Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia

Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia:

Shared River Basins and Aquifers Systems in Lebanon

Economic And Social Commission For Western Asia

Carol Chouchani Cherfane Chief, Water Resources Section Sustainable Development Policies Division United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia Beirut, Lebanon ESCWA-BGR Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia

The Inventory is… Objectives: the first UN-led effort to take stock • Identify, and document the state of the shared surface and of shared water resources and groundwater resources in Western their use Asia a comprehensive, systematic • Improve the knowledge base and and standardized manner. facilitate information access • Create awareness and stimulate informed dialogue within and Key Themes: between riparian countries • Hydrology, hydrogeology • Support regional processes towards improved dialogue and • Water resources development cooperation over shared water and use resources • Agreements and cross-border management efforts.

Euphrates River – Syrian Arab Republic Page 2 © Copyright 2014 ESCWA. All rights reserved. No part of this presentation in all its property may be used or reproduced in any form without a written permission

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

ESCWA Committee on Water Resources

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.

2008 Dec ESCWA Committee Build national capacities on IWRM and shared on Water Resources, waters; update assessment of legal and 8th Session 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 Recommendation to nominate focal points to on Water Resources, support the finalization of the Inventory, and 9th Session consider its outcomes. 2011 May Expert Consultation Review of concept, hydrogeological interpretation and meeting identified shared aquifer systems by regional and (groundwater) international experts.

Page 5 © Copyright 2014 ESCWA. All rights reserved. No part of this presentation in all its property may be used or reproduced in any form without a written permission CWR-9 Session CWR-9 Session Timeline and consultations II

2011 Apr-Sept Nomination of focal Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, points Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen. 2011 Oct-Nov Circulation of Basin Information package for each shared basin/ aquifer fact sheets and system with overview maps, tables, available data and questionnaires literature list; request to review and complement core information. 2011 Nov-Dec Regional Consultative Discussion of findings and further steps, including Meeting submission of requested data. 2011 Dec- Follow-up and Follow-up on data submission and clarification of April informal consultations content; via email, missions and back-to-back meetings

Page 6 Regional© Copyright Consultative 2014 ESCWA. All Meeting rights reserved. No part of this presentation in all its property may be used or reproduced in any formField without a Tripwritten permission 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- Full Review Circulation of complete Inventory in layout form for final March review and comments. 2013 March Committee on Water Final report on preparation of Inventory and Resources, 10th session 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 Page 8 © Copyright 2014 ESCWA. All rights reserved. No part of this presentation in all its property may be used or reproduced in any form without a written permission

Shared River Basins

Euphrates-Tigris- Shatt Al Arab

Orontes River

Nahr El Kabir Basin

Jordan River Basin

Qweik River Basin

Based on selection criteria, other smaller shared resources referenced, but do not have dedicated chapters 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

Hydrological baseline and trends

Discharge Variability: Orontes River -visualize trends, drought years

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

Cooperation: Orontes River 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 Nahr el Kabir Basin Nahr el Kabir • 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. Syrian-Lebanese Cooperation: Nahr el Kabir Joint Committee for Shared Water

 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 Cooperation and 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 Confrontations & Conflicts • Threat of military intervention by Israel • Bilateral conflicts are if water withdrawn from Hasbani River • Tensions subsided. regional in this basin Wazzani Springs Dispute – Part II • Arab/Non-Arab Conflicts • August 2002 Lebanese announced • Arab/Arab Confrontations plan for pumping stations at Wazzani Springs & Maysat Junction to feed and tensions Ibl al Saqi Reservoir • Basin-level approach would • Major tensions: US, UN, EU sought to require engagement of all resolve tensions, but failed • 2002 – pumping station inaugurated, Riparian States in all but no further development pursued to aspects of the negotiations avoid confrontation.

More Shared Aquifers than generally understood in SharedWestern Aquifer Asia (Mesozoic Systems: & Mesozoic Paleozoic and Eras) Paleozoic Eras 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

Analysis goes beyond Management delineation of sub-surface Challenge: extent as compared to There are Deep River and GroundwaterEuphrates River – SyrianNon Arab-Renewable Republic Basins in the World ©BGR Aquifer Systems Hannover/UNESCO,2012 in Arab Region Shared Aquifer Systems: Cenozoic Era 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 Euphrates River – Syrian Arab Republic Western Galilee Basina - Israel, Lebanon

Taurus-Zagros - Iran, Iraq, Turkey

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

Key Findings from the Inventory

1. There are more shared water 6. There is not a single agreement resources in Western Asia than on shared groundwater resources generally assumed. in the region. 2. Water quantity and allocation 7. The region's groundwater is dominate the discourse on largely non-renewable and shared water resources in this aquifers are rapidly being water-scarce region. depleted. 3. Water quality is rapidly 8. Groundwater plays an important deteriorating, a fact that is role in surface water basins, a link largely neglected. which is often overlooked. 4. The lack of accurate data 9. A new thinking is required to deal hampers joint water resources with large regional aquifer management. systems from a shared perspective. 5. Cooperation over shared water exists, but is never basin-wide. 10. It is already too late to save some shared waters.

Full report available at: www.waterinventory.org

Email: United Nations Economic and Social [email protected] Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) P.O. Box 11-8575

Beirut, Lebanon