Project 1-146 Jordan

Partnerships for enhanced engagement in research (PEER) SCIENCE
Cycle 1 (2011 Deadline)

Floodwave propagation and infiltration in desert regions: The Azraq Basin, Jordan

PI: Mo'ayyad Shawaqfah, Al al-Bayt University

U.S. Partner: Mark Stone, University of New Mexico
Project Dates: May 2012 - July 2014

Project Overview

Jordan Partnership Picture 1
Dr. Shawaqfah in his office with his colleague analyzing the data captured by the new weather station purchased through PEER (Photo courtesy Dr. Shawaqfah).

Providing a secure water future for Jordan in the face of rapid population growth and decreasing availability of water will require innovative progress in all aspects of water resource management, including the identification of underutilized resources. This project investigated holistic management of floodwaters in Jordan to better understand how this natural hazard can instead be viewed as a valuable natural resource.

A combination of modeling exercises and field observations were used to advance the application of knowledge for this critical issue. This project assisted Al al-Bayt University in its efforts to build its water resources research and outreach capabilities.

This project helped Al al-Bayt University in its efforts to build its water resources research and outreach capabilities. A broader training component was also included, with approximately 100 water resources professionals expected to benefit from planned outreach and dissemination activities.

Final Summary of Project Activities

Data collected by the research team was used to produce two coupled models—one describing flood wave movement from storm events and a second investigating baseline and potential enhancements to infiltration and groundwater recharge. The team prepared three papers as part of their findings and participated in the Global Conference on Energy Soil, Water, Air and Environment, held in Antalya, Turkey.

The PEER project team held technical workshops to share results and presentations on water resources and groundwater recharge for various stakeholders. In addition, a short course on groundwater recharge was organized for six undergraduate and two graduate students. The course covered well recharge types, objectives, water sources, and wellhead and wellfield designs. It also examined aquifer storage recovery (ASR) systems in aquifers with either freshwater or impaired groundwater. Instructors led the participants through the planning, design, operation, and management phases of artificial recharge systems. Team members also attended a groundwater modeling course in the United Arab Emirates.

The team continued to gather new sets of data and developed a new course entitled “Applied Groundwater Modeling,” which was offered by the Civil Engineering Department at Al al-Bayt University. They also met the community in the local study area several times and shared results of the project with them.

Publications

Shawaqfah, M., Alqdah, I., and Nusier, O.K. 2015. Water Resources Management Using Modeling Tools in Desert Regions: The Azraq Basin, Jordan. International Journal of Modeling and Optimization 5(1):55-58. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJMO.2015.V5.436

Shawaqfah Moayyad S., Alqdah Ibtihal T. Modeling the Flash Flood and Infiltration in Desert Regions: The Azraq Basin, Jordan. 2014. In: SimHydro 2014. New Trends in Simulation. 11-13 June 2014 Ecole Polytech’ Nice (France). https://www.persee.fr/doc/jhydr_0000-0001_2014_act_36_1_2336

Back to PEER Cycle 1 Grant Recipients