Muscat – Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has announced that four major dams will be constructed in Muscat and North Batinah as part of a national strategy to boost water self-sufficiency and mitigate flooding caused by heavy rainfall.

According to a ministry official, the RO243mn initiative will be implemented under four agreements signed last week in collaboration with Ministry of Finance and Islamic Development Bank.

Two dams will be located in Muscat – Wadi al Khoudh dam in Seeb will span 1,170m in length and 46m height, with storage capacity of 77mn cubic metres, and Wadi Majlash dam in Quriyat, measuring 520m in length and 95m height, will have storage capacity of 140mn cubic metres.

In North Batinah, the Wadi Rajma dam in Shinas will stretch 2,480m and stand 25m high, capable of holding 14.5mn cubic metres of water. The Wadi Ahan dam in Saham will be 1,024m long and 42m high, with a storage volume of 26.3mn cubic metres.

“These projects aim to protect populated and agricultural areas downstream from flood risks while supporting national water security goals,” the MAFWR official said.

Oman currently faces an annual water deficit of 316mn cubic metres, according to ministry data. Renewable water resources contribute about 1,318mn cubic metres per year, but growing demand – especially from agriculture, which consumes around 83% of available supply – is straining existing resources.