Environmental research

Wadi Mawr is one of the largest rain flood run-off in western Yemen. It has a lrge catchment areas in Amran, Hajjah and Hodiedah Governorate and discharge flood to the Red Sea coast at Luhayyah. The wadi capacity is range between 2,400-3,100 cubic meters per scond. In the 80s the Governemnt of Yemen, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Tihama Development Authority (TDA) built an irrigation network on south and north sides of the wadi enabling spate irrigation to reach more farms e.g. 12,000 hectars. The irrigation system consists of a conversion dam to allow direction of flood water into a built up tow main irrigation canals south and north parallel to the wadi with various inlets on both sides to deliver flood water to seconday irrigation canals (19 & 18) and small pipes that take water to each of the targeted farms. This project is targeting the seconday canals that deliver flood water off the Northern main canals to its eligible benefitieries. The project aimed at enabling local farmers (represented by NGO for each secondary canal) to clean up deposited siltation in order for allow full capacity flow of flood irrigation; capacity building of the new NGOs network to assume full responsibility for the management and sustainability of their irrigation system in the respective canals. The project will have a great impact in the followings: 1. Save fuel (diesel) burning 6,613,880 litres per year (each liter produce av. 2.8Kg CO2) 2. Avoidance of CO2 emission to atmosphere = 17,669 tons per year 3. Safe farmers a total expenditure of= US$ 3,266,879 per year 4. Allow flood water to irrigate an agriculture land ha. 5. Project will increase flood water flow into the Northern Canal channel by 10m3/second. 6. Project will reduce the impact of water monopoly practiced by upper stream land owners and ensure that flood water reach more destinations due to the new built canal connected from the main Wadi stream directly. The project will help NGOs and water users to understand the importance of their eco-system and land and water management practices in Wadi Mawr.

Yemen