Palaeohydrological and palaeoclimatological conditions of Wadi Muqat basin during late quaternary, NE-Jordan

Abstract EN

An attempt is made to assess the water balance of Wadi Muqat basin (Lake Burqu') which occupied the most northeastern part of Jordan during a part of the Late Quaternary, and to reconstruct the climatic and environmental conditions (hydrology and temperature), through geomorphological and hydrological studies.

Two main shorelines were determined and constructed for the lake of Wadi Muqat basin and two climatic models were accomplished to explain the water fluctuations during Late Quaternary depending on the calculation of the evapotranspiration (PE), runoff (RO) and free surface evaporation (EL) assuming that the mean annual temperature was 14.5oC and 10.9oC which means 4oC and 8oC less than the present mean annual temperature, respectively.

Annual precipitation averages for sustaining water in the lake system reached (130 mm / yr) in climatic Model 1 and (60 mm / yr) in climatic Model II.