Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 1 TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS AND TURKEY Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 2 Proceedings of Conference on Transboundary Waters and Turkey This book consists of the papers submitted at the Transboundary Waters and Turkey Conference organized by Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering and realized in Istanbul on October 13, 2008. 1st Edition, February 2009, Istanbul Edited by Prof. Mehmet Karpuzcu (Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Chairman) Prof. Mirat D. Gürol (San Diego State University, Civil and Environmental Engineering) Dr. Senem Bayar (Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering) Graphic design and pre-press production Burcu Kayalar Printing DSİ Genel Müdürlüğü, İdari ve Mali İşler Dairesi Başkanlığı Matbaası Ankara All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, on any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN: 978-975-8316-18-2 © Organized by Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kocaeli Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 3 TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS AND TURKEY Mehmet Karpuzcu Mirat D. Gürol Senem Bayar Gebze Institute of Technology Department of Environmental Engineering Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 4 Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Organizing Committee, Scientific Committee . 6 Opening Speeches, Invited Papers . 7 Preface . 8 International Dimension of Transboundary Watercourses Y. Yakış . 13 Turkey’s Transboundary Watercourses and the Euphrates-Tigris Basin Ü. Öziş, Y. Özdemir . 21 A Hydro-Climate Model of the Tigris-Euphrates Watershed for the Study of Water Balancces M. L. Kavvas, Z. Q. Chen, M. L. Anderson, N. Ohara, J. Y. Yoon . 61 The Euphrates-Tigris Rivers and the Determination of Turkey S. Oğuz . 79 Transboundary Waters in and Around Turkey, Historical Development, Legal Dimensionsand Proposed Solutions C. Zehir, M. E. Birpınar . 99 EU Water Framework Directive, Transboundary Rivers and Turkey İ. Kaya . 125 Water Issues and Hegemonic Policies İ. Kapan . 139 Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 6 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Prof. Ahmet Samsunlu (‹stanbul Technical University) Prof. Hasan Tosun (Eskiflehir Osmangazi University) Prof. Mehmet Karpuzcu (Gebze Institute of Technology) Doç. İsmail Koyuncu (‹stanbul Technical University) Dr. Senem Bayar (Gebze Institute of Technology) Senior Civil Engineer A. Cüneyt Gerek (State Hydraulic Works) Senior Civil Engineer Selami Oğuz (‹stanbul Metropolitan Municipality) SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Prof. Dr. Alinur Büyükaksuy (Gebze Institute of Technology) Prof. Ayşegül Tanık (‹stanbul Technical University) Prof. Bilsen Beler Baykal (‹stanbul Technical University) Prof. Dr. İlter Turan (Bilgi University) Prof. Dr. Necdet Alpaslan (Dokuz Eylül University) Prof. Dr. Orhan Şahin (Gebze Institute of Technology) Prof. A. Ünal Şorman (Middle East Technical University) Doç. Cemal Zehir (Gebze Institute of Technology) Doç. Dr. Cengiz Toklu (Yeditepe University) Doç. Güleda Engin (Gebze Institute of Technology) Doç. Dr. Gün Kut (Bo€aziçi University) Doç. Dr. İbrahim Kaya (Çanakkale 18 Mart University) 6 Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 7 OPENING SPEECHES Prof. Mehmet Karpuzcu Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering Prof. Oktay Tabasaran 5th World Water Forum Secretary General Prof. Hasan Zuhuri Sarıkaya Undersecretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry Prof. Doğan Altınbilek Middle East Technical University, Department of Civil Engineering Prof. Hüseyin Pazarcı Member of Parliament from Bal›kesir, International Law Expert INVITED PAPERS Yaşar Yakış Member of Parliament from Düzce, Chairman of the EU Committee in the Turkish Parliament Prof. Ünal Öziş Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Engineering, Civil Engineering Department Prof. Mustafa Levent Kavvas Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Dr. İsmail Kapan Türkiye Newspaper Senior Civil Engineer Selami Oğuz Istanbul Municipality Project Assessment Coordination Committee Assoc. Prof. Cemal Zehir Gebze Institute of Technology Faculty of Business Administration Assoc. Prof. İbrahim Kaya Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University 7 Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 8 PREFACE Water, which has been the most essential matter for mankind’s survival since the beginning of its first existence, continues to be ever more important in our lives. Nothing is more indispensable than water in maintaining life on earth. Water also plays an important role in socio-economic development of nations. Therefore, it is crucial to use water effectively without wastage, and to develop the water resources properly on the way to developing of the nations. Unfortunately, the continuing increase in the world population, the disturbance of the ecological balance due to environmental pollution, and the changes in precipitation and stream flow patterns due to global climate change have further increased the need for water. In fact, the situation is most threatening in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Both surface and ground waters may flow over several official boundaries between countries, following natural courses before reaching their final destination. As a result, watersheds, or catchment basins that may concern more than a single country have emerged. Today, 236 such watersheds world-wide are being shared between two or more countries, and they are referred to in the literature as “transboundary waters”. The water body that is shared by the highest number of countries is Danube River with 17 riparian countries. These 236 transboundary waters serve about 50% of the world population settled in the lands that constitute 50% of the entire world. The transboundary ground waters (aquifers) are not even included in these figures. Hence, the likelihood of emergence of international conflicts over the transboundary waters is quite high. In order to minimize such conflicts, it will be necessary for the countries sharing the transboundary waters to collaborate towards the development of common projects for joint management of the water resources, for identification of real water needs over the entire watersheds, and for effective use of water. Over the last century, the world population has tripled, the world-wide water needs increased by seven folds, and the irrigable lands enlarged by six folds. In contrast, usable water resources have decreased in magnitude due to increased pollution of the resources. Accordingly, the trend is towards a higher water demand compared to the availability of usable water. The usage of water for different purposes, its transboundary characteristics, and the seasonal and locational variations in the availability of water supply have created tension among the users of these water resources. The change in global climate further exasperates the problem. 8 Engkitap6:Layout 1 2/26/09 3:56 PM Page 9 The major reasons for increasing conflicts are withdrawal of ground waters, water pollution, construction of dams and other water storage facilities, decisions related to flooding, and deviations in water beds. Yet, these are not the only reasons for the disputes. Increasing population, reducing available water, power disparity, political, economic and cultural dependences, ideological differences, and countries’ political structures all play a role in contributing to the tension. Water-related disputes instigated by so many different factors beg for answers from technical experts. Particularly, hydrologists can play an important role towards resolving the disputes among the nations sharing the transboundary watersheds by determining the real water budget in these watersheds. Hence, the first step towards resolutions should start with developing good relations and professional contact among the hydrologists from the riparian countries. Hydrologists and other water professionals can evaluate the entire watershed as a whole and exchange and collaboratively assess information obtained as a result of research and observations of the watershed. Especially, sharing information during the periods of flood, spill over and drought conditions becomes vital in development of trust. The riparian nations should pay attention to hydrologic inventory, the climate and morphology of the region, ground water resources, hydrogeology, soil characteristics, plant coverage, land use practices, rate of water withdrawal, wastewater discharge, and monitoring of quality and quantity of water resources. The distribution of hydrological conditions with respect to time and location should be recorded and the information should be shared among the riparian countries on order to understand the variations and stabilize them. The shared operation of the pollution control monitoring systems will help identify ecological impact and determine the common preventive measures to be taken. It is obvious that bringing together the technical experts of the riparian countries to manage the jointly planned projects will contribute towards elimination and/or resolution of the disputes. In addition, minimization of the disputes requires the water resources to be co-managed transparently by the riparian countries following a model jointly agreed upon. Particularly, hydrologists, ecologists, socio-economists and other groups from the riparian countries in arid