Changes in Water Resources Systems:
Methodologies to Maintain Water Security and Ensure Integrated Management
(Proceedings of Symposium HS3006 at IUGG2007, Perugia, July 2007). IAHS Publ. 315, 2007, 206-214.
The
role of dams in securing the surface water in the northern and eastern parts of
the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
HIND S. AL-NUAIMI
& AHMED A. MURAD
Department of Geology, UAE University, PO Box 17551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
Abstract The
scarcity of water resources in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hinders its
sustainable development. In order to improve this situation, decision makers
initiated an integrated water resources management (IWRM) strategy to meet the
increasing demands of water. One of the important strategies that is suitable
for this arid region is the construction of different sizes of dams, mainly in
the northern and eastern parts of the UAE. Some events
of rainfall could generate flash floods during heavy and intense periods of
rain of short duration.
The surface water resulting after rainfall events is secured by building dams.
The increasing water levels of boreholes downstream of the dams confirmed that
a recharge to the aquifers has occurred. This paper is aimed to assess the
important roles of dams on managing water resources and maintaining the
security of surface water in the northern and eastern parts of the UAE.
Key words dams;
surface water; United Arab Emirates; water resources