Applied Geosciences students presented their projects on Water in Oman
HALBAN Fourth year students from the Department of Applied Geosciences at the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) have recently presented their team projects during poster presentations held at the department.
Water is valued as a spring of life and the basic resource for human activities. Due to its scarcity in the Sultanate of Oman, water resources receive great attention, said fourth year students Azhar Al Shabibi, Amira Al Mahrouqi, Aziza Al Abri and Ahood Al Abri. In their poster presentation in the AGEO Department they showed the water balance of the Wadi Al Muadin located in Al Dakhiliya region. The main purpose of the study in Wadi al Muadin, was to analyse the impact of the dam on the groundwater in the wadi. According to their results, the amount of recharge increases in the downstream of the wadi where the slope of the landform controls the speed of the wadi flow. The precipitation in interrupted periods gives enough time for water to infiltrate into the ground.
Three other GUtech students Omar Al Zadjali, Mansoor Al Kindi and Almaqdad Al Harthi focused their team project on the quality of the water flow in one of the biggest falaj systems in Oman, Falaj Al Muyassar in Rustaq. The main aim of their project was to analyse the hydrological properties of the falaj and to analyse the physical and chemical characteristics of the water. The students applied different methods to measure the groundwater characteristics including a field toolkit to analyse the water and flow meter to estimate the discharge of the falaj. One of their results showed the superior water quality that serves the village as a major water source. Another student hydrology project presented was in the Batinah area, where the students investigated the seawater intrusion phenomenon and its effect on the shallow aquifer and agriculture activities, by measuring abandoned water wells’ hydrogeological parameters.
“We are adapting our courses to meet the needs and the challenges in Oman. As an arid country, Omanis have invested a lot in the water sectors in the past thousands of years, by developing aflaj systems. During the past five decades around 150 dams were constructed either to store the water or to enhance the aquifer recharge. Our GUtech graduates should display individual and teamwork besides critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” said Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hadidi, AGEO Department.
(c) GUtech Text & Photos: Dr. Manuela Gutberlet & Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hadidi