Civil and Architectural Engineering Department-College of Engineering-Sultan Qaboos University
Water Budget of Wadi Ma’awil Catchment
Hussain Mohammed Al Ajmi
Abstract
The Wadi Ma'awil catchment in Barka in Eastern Batinah is known to be of great significance to
the area and the nearby towns. The area population rely totally on the groundwater as the main
source for life activities. Domestic, agricultural and all other uses of water depend entirely on
groundwater, especially in the lower or north part of the catchment. In addition to that, the
Government is looking for a strategic alternative water resource for the capital area, Muscat.
Unpredicted emergencies such as any breakdown in the desalination plant that supplies domestic
water to the population in Muscat, make it a necessity to look for other supplies. Constructing a
water balance for the catchment is absolutely an obligation since it is the main source for
consumption, hence calculate the volume and focus deeply on the dimensions and characteristics
of the basin. The model used is a simple conceptual model that calculates the storage of the basin
by using an equation that adds all the input and output components in the catchment
to show how much is available as a surplus or as a deficit. From the calculation of the available
data, it is visible that groundwater is already depleted since the Sultanate is under a drought
period that has lasted for more than five years. The deficit is very drastic especially in the north
catchment. The storage does not stand the consumption anymore as it is already over drafted due
to the intensive agriculture that has evolved during the past three decades without strict imposed
legislations.