Hama Governorate is located in the central region of the Syrian Arab Republic, encompassing four hydrological basins (the Orontes River, the Coastal Basin, Aleppo, and Homs). It boasts a strategic geographical location, serving as a gateway to several other governorates in the country: Homs, Tartus, Latakia, Idlib, Aleppo, and Raqqa.
The governorate enjoys a mild and pleasant climate. Its administrative area is approximately 11,000 km², representing 6.5% of the country's total area, and is divided into five administrative districts: Hama (the governorate's capital), Salamiyah, Mahardah, Al-Suqaylabiyah, and Masyaf.
The Orontes River is the governorate's main water artery, with 248 km of its course within Hama, representing 67% of its total length of 366 km across Syria.
The river enters Hama Governorate at the Rastan Dam outlet in the south and exits at the Qarqur gates in the far north of the Ghab Plain. The Orontes River in Hama Governorate is fed by a number of seasonal rivers and temporary watercourses (seasonal streams), the most important of which are (Al-Sarout, Abu Baara, Abu Qubays, Al-Bared, Salhab, etc.).
Several projects have been established to utilize the available water resources within Hama Governorate with the following objectives:
To support residents in their homes (drinking water projects).
To encourage residents to remain on their land (agricultural irrigation projects).
To ensure food security for the governorate (industrial and agricultural facilities).
Water resources are divided into two categories based on their location:
Surface water resources: represented by the Orontes River (dams and lakes), government irrigation networks, and reservoirs.
Groundwater resources: represented by wells and springs.
