AMMAN: The Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) has started construction work on the Wadi Zarqa-Maeen Dam to store floodwater for drinking and irrigation purposes, according to a government official.
The new dam will be built with a capacity to store 2 million cubic metres (mcm) and is expected to be completed within two years, JVA Secretary General Saad Abu Hammour said Monday.
The Construction of the dam is funded by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) grant. In 2011, the GCC allocated $5 billion to finance development projects in Jordan between 2012 and 2016.
“The dam will cost JD10 million. It is being constructed to protect the environment and people from flash floods, provide additional water for crop irrigation and tourist ventures, and to expand agricultural lands in the surrounding area, which stretches from Wadi Zarqa-Maeen towards the Jordan Valley,” Abu Hammour added. Located south of Madaba Governorate, Wadi Zarqa-Maeen is one of the water trails favoured by hikers and adventure seekers due to its waterfalls and pools as well as its rich vegetation, according to web sources.