Wadi Fatimah

Wadi Fatimah is one of the most important wadis in the west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It belongs to the Makkah Region, its length reaches 210 kilometres, and it contains human settlement sites from the Stone Age.[1]

The wadi runs from east to west, from the highlands of the Sarat near Taif, to flow into the Red Sea, and governorates, centres and villages stand on its two banks.[1]

The mouth of Wadi Fatimah is fixed on the Red Sea at the Al-Khurmah district south of Jeddah, while the upper reaches of its course descend from the Sarat near Taif.[1]

A number of governorates, centres and villages of the Makkah Region lie on the two banks of Wadi Fatimah, the most important of which are Al-Jumum and Bahrah governorates.[1]

In the past, the wadi was known as Batn Marr or Marr al-Zahran.[1]

Archaeological surveys were carried out at 32 archaeological sites dating to the Acheulean civilization in Wadi Fatimah, across a span of 2,600 years before Christ, and 31 stone sites were found on the northern side of the wadi, most of them indicating the Acheulean period.[1]

At a site covering 12,000 square kilometres, 5 kilometres north of Bahrah, 29 Acheulean artefacts were found, of which hand axes make up 48% and scrapers 35%.[1]

Wadi Fatimah Dam is a concrete gravity dam; its total length is 600 metres, its catchment area is 3,091 square kilometres, and it stores 20 million cubic metres.[2]

The dam's spillway is 441 metres long and 15 metres high, and the dam has eight gates, a maximum discharge rate of 2,616 cubic metres per second, and five warning sirens distributed along the wadi.[2]

On 9 May 2023, the Makkah Region branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture opened the gates of Wadi Fatimah Dam in Al-Jumum Governorate to discharge water, feed the wadi's sediments and irrigate farms; three gates were opened at 25%, with a volume of 580,000 cubic metres.[2]

On 2 May 2024, the Director of the Makkah Region branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Eng. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Khalif, inspected Wadi Fatimah Dam in Al-Jumum Governorate and discussed matters relating to its structural safety and to the environment, water and agriculture sector in the governorate and its affiliated centres.[5]

Wadi Fatimah is one of the most prominent wadis supporting local food security, and its products feature dates, vegetables and honey. The Makkah Region branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture organised the Wadi Fatimah Bounty Festival 2025 in Al-Jumum Governorate over three days, with the participation of more than 20 farmers and beekeepers.[3]

The festival's activities began on 4 September 2025, organised by the Ministry's office in Al-Jumum Governorate in the presence of its governor, Muhammad bin Madi Al-Subaie, and the number of visitors exceeded 10 thousand.[4][3]

The Social Development Center in Wadi Fatimah is located in Al-Jumum Governorate, and on 17 July 2024 it organised a meeting on "the role of cooperative associations in community development" on the occasion of the International Day of Cooperatives 2024.[6]

Q: Where is Wadi Fatimah located? A: It lies in the Makkah Region in the west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and it runs from the highlands of the Sarat near Taif to flow into the Red Sea near the Al-Khurmah district south of Jeddah.[1]

Q: How long is Wadi Fatimah? A: 210 kilometres.[1]

Q: What are the most prominent antiquities discovered in the wadi? A: Sites and pieces dating to the Acheulean civilization, including 32 archaeological sites and 31 stone sites on the northern side.[1]

Q: What are the specifications of Wadi Fatimah Dam? A: A concrete gravity dam with a total length of 600 metres, a catchment area of 3,091 square kilometres, a storage of 20 million cubic metres, and eight gates.[2]

Q: Which governorates lie on the banks of the wadi? A: The most important are Al-Jumum and Bahrah governorates, and it was formerly known as Batn Marr or Marr al-Zahran.[1]

Wadi Fatimah combines a wide geographical extension in the Makkah Region, archaeological sites dating to the Acheulean civilization, and a dam that serves agriculture and farmers.[1][2] Related topics on the platform include Wadi Al-Rumah, Wadi Hanifah and Hijaz Mountains.