Institutional arrangements of the aflaj systems’ maintenance in Sultanate of Oman: operation of the different aflaj type case study

Abstract

The aflaj (singular falaj) may be viewed from Omani institutional term to distribute water using time to those hold water rights or viewed as an irrigation system by which transport aquifer water table/underground galleries naturally through gravity to the irrigated areas/villages. Such transportation process/the original water extraction takes three main forms, locally known as three aflaj types: daudi, ghaili and ayni. Since the main water source for the daudi found several kilometers from villages, it requires long closed tunnel extending deep into the aquifer (but must be constructed at a level of the upper part of the aquifer to allow natural flowing by gravity). Whereas the ayni main water sources (natural spring) come up to the surface and transported through short open channel. The ghaili extracts water from surface of an oasis and uses open short channel. Empirical information with respect to these three forms of the physical-extraction variation has been investigated and examined through a detailed case study. The primary objective is to evaluate and document the historical methodology undertaken to develop different maintenance institutional arrangements. Hence, an attemptis made to answer the following research question ‘To what extent did the development of the aflaj institutional arrangements reflect upon the original physical variation collection/extraction process?’ Although there exist three water-extraction processes in Oman, the finding clearly classified the three aflaj types with respect to institution for maintenance into two main categories. Our survey provided evidence which place daudi and ghaili within one category and ayni in another. This finding can be explained as follows: (1) since the ayni aflaj usually found in mountainous areas (which are not prone to flooding), limited financial support is required for their regular maintenance. In addition, their channel layout prevents extensive water damage; (2) although the main water source for ghaili aflaj appears simple and does not require complex construction, they tend to capture tremendous amounts of sand that remains after flash floods. This is attributed to the fact that its mother-well was constructed as an open, and hence, any flow of the wadi/oasis would bring large amounts of silty sand and clay, which may completely block the main water supply.