Kuwait Information

The wind in Kuwait is an active agent of the erosion of rock and soil, and the transportation and accumulation of particulate materials. High winds are combined with the following influences:

• Scarcity and irregularity of rainfall, with an average of 106 millimeters per year (the total annual rainfall fluctuated between 28 and 260 millimeters during the period from 1957 to 1994).

• The occasional occurrence of runoff with heavy loads of outwash materials (source of shifting sands) after heavy rainfall (30 to 40 millimeters in two to three hours).

• The almost rainless, hot, dry season (May-September) occurring during the same period as the prevailing northwesterly winds, with a maximum speed of 29 meters per second. This climatic phenomenon accelerates deflation of the nearly bare and dry sandy soils.

• The location of Kuwait downwind of the high deflational area of the Mesopotamian flood plain (regional sand supply).

• The high susceptibility of both unconsolidated and consolidated deposits to wind and water erosion (local sand supply).

• The paucity of effective biological soil stabilizers (deep rooted shrubs and trees) due to the nature of the soil and scarcity of water.

In addition, human activities during the last 15 years contributed to soil erosion and the encroachment of sand. War machinery and ground fortifications during both the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) and the Gulf War and its effects (post 1990) also disturbed the desert surface. Due to these factors, windblown landforms constitute the most prominent features, and are differentiated into erosional (wind eroded) and depositional (wind accumulated).

Erosional Forms: Very little is known about the erosional forms in Kuwait, compared to the plethora of information on the depositional ones (e.g., dunes, sand sheets, etc.). Three types of erosional forms are recognized: yardangs, desert lag (serir) and deflation hollows.

Yardangs constitute streamlined features of different compositions and dimensions. High rates of wind erosion at the windward extremity of yardangs result in the undercutting and falling of large blocks. This phenomenon is termed frontal retreat. At the northern outskirts of Jal Az-Zor escarpment large-scale forms of yardangs are developed in the sandstone of Ad-Dibdibah Formation.

Desert lags (serir) are formed by the erosion of poorly sorted, water-laid deposits. The fine particles (silt and clay) are removed by the wind while coarse grains (granules, pebbles and cobbles) survive as an armor that protects the underlying fine sediments.
Deflation hollows constitute shallow depressions that are carved out in both consolidated and unconsolidated layers. In Adh-Dhubaiyah at the southern coastal plain, deflation hollows are cut in lagoonal deposits (sabkha), the depth of which rarely exceeds 50 centimeters from the ground surface. The shallow water table represents the base level of erosion of the hollows.

Depositional Forms: In Kuwait, vast expanses are covered by shifting sands which accumulate into numerous forms. These exhibit variable morphologic and dynamic characteristics, reflecting differences in wind regimes, genesis and local geologic conditions. The four main forms of aeolian accumulations are sand sheets, aeolian wadi-fills, sand dunes and sand drifts. These accumulations are mainly composed of quartz grains with smaller amounts of feldspars, fragments of volcanic rocks, calcrete and gypcrete. They may be free (mobile), anchored or stabilized.

Water is the most essential resource. Urban, industrial, and agricultural demands are continually increasing. Water resources of Kuwait can be classified into three significant types: one natural (groundwater) and two artificial (desalinated sea water and treated wastewater). Because of the scarcity of both rain water and fresh groundwater, most of the water demand is met by desalinated sea water. Groundwater, while largely brackish, is nevertheless an important component of Kuwait’s water resources. It is frequently used for irrigation on private farms, landscaping, post-treatment of distilled water, watering livestock and construction. Treated wastewater is important in maintaining and increasing water resources in Kuwait, as well as improving the quality of the environment. This is an enormous and increasing fresh-water source that can be used for irrigating certain crops, landscaping, recreational parks and industrial uses.

Also, this water can be considered an important source of artificial groundwater recharge.

Chronology of Water Development

In the past, Kuwait’s freshwater supply came from a scant number of water wells. Additionally, water was transported from Shatt Al-Arab by dhows. In 1905, the first large capacity, fresh-water well was discovered in the Hawalli area. Water continued to be transported by converted water-carrying dhows for some time. In 1939, a company was established that ran a fleet of such water carriers from Shatt Al-Arab. By 1946, the company had 45 dhows for the continuous transport of 8,000 imperial gallons per day (IGD). Soon thereafter, desalination plants were erected as follows:

1. In 1951, K.O.C. ( Kuwait Oil Company ) erected a small 80,000 IGD seawater desalination plant at Mina Al-Ahmadi and piped some of the water to Kuwait City.
2. In 1953, the first desalination plant at Ash-Shuwaikh was commissioned. The total capacity of the plant increased to 28 million imperial gallons per day(MIGD) in 1988.
3. In 1965, Ash-Shuaibah North plant began production of fresh water, with a total of 14 MIGD, which was reduced to nine MIGD in 1988.
4. In 1971, Ash-Shuaibah South plant was commissioned, and the total capacity of this plant has increased from five MIGD to 30 MIGD.
5. In 1978, Ad-Dohah East Plant was commissioned. Recently, the total capacity of the plant reached 12 MIGD.
6. In 1983, Ad-Dohah West Plant was commissioned with a total capacity of 96 MIGD.
7. In 1988, Az-Zor South plant was commissioned with a total capacity of 30 MIGD, which was increased to 48 MIGD in 1989.

The installed capacity of desalination plants in operation totals 234 MIGD, while gross maximum consumption recorded is 184.9 MIGD in 1994.

Groundwater Systems

Fresh groundwater is known to be found in lenses of sand and gravel layers of the Dibdibah Formation; the uppermost formation of the Kuwait Group. The lenses are surrounded and underlain by brackish and saline water from the lower strata of the Kuwait Group (Lower Fars and Ghar Formations).

Groundwater aquifers are found within the sedimentary rocks of the Kuwait Group. They are also found in the Dammam Formation of the Hasa Group, which is the main productive source of brackish water in Kuwait. The Kuwait Group is completely dry in the extreme southwest, but is almost completely saturated along the coast of the Arabian Gulf and to the northeast of the country. The Kuwait Group aquifer is hydraulically connected with the underlying Dammam Formation.

Kuwait is mostly covered by a thin veneer of Recent (less than a million years old) surface deposits that are considered to be a local source for sand and dust storms. These sediments are classified into six major classes: aeolian, residual, playa, desert plain, slope and alluvial fan, and coastal deposits.

Aeolian sand deposits cover more than 50 percent of the surface of Kuwait and are the most common type of Recent surface deposits. They occur in the form of sand sheets, sand dunes and drifts, and wadi-fill. Sand is transported from the older deposits in the form of bed load while, at the same time, the finer particles (silt and clay) are transported in suspension, i.e., in the form of dust storms. The presence of a tremendous amount of mobile sand in Kuwait indicates the huge amount of dust carried in suspension.

Residual gravel deposits occur as a very extensive blanket composed of a mixture of gravel, sand, silt and clay covering most of the northern desert of Kuwait. They developed as a result of the deflation process on Ad-Dibdibah deposits. This process causes the winnowing out of fine particles, leaving behind a lag of coarser pebbles and boulders which form a more resistant crust (deflation armour or stone pavement). Based on the nature of their occurrence, these deposits can be classified into three types: residual gravel sheets, residual gravels capping ridges and residual gravels associated with sand sheets.

Playa deposits are generally more abundant in the northwestern part of the desert and are closely associated with drainage systems. It has been suggested that these playas, which form small basins that collect water during the rainy periods, were formed through the deflation process. This led to the lowering of the land surface and subsequent filling in with sediments carried by drainage channels. Playa surfaces are enriched with salt and evaporite minerals in the dry seasons. Several playa lake formations have been recognized in the north-western part of Kuwait.

Desert plain deposits have developed through the accumulation of rain-washed sediments of various grain sizes in broad, shallow depressions. Desert plains are usually found between dune fields.

Slope deposits are well developed along the Jal Az-Zor escarpment. They are composed of boulders of calcareous grits with finer detritus as are the alluvial fans which occur close to the slope deposits. Most of the slope deposits are associated with cone-shaped talus formations.

Coastal deposits can be classified into different types: coastal plain deposits (gatch), coastal dunes, sabkha deposits, beach and tidal flat deposits, coastal cliffs and coral reef beaches. It appears plausible that the desert of Kuwait is mostly covered with aeolian sand, reflecting the action of wind on the loose desert clastic deposits and the aridity of the area.

Kuwait represents a structurally simple region of the Arabian platform in the actively subsiding foreland of the Zagros Mountains to the north and east. Principal structural features of Kuwait include two subsurface arches (Kuwait and Dibdibah) and the fault-bounded Wadi Al-Batin. Faults defining Wadi Al-Batin are related to Tertiary (less than 66 million years) extension in the region. The Kuwait and Dibdibah arches have no surface expression, whereas the younger Bahrah anticline and Ahmadi ridge have a geomorphic expression and are structurally superposed on the Kuwait arch. Major hydrocarbon accumulations are associated with the Kuwait arch.

The structural arches in Kuwait are part of a regional set of north-trending arches known as the Arabian folds, along which many of the most important oil fields in the Arabian Gulf are located. These arches are at least Middle Cretaceous (around 100 million years) in age. The orientation of the Arabian folds has been interpreted to be inherited from older structures in the Precambrian basement (more than 570 million years old), with possible amplification from salt diapirism. The north-south trends may continue northward beneath the Mesopotamian basin and the Zagros fold belt.

The northwest-trending anticlinal structures of the Ahmadi ridge and Bahrah anticline are younger than the Arabian folds. They are related to the Zagros collision initiated in post-Eocene times (less than 37 million years ago). These younger folds seem to have a second order control on the distribution of hydro carbon reservoirs in Kuwait, as oil wells are concentrated in northwest-trending belts across the north-striking Kuwait arch.

The Kuwait arch has a maximum structural relief in the region between Al-Burqan in the south and Al-Bahrah in the north. It has closed structural contours around the Wafrah, Burqan, Maqwa and Bahrah areas, and a partial closure indicating a domal structure beneath Kuwait City and Kuwait Bay. The superposition of the Kuwait arch and the shallow anticlinal structure of the Ahmadi ridge form a total structural relief of more than 1.6 kilometers long. The northwest trending Dibdibah arch represents another subsurface anticline in western Kuwait. The ridge is approximately 75 kilometers long, and is an isolated domal structure, but has not to date yielded any significant hydro-carbon reservoirs.

Wadi Al-Batin is a large valley, 7-10 kilometers wide and with relief up to 57 meters. In the upper area, the valley sides are steep, but in southwestern Kuwait few ravines have steep walls greater than five meters in height. It is over 75 kilometers in length within Kuwait, and extends 700 kilometers south-westward into western Saudi-Arabia where it is referred to as Wadi Ar-Rimah.

The ephemeral drainage in the wadi drains from the southwest, and has transported Quaternary and Tertiary gravels consisting of igneous, metamorphic and volcanic rock fragments from Saudi Arabia during Pleistocene pluvial episodes. The wadi widens toward the northeast, and it becomes indistinguishable from its surroundings northwest of Kuwait City. Ridges made of Dibdibah gravel define paleodrainage patterns of a delta system draining Wadi Al-Batin; many of these gravel ridges form prominent lineaments that are marked by faults on at least one side,suggesting structural control of the drainage pattern.al interpretation has been made of faults of the Wadi Al-Batin system using data from seismic reflection lines, electric logs, and hydrological pumping tests. Numerous small and several relatively large faults are revealed on the seismic reflection lines. Hydrological pumping tests show a break in the draw-down slope at the faults. It has been concluded that steep Miocene to late Eocene faults parallel to the wadi have displaced the block in the center of the wadi upwards by 25-35 meters relative to the strata outside the wadi, and that displacements die out toward the northeast. The structural interpretation also shows parallel faults outside the wadi, but these do not have any visible expression on Landsat images.

The stratigraphic succession of rock layers beneath the desert surface of Kuwait is divided into five groups ranging in age from Holocene (less than 2 million years) to Lower Cretaceous (less than 144 million years). These are, from youngest to oldest: Kuwait, Hasa, Aruma, Wasia and Thamama. The dominant lithology is sand, limestone, gravel, shales, clays and evaporites. The stratigraphic column of Kuwait is dominated by the stable shelf conditions of the Arabian crustal plate since the Paleozoic (245 to 570 million years) and the early Mesozoic Periods (less than 245 million years old), causing the deposition of a thick sequence of shallow water sediments and evaporites. Within Early Miocene time (less than 24 million years old) a peripheral basin formed at the northwest side of the Zagros belt, covering the northwest part of the Arabian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula. Continental clastics shed from the east and west highlands filled the shallow basin, forming the upper Tertiary sequence of Miocene to Pleistocene age.

The Kuwait Group, which ranges in age from Miocene to Pleistocene (less than 24 million years old), represents a sequence of clastic sediments 150 meters in thickness. It may be divided into three formations. These are, from top to bottom: Dibdibah, Lower Fars and Ghar Formations, which were described earlier. The degree of cementation varies with depth. Most are cemented with evaporites and carbonates. The environment of deposition is continental and evaporitic with shallow marine components. Lenses of fresh water were found within the Kuwait Group, such as Ar- Raudhatain and Umm Al-Aish fields.

The Hasa Group from top to bottom consists of: Dammam, Rus and Umm Radhuma, ranging in age from Middle Eocene to Paleocene (47-67 million years). An erosional unconformity separates the Kuwait Group from the Hasa Group. This unconformity is represented in the basal clay or cherty layers of varying thickness.

The Hasa Group has a wide extent from Saudi Arabia through Kuwait and Iraq to Iran. The Dammam Formation underlies the whole of Kuwait and averages 250 meters in thickness. It consists mainly of shaly and chalky limestone with cherts, anhydrites and dolomites. During the Middle Eocene epoch (about 18 million years) an invasion of fresher water brought about the widespread deposition of carbonates. The depositional environment was probably shallow marine grading into continental conditions. Brackish water in large quantities was found within the Dammam Formation, which is highly karstified at several depths in the southwest corner of Kuwait. The oldest exposed outcrop in Kuwait is of the Dammam limestone, which is Middle Eocene in age (about 47 million years), and is uncomfortably overlain by the terrigenous sequence of Kuwait Group deposits. It outcrops in a small area in the southern part of Kuwait which may be related to the regional structure of Kuwait.

The most common surface deposits associated with the Dammam Formation and Kuwait Group in general is the “Gatch Layer”. This is sand highly cemented with salt, i.e., calcrete cemented with calcite and gypcrete cemented with gypsum.

The oil reservoirs are concentrated in the Aruma, Wasia and Thamama Groups of the Cretaceous System (67-144 million years), which varies in thickness from about 2,070 meters in southeast Kuwait to about 3,450 meters in north -west Kuwait. The lithology is predominantly limestone and subordinate shale, with two major oil-bearing sandstone formations in the Lower and Middle Cretaceous.

These are the Zubair Formation, which is approximately 450 meters thick, and the Burqan Formation, which is approximately 380 meters thick. Other oil producing formations are the Ahmadi, Wara, Mauddud, Zubair, Ratawi and Manaqish.

Quaternary and Tertiary gravels of igneous and metamorphic origin cover most of Kuwait’s desert surface. These were deposited during a fluvial stage of the Pleistocene. Pleistocene and Holocene carbonates and evaporites are widely distributed along the Kuwait coast.

Kuwait lies at the north-west corner of the Arabian Gulf, between 28o and 30o latitudes and between 46o and 48o longitudes. To the north and the west, it shares a border of 240 km (149 miles) with the Republic of Iraq, and to the south and south-west it shares 250 km (155 miles) with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On the east it has a coastline of 290 km (181 miles) on the Arabian Gulf.

Area And Topography

The total area of the State of Kuwait is 17,818 sq km. Most of the mainland is a flat sandy desert gradually sloping towards sea level in the east. It is broken by shallow depressions and low hills, which form a ridge at Jal Al-Zor (145 metres above sea level), cut by the Umm Al-Ramam Wadi. The area is locally known as Ghodai, meaning a hill. The southern part of Kuwait is generally flat, with the exception of Ahmadi hill which is 137 metres above sea level.

The topography consists of a rocky and sandy plain with a few separate hills. The most prominent land feature is Wadi Al-Batin, which lies in the northwestern edge of the country, and whose center forms the Kuwait-Iraq border line.

The Kuwaiti mainland was for a long time a transit area for nomadic tribes and caravans. Such freedom of movement made delineation of borders rather difficult. On July 7, 1965, a neutral zone was created between the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The northern part of the partitioned zone is administered by Kuwait, whilst the southern part is the administrative responsibility of Saudi Arabia. The crude oil extracted from the partitioned zone is equally shared by both countries.

In addition to the mainland, Kuwait occupies a number of offshore islands, the largest of which is Bubyan . To the north of Bubyan lies Warbah Island. Failaka Island lies at the inlet of Kuwait Bay, and beside it lie the two smaller islands of Miskan and Awhah, The other small islands are Kubbar, Qaruh,Umm Al-Maradim and Umm An- Namil.

Kuwait’s wild plant-life is one of its unique natural heritage. Plants are adapted to survive in the harsh conditions and extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, they suffered under the intense pressure caused by grazing, collection of fuel etc. However, four major ecosystems may be recognised, they are:

Sand-dune ecosystem: Some perennial shrubs which have medicinal value grow here. The other dominant plantation is the annual grass.

Salt-marshes and saline depressions: These are common along the shores of Kuwait. The plant-life here has to be more that just salt-tolerant since this is very much a marine dominated environment. A clearly defined zonation of plants associated with salt-marshes are found here.

Desert: This is dominated by bushy clamps of perennial desert grass. However, in low depressions where occasional rainfall gathers, attractive purple or blue colored flowers grow aplenty.

Natural Vegetation

The rainfall in Kuwait is extremely erratic with great variations occurring from one year to the next and even during the rainy season itself. Seasonal variations also occur when most of the rain is either too early or too late for the normal rainy season from October to May. These variations greatly affect the natural vegetation. During good rainy seasons the vegetative cover is luxurious while during dry seasons it may almost disappear.

The vegetation of Kuwait is composed of sparse low shrubs and herbaceous perennials and annuals. Recent studies indicate that there are 374 species of native and naturalized vascular plants in Kuwait. Shrubs constitute 9.1 percent of the species; herbaceous perennials 22.2 percent, and annuals 68.4 percent.

Only one native tree is known in Kuwait, representing the remaining 0.3 percent of the flora. The largest families are: Gramineae, Compositae, Cruciferae,Leguminosae, Chenopodiaceae and Caryophyllaceae.

Vegetation types are grouped into four ecosystems: sand dunes, salt marshes, desert plains, and desert plateaus. The first two ecosystems show marked differences in their vegetation and soil types while the two desert ecosystems vary only slightly in their soils and dominant species. Sand dune vegetation occupies the low dunes and ridges which extend along the Gulf shores, and spits are mainly composed of oolitic sands and lime stones. The coastal oolitic sands are usually occupied by Seidlitzia rosmarinus while the ridges are dominated by Zygophyllum qatarense or Atriplex leucoclada.

These species are associated with Pennisetum divisum, Halothamnus iraqensis, Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Panicum turgidum and Cistanche tubulosa. The latter occurs as a common root parasite on Zygophyllum and woody Chenopodiaceae, occupying the same area as Seidlitzia, Halothamnus and Atriplex.

At the foot of the coastal dunes, the terrain is rather flat or gently undulating with loamy, firm sand dominated by Zygophyllum qatarense. It is associated with Salsola imbricata, Lycium shawii, Halothamnus iraqensis, Cornulacaaucheri, Panicum turgidum and Heliotropium kotschyi.

Salt marshes occupy some coastal areas, as well as the islands of Bubyan and Warbah. Sabkha, or saline depressions, also occur in patches near the coast or inland not far from the coastal regions.

Kuwait is home to numerous species of insects, animals and birds. Among the diverse insects the most attractive group is that of butterflies. Several beautiful varieties are found here and the best time to see them is Spring. There are 38 recorded reptiles in Kuwait, comprising of a variety of snakes, lizards, geckos etc. Besides, there are 50 listed varieties of mammals a number of them are endangered species. Some commonly found animals include hedgehog, wolf, wild cat, Gazelle etc. Nearly 280 species of birds have been recorded here. Incidentally, most of them are migratory birds.

ANIMALS

The Arabian Peninsula represents a bridge between Eurasia and Africa, allowing faunal interchange to occur. Subsequently, the fauna of the Arabian Peninsula shows a close affinity with both those regions. Kuwait is located at the head of the Arabian Gulf, where a mixture occurs of two zoogeographical regions: the palearctic and oriental.

The zoological collections of Kuwait were established earlier in this century with an extensive collection of birds and small mammals. Identified animals included horse breeds, varieties of sheep and goats, and the favorite breeds of camel. Wild animals were listed along with their local names, such as cheetah (fahad), wild cat (hirr), Caracal lynx (itfah), hedgehog (qunfid), wolf (dheeb), fox (hasni), lizard (dhub), hyena (dhab’a) and jerboa (jerbu). Also mentioned were species of antelope, gazelle, ostrich and wild goats.

During the past two decades, studies of wildlife species in the Gulf region have increased. More areas were designated for the protection of endangered species such as the Houbara bustard (Chalamydotis undulatus). The reintroduction of Arabian mammals such as the gazelle (e. g., the “reem” gazelle – Gazella subuturosa) and Arabian onyx (Oryx leucoryx) are also part of this protection program.

Protected areas in Kuwait include both coastal and desert regions. Coastal protected areas, such as As-Sulaibikhat and Al-Jahra pond, were established to protect migratory birds. Desert protected areas, such as the National Park of Kuwait (411 square kilometers) and Al-Sulaibiyah Field Station (20 square kilometers), are important for the protection of plants. Wildlife species, primarily reptiles, birds and a few mammals, benefit from the protected habitats in all areas.

INSECTS

Kuwait has 578 species of insects, belonging to 414 genera and 22 orders. There are three species of apterygota, 113 species of exopterygota and 462 species of endopterygota. The largest order is that of beetles (Coleoptera) with 230 known species, then butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) with 76 recorded species, followed by bees, wasps and ants (Hymenoptera) with 71 species, then flies (Diptera) with 69 species, and finally the locusts (Orthoptera) with 34 known species.

One of the most common insects in Kuwait is the ground beetle (Tenebrionidae). The most famous species is probably Trachyderma hispida. This black beetle is omnipresent in houses and in the desert. Active during day time, this beetle burrows the larvae and pupae beneath soil cover.

Insect collectors have focused on the locust. This is due to the ability of the locust to destroy living bushes and any available green grass, causing sheep to die by the hundreds. The locusts originate in Africa and migrate from Ethiopia to Yemen. From there, the swarms select one of two routes; either to Balauchistan and India via the southern Arabian Sea, or up to Hijaz Plateau and Najd Peneplain, along a northeastern tract to Kuwait. Two main types of locusts are recorded; the red-colored variety (Anacridium aegypticum) known locally as “yakhaka” and the common desert-yellow variety with brown markings (Schistocera gregaria) known locally as “jarad”. In addition to the locusts are the roller beetles, known locally as “Abu-Ja’al,” which appear after a good rain.

There has always been a strong link between Kuwait and the sea, and it is this link which has shaped the distinctive character of today’s Kuwaitis and had constituted the main source of income in ancient times.

Although today the picture is very different with urban expansion and rapid modernisation, the link with the sea is still a cherished memory of the past for the Kuwaitis.

The 290-km coast can be divided into two main parts:

Extending along the Arabian Gulf and

Extending around the Kuwaiti Bay and Khor Subiya.
Most of the former area is characterised by sandy beaches, while the second area, 70 km in length, is characterised by mudflats, especially in the shallow northern area in the Bay of Kuwait where the maximum wave height is 16 cm opposite Kuwait city.

There are six seaports located at the following locations:

1. Shuwaikh
2. Doha
3. Ahmadi
4. Mina Abdallah
5. Shuaiba
6. Al-Zor.

There are some special anchorage points used by companies and individuals besides the above mentioned ports. There are also 20 anchorage points for small boats. Eleven per cent of the beaches are assigned for tourist recreation and entertainment and 40 per cent of the shoreline is utilised by special establishments and nationals for private villas and chalets, whilst 35 per cent of the beaches, mainly in the northern part, are as yet pristine.