Shafaq News/ In an exclusive interview with Shafaq News, Ahmad Al-Kwan,the Director of the General Authority for Water Resources and Land Reclamationin Syria, discussed the country’s ongoing water crisis, exacerbated by climatechange, and its impact on Syria and Iraq. Al-Kwan also provided insight intoSyria's current water-sharing agreements with Iraq and the measures being takento address water scarcity in the region.
Here is the full interview:
Shafaq News Correspondent: Syria has been facing significant climatechallenges. How has this affected the country's water resources?
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.
Shafaq News Correspondent: Can you elaborate on the current waterscarcity in Syria?
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.
Shafaq News Correspondent: How does this impact Syria’s dam reservoirs?
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.
Shafaq News Correspondent: Regarding Iraq’s share of the Euphrateswater, how is it managed under existing agreements?
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.
If the monthly flow falls below this threshold, Turkiye agrees tocompensate for the shortfall in the following month. As for Iraq, it receives58% of the Euphrates water passing through Syria, while Syria retains 42%.However, these allocations are temporary, and we need negotiations among theriparian states to secure a larger share for both Syria and Iraq.
Shafaq News Correspondent: How much water is currently reaching Iraq,and are there ongoing discussions between the two countries?
Al-Kwan: A joint committee between Syria and Iraq meets regularly orwhenever necessary to coordinate water management between both ministries. Atechnical committee has also been formed to standardize water measurement, andit recently met at the Syrian-Iraqi border. During the meeting, the committeeproposed establishing a unified measurement center equipped with modern devicesand software.
As for Iraq’s water share, it depends on the agreements and the flowfrom Jarabulus. It is not a fixed amount.
Shafaq News Correspondent: Is Syria planning to build new dams toaddress its water challenges?
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:
-Bradon Dam: Designed to store 140 million cubic meters, with 86% ofconstruction completed. It will irrigate 7,500 hectares.
-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.
-Al-Balouta Dam: With a capacity of 2.57 million cubic meters, this damis designated for drinking water, with 40% of construction completed.
Several dam projects are also ready for contracting, including:
-Wati Al-Khan Dam (Latakia): Storage capacity of 1.6 million cubic meters,aimed at providing drinking water and irrigating 300 hectares.
-Shaqra Dam (Latakia): Storage capacity of 1.52 million cubic meters,intended for drinking water and irrigation.
-Ain Al-Kabira Dam (Tartus): Located on the Abu Yabes River in Safita,with a storage capacity of 2.1 million cubic meters, dedicated to drinkingwater supply.
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.
-Marqiya Dam (Tartus): Designed for a storage capacity of 98 millioncubic meters, intended for drinking water and irrigation of 1,000 hectares. Thetechnical plans have been ready since 2005, and we are currently updating landacquisition documentation.
-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.
Shafaq News Correspondent: Thank you for sharing these insights.
Al-Kwan: Thank you. We remain committed to addressing water challengesand ensuring sustainable management of Syria’s resources.
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