Economic And Social Commission For Western Asia

Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia:

Shared River Basins and Aquifers Systems in Lebanon

Carol Chouchani Cherfane Chief, Water Resources Section

Sustainable Development Policies Division United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

Beirut, Lebanon

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ESCWA-BGR Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia

Euphrates River – Syrian Arab Republic

The Inventory is… the first UN-led effort to take stock of the shared surface and groundwater resources in Western Asia a comprehensive, systematic and standardized manner.

Key Themes: • Hydrology, hydrogeology • Water resources development

and use • Agreements and cross-border

management efforts.

Objectives: • Identify, and document the state

of shared water resources and their use

• Improve the knowledge base and facilitate information access

• Create awareness and stimulate informed dialogue within and between riparian countries

• Support regional processes towards improved dialogue and cooperation over shared water resources

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Scope

Covers surface and groundwater resources shared between the Arab States of Western Asia, as well as water resources shared with neighboring non-Arab States

Sub-regions: Arabian Peninsula Mashrek Mesopotamia

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Mandate

2008 Dec 8th Session Build national capacities on IWRM and shared waters, and update assessment of legal and institutional tools for shared water management.

2011 March 9th Session Recommendation to nominate focal points to support the finalization of the Inventory, and consider its outcomes.

2013 March 10th session Final report on preparation of Inventory and discussion of findings.

ESCWA Committee on Water Resources

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Timeline and consultations I

2008 Dec ESCWA Committee on Water Resources, 8th Session

Build national capacities on IWRM and shared waters; update assessment of legal and institutional tools for shared water management.

2009 June Start of Work Literature research, pre-screening, compilation of core information, hydrogeological interpretation.

2011 March ESCWA Committee on Water Resources, 9th Session

Recommendation to nominate focal points to support the finalization of the Inventory, and consider its outcomes.

2011 May Expert Consultation meeting (groundwater)

Review of concept, hydrogeological interpretation and identified shared aquifer systems by regional and international experts.

CWR-9 Session CWR-9 Session

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Timeline and consultations II

2011 Apr-Sept Nomination of focal points

Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen.

2011 Oct-Nov Circulation of Basin fact sheets and questionnaires

Information package for each shared basin/ aquifer system with overview maps, tables, available data and literature list; request to review and complement core information.

2011 Nov-Dec Regional Consultative Meeting

Discussion of findings and further steps, including submission of requested data.

2011 Dec-April

Follow-up and informal consultations

Follow-up on data submission and clarification of content; via email, missions and back-to-back meetings

Regional Consultative Meeting Field Trip

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Timeline and consultations III

2012 May-Dec Chapter reviews Circulation of completed draft basin chapters to focal points of riparian countries and selected experts.

2013 Feb-March

Full Review Circulation of complete Inventory in layout form for final review and comments.

2013 March Committee on Water Resources, 10th session

Final report on preparation of Inventory and discussion of findings.

2013 Sept Global Launch Stockholm World Water Week launch during ESCWA-BGR-LAS Seminar on Shared Water, along with uploading of report to dedicated website

2013 Oct Regional Launch Regional Launch at ESCWA on sidelines of UN Day Celebrations

ECWR-10

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Content

A total of 22 shared aquifer systems and 7 shared rivers were identified.

17 dedicated chapters on shared aquifer systems and 9 basin chapters on shared surface waters, each following a standardized structure and methodology.

624 pages of detailed information with 60 new maps and over 200 figures, tables and boxes.

4 chapters focused on water resources with Lebanon as riparian state

Based on selection criteria, other smaller shared resources

referenced, but do not have dedicated chapters

Shared River Basins

Euphrates-Tigris-Shatt Al Arab Orontes River

Nahr El Kabir Basin

Jordan River Basin Qweik River Basin

Orontes River

Orontes River

• Karstic springs in Bekaa Valley (690 meters altitude) largely feed river upstream

• Groundwater recharge dependent on snow cover in Mount Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

• Additional flows contributed in Syria (Ghab Valley) and from Afrin and Karasu tributaries contribute to flow in Turkey

Figure 4. a) Mean annual discharge, b) specific mean annual discharge and c) discharge anomaly time series of the Orontes (1932-2010)

Hydrological baseline and trends

Discharge Variability: Orontes River -visualize trends, drought years

Syrian-Lebanese Joint Committee for Shared Water

Bilateral cooperation among riparian countries has been pursued, but dependent upon associated foreign policy issues Lebanese-Syrian Joint Committee

covers 2 Shared Surface Basins Turkey initially sought to link

cooperation on Orontes to negotiations on Euphrates Hatay Province (Iskandarun)

territorial dispute (Syria-Turkey)

No basin-level committee. Current circumstances render

basin-level cooperation unlikely in short term

Cooperation: Orontes River

Nahr el Kabir Basin

• No dams yet built in Lebanese part of basin • Planned construction of Noura al Tahta

Dam to support irrigation in Akkar Plain in Lebanon through Joint Lebanese-Syrian Project for Idlin-Noura al Tahta

• Syria has 3 dams (Khalifah, Tell Hosh and Mzeineh) & a planned pumping station at the Ain Farash Spring. Groundwater irrigation scheme also in place in 2000.

Nahr el Kabir

Syrian-Lebanese Joint Committee for Shared Water Cooperation: Nahr el Kabir

Bilateral cooperation is basin-level cooperation in this river

Cooperation dependent upon associated foreign policy issues Lebanese-Syrian Joint Committee

covers 2 Shared Basins

Cooperation focused on water management (infrastructure) and water quality (pollution)

Current circumstances render pursuit of further basin-level cooperation unlikely in short term

Jordan River Basin

Jordan River Basin: Hasbani, Banias & Dan Sub-basins

• Dan smallest basin, but contributes most • Hasbani largely fed by Hasbani &

Wazzani springs (groundwater catchments)

Jordan River: Water Quality • Dan & Banias high

quality water

• Hasbani River relatively affected by agricultural runoff, domestic wastewater, olive oil production residues

• Salinity significantly worsens after Lebanon, particularly after Lake Tiberias

• Flows from Yarmouk River also contribute to high salinity levels

Jordan River: A long history of water allocation proposals for different water uses • Focus on water quantity,

storage, water for irrigation, hydropower development

• Cotton Plan (1954) sought to include Litani River in discussion

• Arab Plan (1954) focused on irrigation, but hydropower only for Arab States

Demonstrates challenge of linking issues from outside the basin

Cooperation, Confrontation & Conflict: Jordan River Basin

Wazzani Springs Dispute – Part I • May 2000 - Israel withdrawal from

Southern Lebanon • Lebanon launched reconstruction &

development program for South • March 2001 – two small pumps

installed at Wazzani Springs in to support local development

• Threat of military intervention by Israel if water withdrawn from Hasbani River

• Tensions subsided. Wazzani Springs Dispute – Part II • August 2002 Lebanese announced

plan for pumping stations at Wazzani Springs & Maysat Junction to feed Ibl al Saqi Reservoir

• Major tensions: US, UN, EU sought to resolve tensions, but failed

• 2002 – pumping station inaugurated, but no further development pursued to avoid confrontation.

Cooperation and Conflict: Jordan River Basin

Confrontations & Conflicts • Bilateral conflicts are

regional in this basin • Arab/Non-Arab Conflicts • Arab/Arab Confrontations

and tensions • Basin-level approach would

require engagement of all Riparian States in all aspects of the negotiations

Euphrates River – Syrian Arab Republic

Anti-Lebanon - Lebanon, Syria Western Aquifer Basin - Egypt, Israel, Palestine Wasia-Biyadh-Aruma Aquifer System (North): Sakaka-Rutba - Iraq, Saudi Arabia Wasia-Biyadh-Aruma Aquifer System (South): Tawila-Mahra/Cretaceous Sands - Saudi Arabia, Yemen Ga’ara Aquifer System - Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria Saq-Ram Aquifer System (West) - Jordan, Saudi Arabia Wajid Aquifer System - Saudi Arabia, Yemen

More Shared Aquifers than generally understood in Western Asia (Mesozoic & Paleozoic Eras)

Analysis goes beyond delineation of sub-surface

extent as compared to River and Groundwater

Basins in the World ©BGR Hannover/UNESCO,2012

Shared Aquifer Systems: Mesozoic and Paleozoic Eras

Management Challenge:

There are Deep Non-Renewable Aquifer Systems in Arab Region

Euphrates River – Syrian Arab Republic

More shared aquifers than generally understood Umm er Radhuma-Dammam Aquifer System (North): Widyan-Salman - Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

Umm er Radhuma-Dammam Aquifer System (Centre): Gulf - Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia

Umm er Radhuma-Dammam Aquifer System (South): Rub’ al Khali - Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Neogene Aquifer System (South-East), Dibdibba-Kuwait Group: Dibdibba Delta Basin - Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

Neogene Aquifer System (North-West), Upper and Lower Fars: Jezira Basin - Iraq, Syria

Tawil-Quaternary Aquifer System: Wadi Sirhan Basin -Jordan, Saudi Arabia

Central Hammad Basin - Jordan, Syria

Basalt Aquifer System (South): Azraq-Dhuleil Basin - Jordan, Syria

Basalt Aquifer System (West): Yarmouk Basin -Jordan, Syria

Coastal Aquifer Basin - Egypt, Israel, Palestine

Eastern Aquifer Basin - Israel, Palestine

North-Eastern Aquifer Basin - Israel, Palestine

Jezira Tertiary Limestone Aquifer System - Syria, Turkey

Western Galilee Basina - Israel, Lebanon

Taurus-Zagros - Iran, Iraq, Turkey

Shared Aquifer Systems: Cenozoic Era

Catchment Areas covers: • Anjar Spring • Chamsine Spring • Souairi Spring

Contributes to Litani River in Lebanon, which flows through Bekaa and discharges to Mediterranean Sea

Springs used for irrigation, fish farms

Litani River used for irrigation and hydropower

Barada Spring • 30 km north-west of

Damascus in the Zabadani Basin

• In spring can fill Lake Barada, which feeds Barada River that flows through Damascus (major source for domestic water supply & irrigation). Suffers from over-abstraction

• More delineation studies needed, but estimated that catchment covers 149 km2 with 54% in Lebanon and 46% in Syria

Figeh Springs • Located about 15 km

north-west of Damascus

• 4 main outlets: Figeh Main New Figeh Side Old Figeh Side Haroush Springs

• Traditionally has provided 2/3 of water supply for Damascus

• More detailed delineation needed

• Protection zone 658 km2, with 16% in Lebanon and 84% in Syria

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1. There are more shared water resources in Western Asia than generally assumed.

2. Water quantity and allocation dominate the discourse on shared water resources in this water-scarce region.

3. Water quality is rapidly deteriorating, a fact that is largely neglected.

4. The lack of accurate data hampers joint water resources management.

5. Cooperation over shared water exists, but is never basin-wide.

6. There is not a single agreement on shared groundwater resources in the region.

7. The region's groundwater is largely non-renewable and aquifers are rapidly being depleted.

8. Groundwater plays an important role in surface water basins, a link which is often overlooked.

9. A new thinking is required to deal with large regional aquifer systems from a shared perspective.

10. It is already too late to save some shared waters.

Key Findings from the Inventory

Full report available at: www.waterinventory.org

Email: waterinventory@un.org

Thank you for your attention

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) P.O. Box 11-8575 Beirut, Lebanon