Water ResourcesWater Resourcesinin

The Middle EastThe Middle East

Going with the FlowGoing with the Flow

• Water, unlike most other natural resources, Water, unlike most other natural resources, does not respect political boundaries. The does not respect political boundaries. The natural flow of water, both on the Earth's natural flow of water, both on the Earth's surface and underground, routinely crosses surface and underground, routinely crosses these boundaries. When two or more these boundaries. When two or more sovereignsovereign countries share a watercourse, countries share a watercourse, which could be a which could be a river basinriver basin, lake, or , lake, or aquiferaquifer, it is considered to be an , it is considered to be an international watercourse. international watercourse.

What are the sources of fresh What are the sources of fresh water for the Middle East?water for the Middle East?

Source of Conflict?Source of Conflict?

• Middle East is Middle East is world’s driest regionworld’s driest region

• Contains 5% of Contains 5% of world’s population world’s population but only 1% of but only 1% of world’s freshwater world’s freshwater resourcesresources– What problems do What problems do

you think the Middle you think the Middle East is having due to East is having due to the lack of water?the lack of water?

Source of Conflict?Source of Conflict?

• The limited water resources do cross The limited water resources do cross national boundariesnational boundaries– What issues would arise from this?What issues would arise from this?– How would you solve it?How would you solve it?– Does Georgia have any water rights issues?Does Georgia have any water rights issues?

What is FRESH water used for?What is FRESH water used for?Why is it important?Why is it important?

Irrigation Systems

• Water is essential for all life and Water is essential for all life and economic development of a countryeconomic development of a country

In the Jordan valley the heat is often punishing for the Palestinians who are the main agricultural workforce on some Israeli-owned farms

Religious Purposes

Many Palestinian farmers and residents continue to use wells for work and drinking water. Some villages remain unconnected with the main water supply.

Palestinian farming methods are more traditional, often using unirrigated land to graze sheep and goats.

Source of Conflict?Source of Conflict?

• Several leaders in the region have warned Several leaders in the region have warned if these issues are not resolved…if these issues are not resolved…– The next major conflict in the Middle East The next major conflict in the Middle East

would be over water, not oil.would be over water, not oil.• Water is rarely distributed and shared Water is rarely distributed and shared

equally by countries equally by countries • With growing populations, the existing With growing populations, the existing

ground and surface water resources are ground and surface water resources are not sufficient to meet the combined not sufficient to meet the combined demands of each country or group.demands of each country or group.– What does that mean?What does that mean?

Water ResourcesWater Resources

• Everyone is saying the other Everyone is saying the other countries are using too much water.countries are using too much water.– Jordan and Syria claim Israel take more Jordan and Syria claim Israel take more

water from the Jordan and Yarmuk water from the Jordan and Yarmuk Rivers than it shouldRivers than it should• Jordan and Syria face severe water Jordan and Syria face severe water

shortages, so their solution?shortages, so their solution?– Israel needs to change water use practices or Israel needs to change water use practices or

compensate them for extra use.compensate them for extra use.

Shared Water SourcesShared Water Sources

• Turkey, Iraq, and Syria share water Turkey, Iraq, and Syria share water resources of the Euphrates Riverresources of the Euphrates River– Turkey and Iraq both benefit from Tigris Turkey and Iraq both benefit from Tigris

River as wellRiver as well

– Who doesn’t even have fresh water Who doesn’t even have fresh water sources?sources?

Building DamsBuilding Dams

• How might building dams in your portion of How might building dams in your portion of the river affect other countries?the river affect other countries?

• EX: Turkey spent $32 billion to construct 22 EX: Turkey spent $32 billion to construct 22 dams along the Tigris-Euphrates river basindams along the Tigris-Euphrates river basin– The result?The result?

• Serious tensions with Syria and IraqSerious tensions with Syria and Iraq

• Cut the flow of the Euphrates into Syria and Iraq while it Cut the flow of the Euphrates into Syria and Iraq while it filled the lake behind the dam. The dam created new filled the lake behind the dam. The dam created new farmland and a supply of electricity for Turkey. The farmland and a supply of electricity for Turkey. The other countries suffered.other countries suffered.

How does building dams How does building dams impact the efforts to control impact the efforts to control the water supply? Think about the water supply? Think about BOTH countries involved…BOTH countries involved…

What’s causing the tension?What’s causing the tension?

• Political divisionsPolitical divisions

• Population growth ratesPopulation growth rates

• Several years of droughtSeveral years of drought– What is drought?What is drought?

• Growing irrigation needsGrowing irrigation needs

Any Solutions?Any Solutions?

• Number of efforts have been take to Number of efforts have been take to address the water issuesaddress the water issues– Electromagnetic flowmeters (used to Electromagnetic flowmeters (used to

control the flow of water into countries)control the flow of water into countries)– Exporting surplus fresh water to water-Exporting surplus fresh water to water-

poor neighbors in Middle East by poor neighbors in Middle East by pipeline or tankerpipeline or tanker

– Towing icebergs from AntarcticaTowing icebergs from Antarctica

Ray of Hope?Ray of Hope?

• DesalinationDesalination– What is desalination?What is desalination?

• Some desalination plants near Some desalination plants near Persian Gulf…but they are VERY Persian Gulf…but they are VERY expensive expensive – Paid by the tremendous oil wealthPaid by the tremendous oil wealth– Have not been built along the Have not been built along the

Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea

Another Problem?Another Problem?

• Not only are there limited sources of Not only are there limited sources of water in the Middle East…water water in the Middle East…water pollution is a BIG problempollution is a BIG problem

• Poor water qualityPoor water qualityis mainly a result ofis mainly a result ofdevelopment and development and agriculture agriculture

Water Pollution Causes…Water Pollution Causes…

• OilOil• Causes include Causes include

seepage from the seepage from the seabed, cracked seabed, cracked equipment, illegal equipment, illegal dumping, leaking dumping, leaking vessels and vessels and accidental spillsaccidental spills

• Dams have greatly Dams have greatly reduced freshwater reduced freshwater inflow that would inflow that would dilute the pollutiondilute the pollution

Water Pollution CausesWater Pollution Causes

• Side Effects of War: Burning oil wellsSide Effects of War: Burning oil wells– When the fire is put out…the fire and When the fire is put out…the fire and

water evaporated into the air together.  water evaporated into the air together.  •This mixture eventually rained back down on This mixture eventually rained back down on

the Middle East the Middle East

•Effects?Effects?– disrupts ecosystems and spoiling food webs.  disrupts ecosystems and spoiling food webs.  – Drinking water was contaminated and fish kills Drinking water was contaminated and fish kills

increased tremendously. increased tremendously.

Causes of the pollution…Causes of the pollution…

• This area’s primary economic This area’s primary economic activities are oil drilling, agriculture, activities are oil drilling, agriculture, and herding/grazing…and herding/grazing…– These are harsh on the environmentThese are harsh on the environment

Causes of water pollutionCauses of water pollution

• Heavy metalsHeavy metals

• Raw SewageRaw Sewage

• Industrial wasteIndustrial waste• Limiting the water flowLimiting the water flow

• Run off…Run off…– pesticides and fertilizerspesticides and fertilizers

Water PollutionWater Pollution

• What are the What are the consequences of consequences of having severely having severely polluted water?polluted water?– Impact on the Impact on the

economy?economy?– Impact on the Impact on the

population?population?