Palmyra Oasis Rehabilitation

About the Project

A project to rehabilitate the water infrastructure of the Palmyra (Tadmur) agricultural oasis in eastern Homs countryside, implemented by the Water Resources Directorate in Homs Governorate. The project targets about 400 hectares of oasis orchards in total, aiming to secure irrigation water, support agricultural production and improve farmers' livelihoods.

Phase One

The first phase serves about 200 hectares of orchards and includes:

• Restoring and clearing damaged irrigation channels over a length of up to 3 kilometres.
• Concrete casting for damaged sections, estimated at about 180 cubic metres, in line with the project's technical studies.
• Rehabilitating wells L9 and L9A, the main water source feeding the oasis.

Current Stage

Phase one started in mid-October 2026 with a three-month implementation period, and works are proceeding on the approved schedule.

Expected Impact

Restoring the channels will allow farmers to resume irrigating their land, particularly olive and palm orchards. Palmyra Oasis is one of the most prominent agricultural oases in the Syrian Badia and has for decades been a mainstay of farming and a source of livelihood for families in the city.

UPDATE 27.10.2026, 20% COMPLETE AND IRRIGATION RELEASE DATE

20% of works completed. Al-Ikhbariya reported on 27 October 2026 that the rehabilitation of the Palmyra Oasis irrigation channels was 20% complete, after the work site was handed over to the crews on 18 October 2026, under a contract period of 3 months.

Stated completion date: 18 January 2027. According to the source, the project is to be completed and irrigation water released to the orchards on that date, drawing on well L9 at 100 litres per second and well L9A at 20 litres per second, 120 litres per second in total, with irrigation organised through watering schedules among farmers.

Source: Al-Ikhbariya