Diplomacy on the Yarmouk, the Jordan River’s forgotten tributary Insight from satellite imagery into Yarmouk groundwater and rivers Jabal Ash Shaykh Al Qaly'a Yarmouk River .! Raqqad Quneitra • Largest tributary of the Jordan .! Jbab .! river Allan Sanameyn .! • Area: 7,387 Km2 Jasem th .! • Strahler 7 order Hareer/ • Length of Main Tributary from Nawa Arram Highest to Lowest: 144Km .! Izra' .! Taseel Shaykh Maskyn • Main tributaries: Raqqad, Allan, Jamlah .! .! 1,114 m Hareer/Arram, Thahab, Zeidi, .! Hayt Da'el .! Tafas .! Harak Qanawat Shallala Zayzoun .! .! .! Mukhaiba .! Tha'lah Sweida .! Al^ Wehdeh .! • 3 countries: Syria (80%), Jordan Gharyeh Sharqyeh .! Mzeirib Uthman .! Thahab (19.7%), Occupying State of .! Torrah .! Um Walad .! .! Dera'a .! Jabal Israel-OSoI (0.3%) Ash Shajarah .! -247 m Um El Mayadyn Irbid Ramtha .! al Arab\Druz • Borders: .! .! Al Mjemir ZeidiJaber As Sarhan Busra.! - Syria/Jordan: 31.2 Km .! .! Shallala Al Bouwayda Sama As Sarhan - Jordan/Golan: 19.4 Km .! .! Al Ghadeer Al Abyad Sakhra .! - Jordan/OSoI: 11.1 Km .! Al Mafraq .! Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, Intermap, increment P Corp., GEBCO, USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase, IGN, Kadaster NL, Ordnance Survey, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), swisstopo, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community Documentation collated and datasets • > 200 references: books, peer-reviewed articles, reports, thesis, maps, official websites, personal communications • From 1889 (Schumacher et al. “Across Jordan, an exploration and survey of part of Hauran and Jaulan”) to 2017 • 9 different platforms satellites datasets (CORONA, SPOT 5, GeoEYE, Landsat (5-8), MODIS, Active\Passive Radar Difficulties and challenges • Contradiction - Area of the watershed (ranges from 6,700 Km2 to 8,378 Km2) - Length of the river (varies from 40 Km to 143 Km) - Flow data (variable, not always clear) • Major Gaps - Long-term accurate precipitation - Flow gauging stations - Springs discharge - Wells extraction - Dams actual retention - Detailed LUC Rainfall Amount (MCM) CHIRPS – 5Km (1981 – 2008) Average Rainfall (1981 – 2008) • Ground data from 13 stations (Good and Moderate fit) • Average 273 mm/yr Kufr Saum (2016.51 MCM/yr) Max= 429 mm/yr • After BIAS correction of CHIRPS data (BIAS = 11%, RMSE error = 57mm) Mafraq Airport Min= 151 mm/yr • • • Addasiya Maqaren Naharayim (1978/79 (1979/80 Flow (MCM/yr)(1978/79 100 200 300 400 500 600 1999/00) 2015/16) 2006/07) 0 Flow Baseflow (MCM/yr) Baseflow 1979 1980 1981 – – 1982 – 1983 1984 1985 Naharayim 1986164.94 Flood flow (MCM/yr) Flood flow 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 Addasiyah 1992 156.18 1993 1994 1995 Discharge Discharge (MCM/yr) Year 1996 1997 1998 1999 Maqareen 2000 161.97 2001 2002 2003 Linear (Discharge (MCM/yr)) (Discharge Linear 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Reduction of flow Many factors: • Intensification of irrigated agriculture • Infrastructure (dams, wells, etc.) • Climatic Variation\Change Legend Production Wells (MCM) . 0 - 0.1 . 0.1 - 0.2 !. 0.2 - 0.5 !. !. !. !. !. Production Wells !. .! !. !. .! !. 0.5 - 1 .! !.! !. !. !. ! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. 1 - 1.8 !. .! .! .! !. !.!. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. .! !. !. .! !. .!.! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. 1.8 - 2.5 !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. ! .! !. ! .! .! !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. Syria !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. ! !. .! !. !. .! !. .! .! !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. .! !. ! !. !. !. .! . !. !. .! .! ! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !..! !. !. ! .! ~ 154 MCM from 1,000 wells !. .! ! !. !. !. .! ! !. .! !. !. !. !. .! !. .! !. !. !. !. ! !. !. !. !. ! !. !. .! !. !. !. !. ! !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !..! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. basalt aquifer !. !. !. .! !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! .! !. !. ! !. !. !. !. .! . !. ! !. .! !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. .! .! .! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. ! !. !. !. .! .!!. Mainly in the middle of the basin !. !. .! . !. !. .! !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. ! !. !. !. !. .! . .! !. !. !. ! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. .! ! !. !. !. .! !. !. !. ! !. .! !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. ! !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. ! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. ! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. .! !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. .! !. .! .! ! .! !. ! !. .! !. !. .! . !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! .! !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! !. ! !.!..! . !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !. .!.! .! .! !. !. !. !. !. .! .! .! !. Jordan .! !. .! !. !. .! !. .! .! !. !. .!.! !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. .! !. .! .! !. .! !. !. .! .! !. !. .! !. ! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. ! !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! . .! !. .!.! !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !.! ! !. !. !. !. !. ~ 40 MCM from 200 wells . .! !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. .! .! !. .! .! !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. .! .! !. !. .! !. !. !. .! .! .! !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !.!. !. .! !. !. .! .! !. !. !. .! !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .! !. !. .! ! .!!. .! !. !. ! .! .! .! .!. !. !. ! !. .! .! .! . .! !. !. !. !. !. !. .! .! !. !. .! !. .! !. .! !. A7/B2 aquifer !. !. !. .! !. .! .! .! .! !. !. .! .! !. !. !. .! !. !. .! !. .! !. .! !. .! .! !. !. .!!. !. .! !. !. !. ! .! .! .! !..! . !. !. .! !. !..! .! !. .! .! !. !. !. .! .! .! .! .! !. !. .! !. !. .! ! .!.! .! !. !. .! .!!..! . !. !. !. !. !. !. !. .!.! .!.!! !. !. !. !. .! !. !. !. .!. .!.! !. !. !. .! .!.! .! .! !.!. ! !. !. !. .! . !. !. !. .!!. ! !. !. .! .! .! !. ..!. !. !. .! .! .! !. !. .! !. .! !. .! !. !. !. .! .!.!.!. .! !. .! .! .! !. !. !. !.!. !. !. .!.! .! !. .!!. !. .!!. !. .! .! .! .! !.!. .!.! ! ! !. !. !. .!. ! !. !. More is actually pumped in !. !. .! .! .! . !. !. .! !. ! .! .! !. .! .! .! .! .!.! .! .! .! !..! .! !. !. .! .! !. .! .! .! !. !. .! .! .! .! !. .! !. .! .!.! .! !. !. .!!. both countries (illegal and !. unmonitored wells) Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, Intermap, increment P Corp., GEBCO, USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase, IGN, Kadaster NL, Ordnance Survey, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), swisstopo, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community Dams Purpose Dams Capacity (MCM ) Drinking Dams ( < 4 Inside Yarmouk: Irrigation ( 4 - 10 Irrigation & Electricity Production 40 dams ( 10 - 20 Livestock Watering ~ 328 MCM ( 20 - 40 Bental/MeromBental/Merom Golan Golan Not Specified AlAl MantaraMantara Organization 40 - 110 Ruwayhaniyah ( BurayqahKudnah Al Hujah Polluted: Al ButmiehGhadir al Bustan 13 dams Ghadir al Bustan Taseel Al Zolf Al Raqad Al Sheikh Maskin ~ 63 MCM Al Allan Shahba KheitalSaham al Golan Abta' al Kabeer Abeedeen Adwan Meitsar Gharbi Tafs Qanawat Al Wahdah Al Tiba Al Rom Al Mushanaf al Janoubee Jowayleen Al Asleha Uthman Ghadir al Suf Al Ghariyah al Sharqiyah Rasas Sahwet al BlataAl Raha Dar'a al Sharqi Hebran Jabal el Arab Qaysma Al Ain Al Muta'iyah SamaAl Muta'iyah al Sarhan Salkhad Al Bouwayda Sama al Sarhan Khazma Al Batm Ghadir al Abyad Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, Intermap, increment P Corp., GEBCO, USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase, IGN, Kadaster NL, Ordnance Survey, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), swisstopo, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community Dams’ actual retention • Volume-area relation from Landsat images (Liebe et al., 2005) • V = A x D / 3 • 34 images processed • Between 1985 – 2016 • Spring (April) and Summer (August) seasons April 2008 AprilAprilAprilAprilAprilAugustAprilAugustAugustApril 20042000 199920142012198720152013198519862016 1989 198519861987 Taseel Al Sheikh Maskin Dams’ actual retention – Syria DecreaseNever reachedafter the full Max: ~190 MCM Syriancapacity crises 160 140 MCM 140 120 100 Drought 80 60 Volume (MCM) Volume 40 20 0 Year Jabal Ash Sheikh Damascus Basin Geology ! ! Legend Golan ! ! ! ! ! ! Basalt ! ! Wadi Liwa ! ! ! ! Extinct Volcanoes in Syria Geology B3 - Pg1-Pg2-1! ! Basin ! ! ! ! ! Faults in Jordan Quaternary Basalts A7/B2 - !Cr2cn! cp/Cr2m-d! ! ! ! Faults in Syria Neogene Basalt A1/A6 - Cr2cm-t! ! Yarmouk Watershed Quaternary Deposits K - Cr1-Cr2t! Steppe Basin Legend ! ! Neogene Jurassic ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Extinct Volcanoes in Syria B3 - Pg1-Pg2-1 ! ! Geology ! ! B4/B5 - Pg2-2/Pg2-3 Zarqa Group ! Faults in Jordan Quaternary Basalts A7/B2 - Cr2cn cp/Cr2m-d ! ! Faults in Syria A1/A6 - Cr2cm-t Neogene Basalt Yarmouk Gorge ! ! Mukheibe ! Yarmouk Watershed Quaternary Deposits K - Cr1-Cr2t ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Jurassic Mzeirib ! Neogene ! ! Jabal al Arab! Hamad Basin ! ! ! ! Legend B4/B5 - Pg2-2/Pg2-3 Zarqa Group ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Extinct Volcanoes in Syria Geology B3 - Pg1-Pg2-1 ! Faults in Jordan Quaternary Basalts A7/B2 - Cr2cn cp/Cr2m-d ! Faults in Syria Neogene Basalt A1/A6 - Cr2cm-t Yarmouk Watershed Quaternary Deposits K - Cr1-Cr2t Ajloun Azraq/Zarqa Basin Jurassic Neogene Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, Intermap, increment P Corp.,