Wadi Bani Khalid
| Wadi Bani Khalid | ||
 Wadi Bani Khalid Pools & Cave viewed from the southwest |
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| Data | ||
| location | Oman | |
| River system | Wadi Bani Khalid | |
| Source region | in the Hajar Mountains 22 ° 46 ′ 5 ″ N , 58 ° 59 ′ 38 ″ E |
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| Source height | 1750 m | |
| Spring discharge |
NNQ |
0 l / s |
| muzzle | in the Arabian Sea Coordinates: 21 ° 59 ′ 55 " N , 59 ° 39 ′ 28" E 21 ° 59 ′ 55 " N , 59 ° 39 ′ 28" E
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| length | 156 km (measured with Google Maps) | |
 Wadi Bani Khalid Pools & Cave viewed from the northwest |
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 The river valley between Wadi Bani Khalid and the pools |
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The Wadi Bani Khalid ( Arabic وادي بني خالد, DMG Wādī Banī Ḫālid ) is a wadi about 150 kilometers southeast of Muscat, which has its source in the Hajar Mountains at an altitude of about 1700 m and flows into the Arabian Sea 110 kilometers away . It is the most famous wadi in the Shamal al-Sharqiyya district in Oman .
In its course, the wadi touches the villages of Muqal , Wadi Bani Chalid , Sayq , Sabt, al-Kamil wa-l-Wafi , Jaalan Bani Bu Hasan and Jaalan Bani Bu Ali . Parts of the wadi have water all year round.
Pools at Muqal
Best known is the region around the village of the same name, Wadi Bani Chalid , which has larger freshwater pools that are suitable for bathing and swimming ( ⊙ ). They are fed by the springs Ain Hamouda, Ain al Sarooj and Ain Dawwa.
In addition to the watercourse with pools and rock cuttings, there are several interesting caves, such as the Kahf Maqal. However, reaching the cave is arduous, visitors should be prepared. In the wadi there are still many springs or places where water comes to light.
course
The Wadi Bani Khalid is over 150 kilometers long and over 4000 km 2 catchment area, the largest river system in Oman. It only drains the easternmost part of the Hajar Mountains south into the Arabian Sea, while several other wadis drain north into the Gulf of Oman, e.g. B. Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi, the headwaters of which are less than five kilometers from that of Wadi Bani Khalid.
In the upper reaches are the first settlements before the pools are formed in Muqal. From there on, the wadi is lined with trees and palm trees, and water is more common in the dry season. Several localities such as Halfah , Bidah , Sayq and Sabt have sprung up in these places . Then the wadi enters the great plain between Hajjar and Rimal Al Wahiba to form an anastomosing river bed up to four kilometers wide in front of and around Al Kamil Wal Wafi , which it flows around on both sides.
The largest towns are in the lower middle reaches with Jalan Bani Buhassan with 20,000 inhabitants and Balad Bani Ali with 30,000 inhabitants. In the lower reaches the wadi is mostly dry; there are no more settlements there either.
