Enhancements to the Creek's infrastructure are being made through a project aimed at improving safety and security measures for maritime traffic and commercial activities.

These improvements are expected to strengthen the city's role as a regional hub for trade and ensure smoother, more secure operations for the numerous ships passing through each year.

It was along the Bur Dubai creek area that members of the Bani Yas tribe first settled in the 19th century, establishing the Al Maktoum dynasty in the city.

[5] In the early 20th century, the creek, though incapable then of supporting large scale transportation, served as a minor port for dhows coming from as far away as India or East Africa.

Although it impeded the entry of ships due to current flow, the creek remained an important element in establishing the commercial position of Dubai, being the only port or harbour in the city.

Fishing, also an important industry at the time, was also based along the creek, whose warm and shallow waters supported a wide variety of marine life.

[10] The dredging opened up the creek to much more continuous traffic of merchandise, including the development of re-export, and gave Dubai an advantage over Sharjah, the other dominant trading centre in the region at the time.

A final 2.2-kilometre extension, called the Dubai Water Canal was inaugurated 9 November 2016, crossing Shaikh Zayed Road in a northerly route, passing through Safa Park and then through Jumeirah 2.

The creek's natural ending is at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from its origin at the Persian Gulf.