'THE GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF DHUFAR PROVINCE, MUSCAT AND OMAN' [‎19r] (27/96)

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wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , but it shows that the underground flow must be strong at the
latter place. Indeed the entire area westwards from El Balad to
beyond El Hush appears to have seaward percolating freshwater as
is evident from the numerous shallow wells used for giving water to
the groves of cocoanut trees (palms) along the coast at Salalah. This
might be a reason why El Balad of old (and Salalah now) was selected
as the capital and Moscha as the ancient anchorage (now dis
appeared as such). I believe there are other freshwater khors of
small size along this Dhufar coast as well as springs up the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
courses, such as the northern tributaries—Ajarthun and Ghazot
which make the Rizat (Ar’Zat). I was, however, assured that there
were no springs in the Arbat other than Khiyunt at its head.
25. A word must be said in regard to the landing ground at
Salalah, about 3 miles north-north-east from the Sultan’s Palace,
and the tube-well installed there. There is no wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , and the
tube-well (with 2 |-inch discharge pipe) is about 60 feet deep and
encounters water at 43 feet from the surface (which is approximately
43 feet above high sea-level). This water is very slightly but dis
tinctly saline, perhaps due to the well being 17 feet or so below sea-
level, but I do not think there is any such direct connection with the
sea today. If the boring could have been put down to intercept the
water known to be seeping to the sea, I am certain that a far better
quantity and quality of water might have been obtained for the
requirements of the personnel and other purposes at the aerodrome
at Salalah. It is to be remembered that the rainfall on the Jabal
Qara watershed, taken as covering 10 miles by 80 miles, is roughly
12,800 million tons or, say, 256,000 million cubic feet. Half of this is
discharged northward to be lost in the Nejd, and the remainder
southwards. Of this remainder, perhaps 25% is lost in evaporation
and absorption, while another 35% goes underground to re-appear
in springs. Thus 40% probably represents the flood discharge during
the rains. This is about 51,200 million cubic feet as flowing water
down the wadis to the sea; much of it must reach the sea, but
large quantities may be lost by absorption into the ground where
the wadis cross the plain of the Jurbaid.
CUMATE AND COMMUNICATIONS
26. On the A1 Qutun or watershed of the Qara region there is
usually a cold day wind between November and February, and the
nights are colder even in the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. camps in the Qarn Shaiba,
unless sheltered from the wind. Along the coast plain or Jurbaid,
south of the Jabal Qara, the climate is very pleasant, warm by day
and cool by night in February. The climate throughout Dhufar
gets very hot by May and June when the rains come. Then every
thing is suddenly changed. The dry hot air becomes warm and