National Master Plan for the Jordan River Valley Kingdom of Jordan Prepared By Royal HaskoningDHV in partnership with: MASAR Center Jordan. April, 2015. For: SIWI - Stockholm International Water Institute GNF - Global Nature Fund & EU - SWIMP WEDO / EcoPeace NGO Master Plan (SWIM-JR) Project is supported by the European Union‘s Sustainable Water Integrated Management (SWIM) Program. EcoPeace Middle East RoyalHaskoningDHV National Master Plan for the Jordan River Valley “Protecting the Environment” means to change our global perception: to change from a culture (and policy) that enables and even encourages excess consumerism that creates more and more system-wide problems and consumes natural resources, to a culture (and policy) based on wise consumption and maximum efficiency, that will improve the quality of life of the consumers and not only the volume of consumption. This applies especially to the policy regarding the water resource in our region that must be managed in a sustainable manner for current and future generations. © Royal HaskoningDHV B.V. is part of Royal HaskoningDHV Group. No part of these specifications/printed matter may be reproduced and/or published by print, photocopy, microfilm or by any other means, without the prior written permission of EcoPeace; nor may they be used, without such permission, for any purposes other than that for which they were produced. The quality management system of RHDHV B.V. has been approved against ISO 9001. 1 EcoPeace Middle East RoyalHaskoningDHV TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 12 1.1 This Master Plan ........................................................................................................................... 12 1.2 The Consultants ........................................................................................................................... 12 1.3 The Project Team ......................................................................................................................... 14 2 The Jordan River Valley ............................................................................................................... 16 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 16 2.2 The Valley ..................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.1 Land Use ...................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.2 Water ............................................................................................................................................ 23 2.2.2.1 The King Abdullah Canal .............................................................................................................. 25 2.2.2.2 Side Wadis .................................................................................................................................... 26 2.2.2.3 Water Resources from a Historic Perspective ............................................................................ 31 2.2.3 Climate Change ............................................................................................................................ 34 2.2.4 Ecosystems .................................................................................................................................. 37 2.2.4.1 Flora ............................................................................................................................................ 37 2.2.4.2 Fauna ........................................................................................................................................... 40 2.2.4.3 Fresh Water Ecosystems ............................................................................................................. 41 2.2.4.4 Natural Reserves and Important Biodiversity Areas ..................................................................... 42 2.2.4.5 Ecological Challenges ................................................................................................................. 44 2.2.4.6 Environmental Flows .................................................................................................................. 46 2.2.5 Pollution Sources .......................................................................................................................... 49 2.2.5.1 Wastewater ................................................................................................................................... 49 2.2.5.2 Solid Waste collection, treatment and management ..................................................................... 55 2.2.5.3 Agricultural Pollution ..................................................................................................................... 59 2.2.6 Cultural Heritage ........................................................................................................................... 63 2.2.7 Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................ 71 2.3 People .......................................................................................................................................... 73 2.3.1 Population ..................................................................................................................................... 73 2.3.2 Socio-economic Situation ............................................................................................................. 73 2.3.3 Agriculture .................................................................................................................................... 79 2.3.4 Tourism ......................................................................................................................................... 96 2.3.5 Industry ......................................................................................................................................... 99 2.3.6 Human Water Demands and Supply .......................................................................................... 101 2.3.7 WEAP Model for the Lower Jordan River Basin ......................................................................... 103 2.4 Governance ................................................................................................................................ 109 2.4.1 Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................... 109 2.4.2 Governance of the Jordan River Valley ...................................................................................... 111 2.4.3 Transboundary and International Binding Agreements ............................................................... 115 2.4.3.1 The Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty ................................................................................................. 115 2.4.3.2 Security Arrangements along the Jordan River .......................................................................... 117 3 Projections and Challenges ........................................................................................................ 120 3.1 Basin Projection for 2025 and 2050 ............................................................................................ 120 3.2 Strategic Planning Objectives ..................................................................................................... 126 3.2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 126 3.2.2 Pollution Control ......................................................................................................................... 126 2 National Master Plan for the Jordan River Valley EcoPeace Middle East RoyalHaskoningDHV 3.2.3 Sustainable Water Management and River Rehabilitation.......................................................... 127 3.2.4 Sustainable Agriculture ............................................................................................................... 128 3.2.5 Jordan River Valley Governance ................................................................................................ 129 3.2.6 Ecological Restoration ................................................................................................................ 130 3.2.7 Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Heritage Development .......................................................... 130 3.2.8 Urban and Infrastructure Development ....................................................................................... 130 4 Meeting the Strategic Planning Objectives ................................................................................. 132 4.1 The Interventions ........................................................................................................................ 132 4.1.1 Pollution Control and Environmental Management ..................................................................... 133 4.1.2 Sustainable Water Management and River Rehabilitation.......................................................... 141 4.1.3 Sustainable Agriculture ..............................................................................................................