Water of Syria’s Tishrin Dam records unusual low levels in winter
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – An official at Tishrin Dam in Manbij, northern Syria, warned on Thursday against the continuation of declining levels of water in the dam’s lake, saying that the dam’s water has fallen to unseen levels in winter.
Hammoud al-Hamadin, official in Tishrin Dam, told North Press that the Euphrates’ “riverbed has turned into a creek.”
“The water level at Tishrin Dam’s lake has declined approximately five meters which has not ever been recorded in winters,” al-Hamadin added.
Since February 2020, Turkey has been seizing water of the Euphrates, reducing Syria’s shares of the river.
According to the agreement signed between Syria and Turkey in 1987, Syria was allocated 500 cubic meters per second, but now that share has fallen below 200 cubic meters.
Al-Hamadin noted that the peak of this reduction was during last summer, a time when people are in urgent need for water.
“In winter, the water storage should be at its peak, but this is not the case now,” he added.
A platform has emerged in the upper level of the dam which is supposed to be immersed in water at all times. When the level drops lower than this platform, the water level is then at the dead level which means the dam can no longer operate, according to al-Hamadeen.
The electric power in Tishrin dam is generated by two turbines out of six. The feeding is limited to Manbij city and some areas of Euphrates region with 140 MW for five hours, which is short of the 1000 MW that the region needs, according to the official.
The two turbines operate for five hours, and sometimes even less, to avoid reaching the dead level and consequently the full shut down of the dam.
Retaining water from reaching Syrian territories and targeting drinking water stations and fishery resources is considered an attack against “infrastructure and an elimination of food, water and health security in northern Syria,” he added.
On November 20, Turkey launched a barrage of airstrikes against many areas in northern Syria, causing great damage to vital infrastructure including gas and oil installations and grain silos.