Energy Body warns of disaster as Euphrates levels decline, offers solutions

The reservoir of the Euphrates Dam in Tabqa witnessed a significant drop in water levels, posing a general threat to the region.

The Energy Body explained in a statement delivered today that the water level of the Euphrates River saw a sharp decline in April, negatively impacting all sectors, especially agriculture, livestock, the environment, and drinking water.

The statement was read in front of the Euphrates Dam reservoir building, with the presence of the Energy Body of the North and East Syria region, the Energy Body in Tabqa, and the administration of dams in the canton.

Rasha Al-Khader, the co-chair of the Energy Body in Tabqa, read the statement, which stated:

"The limited amount of water flowing from the Turkish side, currently estimated at 250 cubic meters per second, along with damage to the Tishrin Dam caused by hostile acts by the Turkish occupying state and its mercenaries, and the failure to reconnect the dam to the general electrical grid after it returned to service due to faults in high-voltage networks, are all factors that have worsened the water and electricity situation in the region."

The Energy Body’s statement pointed out that the region is experiencing an exceptional drought this year, which has increased the demand for irrigation and drinking water and raised evaporation rates from the reservoirs to about 250 cubic meters per second. This has doubled the pressure on the Euphrates Dam and depleted the strategic water reserve of the reservoir to extremely low levels.

The statement added: "As of today, the level of the Euphrates reservoir stands at 298.32 meters above sea level, whereas it should be 304 meters. This is a major drop of more than 5.5 meters below the normal level, indicating a water shortage of approximately 4 billion cubic meters."

The statement warned: "If the low water inflow and energy generation continue at the current rate, the Euphrates Dam is at risk of going out of service within a short period, possibly less than a month, despite a 40% reduction in power generation since the beginning of April."

The statement noted that "the Body has been forced to take strict measures to regulate the amount of water passing through the Euphrates Dam in order to preserve the reservoir's water, save the winter and summer agricultural seasons, and continue providing drinking water for over 6 million people living along both banks of the river, to avoid a water, food, and humanitarian disaster."

It added that "the electrical grid has been subjected to rationing as a first stage across all cities in North and East Syria. If the current operational conditions persist, a second stage of rationing may be implemented, in which electricity would be limited to drinking water and irrigation purposes only."

In conclusion, the Body proposed a set of suggested solutions, including:

- Immediate and positive intervention by the government in Damascus through official channels to pressure Turkey to stop its violations and ensure the release of the agreed-upon water quantity, 500 cubic meters per second, as per previous protocols between Syria, Turkey, and Iraq.

-Securing alternative energy sources to reduce pressure on the dams, such as sending electricity from thermal power plants within Syria.

-Reducing the amount of water released to preserve dam reservoirs for essential uses like drinking and irrigation.

-Reconnecting the Tishrin Dam to the national electrical grid, especially with the Euphrates Dam, to help reduce pressure on it.

A-H

ANHA