the Rift Valley. To the south of Wadi Araba region lies a 25 km coastline which stretches along the northern shores of the Red Sea. Due to the variable topographic features of Jordan, the distribution of rainfall varies considerably

The climate in Jordan is characterized by a long, dry, hot summer, and a rainy winter. The temperature increases towards the south, with the exception of some southern highlands. Rainfall varies considerably with location, due mainly to the country's topography. Annual rainfall ranges between 50 mm in the eastern and southern desert regions to 650 mm in the northern highlands. Over 90% of the country receives less than 200 mm of rainfall per year, and 70% receives less than 100 millimeters per year. Figure 3 represents spatial variation of

Long term average annual rainfall for the country as a whole gives a total volume of 8352 million cubic meter (MCM). The minimum value of annual rainfall registered was 4802 MCM at the water year 1946/1947and the maximum annual value registered was 17797 MCM at the water year 1966/1967. Approximately 92.48% of the rainfall evaporates back to the atmosphere, the rest flows in rivers and wadis as flood flows and recharges groundwater. Groundwater recharge amounts to approximately 5.16 % of the total rainfall volume, and surface water amounts to approximately 2.36% of total rainfall volume.

Jordan is considered to be a highly water-stressed country, with only 153 cubic meter per capita per year available in 2006 compared to an average of 1,200 m3 per capita for the

The availability of water is classified as very low on the Water Stress Index, which indicates the degree of water shortage or scarcity. Water Stress Index is the value of annual rainfall that charges surface and groundwater divided by the total population (m3/capita/year). Countries with less than 1,700 m3/capita/year are regarded as countries with "existing stress", while countries with less than 1,000 m3/capita/year are regarded as having "scarcity" and countries with less than 500 m3/capita/year are regarded as having "absolute scarcity". With 153 m3/capita/year Jordan falls into the category of "absolute scarcity"– a

category comprising only 12 countries (UNEP 2002 in Fisher, 2005).

**2. Where are we: Jordan water situation today** 

**2.1 Introduction** 

with location.

**2.2 Climate** 

rainfall in Jordan.

**2.3 Water situation** 

(Ministry of Water and Irrigation records)

whole of the Middle East (FAO, 2007).

Fig. 3. Spatial distribution of rainfall in Jordan (National Water Master Plan, 2004)

The water challenge in Jordan stands as a major threat confronting human development and poverty alleviation. For this reason, the enhancement of water resource management is featured as a high priority in the National Agenda.

A description of how serious the water situation is in Jordan is presented in a paper written by Beautmont (2002) as follows:

Of all the countries in the Middle East it is Jordan which faces the greatest water problems (Salameh & Bannayan,; Beaumont in Beautmont, 2002). To meet its predicted urban water demand of 832 million cubic meters by 2025 would require 113% of its current irrigation use (1990s). In other words even if it reallocates all the irrigation water which was being used in the 1990s there would not be sufficient water to meet the expected demand. When figures on renewable water resources are examined the position becomes even more serious. It can be seen that Jordan has an internal renewable water resource base of 680 million cubic meters and a total natural water resource base of 880 million cubic meters. Yet in the 1990s withdrawals were 984 million cubic meters, which is well in excess of the total natural water

Water Soft Path Analysis – Jordan Case 297

Fig. 4. Main surface water basins in Jordan. (National water Master Plan)

In a water-short country such as Jordan, wastewater is an important component of the Kingdom's water resources. Generally, fully treated wastewater is suitable for unrestricted use in agriculture and for aquifer recharge. "Jordan's National Water Strategy" (1997), argues that population pressure in Jordan has caused a chronic deficit in available freshwater, which has resulted in over abstraction of groundwater. Furthermore, there are limited opportunities to develop new freshwater sources and these are expensive, with high operating costs. Given this, the strategy states that treated wastewater is to be considered as a resource that, with due care for health and the environment, should be reused for agriculture, industry and other non-domestic purposes, including groundwater recharge. The reuse of treated wastewater in Jordan reaches one of the highest levels in the world. The treated wastewater flow of the major wastewater treatment plant in the country is discharged to Zarqa River and the King Tall dam, where it is mixed with the surface flow and used in the pressurized irrigation distribution system in the Jordan Valley. Reused

wastewater is becoming increasingly an essential element of Jordan's water budget.

**2.4.3 Wastewater** 

resource base. Although a limited amount of reuse of water was occurring in Jordan, the explanation of this fact is that large quantities of water were being withdrawn from groundwater reserves at a rate faster than that of natural recharge. Jordan is, therefore, a country which will soon experience serious water shortages. Indeed, it is the **only** country in the Middle East which faces such a serious situation.

Later, Beautmont (2002) suggests that the only long-term solution would be for Jordan to embark on a policy of desalinated water supply for at least some of its major urban centers. However, it could be carried out from Aqaba. The great problem, though, with Aqaba is that the desalinated water would have to be transported over distances of at least 250 km, and pumped 1000 metres in height to reach the urban centres of Amman and Zerqa. In summary, there are no easy solutions to the water problem for Jordan. In the short term the reallocation of at least some of the irrigation water will buy time, but in itself it will not solve the water scarcity issue.

The following sections describes the situation in more details.
