Would you agree with USSR head of state – Mikhail Gorbachev … Water, like religion and ideology, has the power to move millions of people … People move when there is too little of it. People move when there is to much of it. People journey down it. People write, sing and dance about it. People fight over it. And all people, everywhere and every day, need it!

Where is most of the fresh water found in the Middle East? On your map, color the places where water is generally plentiful. Which countries have plentiful water within their borders? TURKEY

Where is most of the fresh water found in the Middle East? What can countries do to get access to more fresh water?

Build dams … and more dams … and more dams! But what problems might be created by building so many dams? Built dams!

Drastically reduced the flow of water to Syria and Iraq! Syria’s solution? Build dams!! Iraq’s problem? Even LESS water now!

Rather than building major dams, Israel built a national pipeline - called National Water Carrier - that pumped fresh water from the Sea of Galilee (which of course is fed by the Jordan River!) How did this National Water Carrier benefit Israel? What problems might be caused by this water system? (Think about the surrounding countries!)

Rather than building major dams, Israel built a national pipeline - called National Water Carrier - that pumped fresh water from the Sea of Galilee (which of course is fed by the Jordan River!) How did this National Water Carrier benefit Israel? What problems might be caused by this water system? (Think about the surrounding countries!) Provided water to all of Israel’s territories and citizens! Very much depleted the waters of the Jordan River. Now the Jordan River is running dry! Therefore, freshwater supply to the country of Jordan now running low!

National Water Carrier Israel Jordan decided to build a “carrier” system as well! However, they did not have the money Israel did, so this was their canal! Jordan’s solution?

When looking at this satellite photo of the Arabian Peninsula, what is the one major thing missing? Water! No rivers! No lakes! No source of freshwater!

1974 Saline water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) established This map shows all the desalination plants in Saudi Arabia today. So Saudi Arabia had to come up with another source of fresh water! Solution? Desalination Plants!

However … what are some problems with desalination plants? Very expensive! Uses LOTS of energy! Salt dumped back into oceans - which negatively impacts the oceans’ environments!

Who knows?!? I guess the world still needs to work on solutions to this problem!

To sum up … Oh, this is GOOD!Oh, this is BAD! TURKEY Built dams Provided hydroelectric energy – cheap energy Bad for Syria and Iraq – downstream of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers! – less water supply to them! Drastically reduced the amount of water running in these rivers! ISRAEL Built national pipeline Provided water to all Israelis Bad for Jordan River – drastically reduced amount of water flowing in this river! Bad for Jordan! – water supply drastically reduced! SAUDI ARABIA Built desalination plants Provided fresh water to areas without fresh water Very expensive! Uses LOTS of energy! BAD for ocean environment – dumps all leftover salt back into oceans! Now, much higher salt content than the marine life is used to!

Words to know … Desalination – the process of removing salt from salt water Scarcity – shortness of supply Ataturk Dam –one of Turkey’s largest dams National Water Carrier System – Israel’s national pipeline that carries fresh water to most of Israel

Many believe that water will be the cause of the next great war in the Middle East. Would you agree? TOD … answer this question!

To sum up … Water Issues in the Middle East Oh, this is GOOD!Oh, this is BAD! TURKEY Built ______________ Provides hydroelectric energy to all of ________– _____________energy Bad for __________and _________– downstream of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers! – ________water supply to them! Drastically reduced the amount of water running in these rivers! ISRAEL Built national _____________________ Provides ____________to all Israelis Bad for _____________River – drastically reduced amount of water flowing in this river! Bad for _____________! – water supply drastically reduced! SAUDI ARABIA Built ______________________plants Provided fresh water to areas __________________fresh water Very expensive! Uses LOTS of ______________! BAD for ocean environment – dumps all leftover __________back into oceans! Now, much higher salt content than the marine life is used to!

To sum up … Water Issues in the Middle East Oh, this is GOOD!Oh, this is BAD! TURKEY Built dams Provides hydroelectric energy to all of Turkey – cheap energy Bad for Syria and Iraq – downstream of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers! – less water supply to them! Drastically reduced the amount of water running in these rivers! ISRAEL Built national pipeline Provides water to all Israelis Bad for Jordan River – drastically reduced amount of water flowing in this river! Bad for Jordan! – water supply drastically reduced! SAUDI ARABIA Built desalination plants Provided fresh water to areas without fresh water Very expensive! Uses LOTS of energy! BAD for ocean environment – dumps all leftover salt back into oceans! Now, much higher salt content than the marine life is used to!