Wadis as dryland river parks: challenges and opportunities in designing with hydro-ecological dynamics

Abstract

Dryland rivers (wadis in Arabic) are characterised by high levels of flow unpredictability due to their severe dry-wet hydrological regimes. In the Arabian Peninsula, recent attention has focused on revitalising the socio-ecological values of wadis by rejuvenating them as linear public parks. In this paper, we review the key hydro-ecological characteristics of wadis and examine a range of design responses to address their dynamics in urban areas. Three case studies of recent and ongoing rehabilitation projects in Muscat, Oman, were spatially analysed and interviews with stakeholders involved in the projects were conducted. Design strategies and system-based approaches were suggested, including taking account of the hydro-ecological processes and relationships across multiple spatial and temporal scales, interdisciplinary collaborations, and testing the systems’ performance through design experimentation. The findings can be applied to the rehabilitation of ephemeral rivers in dry and drying environments globally.