The Aflaj Waterworks of Ras Al Khaimah: Current Conditions and Prospects for Conservation

Abstract

The aflaj waterworks of Ras Al Khaimah are a testament to human ingenuity, yet they have largely been abandoned due to declining water tables, waning date palm cultivation, and lack of maintenance. Due to the extraordinary communal efforts that once went into creating and maintaining these systems, the aflaj should be inventoried in greater detail, incorporated into the existing heritage management and tourism frameworks, reactivated when possible in conjunction with contemporary solutions for date palm irrigation, and leveraged as public- facing sites broadcasting the importance of judicious management of water resources.