|
FightING ILISU DAM - SAVE HASANKEYF AND TIGRIS VALLEY |
|
Welcome to the Homepage of the Initative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive |
Zaman: DSIs water survey: Turkey is running out of water (03.02.2007) |
|
DSİs water survey: Turkey is running out of water
As one of the countries deeply affected by global warming, Turkey is identified as one of the first places where desertification will start in Europe, according to estimates by the UN Environment Program (UNEP). Turkey is currently going through one of its driest winters ever. The water levels of many dams have dropped to their lowest levels. Due to the decrease in ground water levels, many lakes face complete desiccation. In Turkey, the State Waterworks Authority (DSİ) is the sole authority for water-related work and studies. In this critical atmosphere, DSİ conducted the most comprehensive water survey ever into Turkey's water resources. According the survey, Turkey receives 500 billion cubic meters of precipitation yearly. As 274 billion cubic meters evaporates, 41 billion cubic meters feed ground water to replenish this resource. Of the entire ground water capacity, 14 billion cubic meters gush out of the ground as springs while 153 billion cubic meters are fed through rivers to seas or closed basins. With 7 billion cubic meters of water coming from neighboring countries, Turkey's gross water capacity amounts to 234 billion cubic meters. Thus, Turkey's overall surface water potential reaches to 193 billion cubic meters. In the final analysis, Turkey has a total usable fresh water potential of 112 billion cubic meters; yet, Turkey can make use of only 36 percent of it.
Neither rich nor poor The amount of per capita usable water in Turkey is 1,642 cubic meters/year while the per capita water potential is 3,690 cubic meters/year, the survey states. These figures do not identify Turkey, contrary to popular belief, as a water-rich country. A country in which the per capita usable water amount is less than 1000 cubic meters is considered a water-poor country. Countries where the annual per capita usable water amount is less than 2,000 are categorized as countries facing the risk of water scarcity. Turkey belongs to this category. Water-rich countries are those in which annual per capita usable water amount is above 8,000-10,000 cubic meters. According to estimates by State Statistics Institute (TUIK), Turkey's population will rise to 100 million in 2030. Accordingly, the per capita usable water amount will decrease to 1000 cubic meters/year by 2030. Considering the existing growth rate, change in water consumption habits and other factors, certain pressures on water resources can be expected. Yet these estimates apply if we manage to preserve current resources in their current state for the coming 25 years. Therefore, Turkey has to know well and use rationally its resources in order to leave clean and sufficient water to future generations. Turkey has to build some 730 dams and more than 2,000 ponds in order to fully utilize its water capacity of 192 billion cubic meters. Due to both the lack of these water sources and Turkey mountainous geography, a significant part of this water is fed to seas. With a surface area of 779.5 million hectares, Turkey has only 28 million hectares of arable land, of which only 25.85 million hectares can be irrigated. Still, the area of the land that is irrigated using state-of-the-art methods is 8.5 million hectares. The figures imply that Turkey has not properly implemented an irrigated agriculture policy. Turkey's potable water capacity is calculated to be 2,026 billion cubic meters while the water available for industrial use has been calculated to be 3,900 billion cubic meters.
Terrifyingly wrong practices Turkey generates 35.310 MW of electrical power in its 546 hydroelectric power stations, but uses only 35 percent of its hydroelectric power potential. According to reports, 60 percent of Turkey's electrical power is generated from natural gas power stations, making Turkey dependent on external natural gas supply. This implies that when Turkey's hydroelectric power potential is fully utilized, there will be no need for natural gas or coal-operated power stations.
Water is not life, but a disaster According to DSİ's report, the motto "water is life" is not applicable to Turkey. This is because water is the second greatest cause of disaster after earthquakes. Unable to control water, Turkey suffers a loss of $100 million due to floods. Despite an investment of $30 million made to date for flood prevention, disasters cannot be eliminated. The water resources of Anatolia are rapidly contaminated due to urbanization, industrialization, regional wars and agricultural chemicals. Meriç, Simav, Nilüfer, Gediz, Küçük Menderes, Büyük Menderes, Sakarya rivers as well as Porsuk, Ergene, Ankara and Çarksuyu streams are Turkey's most contaminated water resources. In order to fully utilize its water potential, Turkey has to implement pipe-based irrigation systems in irrigation projects. Also, depots should be built along large water transmission channels and projects for transferring water between water basins should be implemented, experts say. Turkey has to make an investment of $128 billion to make use of its water potential of 112 billion cubic meters. Currently unable to secure financial resources for one of its biggest irrigation projects, the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), Turkey cannot find funds to finance it. As Turkey holds heated debates concerning diversion of the Kızılırmak River to the Konya plain, the UN Environment Program issued a report last month that marks Konya as the starting point of the desertification of Europe. Under the effects of global warming, decreases in the water levels of lakes in Turkey imply that desertification might start sooner than expected. Preservation of its water resources is vital for Turkey as there are allusions to possible water wars in future.
Albay: We have destroyed our water basins. Former Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for Evaluation of Turkey's Rivers Necati Albay said that "Turkey has destroyed its water basins. A water basin is by definition the area where all water of a zone is collected. We have failed to preserve the water basins properly. We have uprooted our forests. We have failed to develop the vegetation of the water basins. The vegetation of water basins was destroyed. If it was not destroyed, a significant party of rainfall would not go as runoff, but be absorbed by the soil. Now in Turkey, most of the rainfall quickly turns into running water as runoffs, causing floods. Due to lack of sufficient vegetation to ensure absorption of rainfall, the running water also causes significant erosion, which in turn destroys the vegetation of the water basin. This is the vicious cycle of erosion. We must implement whatever is necessary to keep rainfall absorbed by the soil. These can be dams, ponds, sets, dams or vegetation. Basins should be protected with these measures. Turkey has a water problem. It has to take steps to improve its water basins and to ensure soil absorption of more water. Turkey urgently has to complete Ilısu Dam. One-eighth of electrical power potential can be met using this dam. Second, we should ensure that the Göksu River does not bring disaster to Mersin and Silifke but carries fertility to the Konya Plain. It is possible to carry 150 million cubic meters of Göksu's water to the Konya Plain. This can be done by excavating the Blue Tunnel."
Chairman of Turkish Water Foundation Zekai Şen: Building dams is not a solution "The DSİ has been undertaking well-meaning work. However, constructing dams does not solve the problem. Turkey is unable to utilize its water resources effectively. Water usage in Turkey is based on traditional methods. With serious thought, Turkey has to implement a program for joint management of its water resources. While dam constructions are well undertaken, the operation of the dams is fraught with problems. Facilities for exchanging water between dams should be established. For instance, 26 dams in the GAP region are to be integrated with each other. When there is drought in one region or when the water levels of one dam decreases, water can be carried from one region to the other. Due to lack of coordination in the operation of dams in Turkey, problems arise. Turkey has recently installed natural gas and oil pipelines across Anatolia. The same must be done for water as soon as possible. We think only how to sell water. Instead of planning how to sell water, you have to learn how to use water. Turkey has to engage in medium and long-term water planning for 2020 and 2050 in order not to be affected by climate changes.
Water transfers "In addition to inter-dam water transfers, inter-region water transfer, too, should be made possible. When there is drought in a region or when precipitation is low, the surface water that is being fed to the sea in regions where rainfall is abundant should be transferred to dry regions. Tayyip Erdoğan solved the water problem of İstanbul. He did it not by constructing more dams but by ensuring coordination among the dams. You may construct unlimited dams, but without such coordination this will be only a temporary solution. When we examine the case of countries that use water efficiently, we see that they ensure integration instead of building dams. And when they plan to construct a new dam, they try to find out the most efficient location for the dam. Second, the best protection against climate change is to increase not surface water but ground water. In the Konya Plain, the water level decreases by 1 or 2 meters every year. The best solution to climate change is to increase ground water in the long run. When you build a dam, the water there will evaporate. Ground water does not evaporate. Preserving it is easy. Dams are the primary targets in wars or terrorist attacks. Dams are vulnerable to earthquake. If you have ground water, you will have no fear in the event of a war. Unfortunately, in Turkey water is equated with dams."
03.02.2007 Todays Zaman |