Concepts of water management among riparian countries (Iraq-Turkey-Syria)‎ and it's impact on water quality and quantity

Abstract EN

Demographically, the MENA region is enveloped in a period of fairly sweeping changes, all of which will have major implications for water governance.

The highly contentious Tigris-Euphrates River, shared by upper riparian Turkey and downstream states Syria and Iraq, is one example.

By 2050, Iraq's population-and projected water needs-will soar, as the country grows 2.6 times its current size, its population increase from 32.6 million to more than 83 million.

Syria, which also depends on the Euphrates as an important economic lifeline, will see its population by mid-century grow 1.5 times its current size, from 22.5 million to 33.6 million.

Combined, this population growth in Syria and Iraq will increase water demand for irrigation, industrial development, and domestic usage, placing pressure on Turkey to ensure an ample flow of water downstream throughout the year.

As the effects of climate change lengthen drought and alter the time of snow melting and precipitation, tensions could easily flare throughout the basin, as they have in the past.

The problems in Iraq are more pressing than in Turkey and Syria.

Iraq is very dry and more flat making it prone to evaporation.

Iraq has extremely dry periods, sometimes lasting up to six months from May to October.

The temperature during this time can get up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

The climate is a major factor in producing high evaporation, but the artificial lakes upstream the dams, which have large open water areas that increase the quantity of evaporation and increase the pollutant concentration in the storage water, also contributes in water losses from the system through evaporation.

Urbanization, industrialization, increase in population, and expansion in farming with using traditional irrigation systems, all these factors lead to increase water demand in these three countries.

With the construction of many dams in Turkey and Syria, the quantities of water that enter Iraq decreases with the execution of an ambitious water management plan for Turkey (GAP), the quantities of water will decrease more and more.