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Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

1986 - 2010

EnvironmentGreen SpacesPollutionPublic Spaces

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Project Description

Approach Words: Environment Preservation, Sustainability, Urban Resilience

Public Policy Instruments: Physical Intervention, Planning, Regulatory

Wadi Hanifah is located in the dry region of Najd in central Saudi Arabia¹. It was historically known as Wadi al-Ard, after the tribe Bani Hanifa that inhabited the valley². It has served as an important agricultural site for historic settlements, and is home to the heritage site of Al Dir’iyyah³. With an area of over 4,000 square kilometers that act as a natural water drainage, the valley also includes wetlands that are popular as recreational sites⁴.

The expansion of Riyadh city towards the west bank of the valley increased the demand for water, subsequently impacting the water table of the valley which dropped below sustainable limits by the 1980s⁵. Moreover, construction activities contaminated the ground water and affected the valley’s topography⁶. Following this, in 1987, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City declared the valley as an environmental reserve⁷.

In 2002, a ‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan’ was approved, aiming to address environmental degradation of the valley⁸ as well as attract local and foreign visitors⁹. It held two primary objectives, the first being to restore the natural balance of the valley, and second to utilize the valley as a public space for recreation¹⁰. It acted as a master plan to guide all future activities and land use in the valley, including those related to water resources management¹¹.

Title: Wadi Hanifa natural water drainage.

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Title: Wadi Hanifa waterfall.

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Title: Wadi Hanifa wetlands.

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Title: Wadi Hanifa water levels.

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Title: Wadi Hanifa natural water drainage.

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Title: Wadi Hanifa waterfall.

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Title: Wadi Hanifa wetlands.

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Title: Wadi Hanifa water levels.

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The development plan of Wadi Hanifa classifies it into five zones, which are based on the ecosystem variations, degree of exploitation, and extent of environmental damage¹². The north-most zones are those that remain largely preserved due to lack of industrial activity and their distance from the city; they also constitute private farms belonging to wealthy and sometimes royal families¹³. The third zone is the one that has suffered the greatest degree of damage due to quarrying and dumping activities. The fourth and fifth zones also suffer from degradation as a result of polluted water¹⁴. To address all these concerns, the plan consists of five integrated components:

Environmental classification: This consists of applying mechanisms to preserve the ecology of the valley, both through plantation activities as well as through the development of institutional and regulatory mechanisms to guarantee the valley’s ecological sustainability¹⁵.

Water demand management: With the expected increase in water discharge into the valley, a series of regulations were proposed to control the quality of discharged water¹⁶. This includes the installation of a natural water treatment system and bioremediation facility, to treat water without the use of harmful chemicals¹⁷. The bioremediation facility helps in killing bacteria and providing a favorable environment for useful aquatic organisms¹⁸.

Land use plan: The aim of this component is to address the presence of incompatible land uses such as those that involve quarrying, dumping, and industrial activities, as well as encroachment on public lands in the valley¹⁹. While this component has provisions for the development of tourist facilities by private developers, they are governed by strict guidelines to ensure they cause minimal damage to the environment²⁰.

Rehabilitation: This focuses on the physical works required to rehabilitate areas affected by polluting activities²¹. Additionally, it also involves redesigning of the road network to limit through traffic, as well as streamline the arrangement of civic facilities such as electricity, telephone, water, and sewage lines²².

Development control: This component addresses the overall monitoring and control of development activities in the valley²³. It also consists of a series of regulations that were developed to preserve and enhance the valley’s cultural and historical significance²⁴. As a result, local materials have been used for structures and recreational trails²⁵. These also apply to exterior elements of private farms, which required that all fences overlooking the valley be covered with ‘Riyadh stone’, in accordance with specified measurements²⁶.

Owner/Developer (Public)

Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) ³³

Consultant/Designer

Moriyama & Teshima Planners Ltd.

Buro Happold,

Nelson Environmental Inc ³⁴

Funder

Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) ³⁵

Contractor/Implementer

Badan Agricultural and Contracting Company, Saudi Arabia ³⁶

Owner/Developer (Public)

Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) ³³

Contractor/Implementer

Badan Agricultural and Contracting Company, Saudi Arabia ³⁶

Funder

Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) ³⁵

Consultant/Designer

Moriyama & Teshima Planners Ltd.

Buro Happold,

Nelson Environmental Inc ³⁴

Additionally, pedestrian infrastructure and public spaces were proposed across the valley, in the form of parks, lakes, promenades, and trails²⁷. Some of the main parks established through this project include Elab Dam park, Wadi Hanifah Dam park, Bioremediation facility park, Al-Sadd Al-Hajari Dam park, Factories’ lake park, and Al-Jazah Lake park²⁸. 3,100 lighting fixtures, and 730 signs were also installed across the valley to facilitate visitors²⁹.

The project was led by the Arriyadh Development Authority, with Moriyama and Teshima Planners as the landscape and planning consultants³⁰. Buro Happold and Nelson Environmental acted as engineering and wastewater consultants respectively, and construction was carried out by the Badan Agricultural and Contracting company. The project budget was $1 bilion³¹, and the rehabilitated valley was inaugurated in 2010 by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City³².

Project Link, Endnotes and References

Project Link

https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah

Endnotes

N.A.

References

Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Arab News. (2017). ‘Wadi Hanifa: A desert oasis running through Riyadh’. Arab News. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.arabnews.com/node/1121236/saudi-arabia>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Al-Asad, M., & Yavuz, Y. (2004). Wadi Hanifa Development Plan. On Site Review Reports. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.archnet.org/system/publications/contents/1206/original/FLS1237.pdf?1384750082>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
Royal Commission for Riyadh City. (n.d.). ‘Royal Commission for Riyadh City - » Environmental Rehabilitation Program for Wadi Hanifa and its Tributaries’. Retrieved December 19, 2023, from <https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/projects/wadi-hanifah>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>
‘Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Plan | Landscape Performance Series’. (2015). . Retrieved December 20, 2023, from <https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/wadi-hanifah-comprehensive-development-plan>