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Temporal Changes in the Lebanese Litani River: Hydrological Assessment and Recommended Actions to Handle with the Human and Global Change Impacts

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Temporal Changes in the Lebanese Litani River: Hydrological Assessment and Recommended Actions to Handle with the Human and Global Change Impacts Journal of Scientific Research & Reports 4(4): 313-327, 2015; Article no.JSRR.2015.035 ISSN: 2320-0227 SCIENCEDOMAIN international www.sciencedomain.org Temporal Changes in the Lebanese Litani River: Hydrological Assessment and Recommended Actions to Handle with the Human and Global Change Impacts Nadine Nassif 1, Hiba Kchour 1* and Amin Shaban 2 1Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Sciences, Lebanese University, Dekawane, Elmaten, Lebanon. 2National Council for Scientific Research, Remote sensing center, Beirut, Lebanon. Authors’ contributions This work represents an output of a scientific research applied at the Lebanese University in collaboration with the National Council for Scientific Research in Lebanon. The work highlights on the largest river in Lebanon which has been subjected to severe geo-environmental problems. The decrease in the discharge of the Litani River has been lately exaggerated. The authors treated this problem and proposed the appropriate solutions as viewed from the legal aspects. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/JSRR/2015/13038 Editor(s): (1) Alessandro Pezzoli, Water Supply and Wastewater Engineering , Turin Polytechnic, and Department of Meteorology, Turin University, Italy. Reviewers: (1) Anonymous, University of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. (2) Anonymous, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Abbottabad, Pakistan. (3) António Félix Flores Rodrigues, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Portugal. (4) Peiyue Li, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, China. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history.php?iid=743&id=22&aid=6603 Received 31 st July 2014 th Original Research Article Accepted 30 September 2014 Published 23rd October 2014 ABSTRACT Litani River is described as the most important river in Lebanon. Even though, high rainfall is often recorded in the Litani River basin, but several physical and anthropogenic changes in this area are affecting the hydrologic regime. This issue has been exacerbated in the last decade. This study provides the majority of the legislation which manage the water sector in Lebanon, especially in the Litani River Basin, and it presents illustrations on climatic and hydrologic trends overall Litani River Basin. It highlights the key issues of water shortage in Litani River including the existing changes and their impacts. It was established a complete figure on rainfall trend from 1994 till 2012 and _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: Email: [email protected]; Nassif et al.; JSRR, 4(4): 313-327, 2015; Article no.JSRR.2015.035 hydrologic components trends from 1952 till 2011, which are recorded and monitored in three stations located at three parts of Litani River Basin (upper Litani Basin, middle Litani Basin and lower Litani Basin). The average annual rainfall in these three stations is shown to be increasing about to 9% along a period of 18 years. However, there is an obvious decline in the average of the river's discharge which reaches about 45% in the last four decades. This in turn reveals the negative influence of anthropogenic actions on Litani River rather than considering the climatic changes impacts. In addition, the gaps and overlaps in the existing legal framework lead to insufficient control on the major natural water sources, especially the application of the Environmental Protection Framework Law No. 444 dated 29/07/2002. However, we need urgently to start the application of the precautionary principle, principle of prevention, polluted-pays principle and environmental impact assessment in order to prevent and to be adapted to the impacts of climate change at national and international level. Keywords: Environmental legislation; water shortage; increase in rainfall; discharge; anthropogenic impacts. 1. INTRODUCTION period and 200 liters per capita per day during the wet period [1]. Lebanon which is situated in the south-west of the continent of Asia, on the eastern coast of the The Litani River is the largest of all Lebanese Mediterranean Sea with a total area of 10 452 rivers and the most important water resource in km 2, and it is known as one of the countries in the country. A comprehensive watershed master the Mediterranean region having abundant water plan was developed for the Litani River, which resources. led to the construction of a major hydroelectric system in 1956 which is the Al-Qaraoun While Lebanon is in a favorable position in terms Reservoir. This led to a hydrological separation of rainfall and availability of water resources, the between the basin’s upper reaches above Al- restrictions are: the very vulnerable capacity to Qaraoun Reservoir, known as the upper Litani store water and the difficulty of the imprisonment Basin, and the lower reaches. The return to more of water close to the sea, and deficiencies in the stable conditions encouraged the Litani River systems and the water distribution networks. The Authority to revive plans to divert substantial total outflow of surface water is about 735 million volumes from Al-Qaraoun Reservoir for irrigation cubic metre/year were 160 million cubic and municipal water supply in the long neglected metre/year of them goes to the sea [1]. southern and interior parts of the country [4]. There is difficulties to manage water sector due In the Upper and Middle Litani Basin, to the lack of data and the huge amount of losses corresponding to Central and South Bekaa as a result of leakages and widespread regions, water resources are restricted to surface unlicensed wells where pumping is far from being and groundwater of Litani River Basin. There are monitored. This deficiency in data availability no diversions of water from other basins. In the hinders possible predictions of water distribution lower and coastal river basin, corresponding to among the three sectors: agricultural sector, South Lebanon region, only domestic and domestic sector, industrial sector. However, a industrial water are partially fed by springs and previous study estimates that the quota per groundwater diverting from other basins. 3 capita from the available water is 1,324 m per However, water in the future shall be diverted year. However; the consumption rate in Lebanon from Litani Basin and from other southern basins is estimated at 595 L/day/capita. This is for domestic and irrigation purposes. Current distributed as: 175, 400 and 20 L/day/capita for domestic and industrial water supply is estimated domestic, agriculture and industry, respectively. at 14 million cubic metre/year in South and 30 This means that the annual needs per capita is million cubic metre/year in Bekaa. This amount is 3 217 m /year. Therefore, the available amount of produced mainly from springs and wells. The water is six times the amount of water required distribution systems suffer from big loses which by each person [2]. Annually 700 million m³ are is estimated at about 40% of the carried water. used to produce hydroelectric power and return Supplied water volumes are under the demands directly to the rivers [3]. The consumption of needs, especially in the South. In the South, water for domestic purposes is estimated by 220- water is transmitted by networks that extend 250 liters per person per day during the dry beyond the Litani River Basin. To meet 314 Nassif et al.; JSRR, 4(4): 313-327, 2015; Article no.JSRR.2015.035 increasing demand in potable water in the region studies have addressed on the hydrological of South Lebanon, an additional amount of 20 cycle. All of these studies identify the problem million cubic metre will be supplied yearly from facing the Litani River Basin which is due to the Litani Basin, via Canal 800 project, to South short period of rain, difficulties to store water and Lebanon. Projected domestic and industrial mismanagement of water sector in Lebanon. water demand on Litani River Basin area is Also, the effect of climate change on water shown in Tables 1 and 2 [5]. resources is considered when there are combined change in temperature and Table 1. Projected water demand for domestic precipitation [7]. On another hand, they highlight supply in million cubic metre/year [5]. the remedial measures which they are necessary Year 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 to improve water quality. Bekaa 34.26 38.82 43.17 45.18 46.78 This study shows a comprehensive view on the South 24.63 27.20 29.49 30.21 30.62 problematic aspects of Litani River Basin, Total 58.89 66.02 72.66 75.39 77.39 including surface water. The study discusses the Table 2. Projected water demand for elements of the physical and anthropogenic industrial supply in million cubic metre/year changes. It relies on diagnosing the general [5] status of the available data and information from previous records. Year 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 Bekaa 3.61 4.05 4.57 5.14 5.74 This paper presents a water quantity assessment South 1.49 1.67 1.87 2.10 2.35 of the upper Litani River Basin, Al-Qaraoun Total 5.10 5.72 6.43 7.24 8.08 Reservoir and lower Litani River Basin. It differs from many other applied studies on Litani River Due to water scarcity, the Litani River Authority in Lebanon because discussed all the (LRA) provides, for irrigation, moderate and small problematic issues that Litani River’s discharge water volumes for several projects Table 3. facing. The impacts are grouped according to Including: their origin, and this work represents an inventory that highlights the key issues on Litani River 1. In the southern coastal area, the Qasmiyeh Basin in Lebanon. According to the synthesis (between the sea level and 100 m obtained in this study and in previous ones, is elevation above sea level) project, water to needed to find rapid solutions, and implement irrigate 4000 ha. them, to facing the existing changes on Litani 2.
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