Overview of Middle East Water Resources
Surface Water
Yarmouk River at Maqaren
The Yarmouk River is the second largest river in the
region in terms of annual discharge and its waters are
a vital resource to supply municipal, agricultural, and
industrial needs. The watershed lies principally in
the Jordan Highland, with its eastern headwaters
extending to an area about 1,800 m above sea level,
where average annual rainfall is about 250 mm. The
northern headwaters drain areas bordering Mount
Hermon (Jabel El Sheik), where average annual precipitation
exceeds 1,000 mm. The principal tributaries
of the Yarmouk River are the Raqqad, Allan, and Harir
from the north, and the Shallalah from the south.
Land use in the Yarmouk watershed is primarily
agricultural, with some industrial and residential land
use in the cities. In general, the water quality of the
Yarmouk River is good.
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Yarmouk River at Maqaren
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Climate characteristics in the watershed range from
Mediterranean in the northwest to arid in the southeast.
Prevailing winds are from the west and southwest, and
temperatures range from a few degrees below zero to
about 46 °C. Average annual precipitation over the
entire watershed is about 423 mm and potential
evaporation is from 1,600 to 2,300 mm per year.
Flow characteristics of the Yarmouk River at Maqaren
have been measured since 1964. The watershed area
at the gage is 5,950 km2 , and the elevation is 12 m
above sea level. Downstream flow diversions cause
significant changes in flow between this site and the
Yarmouk River at Adasiyia, near its confluence with
the Jordan River. Typical monthly flows are between
11 and 13 MCM during the dry season and between
15 and 25 MCM during the winter months.
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Hydrographs. Left: Median annual volume by watershed. Right: Annual volume, 1964-94.
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Water Data Banks Project,
Multilateral Working Group on Water Resources,
Middle East Peace Process
Overview of Middle East Water Resources
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