Amman, Aug. 17 (Petra) -- The Jordan Valley Authority (JVA), in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on Monday launched a project titled "Reducing Sedimentation in the King Talal Dam Basin to Enhance Water Security." The launching ceremony was attended by Dutch Ambassador Stella Kloth, IUCN Regional Director for West Asia Hany El Shaer, local municipality heads, and representatives of national and international organizations.

JVA Secretary General Hisham Al-Haisa highlighted the project's importance in safeguarding water resources and optimizing the efficiency and sustainability of storage infrastructure. He explained that addressing siltation requires tackling soil erosion at its sources in the upper catchment area before runoff reaches the reservoir.

Al-Haisa emphasized that King Talal Dam is one of the Kingdom's most vital surface water storage facilities, providing crucial irrigation water to farmers across the Jordan Valley. Preserving dam storage capacities remains a top national water security priority, he noted.

Funded through a 10-million-euro grant from the Dutch government over four years, the project employs an integrated strategy combining engineering and nature-based solutions with technical and institutional capacity-building. It aims to curb soil erosion, restore vegetative cover, and treat sediment sources directly.

By the end of its fourth year, the initiative aims to reduce sediment inflow into the reservoir by at least 10 percent. Al-Haisa stressed that achieving this goal depends on strong cooperation among national agencies, local communities, farmers, and international partners.

Ambassador Kloth reaffirmed the strength of the Dutch-Jordanian partnership in addressing water scarcity and climate change challenges. She stated that the grant reflects the Netherlands' ongoing commitment to supporting Jordan's water sustainability and critical infrastructure, adding that she looks forward to seeing tangible, long-term results.

El Shaer emphasized that mitigating siltation demands a comprehensive approach focused on catchment basins and sediment sources. Combining physical engineering with nature-based methods is vital to protecting the dam, he said, reiterating IUCN's commitment to collaborating with the JVA to create scalable models for other river basins.

The initiative aligns with Jordan's National Water Strategy 2023–2040, national climate policies, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to clean water, climate action, and ecosystem preservation.

//Petra// AF