A total of SR6 billion will be needed to prepare Jeddah for future floods, including the construction of eight flood canals at a width of 50 meters each. This is according to a study carried out by the mayoralty, sources said. The sources said that the contents of the study will be approved soon. The amount will cover the cost of acquisition of land and to modify and rectify valley routes in the governorate. The study estimates that a total of 2.8 million sq. meters of land will have to be acquired. Most of this land and buildings are located in districts east of the highway and in southeast Jeddah. The cost is estimated at SR700 million at an estimated rate of SR250 per sq. meter. The sources estimated the total cost, for modifying and rectifying the routes of valleys in Jeddah governorate, at about SR5.7 billion. This is for the construction of the eight canals that will reach the valley beds in the easternmost areas of the city. This also includes construction of three storm-water and floodwater drainage canals of 56 km in length, that will drain the water to the sea. A preliminary study had looked at ways to protect districts located east of the highway in Jeddah from flood waters. These areas lack storm-water and floodwater drainage, particularly those located on the valley beds, which branch off from the main valleys that flow towards the sea. Experts and specialists have confirmed that there is a possibility of constructing storm-water and floodwater drainage canals within the existing districts without resorting to the acquisition of properties. This is possible through the construction of underground tunnels and canals which extend to the valleys in the extreme east. These would be linked to the three existing storm-water canals. The study pointed out that the Al-Kura' and Bariman valleys converge onto the northern floodwater drainage canal that flows into “Sharm Obhur”. The study indicated that these valleys need four new canals to link the northeastern districts of Jeddah with this canal, which is 29 km long. The canal is linked to Bariman, Al-Manar, Al-Rahmaniah and Al-Hamdaniah districts, the northeast of King Abdul Aziz International Airport, and the new planned districts. The total area of land that has to be expropriated for these four canals is in excess of 1.45 million sq. meters. The study showed that the central canal needs the construction of two canals linking it to the valley beds from the east, at a length of 15 km and a width of 50 meters. The two canals aim to link Muraikh and Qaws valleys, in which the sewage lake is located in the easternmost part of the city. One of the canals will cross the districts of Quwaizah and Al-Sawaed, Jack Street and most of the districts that were hit by the recent floods. The second canal will pass through Al-Samer-III, Al-Tawfiq, Al-Ajwad, Al-Rabee' and other eastern districts of Jeddah. The area of the land and buildings that need to be acquired is estimated at 750,000 sq. meters. The study pointed out that the valleys located east of the southern floodwater canal need two canals measuring 12 km long and 50 meters wide. One of them will be linked to the valleys which is connected to the sewage lake east of the highway. The other one will start from Ghulail Valley, the biggest valley in Jeddah, and pass through the southern and southeastern districts and will reach the southern floodwater drainage canal.
