Water reduction threatens natural life in North-East Syria

The Turkish state has been reducing the amount of water flowing into north-eastern Syria over the Euphrates River for the last 4 months. The Turkish state is supposed to release 500 cubic meters of water per second based on the international agreements it signed. Yet, it releases less than 200 cubic meters of water now. 3 dams on the Euphrates River are about to dry up.

“WE USE WATER CAREFULLY”

Cihad Beyram, Deputy Director of the Tishrin Dam, said: “We receive only 200 cubic meters of water per second. As the water decreases, the power stations work for 8 hours and remain closed for 16 hours. Currently, the Euphrates dam has dried up 6 meters and the Tishrin Dam has dried up 4 meters. If we run all power stations, there will be no water left. That’s why we are careful. Furthermore, water evaporates with the arrival of summer. Since the water level has been reduced, the electricity production is decreasing.”

‘WE ARE IN A CRISIS’

Engineer Hemud El-Hemadin, Director of Tishrin Dam addressed the negative effects of water reduction. “Dams are important for drinking water. Dams only work for 8 hours as the water decreases. We arranged the hours of electricity to use water efficiently. We are in a crisis. Water is now used as a weapon against us. The lives of millions of people are jeopardized,” he said.

‘CROPS NOT PLANTED’

This year the region has faced a drought. Most of the crops did not grow and agriculture was badly affected. Thousands of cultivated lands remained empty. Farmers used to sow crops such as cotton, wheat, rosebuds and sesame every year during these months. However, they did not plant any this year because the water was low.

Hemûd El-Hemadîn further said, “This year was dry. The water of the Euphrates has also decreased. The farmers had a hard time. People cannot meet their basic needs. Farmers can no longer earn enough. Agriculture was a major source of income for North and East Syria. But they killed it.”

‘WATER IS NOT ENOUGH’

“200 cubic meters of water is released per second.  25 cubic meters is used for drinking water. 75 cubic meters evaporates. Between 140 and 160 cubic meters are used for irrigation.”

“There are water purifying installations in our station. But we need electricity to run this. We started to use the water accumulated in the lakes for electricity,” Hemadîn said.

“ANIMAL HUSBANDRY STOPPED”

The Tishrin and Euphrates dams are currently providing water to Manbij, Kobanê, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, Tabqa and parts of Cizre. As water has been reduced, farming and animal husbandry are also affected, as well as electricity. Local people sell their animals for low prices because the cost of animal husbandry has increased.

The level of the Euphrates River has decreased this much for the first time. In 2015, the Turkish state reduced the water flow of the Euphrates River for the first time, releasing 425 cubic meters of water per second. But now it releases only 200 cubic meters of water.”