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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Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia...of shared water resources and their use • Improve the knowledge base and facilitate information access • Create awareness
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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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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)
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