Chapter
10:
Findings
94
for
that
purpose
has
lead
to
‘random’
well-‐drilling.
Although
random
well-‐drilling
existed
before,
it
increased
by
an
alarming
level
and
became
a
phenomenon
over
the
past
three
years.
(2)
When
aquifers
become
depleted,
qat
farmers
move
to
new
areas
to
irrigate
their
crop.
(3)
The
benefits
of
qat
are
skewed;
those
who
need
water
for
drinking
and
home
use,
particularly
ordinary
citizens,
seem
to
be
affected
more
by
this
situation.
Those
who
are
better
off
and
well
connected
to
powerholders
seem
to
benefit
from
it.
10.2.2
Traditional
water
access
and
distribution
rules
Yemen
has
a
long
history
of
suffering
with
water
scarcity,
which
laid
the
foundation
for
the
agricultural
norms
and
traditions
to
regulate
water
distribution,
maintenance
of
the
irrigation
infrastructure,
and
dispute
resolution
mechanisms.
In
the
researched
areas,
the
people
mainly
rely
on
traditional
rules
(Urf)
and
other
agreements
to
regulate
the
rights
and
restrictions
with
regard
to
water
access,
use
and
distribution.
These
rules
are
unwritten
and
are
specific
to
the
areas
covered
by
the
assessment
since
there
may
be
other
rules
outside
these
areas.
The
rules
specific
to
this
assessment
concern
three
sources
of
water.
Surface
(flood)
water:
There
are
restrictions
concerning
the
“Water
in
general
is
subject
to
distribution
of
water,
but
they
are
in
many
cases
out-‐dated
as
they
do
not
accommodate
for
the
presence
of
public
ownership,
everyone
can
permanent
structures
(check
dams)
and
the
impact
of
use
it.”
these
structures
on
groundwater
recharge
and
hence
the
Participant
consultation
meeting,
Amman,
2014
availability
of
drinking
water.
Groundwater:
Historically,
for
groundwater
rules
are
not
specified,
though
in
several
cases
a
distance
rule
is
used,
which
is
specified
in
the
Water
Law
as
a
distance
of
minimal
500m
between
wells.
In
some
cases
some
new
informal
rules
have
developed,
for
example
regarding
the
purpose
for
which
the
water
may
be
applied,
who
is
allowed
to
use
it,
and
embargo
zones.
Subsurface
flow:
Subsurface
flow
is
the
water
in-‐between
the
surface
water
and
the
*w&