Muscat – In an effort to mitigate flood risks, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has announced an initiative to implement a study on flood mitigation and to build flood protection dams in North and South Batinah governorates. 

This is part of a broader strategy to enhance disaster preparedness and protect vulnerable areas from devastating impacts of extreme weather events.

As part of the study, MAFWR has completed designs for several new flood protection dams, which are now ready for implementation in North and South Batinah. These designs are based on updated flood risk maps that identify areas prone to flooding, allowing targeted interventions to safeguard communities and land in these vulnerable regions.

Construction of a significant water reservoir in Wadi Ahin has been plan, based on the study, alongside a protective dam to enhance the area’s resilience to flooding. 

This project is particularly important as the current Wadi Ahin dam, constructed in 1994, primarily serves to improve groundwater recharge and support agricultural water supply, with a storage capacity of 6.8mn m3.

During the exceptional weather conditions of April 16, precipitation in Wadi Ahin area measured 95mm. An estimated 18mn m3 of water collected, which exceeded the dam’s storage capacity, resulting in damage to a 30m section of its overflow structure. 

The ministry, however, assured that the remainder of the dam is functioning as intended, securely holding approximately 4.76mn m3 of water, or 70% of its total capacity.

MAFWR has implemented a periodic maintenance plan for all existing dams, including the one at Wadi Ahin. This plan involves sediment removal, clearing of vegetation and debris, and maintenance of water discharge gates to ensure dams continue to function effectively even under adverse weather conditions.