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The Abu Dhabi Emirate has no permanent river, though it has one permanent spring, at Ain bu Sukhanah (at Ayn Al Fayda), in Al Ain. Short-lived seasonal flow of rain water feeds the many wadis surrounding the mountain area. Occasional waterfalls occur at Jebel Hafeet during winter and immediately after rainfall.
Al Ain's unique microclimate offers a welcome relief from the humidity of the coastal cities making it a popular holiday destination. The city boasts a highly fertile soil relative to other emirates in UAE, which has encouraged the growth of vast vegetation in the area. There are numerous underground water springs in the area, which explain its attractiveness as an area of settlement. Traces of its traditional past remain, including camel racing and breeding.
The ancient Falaj system of irrigation is still in use in some areas distributing underground water by a network of tunnels emerging eventually into open channels whose flow can be directed and |
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regulated. Falaj is an ancient irrigation system that dates back thousands of years and is used widely in Oman, UAE, China, Iran and many other countries.
The natural oases at Al Ain, which were beside the oases of Liwa the habitat for the earliest agricultural settlements in Abu Dhabi, are the largest in the Emirate, and they continue to expand with irrigation. Al Ain has seven oases; the largest is Al Ain Oasis which is located just south of the town center and the smallest is Al Jahili oasis. The rest are Qattara, Al Mutaredh, Al Jimi, Al Muaiji, and Hili.
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