\n The current rise follows a wave of severe flooding that hit areas of northern and eastern Syria during the spring and early summer, described as one of the worst flooding the region had experienced in decades. [Getty]<\/p>\n
Areas in northern and eastern Syria are seeing a renewed rise in the water level of the Euphrates River<\/a>, coinciding with a notable increase in the amount of water flowing in from Turkey.<\/p>\n This has prompted Syrian authorities to take operational and precautionary measures aimed at accommodating the additional flows and maintaining reserve storage capacity in dams, while warning residents, farmers and facilities near the riverbed of the risks posed by rising water levels and faster currents.<\/p>\n The development comes after a wave of widespread flooding hit parts of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor during the spring and early summer, inundating areas of agricultural land and damaging property and facilities near the Euphrates.<\/p>\n Engineer Wafiq al-Hassan, who follows the issue, told The New Arab that current data did not indicate that the situation had reached the level of the previous flooding.<\/p>\n Syrian dams still have the capacity to absorb additional quantities of water, he argued, but the main concern was the continuation of high flows for a prolonged period, rather than the current flow rate alone.<\/p>\n He explained that inflows exceeding 1,200 cubic metres per second and continuing for consecutive days made managing water reserves in the lakes essential to maintaining an operational safety margin.<\/p>\n Therefore, discharge is being increased gradually while flow levels are monitored, rather than allowing water to accumulate in the lakes without sufficient reserve capacity.<\/p>\n He noted that the rise in water levels could affect bridges and temporary structures built on the river, a particularly sensitive issue in Deir Ezzor, where residents rely on these structures to travel between the two banks of the river.<\/p>\n The engineer expected the current passage rate to remain at about 800 cubic metres per second, with the possibility of increasing discharge if there were changes in water inflows.<\/p>\n He said some earthen structures in Deir Ezzor had been reinforced, alongside warnings issued to residents, farmers and owners of equipment and facilities near the river.<\/p>\n He described the current situation of the Euphrates in Syria as a rise in water levels under monitoring and operational control, but carrying risks that require caution, particularly amid continued high inflows from Turkey.<\/p>\n The precautionary measures are particularly important given the previous flooding, which showed that a sudden or sustained rise in Euphrates flows can quickly turn from an operational problem into a humanitarian and agricultural crisis, particularly in low-lying areas adjacent to the riverbed.<\/p>\n According to available data, the amount of water flowing into Syria through the Euphrates <\/a>from Turkey has exceeded 1,200 cubic metres per second continuously for about 10 days, with high inflow levels expected to continue until the end of August.<\/p>\n In statements to local media, Syrian officials expected flows to reach about 1,300 cubic metres per second.<\/p>\n In response to the increase, the Euphrates Dam Public Establishment began on Saturday gradually increasing the amount of water released from the Kdeiran Dam from 600 to 800 cubic metres per second, according to hydrological and operational data and monitoring of water levels along the river.<\/p>\n One spillway gate was also partially opened to release an additional amount estimated at about 100 cubic metres per second.<\/p>\n The measure is part of a policy of gradually increasing discharge rather than making a sudden increase in the amount of water flowing through the river.<\/p>\n One of the main aims of these measures is to lower lake levels and maintain reserve storage capacity inside the dams in anticipation of continued high inflows or a further increase in flows.<\/p>\n According to the available data, the Euphrates Dam lake can still accommodate additional quantities of water, giving the establishment room to deal with the current increase through gradual release operations.<\/p>\n Current data do not indicate the need to widely open the Euphrates Dam gates.<\/p>\n The increase from 600 to 800 cubic metres per second is viewed as a limited and controllable measure, while the possibility of increasing discharge when necessary remains, depending on developments in inflows and water levels.<\/p>\n The increase in discharge has affected the Euphrates water level in Deir Ezzor province, where the Directorate of Water Resources reported a rise of about 70 centimetres.<\/p>\n Local estimates also indicated the possibility of a further rise of about 30 centimetres over the following 24 hours.<\/p>\n This increase is particularly significant in Deir Ezzor because residents rely on temporary crossing structures, including earthen bridges and culverts, which can be affected by rising water and faster currents.<\/p>\n A previous rise in the Euphrates level led to traffic being suspended on one of the province’s earthen bridges as a precaution, reflecting the vulnerability of temporary infrastructure <\/a>to any further rise in water levels.<\/p>\n Warnings to residents and farmers<\/p>\n Alongside the gradual increase in discharge, the Energy Ministry warned residents of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces, particularly those living near the Euphrates, to stay away from the river and its banks and not to swim in it because of the possibility of rising water levels and increased flow speeds.<\/p>\n Preventive measures also included calls for farmers, fish farm owners and operators of facilities near the river to move engines, equipment and machinery to safer locations and take the necessary precautions to protect pumps and property.<\/p>\n These warnings are particularly important in areas where agricultural land and facilities are located near the riverbed, as rising water levels pose a risk not only to residents but can also damage agricultural equipment, infrastructure and temporary bridges.<\/p>\n The current rise follows a wave of severe flooding that hit areas of northern and eastern Syria during the spring and early summer, described as one of the worst flooding the region had experienced in decades.<\/p>\n The crisis was linked to rising water levels in Turkish dams on the Euphrates, particularly the Ataturk Dam, whose reservoir approached very high levels, prompting Turkish authorities to open discharge gates to help manage water reserves.<\/p>\n Data also showed that gates at other Turkish dams along the Euphrates had been opened before the river entered Syrian territory.<\/p>\n