Jump to content

Wadi Madha

Coordinates: 25°15′50.2103″N 56°22′7.1998″E / 25.263947306°N 56.368666611°E / 25.263947306; 56.368666611
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wadi Madha
Wādī Maḥḍah
Alt text for image
Wadi Madha is located in Oman
Wadi Madha
Wadi Madha is located in Persian Gulf
Wadi Madha
Wadi Madha is located in West and Central Asia
Wadi Madha
Native nameوادي مدحاء (Arabic)
Location
Country Oman
 United Arab Emirates
Governorate
Emirate		Musandam
Sharjah
 Fujairah
Physical characteristics
SourceSSE of Jabal Daftah (878 m (2,881 ft))
 • elevation698 m (2,290 ft) (approximately)
MouthSouth of Murbah (Emirate of Fujairah, UAE), in the Gulf of Oman.
 • coordinates
25°15′50.2103″N 56°22′7.1998″E / 25.263947306°N 56.368666611°E / 25.263947306; 56.368666611
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length31 km (19 mi)
Basin size106 km2 (41 sq mi)
Basin features
ProgressionWadi. Intermittent flow
River systemWadi Madha
Tributaries 
 • leftWadi Shis, Wadi Sahanah.
Sub-tributaries: Wadi Hajar Bani Hamid, Wadi Mardamt, Wādī ash Shi‘aybah, Wādī Badá, Wadi Al Hawrah
 • rightWadi Mayamt, Wadi Half.

Wadi Madha (Arabic: وادي مدحاء, romanized: Wādī Maḥḍah)[1][2][3][4] is a dry river valley or dry river with ephemeral or intermittent flow, which flows almost exclusively during the rainy season. It is located in northern Oman, within the Omani enclave of Madha (Musandam), and east of the United Arab Emirates, in the emirates of Sharjah and Fujairah.

It forms its own drainage basin, covering an area of approximately 106 km2 (41 sq mi),[5][6] and is bordered to the north by the drainage basins of Wadi Wurayah and Wadi Shie;[7][8] to the west by that of Wadi Ham;[5][9] and to the south by the Wadi Safad.[10]

The main wadi, Wadi Madha, lends its name to the entire drainage basin. This basin includes numerous tributaries and sub-tributaries, forming a significant drainage network of approximately 111 independent streams, most of which are unnamed.[11]

The main tributaries and sub-tributaries are:

  • In the northern sub-basin: Wadi Sahanah.[1][12] Sub-tributaries: Wadi Mardamt, Wadi ash Shi‘aybah, Wadi Badá,[13] Wadi Al Hawrah.[2][3]

Course

[edit]

The total length of the Wadi Madha is approximately 31 km (19 mi), of which 10 km (6.2 mi) run in Emirati territory, and 21 km (13 mi) in Omani territory. Its source is located within territory of the emirate of Sharjah (UAE), at an approximate altitude of 698 m (2,290 ft), south-southeast of Jabal Daftah (878 m (2,881 ft)).

During its course, Wadi Madha crosses the border between Oman and the UAE four times, passing through the enclaves of Madha and Nahwa before emptying into the Gulf of Oman, south of Murbah/Sha'biyyāt Mirbah (Emirate of Fujairah, UAE).[1][2][15]

Course chart and elevation profile of Wadi Madha - Oman and UAE

The upper course of the Wadi Madha extends for the first two kilometers entirely within the United Arab Emirates. It flows from north to south with a moderate slope. The point where it first crosses the border between the UAE and Oman also marks the boundary between the Emirates of Sharjah and Fujairah.

Within the Madha enclave, the wadi shifts its course to a south-southeast direction for another two kilometers. A portion of its bed runs parallel to the partially constructed new road intended to connect the city of Madha (Oman) with Daftah (UAE). Preliminary studies had cautioned that this construction could have a significant negative environmental impact, causing irreparable damage to the natural environment of the region, particularly to the channels of Wadi Madha and its tributaries, Wadi Half and Wadi Mayamt.[16][17]

Shortly after, Wadi Madha flows north-northeast, between the channel of the small Wadi Hajar Bani Hamid and that of Wadi Half, gaining a significant flow from its numerous tributary torrents, as evidenced by its characteristic meanders. A branch of the Madha-Daftah road, which leads to the village of Hajar Bani Hamid,[1] also severely affected the Wadi Madha riverbed, with thousands of cubic meters of debris scattered along its banks and tributary wadis.

In the village or settlement of Z̧āhir al Qasha,[18] Wadi Madha receives the confluence of Wadi Shis on its left,[2][3] and continues its course towards the east, forming a small gorge, shortly before the mouth of another of its important tributaries, the Wadi Half,[2][3][16] and the crossing with the border line of the Nahwa (UAE) enclave.

Wadi Madha in Nahwa (UAE) - Al Nahwa Cave

For 4 km (2.5 mi), the Wadi Madha runs through the Nahwa enclave, also forming several meanders . On its banks it is common to find lush palm groves and fields of crops, especially around the old town of Nahwa. Also popular and very well known for tourism is the so-called Al Nahwa Cave, located in the course of the wadi itself.

The next UAE-Oman border is located at the exit of the modern part of the village of Nahwa, which, like the others, has no barriers or checkpoints, and does not require a visa or special requirements for crossing. The only indicators of the border are the flags and large murals with the portraits of the rulers of each country.

Back in Oman, the Wadi Madha crosses an area with natural pools and two small villages with agricultural crops: Al Maksar and Sa'ad,[2][15] the latter located just before the confluence of the Wadi Mayamt,[1] one of the most affected by the construction of the Madha-Daftah road.[16] The tail end of the extensive reservoir of the As Saruj dam reaches this point.

Downstream from the dam and up to its mouth, the Wadi Madha passes through the most populated area of its entire course.

In Oman: the village of Saruj, the historic village of Al Ghūnah,[15] Al Ḩārah, Al Hawami, Al Anz̧ār (where the Wadi Sahanah / Wadi Sahna meets) and finally the city of Madha / Sha'biyyāt Madḥah.[1]

Upon reaching the coastal strip, on the other side of the border, already in the Emirate of Fujairah (UAE), the course of Wadi Madha has been partially channeled and diverted from its natural path, crossing the southern end of the city of Murbah / Sha'biyyāt Mirbah (Emirate of Fujairah),[1][2] shortly before its mouth in the Gulf of Oman.

Dams and reservoirs

[edit]
Wadi Madha. As Saruj Dam, Oman

To supply water to the inhabitants of the area, prevent the danger of flash floods, and increase the potential for groundwater recharge, a dam was built in 2004 on the Wadi Madha river, just before the village of As Saruj (Oman),[1][2] and was therefore named As Saruj Dam.[19][20] The dam has a height of 25.5 m (84 ft) and a reservoir with a capacity of 1.35 million cubic meters (coordinates: 25°16′4″N, 56°17′58″E).[21]

Also in Oman, another dam was built in 2009 in the northern sub-basin of the Wadi Madha, on the channel of its tributary the Wadi Sahanah / Wadi Sahna, with a height of 13.2 m (43 ft) and a reservoir with a capacity of 0.5 million cubic meters (coordinates: 25°17′15″N, 56°18′20″E). This second dam was officially named Wadi Sahna Dam.[22]

Toponymy

[edit]

Alternative names: Wādī Maḥḍah, Wādī Maḩḑah, Wadi Madha, Wadi Madha', Wadi Madhah, Wādī Madḥā’, Wādī Madḩah, Wādī Madḩā, Wādī Madḩā’

The name of Wadi Madha (with the spelling Wādī Madḩah), its tributaries, mountains and nearby towns, were recorded in the documentation and maps produced between 1950 and 1960 by the Arabist, cartographer, military officer and British diplomat Julian F. Walker, during the work carried out to establish the borders between the then called Trucial States,[23] later completed by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom, in 1:100,000 scale maps published in 1971.[2]

In the National Atlas of the United Arab Emirates it is spelled Wādī Maḥḍah.[1]

Population

[edit]

The Wadi Madha area was mainly populated by the Madhahana, Bani Hamid, Bani Sa'ad, Dahwahir and Naqbiyin tribes.[4][15][24][25]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jāmiʿat al-Imārāt al-ʿArabīyah al-Muttaḥidah (1993). The national atlas of the United Arab Emirates. Al Ain, United Arab Emirates: United Arab Emirates University with GEOprojects (U.K.) Ltd. ISBN 9780863511004.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "FCO 18/1792 1970 Map of Trucial States: Muscat and Oman:Masafi". www.agda.ae. United Arab Emirates: Arabian Gulf Digital Archives. 1971. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Boundary between East Aden Protectorate and Muscat and Oman". www.agda.ae. United Arab Emirates: Arabian Gulf Digital Archives. 1967–68. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b Lancaster, William; Lancaster, Fidelity (July 2011). Honour is in Contentment: Life Before Oil in Ras Al-Khaimah (UAE) and Some Neighbouring Regions. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. p. 191. ISBN 9783110223408. OCLC 763160662.
  5. ^ a b Alhogaraty, Eslam (2010). "8: Hydrology and Hydrogeology". Environmental assessment for a biosphere reserve in the eastern region of the United Arab Emirates with help of geoinformatics (PDF) (Thesis). Greifswald, Germany: University of Greifswald. p. 114. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  6. ^ OpenStreetMap contributors (27 May 2025). "Wadi Madha Drainage Basin" (Map). OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 27 May 2025.[self-published source]
  7. ^ OpenStreetMap contributors (27 May 2025). "Wadi Wurayah Drainage Basin" (Map). OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 27 May 2025.[self-published source]
  8. ^ OpenStreetMap contributors (27 May 2025). "Way: Wadi Shi Drainage Basin" (Map). OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 27 May 2025.[self-published source]
  9. ^ Subraelu, P.; Ahmed, A.; Ebraheem, A.A.; Sheriff, M.; Mirza, S.B.; Ridouane, F.L.; Sefelnasr, A. (2 August 2023). "Risk Assessment and Mapping of Flash Flood Vulnerable Zones in Arid Region, Fujairah City, UAE-Using Remote Sensing and GIS-Based Analysis". Water 2023. 15 (2802). MDPI: 2802. doi:10.3390/w15152802.
  10. ^ OpenStreetMap contributors (27 May 2025). "Wadi Safad Drainage Basin" (Map). OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 27 May 2025.[self-published source]
  11. ^ Alsharhan, Abdulrahman S.; Rizk, Zeinelabidin E. (March 17, 2020). Water Resources and Integrated Management of the United Arab Emirates. World Water Resources. Vol. 3. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-3-030-31684-6 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "Mindat.org - Wādī Şaḩanah, Umm al Qaywayn, United Arab Emirates". www.mindat.org.
  13. ^ "Tribulus: Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group - Recorders' Reports Archaeology and Palaeontology, Birds, Flora, Mammals, Reptiles" (PDF). Tribulus. Vol. 2, no. 2. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Emirates Natural History Group. October 1992. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  14. ^ Burt, J.A., ed. (2024). A Natural History of the Emirates. Springer Cham. p. 179. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-37397-8. ISBN 978-3-031-37396-1. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  15. ^ a b c d "FO 371/114648 Land and sea boundaries of Trucial Sheikhdoms in Persian Gulf". www.agda.ae. United Arab Emirates: Arabian Gulf Digital Archives. 1955. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  16. ^ a b c "19". Madha - Dafta Road (PDF). openjicareport.jica.go.jp (Technical report). Japan International Cooperation Agency. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  17. ^ "III Madha - Dafta Road" (PDF) (Map). openjicareport.jica.go.jp. Japan International Cooperation Agency. November 2004. pp. 1–6. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  18. ^ "Mindat.org - Z̧āhir al Qasha', Musandam, Oman". www.mindat.org.
  19. ^ "Al-Sarooj Dam in the Wilayat of Madha in Musandam - News Desk on August 1, 2022|". arabiandaily.com. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
  20. ^ "Intense rain spell fills Sarooj Dam in Madha - August 1, 2022|". www.muscatdaily.com. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
  21. ^ "QUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture". www.fao.org. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  22. ^ "Wadi Sahna dam opened - The Free Library. 2010 Al Bawaba (Middle East) Ltd.|". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
  23. ^ "FCO 18/1937 – 1958 Sketch map drawn by Julian Walker for boundary delimitation: Dhaid-Masafi". www.agda.ae. United Arab Emirates: Arabian Gulf Digital Archives. 1958. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  24. ^ "FO 371/132894 – 1958 Tribes of Trucial States coast". www.agda.ae. United Arab Emirates: Arabian Gulf Digital Archives. 1958. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  25. ^ Lorimer, J. G. (1908). "Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol. II. Geographical and Statistical. 1908 [1696] (1819/2084)". www.qdl.qa. Qatar Digital Library: British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
[edit]

Media related to Wadi Madha at Wikimedia Commons

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wadi_Madha&oldid=1292515262"