Imagine the Euphrates River completely drying up. Scary thought, right? It is on its way of decreasing to almost half of its average flow. In the article, I will share facts and the significance of the Euphrates River.
Furthermore, we will also explore the reasons for its drying up! A river on which many civilizations and communities depend for their daily lives, chores, and survival is on its way to extinction! Don’t you wonder about the reasons why this is happening?
Read with us to understand how the decline in nature’s health will severely impact people’s survival on a large scale.
This Is The Real Reason the Euphrates River Is Drying Up!
When you ask about the real reasons why the Euphrates River is drying up, I would say humans are at the root of all senses! The civil war in Iraq in the past years and the current conflicts in Syria have led to many people displaced both internally and externally.
The governments of the countries Syria, Turkey, and Iraq are least bothered with how the people are functioning with the aspects of water! Rather, they are using the issue to gain power on a global scale! In the face of climate change, there is no functioning government in most of these countries.
What’s more, private organizations and groups are taking advantage of the absence of any policy or law implementing what they think is right! So, to know the real reason, you have to delve much deeper into the practices!
About Euphrates River
One of the major sources of water resources in Western Asia is the Euphrates River, which flows through Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. The river that covers almost 1740 miles caters to a population of 60 million and is not drying up!
Hundreds of thousands rely on this water, which can have a disastrous effect if it completely dries up! Living in an urban settlement, you might not understand the significance of one bottle of water, but trust me, it is a sign of doom, especially when it brings droughts and death!
This is not the first time there has been a risk of the Euphrates River drying up, as it has previously experienced situations. In the 2003 to 2013 period, as reported by IFLScience, the Euphrates River underwent a significant drying phase.
The lowest water levels were recorded in the history of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. With the recent developments, it is clear that we are heading towards the edge again. With the increasing risk of decreased water levels, several issues are rising!
Is It True That The Euphrates River Is Drying Up?
When you question the validity of the claim of the Euphrates River drying up, I am here to tell you that it is true. It comes from the official sources of different countries, such as Iraq, Turkey, and Syria, which are directly involved in using water from rivers.
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, the Euphrates River’s water will completely dry up by 2040. The director of immunizations and health systems resilience at the Global Health Policy Center of CSIS, Katherine Bliss, confirms that recurrent drought might lead to permanent river drying.
There is one specific reason for which the river is drying up, and it is giving way to other causes. If you understand the relationship between humans and nature, you will know how pathetically dependent we are on nature.
With all our technological advancements and digitalization, we can only do something if the environment is right and cooperative! The Euphrates River dying is one such example of a whole cradle of civilization completely helpless in the future.
Climate Change
When you want to discover why the Euphrates River is drying up, humans! Climate change is just an outcome of what humans have done for several years: neglecting nature’s basic needs and protecting it the way it protects us!
Instead, we have over-exhausted and over-utilized the natural elements and resources to their last drop. Climate change has turned the flow of the Euphrates-Tigris River system into almost half of what it was before. Even in the dry years, the average annual flow was pretty decent.
Currently, it is at its lowest point, leading to the huge population of Iraq and Syria using contaminated groundwater, spreading cholera and typhoid. Let us also remember the human contribution to population increase leading to water insecurities in countries.
The regular droughts have impacted Syrian farmers as 85% of agricultural and farming requirements depend on Euphrates! Animal husbandry, agricultural cultivation, and drinking water are all mediums of survival for the Syrian people. The Euphrates-Tigris River system plays an important role in this survival!
However, a 75% drop in wheat harvests in Syria since 2011 has increased the risk of rural displacement. Let’s remember how the Al-Ankour villages depend on the Euphrates and are now going into debt buying bottled water to survive.
Political Struggles Between Syria And Turkey
The governments of the countries Syria and Turkey have not done anything to aid the Syrians and Turkish people in their struggle for water. Instead, they use water as a weapon by withholding its availability to other nations.
Crops of Syrian farmers are getting destroyed due to a lack of water supply along with the contaminated groundwater. Turkey controls the Syrian-Turkish dam, which is at the border, and clearly, it is using power to manipulate it to their advantage.
According to the agreement in 1987, Syrians will be getting 132,086 gallons of water every second; however, in 2021, they blamed Turkey for not fulfilling the contract. Only 52,834 gallons of water is given to Syria every second, directly impacting electricity generation in the Alouk Water Station.
Cholera As An Impact!
With the helplessness comes extreme measures where the dependents of the Euphrates River start taking contaminated groundwater, leading to diseases such as cholera, typhoid, chicken pox, and diarrhea. These conditions have become common across Iraq and Syria due to water.
According to the British Medical Journal, children are heavily impacted by this water condition. Three out of five children are suffering, and there is no way they can safely manage the water services.
Solutions By NGOs
The only help visible in the face of all crises is the non-profit organizations that have taken the responsibility of helping the people of nations such as Syria and Iraq by providing them with fresh water.
It all started in 2016 when the Peace Forum NGO began its mission! The aim was to provide water to families with the least access to freshwater and monitor the government’s functionality and actionable steps!
To date, as per the records of CSIS, there have been 15 NGOs in Syria that have established retrofitted water stations, 5 NGOs have provided stations for water supply, 21 NGOs have helped in establishing healthcare facilities, and 10 NGOs have provided points for water truck filling along with 6 NGOs focused on creating schooling!
Finishing Off…
Seeing the Euphrates River today, I shudder to think of all the families and communities dependent on it!
When we learn about all the human rights issues in the world, do we ever wonder that it is us? We are at the origin of all crises, especially concerning the environment and nature’s shortcomings!
Comment on what you think should be our next step in worldwide action towards providing a solution!
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