The Environmental Atlas of Abu Dhabi Emirate

52°E

53°E

54°E

55°E

133

L AND U SE S UITABILITY I RRIGATED A GRICULTURE

Ra's al- Khaimah

50

Agriculture Forest

38

Umm al-Qaiwain

The results from the Soil Survey of Abu Dhabi Emirate (Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, 2009) were used to determine the suitability of land within the Emirate for irrigated agriculture. Given the Emirate’s desert environment, identifying areas that are suitable for irrigated agriculture is pertinent to the sustenance of the population. Several land and soil characteristics were evaluated to determine suitability for irrigated agriculture, including: soil depth, drainage and permeability, an area’s capacity to dispose of irrigation water, soil salinity, per cent of gypsum within the soil, and soil susceptibility to erosion. This suitability map classifies the Emirate into five categories: highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable, currently unsuitable and permanently unsuitable for irrigated agriculture. The currently unsuitable land includes soils that have

shallow rooting depths with hardpans within 50–100 cm of the soil surface, high gypsum content close to the surface, or high relief (up to thirty metres) and steep gradient (up to fifty-six per cent). Lands considered permanently unsuitable for irrigated agriculture include very shallow soils that occur with rock outcrops, steep sloping lands (over fifty-six per cent), high relief (over thirty metres) and poor drainage. The accompanying graph demonstrates the proportion of existing forest and agricultural land (irrigated areas) per irrigated agricultural suitability class. Since much of the Emirate’s forestry and agricultural areas were established prior to the soil survey, it is not surprising that much of the irrigated areas occur on lands that are only marginally suitable for irrigated agriculture.

25

Ajman

Sharjah

Qatar

13 Percentage

Dubai

0

Highly Suitable

Permanently Unsuitable Currently Unsuitable Irrigated Agriculture Suitability Class Marginally Suitable Moderately Suitable

Not Mapped

25°N

25°N

A r a b i a n G u l f

Mkasib

Qaffay

Abu Dhabi

Dalma

Muhayyimat

Ghaghah

Musaffah

Bani Yas

Sir Bani Yas

Marawah

Al Ain

Jebel Dhanna

Abu al-Abyadh

Ruwais

Sila'a

Tarif

24°N

24°N

Ghayathi

Habshan

Madinat Zayed

Bu Hasa

Oman

Towns

Large/Medium Towns

Roads

Liwa

Dual Carriage

Land Use

23°N

23°N

Agricultural Area Forestry or Wooded Parkland Irrigated Agriculture Suitability S1: Highly suitable

S2: Moderately suitable S3: Marginally suitable N1: Currently unsuitable N2: Permanently unsuitable

Saudi Arabia

20

0

20

40 Kilometres

52°E

53°E

54°E

55°E

56°E