RO 6.4 million for dam maintenance across Oman

GHALIA AL DHUKHRI
MUSCAT, FEB 25
During the 2024-2025 period, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources carried out maintenance on 59 dams at a total cost of RO 6,438,437. This included 5 dams in Muscat Governorate, 6 dams in Al Buraimi Governorate, 7 dams in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, 4 dams in Al Sharqiyah North Governorate, 9 dams in Musandam Governorate, 10 dams in Al Dhahirah Governorate, 9 dams in Al Batinah South Governorate, 4 dams in Al Batinah North Governorate, 4 dams in Dhofar Governorate and one dam in Al Sharqiyah South Governorate.
The maintenance operations involved the removal of silt deposits from the dam reservoirs, constructing 23 monitoring rooms, installing 25 water level gauges in the dam reservoirs, installing 32 monitoring cameras, replacing 18 water discharge gates, in addition to lubricating, cleaning, and rehabilitation operations on 59 other gates. In addition, 12 information panels, 20 warning signs and 16 guidance signs were installed to boost dam effectiveness and ensure seamless operations, he said.
Hilal bin Said al Siyabi, Head of the Dams Operation and Maintenance Department at the Ministry, said that groundwater recharge dams are typically equipped with advanced devices for real-time flood monitoring which allows for determining the volume of water entering the dam reservoirs. This data also enables a precise comparison between the water retained behind the dam and the actual groundwater recharge reaching the aquifer, with the aim of verifying the effectiveness of the dams. The results obtained through periodic monitoring are a positive indicator highlighting the efficiency of dams in managing water resources.
Al Siyabi said that a periodic assessment of dam safety was conducted in 2025, covering 24 dams. A topographic survey was carried out for 15 dams, and readings were taken from 132 monitoring wells to verify the safety of the dams and their facilities. It was found that they were operating at the required efficiency.