5th World Water Forum (2)

The World Water Forum aims at a dialogue between representing governments, UN agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, the media and other civil society groups... to influence the measures that will be taken for the management of water in the world.

The main theme is “bridging divides for water". It is subdivided into six times: global change and risk management; advancing human development and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); managing and protecting water resources; governance and management; finance; and education, knowledge and capacity development.

The Forum will also offer a water fair and a water exhibition.

¤+ Monday 16th

The Turkish Prime Minister’s Water Prize, which awards media representatives for coverage of national and international water issues was given to Alison Bartle of Aqua-Media International.

The third King Hassan II Great World Water Prize for cooperation and solidarity in the fields of management and development in water resources was given to Abdulatif Yousef Al-Hamad, Director General of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.

- Opening of thematic sessions

Many issues were tackled : links between water, climate change, disasters and migrations, the necessity of improving the capacity of each country to act more efficiently and of integrating the water resource management to meet human and environmental needs, guarantee the access to water and sanitation for the poor. Water and sanitation crisis are not because of lack of resources but mainly due to inefficient governments.

- Launch of the Third World Water Development Report

The Third World Water Development Report (WWDR-3) was launched ; it deals about the importance of water specialists to take part in decision making, the effects of the energy sector on the use of water, the necessity of improving water facilities in developing countries.

http://www.iisd.ca/ymb/water/worldwater5/html/ymbvol82num16e.html

5th World Water Forum

As you know, today has begun the 5th World Water Forum (from the 16 to the 22 march 2009) in Turkey. World Water Fora are managed by the World Water Coucil every three years.

Oktay Tabasaran, Secretary General, World Water Forum

http://www.worldwaterforum5.org/

http://www.iisd.ca/ymb/water/worldwater5/

About water management in the world

There is fewer and fewer fresh water available in the world. However, if a state doesn't have enough fresh water it can't feed its population and develop itself. Indeed, water consumption is one of the factors which prove that a state is a developed one. United Nations think water could be more precious that oil; so water is called 'blue gold'.

To have available water has became an crucial economic issue. This could be the first reason of conflicts between several states.

Water is unequally distributed. Thus, it's crucial that states get on well and share water. And yet, it's extremely difficult because for example when there is a transborder river upstream countrie(s) can control the river flow and threaten downstream countries.

In 1503,in Italy, Léonard de Vinci and Machiavel were thinking about divert the Arno river from Pise because Florence was fighting against. In Africa, droughts were and are still linked with social problems. In Asia, water is an politic power tool.

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Some people think managing water between states can lead to pacification. For instance, during the 1960's war, India and Pakistan kept on building the Indus river facilities.

Several meetings about water show the realization of a lot of countries that management of water must be though together. Nonetheless, no measures were taken.

At the first international lecture about water in 1977 in Mar del Plata in Argentina, water was defined as a common good that anyone can access without any maters. In 1992, in Dublin, water was defined as a economic good. In 1997, in Marrakech, in Morocco, at the world water forum, experts talked about their fear of water conflicts, more expensive water. In 1992 in Rio and in 1997 in New York, at the earth summit, water wasn't really present.

In 2000 in La Haye in the Netherlands, at the second world water forum, everyone agrees about the importance of managing well water but not about the measures to take. Water was finally defined as an essential good for humans and ecosystems' life and health and the main key of countries' development.

The most crucial issue about water is to assure cost-effective management of water and guarantee the poors' access to it.

Source : http://www.cnrs.fr/

Atatürk dam - GAP - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Called before Karababa Dam, the Atatürk dam is on the Euphrates river in Southern Anatolia in Turkey. It is one of the GAP dams and one of the world's largest dams.

Its construction began in 1963. It opened in 1992.

The reservoir called Atatürk lake is the third biggest in Turkey (817 km² ; 48,7 km3). 10 towns and 156 villages are around. It’s considered as a “sea” by local population : fishing is developing so there are a lot of ships, leisure like water sports (swimming, sailing, canoeing...) can be practiced.
The creation of the reservoir led to bad consequences :
- hundreds hamlets and villages were inundated, about 50,000 inhabitants were compelled to leave their home,
- the old capital of the ancient Commagene kingdom called Samsat was inundated.

It was built in order to provide electricity and for irrigation.

It is 169m high, 1,820 long ; the hydraulic power plants have got a capacity of 2,400MW per year so 8,900GWh of electricity can be provided.

Irrigation is made by gravity-flow ; there are two parallel tunnels (26 km long and 7,6 m in diameter). It concerns one third of the Euphrates flow. On the irrigated area, cotton's production is increasing.

About Iraq, Syria and Turkey…
- a protocol was annexed to the 1946 Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighbourly Relations between Iraq and Turkey ; Turkey promised to share related data and to allow 15.75 km³/year or 500 m³/s of water arriving to Syria.
- in 1990, Turkey filled up the Atatürk reservoir that cut Euphrates flow to Syria and Iraq during about one month. So both downstream countries were fed up.
- Syria and Iraq blame Turkey for being responsible of many shortages and to turning water into a political weapon

Conflicts - GAP - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

GAP provokes tensions between Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
A protocol about the share of water was annexed to the 1946 Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighbourly Relations between Iraq and Turkey. Turkey also promised to share related data and to allow 15.75 km³/year o r 500 m³/s of water arriving to Syria. In 1990, Turkey filled up the Atatürk reservoir that cut Euphrates flow to Syria and Iraq during about one month. Syria and Iraq blame Turkey for being responsible of many shortages and to turning water into a political weapon.

From time to time the PKK (Kurdish terrorist) damages dams and canals.

Economic development - GAP - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Thanks to irrigation, production of cotton, wheat, barley, lentils is increasing. Farmers are encouraged to grow new varieties of vegetables and fruits.

Fishing industry is more and more important thanks to the numerous lakes created by dams.

The 19 hydroelectric power plants provide 8,900 GW/hour ; they will supply 22% of the Turkey needs in 2010.

Social purposes - GAP - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

The GAP considers the sustainable human development issue which aims at creating a background where future generations could live in good conditions.Thanks to the GAP, Turkey wants to normalize levels of development, of income and living standards between the Southern Anatolia and the rest of the country by promoting business, creating jobs, building airports and highways...

GAP's birth - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Previously a kind of melting-pot, Southern Anatolia was prosperous because it was located on the trading route between the East and the West.

Atatürk thought about using the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the 1920-30 s to match the electrical energy needs.
The 1936 Electricity Studies Administration planned first to make only an economic project (irrigation, hydraulic energy) but then this project became a social one too. The 1989 Master Plan which aimed at revitalize the economy, the social and cultural life of Southern Anatolia didn't reach its goal.

Now, the GAP concerns irrigation, hydraulic energy, agriculture, rural and urban infrastructure, forestry, education and health issues. It tends to improve the living standards and increase people's income in order to delete inequalities, to assure a social stability and to provide a economic growth. It takes part in the Program for Transition to a Strengthened Economy which is one of the program for the Turkey's accession to the European Union.

Presentation - GAP - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

The GAP (Güneydogu Anadolu Projesi) is a multi-sector project that aims at developing the Southern Anatolia in Turkey (improvement living standards and increasing inhabitants' income by reducing the unemployment) and controlling the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers.

Nine provinces are concerned : Adiyaman, Batman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Kilis, Siirt, Sanliurfa, Mardin, and Sirnak.

22 dams and 19 power plants were planned to be built.

Euphrates Basin
Atatürk Dam (1992)
Birecik Dam (2000)
Büyükçay Dam
Çamgazi Dam (1998)
Çataltepe Dam
Gömikan Dam
Hancağız Dam (1988)
Kahta Dam
Karakaya Dam (1987)
Karkamış Dam (1999)
Kayacık Dam
Kemlin Dam
Koçali Dam
Sırımtaş Dam

Atatürk dam

Tigris Basin
Batman Dam (1998)
Cizre Dam
Dicle Dam (1997)
Garzan Dam
Kayser Dam
Kralkızı Dam (1997)
Ilısu Dam
Silvan Dam

Dicle dam

Irrigation is enabled by a network of canals (kind of artificial rivers), earth distribution channels, furrows, drip tubes, flow regulators and sluice gates.

Political issues - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Political

The fact that these rivers flow across different states is a real threat because of water dependence in this region. The control of these rivers can be used as a weapon by upstream countries.

This region is a turbulent area : over the last century it knew two world wars and several armed conflicts which were not directly linked to water resources. Because of these political tensions and the lack of confidence, it was and is still tough for governments to co-operate over water. There isn’t a regional institution that can bring together countries over the economic and political issues.

The lack of reliable databases about water resources disturbs the management of these rivers.

Crisis

Until 1970 :
- Ottoman Empire prevented from possible conflicts, up to the end of the world war I.
- Iraq, the downstream country, was the bigger user of water whereas Turkey and Syria, upstream and midstream countries didn’t use it much. Thus, conflicts appeared when Turkey and Syria began to use these rivers in the 1960’s.

First crisis :
- 1965-75 Keban dam (Euphrates) in Turkey

- 1968 Tabaga al-Thawara dam (Euphrates) in Syria
- 1973-1975 : because of drought, Iraq blamed Syria from reducing the Euphrates’ flow while Syria did the same against Turkey. In 1974, Iraq threatened to drop bombs on the al-Thawara dam. It ended up with an agreement : 40% of the water were for Syria and 60% for Iraq.
- 1975 : Karababa dam (Euphrates) in Turkey

Second crisis :
- Turkey made up a lot of water development projects which are a threat for downstream countries.The GAP (Great Anatolian Project) is a project concerning the south of Anatolia in Turkey which aims at improving the living conditions of the local population. Many dams were and will be built to increase the hydroelectric production and the irrigation. So huge water quantities are used without anyone taking care of the downstream countries. For instance, in 1992, Turkey ended up the construction of the Ataturk dam : during one month, it used all the water from the Euphrates to fill the dam.

Social and environmental issues - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Water conflicts can be explained by political, social and environmental facts.

Social

Conflicts between those states are closely linked to the rise of population which means increasing needs. The growth rate averages 2,5% a year in Syria, 1,3% a year in Turkey and 1,8% a year in Iraq.

Environmental

The Tigris and the Euphrates rivers are volatile : they often change course and flow irregularly. Consequently, the management of these rivers is very tough.

What is more, these rivers are used not only by private individuals but also by economic activities such as farms, factories…

Furthermore, the quality and the quantity of available water is reduced by the population growth, urbanization, industrialization and the lack of environmentally sensitive technology.

This can make us think about a new crucial issue ‘transboundary pollution’.

Water represents 1,3% of the Turkish area, 0,06% of the Syrian area, 1,1% of the Iraqi area [France : 0,26%].

'Mesopotamia times' - Case of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers

In the Euphrates and Tigris region, called Mesopotamia, ancient civilizations lived from 4,000BC. Thanks to irrigation, the ‘fertile crescent’ was created. Conflicts between the states of Umma and Lagash happened 4,500 years ago for the control of irrigation canals. Since 2,400BC, the region has been suffering salt accumulation problems. Many of those civilizations disappeared because of the abandonment of irrigation systems.

Tigris - Case of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers

Etymology : Dijla (Arabic); Dicle (Turkish)
Average flow : in Iraq, 53 billion m³
Length : 1,900 km (1,180 mi)
Riverside countries : Turkey, Iraq, Syria

The Tigris comes from rainfalls in the Taurus Mountains in East-Southern Turkey. It is fed by others streams like the Great Zab. Its flow is more important from March to May than from August to October.

The Tigris joins the Euphrates near Basra. The part of the stream between Basra and the Persian Gulf is called Shatt-al-Arab.

The Tigris is very used as a transport route : it is navigable from the sea to Baghdad by shallow-draft vessels, to go upstream only rafts can be used.