Here is the full interview:
Al-Kwan: Like most countries around the world, Syria has been affectedby climate change, especially in the past decade. One of the key consequenceshas been reduced rainfall, with shifts in its timing and geographicaldistribution. This has had a significant impact on water sources, particularlygroundwater.
Al-Kwan: Many water sources in Syria are experiencing depletion. Thisyear is among the driest we have faced. Rainfall levels in various provinceshave been alarmingly low—only 19% in Damascus, 18% in Quneitra, 22% in Daraa,10% in Suwayda, 10% in Homs, 28% in Hama, 26% in Idlib, 24% in Aleppo, 8% inRaqqa, 11% in Deir ez-Zor, 46% in Hasakah, 48% in Tartus, and 62% in Latakia.
Al-Kwan: The low rainfall directly affects water storage levels acrossall provinces. Excluding the Euphrates River dams, our total dam storage iscurrently at just 21% of full capacity. It is still too early to assess thefull impact on agricultural planning, but we will review and adjust the annualagricultural plan based on available water levels in early March. Hopefully,additional rainfall will help replenish the reservoirs.
Al-Kwan: According to the agreements between the concerned parties,Turkiye is committed to providing an annual average flow of over 500 cubicmeters per second at the Syrian-Turkish border.
Shafaq News Correspondent: How much water is currently reaching Iraq,and are there ongoing discussions between the two countries?
As for Iraq’s water share, it depends on the agreements and the flowfrom Jarabulus. It is not a fixed amount.
Al-Kwan: Syria currently has 164 dams of various storage capacitiesserving different purposes, with a total storage capacity of approximately 19billion cubic meters. Additionally, three dams are under construction:
-Faqi Hassan Dam: Designed to store 1.776 million cubic meters, with75.5% completed. It will be used for drinking water and irrigation of 300hectares.
Several dam projects are also ready for contracting, including:
-Shaqra Dam (Latakia): Storage capacity of 1.52 million cubic meters,intended for drinking water and irrigation.
Additionally, we have studied the construction of Marqiya and Al-HussainDams as part of a broader plan to transfer excess water from coastal springs toDamascus.
-Al-Hussain Dam (Tartus): With a design capacity of 63 million cubicmeters, this dam is intended for drinking water and irrigation. We are in theprocess of updating technical documents and refining the dam’s classificationand hydraulic study.
Al-Kwan: Thank you. We remain committed to addressing water challengesand ensuring sustainable management of Syria’s resources.
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