Traditionally Oman has been an agricultural country relying on groundwater to satisfy both domestic and agricultural demand. In recent years water demand has increased rapidly due to development in all sectors. Groundwater has been exploited resulting in seawater intrusion in coastal regions and serious problems of increasing salinity and lowered groundwater tables. In the Batinah region floods mainly have their source in the mountainous part of the wadis and flow throughout the plain into the densely populated coastal strip into the sea. During the short flood events the natural recharge of the groundwater table is quite small compared to the losses of sweet water into the sea.

Traditionally Oman has been an agricultural country relying on groundwater to satisfy both domestic and agricultural demand. In recent years water demand has increased rapidly due to development in all sectors. Groundwater has been exploited resulting in seawater intrusion in coastal regions and ...