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SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WADIS. By: Abdin Salih Former Director & Representative UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office. Introduction. In the year 2025, five billion people will be living in countries experiencing water stress.
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SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WADIS By: Abdin Salih Former Director & Representative UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office
Introduction • 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 • Climate change as well as water pollution have complicated this situation
INTRODUCTION • 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”. • We strongly recommend to review this publication .
Introcuction • Dry lands areas of the world cover around 30% of the total area and are inhabited by approximately 20% of the world’s population. • 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; • It has decreased from around 3000 m3/y in 1950 to less than 800 m3/y in 2003.
Introduction • Water stress increasingly threatens fundamental aspects of human security and the chances for sustainable development: • Food production; • Human health; • Health of the aquatic environment and; • Social, economic and political stability. • Water stress could also be due to miss-management of the available water resources, increase in population and the rising standard of living.
INTRODUCTION Utilization of renewable water resources in Wadis, is a good solution for addressing water shortage problems. 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.
Definition of Wadis 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.
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.
Capacity Building is : • The sum of efforts needed to enhance and utilize the skills and capabilities of people and institutions at all levels in order to: • Better progress towards sustainable development. . • The principle objective of capacity building for sustainable water resources management is to improve: • The quality of decision making, sector efficiency, and managerial performance in the planning and implementation of water sector programmes and projects.
Promising directions of Wadi Hanifah Restoration Project
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh Arriyadh Development Authority Wadi Hanifah Restoration
منسوب المياه أثناء السيول الموسمية
Environmental Degradation Loss of natural functioning and ecosystem productivity. Unsustainable use of land, water, energy and other resources. Loss of habitat and indigenous species. Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Wadi Hanifah Master Plan: Environmental Plan Water Resources Management Plan Land Use Plan Wadi Hanifah Restoration
The Wadi Hanifah Restoration incorporates many international best practices for Liveable Communities including: • Environmental Sustainability; • Heritage Management; • Environmentally Sensitive Practices; • Enhancement of the landscape; and • Community Sustainability. Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Creating a clean, green, safe and healthy environment by: • Designing with ecologically sustainable practices, rehabilitation, conservation and protection on a site by site basis. • Cleaning the water flowing into and through the Wadi. • Cleaning contamination hot spots. • Restoring heavily degraded landforms. • Protecting areas of regenerating habitat and creating new habitat. • Restoring the biodiversity of indigenous plants and wildlife. • Improving land use management practices along the Wadi. Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Achieving effective re-use of precious water resources by: • Reducing the dependency on costly imported water through re-use of recycled water as a substitution for potable water for non-drinking applications. • Bio-remediating urban waste water flows and recycling water to the Wadi and Riyadh. • Increasing the availability of treated sewage effluent for agricultural irrigation and greening of the Wadi open spaces. • Capturing seasonal surface runoff to increase soil moisture for greening open spaces. Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Managing available cleaned Wadi water for socio-ecomomic benefits: • Envisioning Wadi water resources as one comprehnsively considered integrated system of ground water, storm water and treated effluent. • Extending the life-cycle of the water within the Wadi system by capturing it for reuse and multi-use. • Creating a safer Wadi environment with a better performing bed and channel that slows down and disperses periodic flood flows. • Improving the health of the Wadi by removing areas of stagnant water. Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Working with the natural processes of the Wadi for environmental sustainability: • 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 bio- accumulate excess nutrients. • Recently have begun the rehabilitation of six of the side wadis that comprise part of the watershed. Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Community Sustainability 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: • Al-Ilb Park; • Addiriyyah historic site and living outdoor museum; • Hanifah Dam Park; • Bio-remediation and Interpretative Bridge; • Old Stone Dam Park; and • Masane Lakes Park. Wadi Hanifah Restoration
Wadi Hanifah Statistics Length 120 km. Side Wadis 10 Dumping Removed 1,000,000 m3 Urban Wastewater Flow 2007 400,000 m3./ day Urban Wastewater Flow 2021 1,200,000 m3./ day Wadi Roads 53.2 km. Wadi Parking Spaces 2,100 cars Major Parks 6 Lakes 3 Recreational Trail 43 km. Toilet Blocks 14 Planted Shade Trees 35,500 Planted Date Palm Trees 4,500 Wadi Hanifah Restoration
