ABU DHABI- Under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the monitoring of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the Follow-up Committee of the Initiatives of the UAE President approved a series of dam and water canal projects in various areas of the country, valued at AED162 million, as part of the ongoing national efforts to develop the country’s infrastructure and strategic facilities.

The new projects include the construction of a dam in Wadi Naqab, Ras Al Khaimah, valued at AED26.9 million and measuring 22 metres high and 257 metres wide, with a capacity of some one million cubic meters. The dam, which is being built in the main valley of Wadi Naqab, some six kilometres from the intersection of three valleys in Al Fahlain, will control the flow of water to residential neighbourhoods and improve groundwater storage in agricultural areas.

The project will be followed by the construction of water channels with regular and lined paths, as well as lakes and barriers to absorb and store large amounts of rain water and prevent waste.

The projects also include several dams, water canals and urgent protection works in areas off the eastern coast, as well as in Masfout, Siji and Shawka, valued at AED122.6 million. They also comprise the construction of ferry and water drainage channels to protect housing areas in several regions of Fujairah, at a cost of AED76.2 million, along with the deployment of a number of water ferries and the maintenance of the Hazf Dam in Masfout, Ajman, at a cost of AED11.5 million. The series of projects will include three other projects related to draining rainwater and constructing ferries in Sharjah, at a total cost of AED19.4 million. These projects will be located in the Luluyah and Mediffi areas of Khor Fakkan, Al Saf and Sur Kalba, while the ferry project will be located at the Wadi Shawka Dam on the Al-Siji-Shawka Road. Another project in the series is the construction of urgent protection works in the village of Al Siji, as well as in Dafta, Ras Al Khaimah, costing AED15.5 million, as well as the construction of the Al Rahba Dam and protection works in Shaml, Ras Al Khaimah, costing AED11.9 million.

The committee also directed several specialist consultancy companies to perform hydrological studies on all areas of the country’s northern regions and eastern coast, as well as to draft related engineering and environmental plans that comply with the highest standards.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.