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Water Institutional Arrangements of Falaj Al Khatamain in the Sultanate of Oman



Author(s)

Ahmed Salim Al-Marshoudi

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DOI:10.17265/2159-581X/2018.02.001

Oman, which is located on the Southern East of Arabian Peninsula, classified as holding a semi arid climate with an average annual rainfall of 100 mm. Therefore, agricultural production in Oman is fully dependent in irrigation. More than one third is supplied by the ancient aflaj (sing. Falaj), which provide 680 × 10⁶ m³ of water per year and irrigate of an area of 26,500 ha. There is two commonly known definition of the aflaj; the locally defined from the classic Arabic root as to divide the water among its shareholders. And the modern technical definition as trenches and tunnels, which are dug in the ground, to convey the accumulated rainfall water table to the irrigated area in the villages. This study explores some of the existing institutional arrangements found within Falaj Al Khatamain, at the village of Birkat Al mawz located in the Interiold region, sultanate of Oman. This study uses a serial of recorded rainfall data along of a serial recorded falaj monitored flow to examine to what extend the existed falaj institutional arrangements reflected to the water physical variability. The study concluded that there is strong relationship between Falaj Al Khatamain physical water variability and its institutional arrangements setting.

Aflaj, water rights, water physical variability, water market