A project kick-off meeting was held in Ankara on December 25, 2015 for the "Project on Control of Irrigation Return Waters in the GAP Region and Investigation of Improvement for Reuse".
The project kick-off meeting was held in Ankara on December 25, 2015 for the "Project on the Control and Improvement of Irrigation Return Waters for Reuse in the GAP Region" in partnership with the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs (MoFWA) General Directorate of Water Management and TÜBİTAK MAM Environment and Cleaner Production Institute (ÇTÜE). With this project, it is aimed to investigate the quality of drainage irrigation waters in the South Eastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Region and the pollutants they contain, and to develop appropriate methods to improve the quality of drainage waters returning from irrigation for reuse in irrigation.
Representatives of TÜBİTAK MAM, OSIB, Harran University, Dicle University, General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, GAP Regional Development Administration, Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock attended the project opening meeting. TÜBİTAK MAM Vice President Ali Tavlı, ÇTÜE Director Dr. Selma Ayaz and researchers attended the opening meeting. Opening speeches were made by Ali Tavlı, Vice President of MAM and Prof. Dr. Cumali Kınacı, Director General of Water Management of OSİB. In his speech, Ali Tavlı stated that within the scope of this project to be carried out in the GAP Region, the quality of drainage irrigation waters and the pollutants contained in them will be investigated and appropriate methods will be developed in order to improve the quality of drainage waters returning from irrigation and to reuse them in irrigation and wished that all the outputs to be obtained within the scope of the project will be beneficial and auspicious for the country. OSİB General Director of Water Management Prof. Dr. Cumali Kınacı, in his speech explaining the importance and purpose of the project for the country, wished that this project, which they started to solve the problems of the region, will be beneficial for the whole country, especially for the region. Project Coordinator Dr. Burcu Uyuşur Kıran, one of the TÜBİTAK MAM researchers, made a presentation on the project and explained the work packages in detail.
Efficient use of water depends on properly planned and constructed irrigation and drainage systems as well as optimal water management. Considering that a large portion of the 44 billion m3 of water resources used in our country, such as % 72, is used in irrigation and approximately % 80 of irrigation systems consist of surface irrigation systems, the importance of water management in the field of agricultural irrigation and drainage is clearly seen. In addition, considering the increase in dry periods in our country and the need to use water economically, it is a necessity to improve the quality of drainage waters returned from irrigation and reuse them in irrigation. Agricultural drainage is considered as an integral part of irrigation in irrigated agriculture practices. However, the quality of drainage water poses a significant risk for the receiving environment to which it is discharged. Due to the pollutants it contains, it needs to be improved before it is discharged to the receiving environment or reused in irrigation if its quality is appropriate. Drainage waters returning from irrigation may contain pollutants such as pesticides, toxic trace elements, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment, bacteria, temperature, sulfur compounds and salinity.
GAP Bölgesi zengin toprak ve su kaynaklarına sahiptir. Türkiye’de ekonomik olarak sulanabilir 8,5 milyon ha arazinin 1,8 milyon ha’ı (%21) bu bölgededir. Fırat ve Dicle nehirlerinin Türkiye sınırları dâhilindeki ortalama su potansiyeli yılda 52,9 milyar m3 olup, ülke toplam potansiyelinin %28’ini oluşturmaktadır. Bölgenin yüzölçümü 75.308 km2 olup, Türkiye yüzölçümünün % 9,7’sini oluşturmaktadır. Bu proje ile GAP Bölgesi’nde drenaj sulama sularının kalitesi ve içerdiği kirleticiler belirlenecektir. Sulamadan dönen drenaj sularının kalitesinin iyileştirilerek yeniden sulamada kullanılması için uygun metotlar geliştirilecektir.
