Mahafir: A water harvesting system in the Eastern Jordan (Badia) Eesert

There are many different water harvesting systems in the Middle East and the operation of one type, the mahafir, was investigated in the Badia Region of Jordan. Mahafir are crescent and rectangular shaped excavations dug into the playa surface, now filled with sediment. Their previous volumes were estimated through topographical survey of the surrounding earth mounds. The average depth of the mahafir was found to be 3.2 m; storing a total water volume of 111,619 m³ at Maharouta and 55,005 m³ at Anka. The mahafir only occupy 4% of the playa surface and their source of water is primarily direct rainfall onto the playa surface augmented by runoff from adjacent slopes. Taking annual rainfalls as an input from 1963 to 1992 and even assuming rainfall harvesting is only 10% effective it appears that the full water storage potential of the mahafir could be met in most years.