An approach to transboundary basins governance in Lebanon and its geopolitics

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to analyze the shared basins between Lebanon and riparians, considering cooperation and conflict, geopolitical aspects in the Arab region, as well as governance. This is complemented with the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach.

Traditionally, the issue of shared water resources in the Arab region has been highly politicized as well as a critical feature of high-level negotiations between governments.

At the same time, it causes concerns about justice and security among the general public around the world in relation to the human right to water. Attention has largely been focused on long-standing disputes arising from Arab dependence on surface water resources originating from (or controlled by) non-Arab countries.

Water is one of the most precious resources in Lebanon and all around the world, especially considering current and future climate change scenarios. The effects of the humanitarian crisis with 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, putting pressure on water services and resources cannot be diminished either. However, the water crisis affecting Lebanon predates the arrival of the Syrian refugees and it’s signed by its geopolitical situation.

Available water includes rivers and springs, storage dams and groundwater. Lebanon’s water resources are under stress due to several factors: unsustainable water management practices, increasing water demand from all sectors, water pollution, and ineffective water governance.

Lebanon shares the following basins with riparian countries: the Jordan River, the Orontes River basin, also known as the Al Asi River and the Nahr Al Kabir basin. Concerning to groundwater, the Anti-Lebanon Mountain range is located at the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Originating from the Anti-Lebanon and Mount Hermon mountain ranges, the Jordan River covers a distance of 223 km from north to south and discharges into the Dead Sea. The river has five riparians: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.The Jordan River headwaters (Hasbani, Banias and Dan) are fed by groundwater and seasonal surface runoff.

Water use in the Jordan River basin is unevenly developed. Palestine and Syria have no access to the Jordan River; hence their use of water resources from the river itself is nil. However, Syria has built several dams in the Yarmouk River sub-basin. Overall, the Jordan River basin has an estimated total irrigated area of 100,000- 150,000 ha of which around 30% is located in Israel, Jordan and Syria, 5% in Palestine and 2% in Lebanon.

Regarding to the main agreements, on 1953 and 1987 Jordan and Syria agreed on the use of the Yarmouk River, including the construction of the Wahdah Dam and 25 dams in Syria. The agreement also establishes a joint commission for the implementation of the provisions on the Wahdah Dam. On 1994, Israel and Jordan agreed on Annex II of the Treaty of Peace concerns water allocation and storage of the Jordan and Yarmouk Rivers, and calls for efforts to prevent water pollution as well as the establishment of a Joint Water Committee. Israel and Palestine (PLO) accepted on 1995 the Article 40 of the Oslo II political agreement states that Israel recognizes Palestinian water rights in the West Bank only and establishes the Joint Water Committee to manage West Bank waters and develop new supplies. Palestinians are denied access to the Jordan River under this agreement.

Geopolitically, the question of water sharing in the Jordan River basin is inextricably linked to the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Syria, Israel and Lebanon, and Israel and Palestine, and while a wide range of issues are at stake, control over water in the basin has added to existing regional tensions.

The Orontes River basin, also known as the Al Asi River, is the only perennial river in Western Asia that flows north from Lebanon to Syria and Turkey, and drains west into the Mediterranean Sea. The river is mainly used for irrigation purposes with several agricultural projects planned in the three riparian countries. There is no basin-wide agreement between the three riparians, but there are several bilateral agreements in place on issues such as water allocation (Agreement between Lebanon and Syria on the distribution of water of Al Asi River, 1994) and the joint construction of infrastructure (Syria and Turkey). Orontes basin politics are heavily influenced by the status of Turkish-Syrian relations in general, and discussions over the sharing of the Euphrates River in particular. Syria and Turkey have not resolved the question of the disputed coastal province of Hatay (Iskenderun) through which the Orontes exits to the Mediterranean Sea.

On 1994, Lebanon and Syria reached an agreement on the distribution of Orontes River Water originating in Lebanese territory, which specifies water allocation between the two countries. On 2009, Syria and Turkey agreed on the Memorandum of Understanding concerning the construction of the joint Orontes River Friendship Dam.

The NahrAl Kabir basin rises from numerous springs in Syria and in the Lebanon Mountain range. It runs a westerly course forming a natural border between northern Lebanon and Syria. The river is severely polluted by widespread discharge of untreated sewage and uncontrolled solid waste disposal. The two countries cooperate on the basis of a 2002 water-sharing agreement, with several joint technical sub-committees tackling various issues related to the watershed.

On 2002, Lebanon and Syria reached the Agreement to share the water of the NahrAl Kabir and build a joint dam on the main stem.

Concerning to groundwater, the Anti-Lebanon Mountain range is located at the Lebanese-Syrian border between the Bekaa Plain in the west and the Damascus Plain in the east. The Anti-Lebanon is an important source of water, both locally and in the wider regional context, as it forms the source of a number of rivers in the Mashrek. Several large springs emanate from these aquifers and contribute to the Awaj, Barada, Litani, Orontes and (Upper) Jordan Rivers.

There are no water agreements in place for any part of the Anti-Lebanon Mountain range, nor for the three shared spring catchments. The two riparians coordinate shared water resources management issues through the Syrian-Lebanese Joint Committee for Shared Water, which also implements the agreements in place over the Nahr Al Kabir and the Orontes River.

In this regard, enhancing cooperation between Lebanon and riparians countries is crucial to manage shared water resources in this water-scarce region. More cooperative action and constructive dialogue is needed to sustain these shared resources, considering water governance, hydrodiplomacy principles and the IWRM approach.

The questions that guide this study are to know which watersheds Lebanon shares with its neighboring countries, what their characteristics are, and if there are international agreements that regulate their use and joint development.

In reference to the techniques of data collection, the research process will collect information from primary and secondary sources (academic research, specialized press, statistical series and international surveys, among others). As regards the techniques of data analysis, the research will use the documentary analysis, qualitative data analysis.

This article is presented with an introduction to water management in Arab countries. Next, theoretical bases for the study of transboundary basins are proposed. As a contribution to the theoretical framework, the principles on shared watercourses in International Law are developed. Then, the transboundary basins of the country of Phoenician origin, Lebanon, are presented. Finally, the conclusions of the study are given.