TRANSMITTAL OF REPORT ON SYRIAN USE OF YARMUK RIVER WATER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00287R000700020002-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 29, 1983
• Content Type: MEMO

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I I
Central Intelligence Agency
29DEC1983
MEMORANDUM FOR: Robert Pelletreau
Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
Department of State
SUBJECT: Transmittal of Report on Syrian Use
of Yarmuk River Water
1. Attached is the an use of the Yarmuk River
that you requested from on 30 November. As you
will note, we found that Syria is already using much more of the
basin's water than any of us had expected and is continuing to
develop additional sources by drilling new wells and building
additional surface reservoirs. These developments seem to raise
questions about Jordanian Israeli plans for downstream use of
the remaining flow.
2.
contact
Divisio
If you have any questions on these materials please
ief, Near East Branch, Geography
Office of Global iss -es
Attachment:
The Yarmuk River: Increasing Syrian Water Diversion
Cause for Israeli and Jordanian Concern
GI M 83 10283
December 1983
25X1
25X1
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SUBJECT: The Yarmuk River: Increasing Syrian Water Diversion
Cause for Israeli and Jordanian Concern
OGI/GD/NE,
(16 Dec 83)
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 - SA/DDCI
1 - Executive Dir
1 - DDI
1 - DDI/PES
1 - NIO/NESA
1 - CPAS/ILS
1 - D/NESA
1 - Ch/NESA/AI
1 - Ch/NESA/AI/I
1 - Ch/NESA/AI/L
1 - D/OGI
1 - DD/OGI
1 - Ch/GD
1 - Ch/GD/NE
8 - OGI/PG
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I I
Central Intelligence Agency
The Yarmuk River: Increasing Syrian Water Diversion
Cause for Israeli and Jordanian Concern
SUMMARY
Syria is increasing its use of water originating in its
portion of the Yarmuk River watershed. Since 1971 twelve surface
storage dams and six smaller catchments have been constructed on
tributaries of the Yarmuk; six of the dams have been built since
1979. Two additional dams are under construction. We estimate
that Syria's annual use of Yarmuk sources may now be in excess of
200 million cubic meters--nearly 50 percent of the Yarmuk's
Syria's increased use of Yarmuk water has resulted in a
corresponding reduction of the water available for the tw
downstream users, Jordan and Israel. Jordan's development plans
for the East Bank will be severely disrupted if it is unable to
rely on a Yarmuk flow significantly larger than it presently
uses. While Israel uses on average only a small amount of this
water for the Yarmuk (Adasiyah) Triangle, a reduced Yarmuk flow
will inevitably complicate the dispute between Jordan and
Israel. FI
This memorandum was prepared by
Issues. Comments and queries are welcome and may be directed to
th
e Chief, Near East Branch, Geography Divsion,
GI M 83 10283
December 1983
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Background
The longstanding dispute between Israel and Jordan over
sharing water from the Yarmuk River has focused since early 1982
on the diversion of water from the lower end of the river into
Israel's Yarmuk Triangle and into Jordan's East Ghor Canal.
During recent months Jordan has expressed concern about the
unusually low flow in the Yarmuk, following a winter and spring
when precipitation in the drainage basin was much above
average. As a consequence, both Israel and Jordan have
speculated that Syria may be increasing its diversion of the
river's sources at the expense of the other two riparian
states. This study attempts to identify the amount of river flow
that is being used by Syria and to determ~' e if this amount has
changed notably during recent years.
The Yarmuk Watershed
The Yarmuk watershed occupies an area of about 6,800 square
kilometers (km2) of which 1,800 km2 (25 percent) is in Jordan and
5,000 km2 (75 percent) is in Syria (map 1). The Syrian portion
is about the size of Delaware. The basin drains roughly the area
stretching from the Golan Heights to the Jabal ad Duruz, east of
As Suwayda in Syria, and from Irbid to Al Mafraq in Jordan.
Most of the area in both Jordan and Syria is used for rain-fed
agriculture, mainly grain crops. 0
The Yarmuk River is only about 55 kilometers long, but it is
fed by an extensive network of longer tributaries, most of which
are intermittent streams (wadis) which carry water only in winter
and spring; a few streams are perennial and are at least
partially fed by springs. The river's average annual flow, based
on measurements from 1927 to 1975, was 450 million cubic meters
(mcm) as measured at Al Adjsiyah near where it enters Jordan's
East Ghor diversion canal. Of this flow, about.200 mcm was
steady base flow at the rate of about 6 cubic meters per
second. The remaining 250 mcm comes from winter and spring flood
flows, which ranged from 40 to 600 mcm annually during the period
of record. (By comparison, the average annual flow for
Washington DC's Rock Creek is 55.5 mcm). The Yarmuk's most
important tributary is the Nahr ar Rugqad/Wadi ar Ruqqad which
drains the area of highest rainfall, (Golan Heights from Mount
Hermon to Fiq). Its average annual flow measured at Ar Rafid was
7 Z 3 m c
Precipitation, mostly rainfall
is the source of th
,
e
watershed's water supply-, and varies from over 900 millimeters
(35 inches) on the southeastern slopes of Mount Hermon to between
200 and 300 millimeters (8 and 12 inches) on the lava plateau
'The average annual flow was less--about 400 mcm--from 1954 to 1975.
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west of the As Suwayda (map 2). The average for the entire
Yarmuk drainage basin is almost 400 millimeters (16 inches)
annually. Although no precise figures are available, the higher
average rainfall on the Syrian portion of the basin suggests that
as much as 80 percent of the Yarmuk's flow, or more than 350 mcm,
originates in Syria.
During the decade of the 1970s Syrian use of water in the
Yarmuk watershed increased to a 1980 level of about 180 mcm
annually--about 40 percent of the Yarmuk's annual flow-~
Syria, moreover, has the
potential to control at least 350 mcm of the Yarmuk's total
discharge, about four times as much as the 90 mcm allocated
annually under the Johnston Planl--which is often cited as the
official sharing arrangement by Israel, Jordan, and Syria, when
useful to their arguments. the Syrian Ministry of
Irrigation stated Syria's belief that all the
waters of the Yarmuk originating on Syrian territory are
Syrian. (C)
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Although we do not know if Syria actually intends to make
full use of its Yarmuk sources and can neither confirm nor refute
the claim that it was using 180 mcm of Yarmuk sources in 1980,
substantial evidence is available to show that Syria's water use
has increased significantly since the 1970's. Since the mid-
1970s the Syrian Government has sought to improve the country's
agricultural productivity by increasing the amount of land under
irrigation in Syria's dry farming areas. While the 1981-1985
Five Year Plan emphasizes dryland irrigation in the eastern part
of the country, improved productivity in the moister areas,
including the Yarmuk watershed, is recognized as of increasing
importance. Specific plans include the continuing construction 25X1
of Yarmuk basin dams and associated irrigation networks and the
increased drilling of deep wells northwest of Dar'a. Although 25X1
hundreds of wells are reported to be in use within the Yarmuk
basin for irrigation, no data are available on their total output
or on the affect of well pumping on the Varmuk'c f1nw_
The affect of dam construction
can be more readily documented and tends to support the Syrian
contention that they are using a significant share of the river's
N
'The Johnston Plan was a United States initiative, in 1953-55,
aimed at seeking an agreement with Israel and the neighboring
Arab states on a plan for the "diversion and use" of the waters
of the Jordan River basin, and possibly, the internationalization
of Jerusalem. It was named for President Eisenhower's special
representative on this matter--Eric Johnston. Although most
elements of this plan were eventually agreed to by all riparian
parties (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria), formal agreements
were never concluded.
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flow. Prior to 1980 Syria had built six storage dams, all of 25X1
which were constructed after 1971
e
en constructed on all of
the major Syrian tributaries to the Yarmuk, adding significantly
to Syria's cancer;i-ir j-? ^--4--., iL_ _
r and six smaller watr
catchments in the watershed (table and photos). Since 1980 six
additional surface storage dams have b
to the east of the United Nations Disenga ementaObservergForrceust
(UNDOF) area. wA oat4,.,-4- ?
5 uiscnarge. Two
additional dams are under construction th
capacity of more than 60 mcm. Their actualuitmpactCon theolned
Yarmuk's flow is probably greater than this amount because they 25X1
are used to provide irrigation water for Syrian agriculture
during the winter and s ring at the time of maximum stream
flow. 25X1
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most of these storage dams are fed by
surface runoff; a few are partially springfed. During the summer
of 1979 most of the larger reservoirs were dry, and consequently
had no effect on downstream flows at that time. In July of 1983
the reservoirs were full. This suggests that the effect of the
dams on the lower Yarmuk flow is most eable during wet years
such as 1983.
To date Jordan has made little use of its part of the Yarmuk
watershed other than the diversion of water into the East Ghor
Canal; only one storage dam has been constructed on a tributary
near the Syrian border. Jordanian plans to increase the
diversion into the East Ghor Canal have so far been thwarted by
failure to obtain Israeli agreement to proceed with work in the
Yarmuk river bed to improve water flow into the canal. We
estimate that total
Jordania aw s rom the Yarmu are less than 150 mcm
annually, considerably below current and n1annaa rcrrni rc,,,o..~c
The Israelis, who in their occupation o the Golan Heights
control a small part of Syria's Yarmuk watershed, have, built two
large storage dams since 1971 on tributaries to the Yarmuk
River. One is at the Israeli settlement of Merom Golan and the
other is in the southern Golan near the Israeli settlement of
Avne Etan. The two reservoirs' combined capacities probably
exceed the 3.5 mcm that a 1970 Israeli plan suggested Israel
would withdraw from Yarmuk tributaries on the Golan Heights. In
addition, Israel receives 25 mcm annually from the lower Yarmuk
for irrigation in the Yarmuk Triangle area and pumps a large but
unknown quantity of water from the lower Yarmuk during the high
w*ter season for storage in Lake Tiberias.
Implications of Increased Syrian Water Use
Jordan is already experiencing a precarious balance betweel
limited water supplies and growing water demands for
agriculture and urban consumption.
to between 500 and 600 mcm annually. Plans to relieve urban
water shortages and to improve and expand irrigation in the
Jordan Valley depend almost entirely on the use of at least 200 25X1
mcm of additional water from the Yarmuk by building the Maqarin
storage dam and improving inlet facilities to the East Ghor
Canal. These plans are at present being stymied by failure to
achieve Israeli and, secondarily, Syrian agreement to work on
these structures. Although these political problems have been
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the most serious Yarmuk water issue up to now, the preemptive
Syrian water use is probably equally harmful to Jordan because it
is practically irreversible. Any Syrian use of Yarmuk sources
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that exceeds roughly 100 mcm annually will require a
corresponding scaling down of Jordanian plans.
The implications of the Syrian actions for relations
between Israel, Jordan, and Syria are more speculative. The 25
mcm of the Yarmuk's flow that is presently provided annually to
I
l'
srae
s Yarmuk Triangle is not large and would presumbly be
continued by Jordan under any eventuality. Probably more
important would be Israel's reaction to a further reduction or
the residual Yarmuk flow that is not used by Syria or Jordan.
One result of increased Syrian water use, consequently, may be
th
at Israel will harden its opposition to Jordan's plans to
improve the East Ghor inlet and construct the Maqarin dam.
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STORAGE DAMS IN YARMUK BASIN, JULY 1983
Year Nearest Town
Daml Built Coordinates (Dam name) Stream/Wadi
1972-74 33?08'N Merom Golan2 Tributary to
35?46'E Wadi ar Ruqqad
2 1983-u/c 33?06'N Al Qunaytirah Wadi ar Ruqqad
35?52'N (Ar Ruwayhinah)
3 1980-81 33?01'N Al Hajjah Tributary to
35?56'E (Al Hajjah) Nahr al Allan
4 1983-u/c 32?56'N Ar Rafid Wadi' ar
35055'N
Larger dam;
built by
Israelis;
full.
Larger dam
(2 mcm) being
built on site
of a previous
small water
catchment;
1 km from
UNDOF.
Larger dam
(3 mcm) ; full.
Ruqqad Large dam
being built
2 kms from
UNDOF
5 Pre-1967 32?55'N Yonatan Tributary to
35?51'E Wadi ar Ruqqad
6 1980-81 32?53'N Tasil
35?58' E (Ghadir al
Bus tan)
Syrian-built
reservoir;
appears
heavily
silted and in
disuse
Nahr al Allan Larger dam
(6 mcm); full.
7 1980-81 32?52'N Ash Shaykh Nahr Al Harir Largest of
36?07'E Miskin newlybuilt
(Tasil al- storage dams;
Shaykh Miskin) full.
'Dam numbers correspond to numbers on map
2Dam numbers 1, 5, and 8 are in the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights; dam no. 32 is in Jordan
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(Cont'd)
Dam
Year
Built
Coordinates
(Dam Name)
Stream/Wadi
9
10
11
12
1974-75
Mid-1970s
Mid-1970s
Mid-1970s
1980-83
32?48N
35?46E
32?49'N
36 ? 06' E
32?49'N
36?05'E
32?47'N
36?01' E
32?45'N
36?02'E
Ash Shaykh
Miskin
(Ibta, large)
Ash Shaykh
Miskin
(Ibta, small)
Tafas
(Gharbi Tafas)
Tributary to
Nahr al Harir
Tributary to
Nahr al Harir
Nahr, al Harir
Larger dam
built by
Israelis;
full.
Larger dam
(3 mcm) ; full.
Larger dam
(1 mcm); full.
Small catchment;
full.
Larger dam;
full.
13
Mid-1970s
32?43'N
As Suwayda
Tributary to
Smal catchment;
36025 ' E
Wadi adh
Dhahab
full.
14
Mid-1970s
32?42'N
As Suwayda
Tributary to
Small catchment;
36?22'E
Wadi ad h
Dhahab
empty.
15
Mid-1970s
32?43'N
As Suwayda Tributary to
Larger dam
36?49' E
(Rum Hawilayn) Wadi abu adh
(4.6 mcm);
Dhahab
mostly spring
fed; full.
16
Mid-1970s
32?41'N
As Suwayda
Tributary to
Small catchment;
36 ? 29' E
(Al Aslihah)
Wadi ad h
Dhahab
full.
17
Pre-1968
32?39'N
Wadi adh
Small catchment;
36?34' E
Dhahab
full.
18
1979
32?37'N
Rasas
Tributary to
Larger dam;
36035 ' E
(Rasas)
Wadi adh
Dhahab
partly spring
fed; three-
quarters full.
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(Cont'd)
Dam
Built
Coordinates
(Dam Name)
Stream/Wadi
19.
Mid-1970s
32?41'N
Al Musayfirah
Wadi adh
Small catchment;
36?20'E
Dhahab
one-quarter
20
1980-81
32?41'N
Al Musayfirah
Wadi adh
full.
Larger dam;
36?17' E
(Ghariyat ash
Dhahab
one-quarter
21
Mid-1979s
32?40'N
Sharqiyah)
Dar'a
Wadi adh
full.
Small catchment;
36?05'E
(Uthman)
Dhahab
less than one-
22
-
32?42'N
Muzayrib
Tributary to
quarter full.
Spring-fed
36?01' E
(Lake
Wadi ad h
natural lake
23
Mid-1970s
32?35'N
Muzayrib)
Dar 'a
Dhahab
Wadi az Zaydi
with local
irrigation
system;
level normal.
Oldest large
36? 06' E
(Darla)
dam (15 mcm)
24
Pre-1968
32?33'N
At Tayyibah
Tributary to
in watershed;
full.
Small catchment;
360111E
Wadi az Zaydi
empty.
2.5
Pre-1968
32?33'N
At Tayyibah
Wadi az Zaydi
Small catchment;
36014' E
empty.
26
Pre-1968
32?34'N
Jizah
Wadi az Zaydi
Small catchment;
36?16'E
empty.
27
Pre-1968
32?32'N
Busra Ash
Tributary to
Small catchment;
36?29' E
Sham
Wadi az Zaydi
one-half full.
28
Pre-1968
32?32'N
Busra Ash
Tributary to
Small catchment;
36?29' N
Sham
Wadi az Zaydi
one-half full.
29
Pre-1968
32?32'N
Busra Ash
Tributary to
Small catchment;
36? 31' E
Sham
Wadi az Zaydi
empty.
10
Pre-1968
32?33'N
Al Qurayyah
Tributary to
Larger dam
36 0 40' E
Wadi az Zaydi
enlarged from
small catchment
in 1979; nearly
full.
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(Cont'd)
Year
Nearest Town
Dam
Built C
o
ordinates
(Dam Name)
Stream/Wadi
Comment
31
Pre-1968 3
2
?30'N
Al Qurayyah
Tributary to
Small catchment;
3
6?
36'E
Wadi az Zaydi
one-third full.
32
Mid-1970s 3
2?
28'N
Al Mafraq
Tributary to
Larger dam;
3
6?
15'E
(Jordan)
Wadi az Zaydi
only dam in
Jordanian
Yarmuk water-
shed; one-quarter
full.
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Mean Annual Precipitation in the Nahr al Yarmiik Basin
Lebanon
Sidon J rte/ *DAMASCUS
I/ Shaykh'
200 Precipitation in millimeters
Drainage basin boundary
0 20
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