The Protection of King Talal Dam through Labour-intensive Activities
Protecting water infrastructure and creating economic opportunities
Jordan
Community Cohesion & Protection
Livelihoods & Economic Development
Climate-smart Agriculture & Food Security
Infrastructure & Essential Services
2021-2024
BMZ/GIZ
The King Talal Dam is a vital part of Jordan’s water supply infrastructure; however, over the last 40 years, it has lost 20 percent of its capacity due to sedimentation and erosion. The Protection of King Talal Dam Through Labour-intensive Activities (PROTEKT) project was designed to prevent sedimentation, erosion, and flooding around the dam as demand for water goes up and the supply becomes increasingly scarce. The project was expanded to include other dams in the region, expanding the area impacted by PROTEKT.
Strengthening Water Infrastructure
Construction and rehabilitation projects around the Zarqa River, King Talal Dam, Karak Dam, and Wadi Shuaib Dam were undertaken to maintain each dam’s water storage capacity. These works aimed to regulate and control floods and water flow in an area that critically needs water for agriculture and daily life. Efforts also reduced sedimentation, improving water quality and the operational life of the dams. Over the course of the project, we constructed, renovated, and rehabilitated 32 structures (including irrigation networks, walls, and check dams). To mitigate runoff and reduce the amount of sediment going into waterways, teams also planted more than 16,000 trees, covering 341,000 dunums in areas near water’s edge.
Creating Economic Opportunities
At the heart of PROTEKT was a cash-for-work program that created 717 short-term jobs for vulnerable Jordanians and Syrian refugees. Workers supported construction and installation, tree plantings, and other flood mitigation efforts. The jobs provided an opportunity to earn an income and build skills, while also creating an opportunity to bring the community together as Jordanians and Syrians worked for a shared cause.
Building Agricultural Capacity and Spreading Awareness
Teams addressed long-term erosion and flooding by building local agricultural capacity. We worked with local communities to increase knowledge of the causes and effects of soil erosion, flood mitigation on farms to help protect areas surrounding the dam, and anti-drowning measures to keep communities safe around waterways.
The Cash for Work Water (C4WW) project, implemented by “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH” (GIZ), is part of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany (BMZ) Special Initiative ‘Tackling the root causes of migration, stabilizing host regions, supporting refugees.’
