The purpose of this work is to decrease the scarcity, degradation and desertification of soils in Jordan through geological, sedimentological and chemical study of bottom sediments from Wadi El-Arab reservoir, north Jordan. Weathering of the lithological unites exposed in the drainage area is the major source of heavy metals in the bottom sediments of Wadi El-Arab reservoir.

Quality and suitability of bottom dam sediments for agricultural use were evaluated using standard analytical methods and then compared with natural soils. It is found that bottom reservoir sediments are good as agricultural soils on their own and in particular clayey and sillty facies, for low quality soils in Jordan. If sediment removal becomes economically feasible in Jordan, it will eventually resolves some problems:(1) extend the lifetime of dam reservoirs,(2) enhance the water quality and (3) compensate for the scarcity of soils in some regions.