JORDAN CASE STUDYGULF OF AQABA

Sustainable Management of Scarce Resources in the Coastal Zone

SMARTBy

Muhammad R Shatanawi

University of Jordan

Overview of Jordan Geographical Localization:

Latitude: between 29 º 11´ N and 33 º 22´ N Longitude: between 34 º 19´ E and 39 º 18´ E

Area : 89,400 sq. Km

Jordan can be divided into three distinct regions from west to east: Jordan Rift Valley Plateau The Semi Desert (Badia)

Overview of Jordan

The Jordan Rift Valley is part of the Great Rift Valley where it runs from lake Taberia in the North to the Gulf of Aqaba to the south. Officially the area bounded by elevations of 400 m below sea level and 300 m above sea level is called the JRV.

The plateau elevation varies from 300 m to about 1200 m.

The Badia Region encompass about 90% of the country and it is a semi desert area.

POPULATION

Population Analysis of Jordan from 1961 to 2001

Population 1961 1979 1994 2001Total population (million) 0.901 2.133 4.139 5.182

Population<15 years (%) 45.6 51.6 41.7 39.6

Population 15-64 years (%) 50.6 45.6 55.7 57.7

Population 65+ (%) 3.8 2.8 2.6 2.7

Total No.of Households (000) 160.9 321.3 666.3 893.5

Average Size of Households (person) 5.6 6.7 6.1 5.8

Economic Performance

Jordan Basic Data

Indicator 1999 2000 2001GDP (in USD) 8.07 8.337 8.73GDP growth (%) 3.1 3.9 4.2Per capita GDP (in USD) 1646 1654 1685Population (million) 4.9 5 5.18Unemployment rate (%) 14.2 13.7 13.2

Water Resources

Summary of water supply (MCM/year)

YearM&I

supplyAgriculture

SupplyTotal

Supply

1998 275 623 8982005 363 679 10422010 486 764 12502015 589 693 12832020 660 627 1287

Water Resources

Water Requirements (MCM/year)

YearM&I

RequirementsAgriculture

RequirementsTotal

Requirements

1998 342 863 12052005 463 858 13212010 533 904 14362015 639 897 15362020 757 890 1647

Water Resources

Water Supply and Requirements (MCM/year)

YearTotal

RequirementsTotal

SupplyDeficit

1998 1205 898 -3072005 1321 1042 -2792010 1436 1250 -1862015 1536 1283 -2542020 1647 1287 -360

Gulf of Aqaba

The Gulf of Aqaba is a small semi-enclosed northwestern branch of the Red Sea, 180 km long and 5 to 26 km wide. It reaches a maximum depth of 1828 m and an average depth of 800 m. Egypt occupies most of the Gulf's western shore, stretching some 200km northward from RAS Mohammed National Park, at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, to the resort complex at Taba, before the Israel border. Israel, with a coastline of approximately 14 km, runs from the Taba border crossing, through the resort town of Eliat. Jordan's 26.5 km stretch of gulf coast runs southward to Saudi Arabia, which has some 130 km of largely undeveloped coastline.

Gulf of Aqaba - LANDSAT 7 2003

Aqaba Governorate

Total Area 6904 Km2 represent 7.4 % of Jordan. It consists of four counties:

County Area Population

Aqaba 2018 85,000

Wadi Araba 2322 4,165

Quayrah 1050 12,588

Dissi 1514 3,416

Total 6904 104,160

Aqaba Watershed (North Wadi Araba Basin)

Water Resources for AqabaAqaba City No surface water Groundwater 17 MCM/y from 17 wells comes from: - Dissi well field - Abu Dba’a wells - Wadi Al- Yutum wells Treated wastewater Future desalination

Wadi Araba County There is a potential for surface water small Dams on side wadis

to catch the flush floods groundwater 1.5 MCM/y Desalinated Brackish water 0.3 MCM/y No treated effluent

Water Resources for Aqaba

Quayrah County No surface water Groundwater 1.1 MCM/y from 5 wells Groundwater for Agriculture 6.5 MCM No treated effluent (septic Tanks are used)

Dissi County No surface water Groundwater produce 3.0 MCM from domestic Agricultural Activities consumes 20.0 MCM

AQABA City

Aqaba economic growth over the past two decades has been accompanied by a parallel growth in population. Since 1972, Aqaba has expanded from a small town of 10,000 to a city of 85,000 inhabitants today. By the year 2005, Aqaba is predicted to reach a population of 115,000. Beyond the year 2005, the region's planners anticipate a doubling of the coastal population to approximately 230,000 by the year 2020, taking into account current plans for resort hotel and vacation community development as well as a new town of "Taibeh" in the upland area of Jordan's southern coastal zone.

AQABA COAST LINE

AQABA SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE AUTHORITY

In a step toward economical reform, the Aqaba special economic zone (ASEZA) was established by a law in 2000. The law provides low tax and duty free business environment. The authority utilize the existing utilities, physical and social infrastructure. It shall encourage investors to do business and provide attractive package of incentives. ASEZA workplan define the long-term strategy for organizing and managing the growth of Aqaba

Distribution of Annual Water Demand of Aqaba

Quantity (MCM)

PercentageQuantity (MCM)

Percentage

Domestic 3.78 42.00 3.96 35.26

Industrial 4.72 52.23 4.74 42.21

Toursim 0.34 3.77 0.28 2.50

Agriculture 0.18 2.00 2.25 20.03

Total 9.02 100.00 11.23 100.00

1997 2002Water Use

Projected Population and Water Resource Demand for Aqaba

Year 2000 2002 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

Population 77,000 84,000 114,000 149,000 193,000 236,000 256,000

Water demand, MCM/y 13.6 14.2 24.9 33.4 43.2 51.9 58.8

Availabe water resources withwadi Al Yutum, MCM/y

23 23 23 23 23 23 23

Availabe water resources fromDissi (non renewable), MCM/y

17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5

Water demand gap, MCM/Y 0 0 0.2 3.4 8.9 15.2 22.1

Desalination capacity 0 0 2 5 10 20 25

Total available waterresources with desalination,MCM/y

17.5 17.5 19.5 22.5 27.5 37.5 42.5

CLIMATE

Station Jan Fab Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Yearly Period

Aqaba Airport 20.9 22.2 25.7 30.7 35.2 38.4 39.4 39.2 36.4 32.7 27 21.8 30.8 1959-1999

Aqaba Port 20.1 21.8 24.9 29.7 33.8 37.1 38.2 37.7 35.4 31.9 26.3 22 29.9 1966-1996

Aqaba Airport 8.9 10.1 12.9 16.9 20.7 23.6 25 15.3 23.3 19.9 14.9 10.3 17.7 1959-1999

Aqaba Port 11.5 12.7 15 18.8 22.3 25 26.5 26.6 24.7 22.2 17.3 12.9 19.6 1966-1996

Aqaba Airport 31.5 32.7 36.9 44.7 45.2 47.6 46 47.6 45 41.2 37.6 32 47.6 1959-1999

Aqaba Port 30 31.8 35.4 42 45 46.5 48.8 44.5 44.5 41 36.5 30.6 48.8 1965-1996

Aqaba Airport 1.4 2.8 4.2 6.2 13.6 17.8 19.5 21 18 13.4 6 2.5 1.4 1959-1999

Aqaba Port 5.6 4.8 7.5 10.6 15 18.8 21 20.8 17 16.4 6 3.5 3.5 1965-1996

Aqaba Airport 14.7 16.2 19.3 23.8 17.9 31 32.2 32.3 29.9 26.3 21 16.1 14.2 1959-1999Aqaba Port 15.9 17.3 19.9 24.3 28 31.1 32.3 32.2 30.1 27.4 21.8 17.2 24.8 1966-1996

Mean Monthly Air temperature o C

Mean Maximum Air Temperature o C

Mean Minimum Air Temperature o C

Absolute Maximum Air Temperature o C

Absolute Minimum Air Temperature o C

CLIMATE

Station Jan Fab Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Yearly Period

Aqaba Airport

4.9 5.3 4.6 3.5 1 0 0 0 0 1.9 3 7.6 31.8 1946-1999

Aqaba Port

3.4 6.2 4.6 2.4 1.4 0 0 0 0 1.2 3.4 4.6 27.2 1966-1996

Aqaba Airport

58 54 49.8 41 36 36 37.8 41.4 49.8 49.5 52.7 59.1 49 1977-1999

Aqaba Port

58 70.3 52.4 47.2 41 41 44.1 46.8 51.1 53.1 54.6 60 51.6 1965-1995

Total Rainfall Amount (mm )

Mean Relative Humidity (%)

Land use units in Aqaba

(modified After Water Authority of Jordan,2000)

Regional DEM model of the study area and its surroundings

Activities that Affect Environment

Aquatic Tourism Oil Spills Waste Oil Contamination Air Pollution from Land Transportation Solid Waste Phosphate dust Chemical pollution from industries Thermal pollution from Power Plant Sewage discharge Return flow from Irrigation

Industrial Activities

Most of the Industrial activities are located in the South Coast Industrial Zone adjacent to Saudi Border. The main activities are: JPMC Industrial Complex The Thermal Power Plant Arab Potash Corporation

Jordan Phosphate Industrial Complex

Utility Unit• Water Treatment Unit • Steam Unit• Power Generating Unit

Sulfuric Acid Factory Phosphate Acid Factory Fertilizer Factory Aluminum Fluoride Factory

Jordan Phosphate Mining Company Fertilizer Factory

Produces: 740,000 tons of DAP

270,000 tons of Phosphoric Acid

Utilizes : Sulfuric Acid

Reject : Gypsum

Release : 20,000 m3/hr of cooling water

Issues : ship loading and unloading risk of flash floods from gypsum mountains. This contain fluorine

Aqaba Thermal Power Plant

Produces : 260 MW

Expansion : 520 MW

consumes : 1200 tons of fuel oil per day

Discharge : 38,000 m3 of cooling water at 20 m depth and 200 m away

Temperature : 5-8°C above ambient temperature

Issues : Impact on marine life

Oil transport via tankers

Sulfur release from the plant (35 tons/ day)

CO2 generation and gas emission

Solvochem Tank Farm

It Serves as port reception and storage facilities for imported chemicals. The Tank Farm contains 17 tanks and projected to increase to 31 tanks in the future. About 12,000 tons of chemical and 400 tons of oil are received every year.

Arab Potash Company Storage Facilities

Store : 75,000 tons in two separate places

Generate: Dust from Conveyors

Phosphate Dust from Export

The dust is generated from ship loading facilities in Aqaba and Eliat. In spite of safety measures, substantial quantities of dust emission occur during the unloading of phosphate from trucks and train cars and during ship loading

the dust can contribute to depressed coral growth, but reduction in the dust is feasible through improved choke feeder operation, and changing of equipment

Sewage DischargeAbout 65% of the population are served with sewage collection system and treatment plant. The remaining 35 %, living in the old city, are still using septic tanks. Some of these tanks leak and do not meet the standards with the result that some untreated sewage percolate into underlying groundwater aquifers.

The treatment plant of 9000 m3/day capacity, operates now at 50% capacity (4500 m3/day). About 1600 m3 are lost as seepage to groundwater and about 1400 m3 are lost as evaporation. The effluent ranges from 750 m3 to 1500 m3 in summer and winter, respectively. These amounts are used for landscape and agricultural irrigation.

Return for Irrigation

The treatment plant for Aqaba city will be upgraded to reduce evaporation and seepage losses and to improve effluent quality. The generated amounts will be used for irrigation of palm trees, forage crops, landscape, street bushed and the potential golf course.With the sandy soil condition, deep percolation from irrigation is not available. It is expected that with the best irrigation management and systems, the losses can reach 20-25%. This amounts will percolate to shallow groundwater and eventually will reach the Gulf

Potential Impact for Future

Development development of new Hotels and resort cities Increase in population due to new job opportunities The proposal Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal new Industries

– Hasad liquid fertilizer– Kemira Arab Potash Company– Lumber Factory

Tourist Activities Housing Development

Institutional Framework and Stockholder Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority The Ports Corporation The Royal Jordanian Navy Aqaba Municipality Aqaba Marine Science Station Public Institutions

Ministry of health Ministry of Water and Irrigation The Water Authority Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Ministry of Environment

Non-Government Organization Jordan Environment Society Royal Scientific Society Royal Society for Conservation of Nature Royal Diving Club

Regional and International Institutions

Laws and Regulations

Domestic

Law of ASEZA established in 2000 law of Environmental Protection (1955) By- Law of the Ministry of Environment Jordan Standard Specification (No 20,1991) Jordan Standard Specification (No 893,2002) Shipping law (1961) Waste discharge from ship (regulation) Agricultural Law (2002) Water Authority Law

Laws and Regulations

International

Jeddah Convention (1982) for the Conservation of the Red Sea

Basel Convention (1989) Transboundary Movement of Hazards waste and their disposal.

International Convention for the prevention of Pollution from ships

Bi-Lateral agreements and Arrangements

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