Water in the Desert: How UAE Improves Irrigation Methods and Maintains Plantation Coverage in Extreme Dryness
By Christina Chen (4/26/25) — Abu Dhabi, UAE
The United Arab Emirates is one of the most water-scarce nations in the world. At the beginning of April, the most severe sandstorm I had experienced reminded me that I was living in the desert, despite the coverage of some green plants. The sand spread in the air, and the sky was dark yellow with limited vision. Seeing the palm trees and little bushes everywhere in Abu Dhabi, UAE, I wondered how people water the plants and crops here.
Aflaj: Traditional irrigation method in the Gulf countries.
Unlike elsewhere, the sprinkler systems are far from enough to nourish plants in most of the Gulf countries, including the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, etc. Due to the extreme weather here, about 60% of the water sprayed would evaporate before it gets absorbed by the soil. With increasing levels of drought, plants are watered far from enough to thrive. Traditionally, the UAE built underground or overground canals called “Aflaj,” which deliver fresh water throughout the nation. With natural gravity, water could be pressed out and redistributed evenly to needed regions.
On the other hand, the drawbacks are straightforward. The water flow volume is highly dependent on groundwater fluctuations, getting polluted, or lost on the way of transportation. A tourist guide in the cultural district told me that “The Aflaj has been important until now, which facilitates bulk transportation between 7 emirates across the UAE. Given its limitations, the government has been putting efforts on more developed systems.”
New methods and upgrades: Drip irrigation and automatic sprinklers
Some upgrades are implemented to traditional systems. For example, a school gardener introduced ecosystems on campus to me: Sensors for weather, humidity, and time are added with automated controllers near the sprinklers. “Currently, the UAE uses drip irrigation more widely besides traditional sprinklers, and almost every field with plantations is equipped.”
Multiple small pipes laid along the ground moisturize the soil continuously. The ends are buried near the roots of plants to water them directly when needed. The change is drastic – about 25% water reduction compared to the spraying method.
In addition to the irrigation and water transportation systems, the UAE trying to mediate soil erosion. Since March, workers and staff in the city have been planting trees on available fields when the temperature rises to 30 degrees Celsius.
I walked past the NYUAD service center and asked Tashi about their plans for implementing the integrated irrigation method on campus. “Normally we plan ahead of time – before the weather gets really hot – to make more fresh air around the campus,” she told me, “Increasing the plantation is an efficient way to prevent sandstorm and air pollution.”
Sustainable agriculture
In addition to limiting water consumption and waste, the UAE is trying to recollect and purify all kinds of wastewater to increase the overall fresh water supply. With a classification of polluted levels, different water treatments would be implemented. Eventually, after aligning with WHO guidelines, this recycled water would be used in agriculture and other industries in demand for mass quantities of water.
Blessed with abundant gas resources, the UAE and other Gulf countries value their luck and try to sustain their flourishing societies. Though the water supply is still inadequate, and the weather is not always friendly, the local people enjoy improving their community through ambitious missions.
References
Al Hamedi, Fatima Hasan, Karthishwaran Kandhan, Yongming Liu, Maozhi Ren, Abdul Jaleel, and Mohammed Abdul Muhsen Alyafei. 2023. "Wastewater Irrigation: A Promising Way for Future Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in the United Arab Emirates" Water 15, no. 12: 2284. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15122284
Amir Dakkak. “Irrigation Systems in the United Arab Emirates.” EcoMENA, September 2, 2024. https://www.ecomena.org/irrigation-systems-in-uae/.
“Water Infrastructure in UAE.” Fanack Water, March 31, 2022. https://water.fanack.com/uae/water-infrastructure/.
