Syria has been facing a decade-long drought. This has led to a decrease in groundwater levels in eastern Syria by up to sixty percent, according to reports.
Wells were drying up. The drought was pushing millions to the “brink.” Iraq and Iran were also drying up. Water levels at the Mosul dam had declined, and the giant lake Tharthar was drying out. The massive Lake Urmia in Iran had also dried out.
Now things have changed. The dams are full from Turkey to Syria and Iraq. The lakes are filling up, and the big problem is flooding, not lack of water. Bridges over the Euphrates have been pushed out of service in Syria due to the flooding.
Syria, Turkey working together to reduce water flow
The Syrian Ministry of Energy "announced that the efforts made by the Syrian side with the Turkish one resulted in the start of reducing the quantities of water coming into Syrian territory via the Euphrates river, addressing the high levels of the river’s water in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces,” Syrian state media said over the weekend.
The ministry said in a statement issued on Friday that the “technical staff” at the Euphrates Dam General Corporation “has begun taking the necessary operational measures to contribute to gradually reducing water levels along the course of the Euphrates river, as the amount of water flow rates through the Euphrates Dam has been reduced by 100 cubic meters per second, through the partial closure of spillway gate No. 3.”
Water levels in Syria stabilize
Furthermore, SANA added that “the Ministry stated that the gradual reduction of water passes will continue in the coming days, in parallel with the decline in inflows coming from the Turkish side, which will contribute to a gradual decline in water levels and the return of the situation to normal.”
SANA noted that “several areas along the banks of the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor and Raqqa governorates have been witnessing a noticeable rise in the river’s water level for days, causing damage to 2,400 families in Deir Ezzor, while emergency teams, civil defense teams, and local authorities are raising the state of readiness, taking preventive measures, and carrying out evacuation operations, when necessary, With the aim of protecting residents and property and reducing potential losses.”
Now, Syria is saying water levels have stabilized.
Nevertheless, the flooding and the change in water flows show that the region is not on a one-way street to drought. These trends can be reversed. It’s not clear if this is the case or just a temporary phenomenon this year. Nevertheless, it will have a positive effect on Iraq and Syria. It will also affect Iran, where many areas have been suffering from drought.