The Water Diplomacy Center (WDC) at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) successfully hosted two-day Project-Workshop of the MEWAC-FEMAR on "Managed Aquifer Recharge & Riverbank Filtration" in collaboration with the Institute of Groundwater Management at Technische Universität Dresden, Division of Water Sciences at the University of Applied Sciences Dresden, and the consultant Umweltbüro Vogtland (UBV) from Germany. This event was made possible through funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the Middle East Water Research Cooperation program.
The workshop included lectures and discussions led by field experts from Germany and Jordan, providing valuable insights and knowledge to the participants. Notably, 30 graduate students from Jordanian universities, representing eight different nationalities including Spain, Germany, Guatemala, India, Mixco, Malaysia, Romania, Yemen, and Jordan, registered for the course. These graduate students have diverse scientific backgrounds, encompassing fields such as Civil Engineering, Environmental and Renewable Energy Engineering, Hydrogeology, and Geology.
The proceedings commenced with a warm welcome from Prof. Ahmad Al-Ajlouni, Vice President of JUST, followed by a presentation by Dr. Majed Abu-Zreig on the Challenges of Water Resources in Jordan and the need for Aquifer Recharge. Dr. Ziad Al Ghazzawi from JUST delivered an insightful talk on Riverbank Infiltration Experiments in Jordan. An in-depth discussion led by Dr. Cornelius Sandhu from HTW Dresden covered the Introduction to Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and Riverbank Filtration (RBF), along with an investigation of clogging. Subsequently, Dr. Carsten Leibenath from UBV Vogtland discussed the Design of Technical Elements for MAR and RBF, and Dr. Thomas Reimann from TU Dresden provided an Introduction and Overview of Numerical Modeling for MAR schemes. The workshop allows a diverse and dynamic group of participants ensured a stimulating environment for discussion learning and networking.
At the conclusion of the workshop, Prof. Majed Abu-Zreig awarded certificates of appreciation to the workshop instructors, and certificates of attendance were distributed to all students who attended the workshop.