📰 Groundwater levels in Syria’s Hasakah drop sharply amid over-pumping – Expert

HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Hasakah Governorate in northeastern Syria is facing an escalating water crisis as groundwater levels continue to decline at alarming rates, driven by over-extraction, unregulated well drilling, and weak natural recharge, a local geologist warned on Sunday. Geologist Amer al-Rakrak informed North Press that all wells in Hasakah are shallow, noting that the governorate lacks artesian wells or deep groundwater reserves fed from distant or renewable sources. In fact, he explained that most wells historically depended on the Khabur and Jaghjagh rivers, furthermore to seasonal rainwater runoff, all of which have sharply declined in latest years.

Additionally, al-Rakrak attributed the rapid drop in groundwater levels to excessive pumping by residents and private water distribution outlets, as well as random and unregulated drilling in unsuitable geological layers. “These practices not only cause water levels to fall, but also lead to a gradual deterioration in water quality with every additional decline,” he added.   He indicated that some areas rely directly on rainfall, rivers, and nearby streams, but stressed that these sources are insufficient to meet summer demand and cannot serve as a long-term solution to secure water supplies for Hasakah city and its surrounding countryside. as per al-Rakrak, groundwater levels are falling by an estimated two to three meters annually, placing increasing pressure on residents, agricultural production, and vegetation cover, and turning water management into a persistent and growing challenge. He stressed the urgent need for long-term, sustainable strategic projects, such as constructing a water canal from the Tigris River, to ensure lasting water security for the region. Failure to implement such solutions, he warned, could lead to the complete depletion of existing wells and render water sources unfit for drinking, with severe health, environmental, and agricultural consequences.

Hasakah Governorate has long been one of Syria’s most agriculturally crucial regions, heavily dependent on rainfall, rivers, and groundwater to sustain farming and daily life. Over the past decade, however, prolonged drought, climate change, upstream water policies, and damage to infrastructure caused by the crisis have significantly reduced surface water availability. The drying of the Khabur River and repeated disruptions to significant water facilities, including the Alouk water station, have forced residents to increasingly rely on groundwater.   The absence of effective regulation and sustainable water management has accelerated depletion, making water scarcity one of the most pressing relief and environmental challenges facing northeastern Syria today.

Reporting by Samer Yassin Editing by…