Ammon News - Locals and farmers living and working in areas adjacent to the Mujib Dam, south, have sounded the alarm of a major environmental hazard as pumping the reservoir risk a die-off of the fish stock and crop loss.

They said that the dam water level has substantially declined as a result of "round-the-clock" pumping and the fact that it received less water during the last wet season characterized by low precipitation.

They said government stakeholders "must find the necessary solutions before it is too late" and must stop pumping to the Dead Sea area and the Arab Potash Company in the southern portion of the Jordan Valley.

They indicated that the 29mcm reservoir boasts a considerable fish stock, however, they added, if pumping continues at current rates, the die-off of hundreds of tons of fish might become a reality.

Furthermore, they claimed that a total of 30,000 cubic meters of water are being pumped from the dam, located between the cities of Karak and Madaba, everyday, which leads to a sharp decline in the water level in the reservoir's lake.

In turn, the Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority, Manar Mahasneh, agreed that the dam water level is low compared to previous years, as a result of low precipitation as the case in other dams across the Kingdom.

However, Mahasneh revealed that she and a team of experts visited the dam on Monday where they checked the water level and the results, according to Mahasneh, were "positive".

"The dam currently holds 6.3mcm of water, which should not be a source of concern," she indicated, adding that pumping from the dam will be stopped should any risk to the environment or nearby farms arise.

(Petra)