PDFAbstract: Political instability of several countries in the Middle East is overshadowing one of the biggest challenges of the upcoming century: Water - a natural resource that is easily taken for granted, but whose scarcity might lead to serious conflicts. This paper investigates an optimalWater Allocation of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivershed by introducing the WATER-Model. A series of scenarios are analyzed to examine the effects of different levels of cooperation. Basin-wide coordinated water usage becomes even more important in times of water shortages which can be caused by a drought or by the filling of a dam. Data analysis shows that Turkey is most efficient in its water usage. However, water usage for irrigation purposes in Turkey rather than for the domestic and industrial sectors of Iraq or Syria, decreases the overall welfare. The predicted water demand growth in the region will only increase this effect. Especially the Euphrates basin might thus encounter losses of up to 33% due to such non-cooperation. Minimum flow treaties between riparian countries, however, can help increase the region’s overall welfare and should therefore be implemented.
Keywords: Integrated Water Resources Management, Euphrates Tigris rivershed, non linear modeling, transboundary water resources allocation, river basins, Turkey, Syria, Iraq REFERENCES [1] Akanda A, Freeman S, Placht M (2007). The Tigris-Euphrates river basin: mediating a path towards regional water stability. The Fletcher Sch J For Issues Relat To Southwest Asia And Islamic Civiliz:1-12. [1] Akanda A, Freeman S, Placht M (2007). The Tigris-Euphrates river basin: mediating a path towards regional water stability. The Fletcher Sch J For Issues Relat To Southwest Asia And Islamic Civiliz:1-12. [2] Akhbari M, Grigg NS (2013). A Framework for an Agent-Based Model to Manage Water Resources Conflicts. Water Resour Manag 27: 4039-4052. [3] Allan JA (2002). The Middle East water question: hydropolitics and the global economy. Vol. 2. I.B. Tauris Publishers, London, New York. [4] Al-Masri A (2014). Water wars directed against Syria and Iraq: Turkey’s control of the Euphrates river- Turkey’s control of the Euphrates might lead to disaster. http://www.globalresearch.ca /water-wars-directed-against-syria-and-iraqturkeys-control-of-the-euphrates-river/5389357. Accessed 27 February 2015. [5] Beaumont P (1998). Restructuring of water usage in the Tigris-Euphrates basin: the impact of modern water management policies. In: Coppock J, Miller JA (1998): Transformation of Middle Eastern natural environments: legacies and lessons, Bulletin Series of Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies 103, pp. 168-186. [6] Berkun M (2010). Hydroelectric potential and environmental effects of multidam hydropower projects in turkey. Energ For Sustain Dev 14:320-329. [7] Brouwer R, Hofkes M (2008). Integrated hydroeconomic modelling: approaches, key issues and future research directions. Ecol Econ 66:16-22. [8] Brown O, Crawford A (2009). Rising temperatures, rising tensions: climate change and the risk of violent conflict in the Middle East. International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). http://www.iisd.org/
Cite this paper
Pao-Yu Oei, Markus Siehlow. (2016) Modeling Water Management Options for the Tigris–Euphrates Rivershed. International Journal of Environmental Science, 1 , 140-150
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