Black & Veatch was engaged as lead partner in the Wadi Dayqah Dam Joint Venture formed to undertake design, procurement and construction supervision of the US$120 million Wadi Dayqah Water Supply Scheme.

The principal components of the scheme comprise two dams to impound the Wadi Dayqah, with pipelines, pumping stations and a water treatment works to supply drinking water to the local area and to Muscat, the capital city.

In this semi-arid country with few permanent surface-water resources, the project will provide a much-needed additional supply of up to 35 million m3 of water annually.

At 75 metres high, the roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam straddles 400 metres across the wadi gorge and is the tallest in the country. With available water stored primarily for potable use, the 100 million-cubic-metre capacity reservoir also maintains the ancient “aflaj” flows serving the farming activities in the neighboring villages.

Set in desert terrain against a mountainous backdrop above Al Mzaar village in the Wilayat of Quriyat, the dam and reservoir serve as a major tourist attraction.

The dam was officially opened in 2012 by His Highness Sayeed Fatik Bin Fahar Al Saeed, Secretary-General at the Ministry of Heritage and Culture.