The Follow-up Committee of UAE President Initiatives has announced that they have approved a series of dam and water canal projects in various areas of the country, valued at $44.1 million, as part of the ongoing national efforts to develop the country’s infrastructure and strategic facilities.
The committee has approved the plans under the directives of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the support of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the monitoring of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The new projects include the construction of a dam in Wadi Naqab, Ras Al Khaimah, valued at $7.32 million and measuring 22m high and 257m wide, with a capacity of some one million cu. m, according to state-owned news agency WAM. The dam will control the flow of water to residential neighbourhoods and improve groundwater storage in agricultural areas, it added. It will be followed by the construction of water channels as well as lakes and barriers.
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 $33.38 million, WAM reported. It will also comprise the construction of ferry and water drainage channels at a cost of 20.75 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 $3.13 million.
WAM also stated that the series of projects will include three other projects related to constructing ferries in Sharjah, at a cost of $5.28 million, while another project in the series will involve the construction of protection works in Ras Al Khaimah at a cost of $4.22. It will also include the construction of the Al Rahba Dam and protection works in Ras Al Khaimah for a total cost of $3.24 million.
WAM in its report also added that the committee has 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.
