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The Jordan Valley is the prime irrigated agricultural area in Jordan which suffers shortage of water putting severe limitation on water allocation to farmers. To alleviate the problem, deficit irrigation was proposed for some vegetables such as bell pepper. Two field experiments in two growing seasons were conducted using bell pepper (Capsicum Annuum L.) to assess the effect of deficit irrigation on yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and water productivity (WP). The treatments were three irrigation levels: 100% (T1), 80% (T2), and 60% (T3) of the calculated crop evapotranspiration (ETc) using class A pan method. A cost–benefit analysis was carried out to determine the best economically suitable season for crop growth. The yields in both seasons were higher under T1, but there was no difference in WUE and WP between T1 and T2. The yield, WUE, and WP for T3 were significantly lower than for T1 and T2. Therefore, it is recommended to irrigate at 80% of ET. The best results were obtained for the total gross margin and the net present value in the winter season. Using deficit irrigation reduces water usage without significant yield loss, meanwhile maintaining relatively high WUE and supporting the sustainability of agriculture in the Jordan Valley.

This study was carried out to investigate the influence of population growth on supply, demand, and quality issues of water resources in the Yarmouk River Basin in Jordan for twenty years. The population growth data for the years 1997 and 2017 was derived from four Jordan governorates, i.e., Mafraq, Irbid, Jerash, and Ajloun, as well as for the population of the Yarmouk Basin was calculated, where a part of the population of these governorates resides within Basin. The water supply and the number of wells were also determined during this study. Various physicochemical parameters of water, like pH, EC, TDS, DO, NO2, and NO3, were also evaluated. Water supply, demand, and quality issues were also identified in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. The study showed an increase in the Kingdom's population in four governorates from about 1.27 to 2.88 million inhabitants, while the population of four governorates in the Yarmouk Basin increased from about 639,992 to 1.53 million inhabitants, and it is more than doubling. Comparing the population with the water supply, the numbers of wells and their uses showed significant changes, as evidenced by the substantial increase in the water supply. The studied physiochemical parameters were within the permissible limits of the National Standards. The critical water issues reported in the study area are difficulties in law enforcement and rapid population growth, which interactively affect the water supply. The study's findings will assist decision-makers in managing future water supplies as they face challenges in securing additional water, and there is an urgent need for research and future scenarios to meet water needs.

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