Transcript Sustainable Management of Wadis

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF
WADIS
By: Abdin Salih
Former Director & Representative
UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office
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INTRODUCTION
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In the year 2025, five billion people will be living
in countries experiencing water stress.
A global water crisis threatens the security,
stability and environment sustainability, as we
approach the 21st century.
As water scarcity continues rising, people living
in arid and semi-arid regions face unprecedented
poverty
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Climate change as well as water pollution have
complicated this situation
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INTRODUCTION
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UNESCO involvement in dry lands started in
1950.
Luckily this situation has been revisited last year
through various interactions including a
conference held in Tunisia and a publication on
“ The Future of Arid Lands- Revisited”.
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We strongly recommend to review this publication .
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INTROCUCTION
Dry lands areas of the world cover around 30% of
the total area and are inhabited by approximately
20% of the world’s population.
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In Asia around 23% of the area lies in arid and
semi-arid zones.
The Arab region is mostly located in arid areas
with a considerable decrease in the per capita
availability of water;
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It has decreased from around 3000 m3/y in 1950 to less
than 800 m3/y in 2003.
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Introduction
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Water stress increasingly threatens fundamental
aspects of human security and the chances for
sustainable development:
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Food production;
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Human health;
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Health of the aquatic environment and;
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Social, economic and political stability.
Water stress could also be due to missmanagement of the available water resources,
increase in population and the rising standard of
living.
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Utilization of renewable water resources in Wadis,
INTRODUCTION
is a good solution for addressing water shortage
problems.
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Understanding the hydrology of Wadi system has
been an important area of study in UNESCO Wadi
Hydrology Network activities.
Understanding the nature and distribution of
precipitation in the Wadi basin level is the most
significant factor in WADI hydrology.
This major limitation is mainly due to the shortage
of reliable data and high quality observation
networks.
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DEFINITION OF WADIS
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Wadis are natural surface channels draining
seasonal run off to a larger Wadi, a river or
endoric basins.
Wadis are typical drainage channels in arid and
semi-arid areas.
The hydrological characteristics of Wadi systems,
considerably differ from those of humid regions.
Many Wadi systems are experiencing a rapid
depletion of their national resources (water, soil
and vegetation) due to mismanagement.
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Regrettably, the knowledge base of Wadi systems
is still poor in spite of the current considerable
efforts.
While infrastructure is required, proper
operation lacks if qualified human resources and
institutional capacity is not provided.
All countries need to take necessary actions to
combat the threat to their water resources and
invest in capacity development.
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Capacity Building is :
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The sum of efforts needed to enhance and utilize
the skills and capabilities of people and
institutions at all levels in order to:
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Better progress towards sustainable
development.
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 The principle objective of capacity building for
sustainable water resources management is to
improve:
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The quality of decision making, sector
efficiency, and managerial performance in the
planning and implementation of water sector
programmes and projects.
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Promising directions of
Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Project
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LOCATION MAP
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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Wadi Hanifah
Restoration
High Commission
for the Development of Arriyadh
Arriyadh Development Authority
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
‫منسوب املياه الدائمة‬
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‫منسوب املياه أثناء السيول املوسمية‬
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‫منسوب املياه أثناء الفيضان‬
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Environmental Degradation
Loss of natural functioning and
ecosystem productivity.
Unsustainable use of land, water,
energy and other resources.
Loss of habitat and indigenous
species.
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Wadi Hanifah Master Plan:
Environmental Plan
Water Resources Management
Plan
Land Use Plan
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Bioremediation areas in the south
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MASTER PLAN
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The Wadi Hanifah Restoration incorporates many international best practices
for Liveable Communities including:
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Environmental Sustainability;
Heritage Management;
Environmentally Sensitive Practices;
Enhancement of the landscape; and
Community Sustainability.
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Creating a clean, green, safe and healthy environment by:
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Designing with ecologically sustainable practices,
rehabilitation, conservation and protection on a site by
site basis.
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Cleaning the water flowing into and through the Wadi.
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Cleaning contamination hot spots.
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Restoring heavily degraded landforms.
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Protecting areas of regenerating habitat and creating
new habitat.
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Restoring the biodiversity of indigenous plants and
wildlife.
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Improving land use management practices along the
Wadi.
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Achieving effective re-use of precious water resources by:
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Reducing the dependency on costly imported water
through re-use of recycled water as a substitution for
potable water for non-drinking applications.
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Bio-remediating urban waste water flows and recycling
water to the Wadi and Riyadh.
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Increasing the availability of treated sewage effluent for
agricultural irrigation and greening of the Wadi open
spaces.
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Capturing seasonal surface runoff to increase soil
moisture for greening open spaces.
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Managing available cleaned Wadi water for socio-ecomomic benefits:
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Envisioning Wadi water resources as one comprehnsively
considered integrated system of ground water, storm water
and treated effluent.
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Extending the life-cycle of the water within the Wadi system by
capturing it for reuse and multi-use.
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Creating a safer Wadi environment with a better performing
bed and channel that slows down and disperses periodic flood
flows.
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Improving the health of the Wadi by removing areas of
stagnant water.
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Working with the natural processes of the Wadi for environmental
sustainability:
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Developed a major bio-remediation facility for cleaning water in
the main channel that is purely biological, not mechanical. Its
function is to reduce coliform bacteria, de-nitrify the water and bioaccumulate excess nutrients.
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Recently have begun the rehabilitation of six of the side wadis that
comprise part of the watershed.
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Community Sustainability
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Implementing the vision of a ‘Living Wadi’: a sustainable oasis, offering
opportunities to present and future generations, and the bringing of
government and the private sector together as partners in its on-going
realization will improve the quality of life for the people of Riyadh and
contribute to Community Sustainability.
Already the following projects are under implementation:
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Al-Ilb Park;
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Addiriyyah historic site and living outdoor museum;
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Hanifah Dam Park;
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Bio-remediation and Interpretative Bridge;
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Old Stone Dam Park; and
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Masane Lakes Park.
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Wadi Hanifah Statistics
Length
Side Wadis
Dumping Removed
120 km.
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1,000,000 m3
Urban Wastewater Flow 2007
400,000 m3./ day
Urban Wastewater Flow 2021
1,200,000 m3./ day
Wadi Roads
Wadi Parking Spaces
53.2 km.
2,100 cars
Major Parks
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Lakes
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Recreational Trail
43 km.
Toilet Blocks
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Planted Shade Trees
Planted Date Palm Trees
35,500
4,500
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Wadi Hanifah Restoration
THANK YOU
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