Hydropolitics of the Asi-Orontes River and Regional Instability

12.05.2014
Author:Dursun Yıldız
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Dursun YILDIZ Hydropolitics Expert - 12 May 2014 Flowing in North and Draining in West The Asi-Orontes River Basin is a transboundary basin with a total area of about 24 660 km² of which 69 percent is located in the Syrian Arab Republic, 23 percent in Turkey and 8 percent in Lebanon (Lehner et al, 2008) (Table 1). The Asi-Orontes is the only river in the region flowing in northern direction,turning back and draining from western Asia to the Levant coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. The river rises on the east side of the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon and it runs in a northern direction, parallel with the coast, falling 600 m through a rocky gorge. It flows 40 km in Lebanon to continue into the Syrian Arab Republic for about 325 km before arriving in Turkey for its last reach of 88 km to the Mediterranean Sea(AQUASTAT Survey 2008) Table 1 . Country areas in the basin

Basin	Area (km²)	Countries	Area of country in basin (km²)	As % of total area of basin
Asi-Orontes	24 660	Syrian Arab Republic Turkey Lebanon	16 910 5710 2040	68,5 23 8,5

The average annual precipitation in the basin is estimated at 644 mm, although it varies all along the basin area. Annual average temperature of the entire Asi–Orontes River Basin is estimated at 16 ºC. Annual Flow The Asi–Orontes River and its tributaries collect the runoff from the highlands and plateau areas situated on both sides of the rift valley. The average annual flow of the river is estimated at 2 400 million m³, but the surface water amount in the basin has been re-estimated at 1 110 million m³ (FAO, 2006). The Al-Azraq spring is a very important tributary to the Asi–Orontes with an annual flow of more than 400 million m³. There are several bid springs: Al Ghab, Al Rouj, and Al Zarka (FAO, 2006). The annual flow from Lebanon to the Syrian Arab Republic is 415 million m³, of which an informal agreement between these two countries attributes 80 million m³ to Lebanon and the rest to the Syrian Arab Republic. The natural annual flow from the Syrian Arab Republic to Turkey is estimated at 1 200 million m³, while the actual flow amounts to 12 million m³. The intensive use of groundwater by agriculture in the last decade has resulted in depletion of the water storage in the aquifers, lowering of the groundwater table and considerable reduction of the spring yield. The average annual discharge of 26 springs in Al Ghab valley dropped from 18.5 m³/s in the period 1965–71 to 9.7 m³/s in 1992–93 and declined steadily to 4.2 m³/s in 1995–96. The amount of groundwater in the Syrian part of the Asi–Orontes Basin is estimated at 1 607 million m³; most of it flows as springs (1 134 million m³) and the rest (473 million m³) is stored into aquifers and withdrawn from wells for irrigation and water supply. Water quality Water quality is good in the headwaters, while due to anthropogenic inputs associated with agricultural, urban, and especially industrial activities it deteriorates in the middle section of the river. Water development in the basin The total area equipped for irrigation in the Asi–Orontes River Basin is estimated at 300 000–350 000 ha, of which approximately 58 percent in the Syrian Arab Republic, 36 percent in Turkey, and 6 percent in Lebanon. Agricultural water withdrawal is approximately 2.8 km³. The Asi–Orontes Basin is an important agricultural area, contributing to the regional economy. In Lebanon In the Lebanese Bekaa valley, , poor management of natural resources and poor integration of production systems produce low farm income and unsustainable farming To obtain water for irrigation, two water regulators have been placed in Lebanon on the Asi–Orontes

In Syria In the Syrian part of the basin the total area irrigated increased from 155 300 ha in 1989 to around 215 000 ha in 2008. In the Syrian Arab Republic, regulation of the Asi–Orontes River flow to increase its irrigation capacity began with the reconstruction of the ancient Qattinah Dam in 1937, completed in 1976. Construction of the Rastan and Mhardeh Dams on the main river stream complated in 1960, They are the first large dams built in the Syrian Arab Republic. These reservoirs control about 12 600 km² of the Asi–Orontes drainage basin upstream of Mhardeh. The total capacity of the three reservoirs (495 million m³) represents about 45 percent of the estimated average annual flow yield. Until 2002 the dams built in the Syrian part of the basin numbered 41, with total a reservoir capacity of 741 million m³, all built on tributaries of the Asi–Orontes River. Among the dams with large reservoir capacity is the Zeyzoun Dam (71 million m³) which had been damaged in 2002. The Zeita Dam, one of the most recently built dams, will have a total capacity of 80 million m³.

In Turkey In Turkey, the Lake of Antioch or Lake Amik was a large freshwater lake in the Asi–Orontes River Basin in Hatay Province which is now drained through the artificial channel Nahr al-Kowsit. Sedimentary analysis suggests that Lake Amik was formed, in its final state, in the past 3000 years by episodic floods and silting up of the outlet to the Asi–Orontes. This dramatic increase in the lake’s area displaced many settlements; the lake became an important source of fish and shellfish for the surrounding area and the city of Antakya. The lake was drained during a period from the 1940s–1970s. The most important dams located on the Turkish side of the basin are the Karamanlı Dam and the Yarseli Dam. Most important dam would be " frienship dam" on Asi river . Turkey and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding to construct a “friendship dam” on the Asi River in 2010 .The dam would provide energy and irrigation water to both countries while helping prevent floods. The two countries had agreed to jointly manage water resources while observing the interests of all countries in the region .Although it was declared that “This will be a new step to accelerate mutual relations between Syria and Turkey." New Arap Spring wind didn't allow to progress this relationship.The dam construction delayed because of social flactuations in Syria.Asi river hydropolitics was also dramaticly affected from this result. Transboundary water issues Mainly non-navigable and of relatively little use for irrigation, the Asi–Orontes derives its historical importance from the convenience of its valley for traffic from north to south; roads from the north and northeast. The Asi–Orontes has long been a boundary marker. For the Egyptians it marked the northern extremity of Amurru, east of Phoenicia. For the Crusaders in the 12th century, the Asi–Orontes River became the permanent boundary between the Principality of Antioch and that of Aleppo. The Syrian Arab Republic has been using 90 percent of the total flow, which reaches an annual average of 1 200 million m³ at the Turkish-Syrian border. Out of this total capacity, only a meagre 12 million m³ enter Turkey after heavy use by the Syrian Arab Republic. 1994 Agreement In August 1994, the Lebanese and Syrian governments reached a water-sharing agreement on the Asi–Orontes River, according to which Lebanon receives 80 million m³/year and the remaining 335 million m³ are for the Syrian Arab Republic if the river’s flow inside Lebanon is 400 million m³ or more during that given year. If this figure falls below 400 m³, Lebanon’s share is adjusted downwards, relative to the reduction in flow.This is the most important part of the agreement. This would allow to neighbours to use water considering variability of the hydrological conditions. This also enables the countries that balancing climate change affects on river discharge, with mutual understanding and without conflict when hydrological conditions changed Agreements also includes some rules on wells. Wells in the river’s catchments area that were already operational before the agreement are allowed to remain operational, but no new wells are permitted. In 2009 Turkey and the Syrian Arab Republic have agreed in principle to develop the “Asi Friendship Dam”, to be built on the Asi–Orontes River on the border between the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkey. The dam is expected to be approximately 15 m high with a capacity of 110 million m³. Of that total, 40 million m³ will be used to prevent flooding and the rest for energy production and irrigation. The idea to build a shared dam on the Asi–Orontes River has been discussed over the years between Turkey and the Syrian Arab Republic and finally they signed a protocol in 2010 . But civil war in Syria held them back .Table 2 shows the main historical events in the Asi–Orontes River Basin

Frienship Dam Site with mine and barbed-wire entanglement- 2014 Hydropolitics of the Asi-Orontes River Syria does not accept Turkey and French agreement, referring to the Hatay Province is a part of Turkish territory . Syria has been insisting on its return to Syrian Sovereignty. Some Syrian maps still portray Hatay Province as being part of Syrian territory.The Orontes River flows into Syria from Lebanon and onwards into conflicted Hatay Province in Turkey. This conflict was not in sight during comunucation but played a shaded negative role between two countries as well as Hydropolitics of the Asi -Orontes River . Lebanon takes 20% of the flow from the Asi- Orontes, Syria 70% and Turkey rests with the remaining 10%.This distribution, although agreed upon, is a bit uneven as it prohibits Lebanon to construct any dams on the Orontes while Syria has already installed two dams. Lebanon has complained about this but Syria’s power asimetry in the region leaves little room for negotiation.The significance of the Orontes is in how its use is portrayed by Syria and Turkey. Turkey claims that, as a downstream riparian, it should have a proportional access to waters of the Orontes. Syria, who abstracts very much the lion’s share of the Orontes water, justifies this action by claiming that it has sovereign rights to the river because the majority of its flow lies in Syrian territory. This is, quite evidently, the opposite of Syria’s downstream riparian claim to equitable shares of flow from the Euphrates River. This contradiction is frequently pointed out by Turkey, who criticises Damascus’ claims that the Euphrates be recognized as an international river, and uses Syria’s same sovereignty logic to justify their own unilateral management of the Euphrates.( Murray Biedler 2004). Although all these oppositions riparians, especially Turkey hasn't used harsh rethoric on water use of the river . Syria-Turkey warm relationship 5 years ago would play a very important role on river hydropolitics. But this relationship suddenly collapsed . Asi-Orontes River hydropolitics is very much depend on political stability in the neighbouring countries . But future of the river use shows that three riparian countries are ready to manage the river as benefical as possible withouth conflict. But Middle East Regional stability is not ready yet for achieving this . References Asi-Orontes Basin 2008 Irrigation in the Middle East region in figures – AQUASTAT Survey 2008 Lehner, B., Verdin, K., Jarvis, A. 2008. New global hydrography derived from spaceborne elevation data. Eos, Transactions, AGU, 89(10): 93-94. HydroSHEDS. Available at the following link: http://www.worldwildlife.org/hydrosheds andhttp://hydrosheds.cr.usgs.gov.

2006. Orontes basin (Al Assi).International Symposium on irrigation modernization: constraints and solutions. Damascus, Syria. 28–31 March 2006.

Murray Biedler 2004 "Hydropolitics of The Tigris - Euphrates River Basin With Implications For The European Union" Research Papers N° 1Centre Européen de Recherche Internationale et Stratégique June 2004.