Land and vegetation degradation in war-affected areas in the Sabah Al-Ahmad Nature Reserve of Kuwait: A case study of Umm. Ar. Rimam

Following the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi aggression, the remaining munitions were disposed by detonating them in large pits in the Umm. Ar. Rimam depression of the Sabah Al-Ahmad Nature Reserve of Kuwait. These pits were then back-filled. After 10 years, the status of the soil and vegetation in the munition disposal pits and adjacent areas were assessed to assist with the design of a pilot study to rehabilitate the impacted area to its pre-invasion state. Based on a reconnaissance survey, a site measuring 120,000 m2 (12 ha) was selected in Umm. Ar. Rimam depression. On-site observations showed that damage to this site was caused by (i) munition disposal pits (11.3% of the area), (ii) compacted area between pits (36.4%) and, (iii) compacted road tracks (3.6%). The field investigations of soil profiles and laboratory characterization of soil samples indicated serious disruption of pedogenic processes, loss of top soil, severe soil compaction, reduction in infiltration rate, contamination with munition materials and alterations in chemical properties. Based on a rating scale of 0 (no impact) to 4 (very severely impacted), the areas covered under munitions disposal pits and compacted areas between pits and under road tracts are categorized as severely and very severely disturbed sites. Although the pits contained higher vegetation cover than the adjacent compacted areas, the percent vegetation cover was significantly lower than that during the pre-disturbance period. Soil and vegetation assessment also confirmed that the natural recovery did not restore land and vegetation to their pre-disturbance status.