Southwest AsiaSouthwest Asia (Middle East) (Middle East)

Water ProblemsWater ProblemsCrisis BriefingCrisis Briefing

Water is a very important resource in the Middle East but there isn’t enough of it.

•The source of water varies from country to country. Some, like Egypt and Iraq rely mostly on surface water from large international rivers. Others, like Yemen, and Djibouti depend almost entirely on groundwater and desalination, while others use a mixture of surface and groundwater. Most countries are using almost all available surface water, and many major rivers do not reach the ocean anymore as a result because the water gets used up.•www.worldbank.org

Problem 1- Dry LandProblem 1- Dry Land

Much of North Africa and Much of North Africa and southwestern Asia is covered with southwestern Asia is covered with desert. The Sahara extends from the desert. The Sahara extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. From Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. From the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf lies the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf lies the Rub’ Al Khali Desert in the the Rub’ Al Khali Desert in the southern part of the Arabian southern part of the Arabian Peninsula and the Badiat-El-Sham Peninsula and the Badiat-El-Sham Desert in the north of the peninsulaDesert in the north of the peninsula

Yearly Average RainfallYearly Average Rainfall

Not only dry land but…Not only dry land but…

DROUGHTS!DROUGHTS! To make matters worse, droughts To make matters worse, droughts

often affect the ME, reducing many often affect the ME, reducing many countries already low yearly average countries already low yearly average rainfall levels to 10% of normal in rainfall levels to 10% of normal in extreme cases. extreme cases.

Problem 2- Population GrowthProblem 2- Population Growth

Many countries in the Middle East Many countries in the Middle East have been experiencing rapid have been experiencing rapid population growth. Growth rates population growth. Growth rates have averaged around 2.5% per have averaged around 2.5% per year. Even though this growth rate year. Even though this growth rate isn’t as high as other countries in the isn’t as high as other countries in the world, the available water in the ME world, the available water in the ME cannot sustain the growing cannot sustain the growing population.population.

To put it in perspective- the ME takes To put it in perspective- the ME takes up less than 20% of the world’s land up less than 20% of the world’s land area and has a little more than 10% area and has a little more than 10% of the world’s population, but only 2% of the world’s population, but only 2% of the world’s fresh water.of the world’s fresh water.

Population Density

Problem 3- Water Per PersonProblem 3- Water Per Person

World Bank figures show than an World Bank figures show than an average person in the world uses average person in the world uses 1,850 gallons of water per year. In 1,850 gallons of water per year. In the Middle East, the average usage the Middle East, the average usage per person is 265 gallons. The per person is 265 gallons. The population of the ME is projected to population of the ME is projected to rise 200 million people by 2025. This rise 200 million people by 2025. This will cut the water per person in half will cut the water per person in half to 132.5 gallons. to 132.5 gallons.

Perspective: you use 10-20 gallons of Perspective: you use 10-20 gallons of water every time you take a shower. water every time you take a shower. How many showers could you take in How many showers could you take in the Middle East with the amount of the Middle East with the amount of water projected per person in 2025?water projected per person in 2025?

Problem 4: AgricultureProblem 4: Agriculture

Agricultural use of water is Agricultural use of water is enormous, even though agricultural enormous, even though agricultural products are only a small part of the products are only a small part of the ME’s countries' production. For ME’s countries' production. For example, agriculture is less than 10% example, agriculture is less than 10% of Jordan’s GNP (the total value of of Jordan’s GNP (the total value of goods and services) but farms there goods and services) but farms there use 80% of the nation’s water. Other use 80% of the nation’s water. Other countries have similar statistics. countries have similar statistics.

Dams and irrigation systems divert the few rivers that exist in the region. The dams can also be used to produce hydroelectricity.

• Turkey and Iraq have dams on the Euphrates River.

• Israel has dams on the Jordan.

• Both divert water for irrigation.

Ataturk Dam

Ataturk Ataturk DamDam, , Euphrates RiverEuphrates River, Turkey, Turkey

Birecik Birecik DamDam and Birecik and Birecik DamDam Lake on Lake on Euphrates Euphrates RiverRiver

The Mosul The Mosul DamDam on the Tigris on the Tigris RiverRiver in Iraq in Iraq

• The downside of dams and irrigation techniques is that they disrupt the river ecosystems.

• Land along the Tigris and Euphrates river depends on periodic flooding, but that doesn’t happen with dams.

The Dead Sea is fed by the Jordan River, but today only about 10% of the Jordan’s discharge gets to it. This has caused the Dead Sea’s depth to decrease significantly.

• Many farmers have begun to use chemical fertilizers, which have contaminated water supplies through runoff into the rivers and streams.

• Constant planting and fertilizer use have led to the build-up of salt levels in soils, eventually making it impossible to farm in those areas.

• In the rush to develop industry, many cities and towns have grown rapidly, but the people living there have been slow to create effective ways to manage garbage and treat sewage.

For More on Problem 5For More on Problem 5

On the blog:On the blog: 1. listen to the NPR video clip1. listen to the NPR video clip 2. Look at the NPR images 2. Look at the NPR images

PowerPointPowerPoint 3. watch the video about pollution in 3. watch the video about pollution in

the Tigris the Tigris 4. Read the document: Iraq Suffers 4. Read the document: Iraq Suffers

as the Euphrates River Dwindlesas the Euphrates River Dwindles