Environment Forestation, Desertification, Fires etc News & Update

[Saithan]

Turkey to rehabilitate stream that triggered deadly Black Sea floods​

BY DAILY SABAH​

ISTANBUL TURKEY
AUG 24, 2021 3:32 PM GMT+3

A view of Ezine stream strewn with debris left behind by floods, in Bozkurt district, in Kastamonu, northern Turkey, Aug. 24, 2021. (AA PHOTO)


Floods following torrential rain on Aug. 11 claimed 82 lives and a stream that overflowed its banks is blamed for some losses. Ezine stream in the Bozkurt district of the northern Turkish province of Kastamonu will undergo “rehabilitation” to limit future damage from similar disasters.

Three buildings on the banks of the stream crossing through the small district were partially collapsed when heavy precipitation caused the stream to pump water into its banks. Authorities have pledged to rebuild the parts of town devastated by the floods. Under new plans reported by local media, a 4,500-meter (2.8-mile) long retaining wall will be built along the banks of the stream, along with four arched bridges that will be constructed in place of the collapsed flat bridges.

Bozkurt, along with the Ayancık district of Sinop province, was one of the hardest-hit places in floods, during which waters reached a height of 4 meters (13 feet) in some places. Seventy people, mostly in the district, were killed in the floods in Kastamonu, while the search is underway for some 10 people. Crews finished removing debris strewn across streets of the district this week, while buildings covered in mud are still being cleaned.

Associate professor Miraç Aydın, an expert on Basin Management at Kastamonu University, says the stream’s bed “expanded 40 meters” during the floods and this was what caused the collapse of buildings. “There should be buffer zones on the stream’s banks. With such a zone, the destruction would be much less severe,” Aydın told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Tuesday. He called on authorities not to allow residences on the banks of the stream. “Settlements should be located 100 to 200 meters away,” he warned.

The stream is located on steep land, aggravating the intensity of the flow of water in case of a flood. Aydın said the floods were linked to the impact of climate change. “We don’t see steady precipitation levels that much. For instance, the high precipitation that hit Rize and Dereli was one of a kind in a century in terms of severe rainfall. We see precipitation rates doubling, tripling. In (Bozkurt), precipitation of 40 kilograms per square meter was recorded in August 2020 and the day the floods hit, it was 139 kilograms per square meter,” he pointed out. Aydın also called for an early warning system against floods to prevent future disasters.

The Black Sea region is prone to sporadic rainfall due to its climate, but floods stemming from heavy rainfall have started to become more deadly. Houses built on river beds in a region where mountainous terrain challenges construction worsen fatalities. Climate change, which has been changing weather patterns across the country, is also a culprit in disasters, with rising seawater temperatures increasing the instances of heavy rainfall in recent years.

Turkey to rehabilitate stream that triggered deadly Black Sea floods

Floods following torrential rain on Aug. 11 claimed 82 lives and a stream that overflowed its banks is blamed for some losses. Ezine stream in the Bozkurt...

www.dailysabah.com

 

[what]

Man vs. Nature and nature always finds a way. Should have never straightened that river. I hope we can learn from our failures in the past.

 

[Xenon54]

Man vs. Nature and nature always finds a way. Should have never straightened that river. I hope we can learn from our failures in the past.

You can straighten rivers this size, you just have to do it the correct way.
Like this with cascades to slow the stream and enough space to the sides to allow floodings to happen without damage.

Look at the picture in Turkey, all buildings inside riverbed, you'd need to demolish all those buildings to really rehabilate the river otherwise no chance to perevent future floodings no matter what the goverment claims now.

 

[Saithan]

Turkey to buy five firefighting planes: Minister​

ISTANBUL​

Turkey’s Agriculture and Forestry Ministry announced on late Sept. 1 that the country will be buying five firefighting planes, which were subject to discussions amid wildfires that broke out all at the same time late July and devastated some 53 provinces out of 81.


“Those were horrifying days for the country. It was hard for all of us. They were a series of wildfires never seen in the history of the republic,” Bekir Pakdemirli said in a live broadcast on the private broadcaster CNN Türk.

Eight people died in the 270 wildfires that were brought under control after meticulous efforts that lasted two weeks.

He said Turkey will buy five firefighting planes in the upcoming months.

“We can rent out the helicopters anytime. It is also logical to rent them out. We use the firefighting vehicles three months a year. Maintaining them the rest of the year costs a lot,” he said.

“But we will buy five and keep them readily available.”

Reminding that the country was in the phase of buying the planes over the last two years, the minister said that the latest fires “accelerated the process.”


The Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) was criticized harshly for doing nothing to contain the wildfires as the three neglected planes in the institution’s inventory were too old to fly.

“We have no problem with THK. If the institution’s officials had useable planes at hand, they would have sent us. However, those planes were not active. It is like making a car without a number plate legal,” he noted.

He stressed that maintaining the THK’s firefighting planes would cost between 27 million and 34 million Turkish Liras ($3.2 million and $4.1 million). “It is nearly the price of a new plane.”

When asked about the annual efforts to put out the fires, the minister said, “Some 3,000 wildfires break out annually. People are unaware of most of them.”

About allegations of a sabotage, the minister said, “The wildfires in [the southern province of] Antalya were started by a glue-sniffer and a man with pyromania [disorder causing people to be unable to resist starting fires].”

“A child was responsible for another one,” he said.

“Meteorological factors made it more difficult for us to contain the fires,” he added.

Turkey to buy five firefighting planes: Minister - Türkiye News

Turkey’s Agriculture and Forestry Ministry announced on late Sept. 1 that the country will be buying five firefighting planes, which were subject to discussions amid wildfires that broke out all at the same time late July and devastated some 53 provinces out of 81.

www.hurriyetdailynews.com

___________________________________

5 is definitely not enough when you consider they have to go through repair and maintenance and need reserves and such.

 

[Ryder]

Global warming and cliimate change cant be combated.

Unless we undo the industrial revolution.

 

[Ryder]

Green technology is just another facade when we still have to dig the earth for it.

 

[Tornadoss]

Which aircrafts are considered? I think we shouldn't buy aircrafts with jet-engines are not suitable to mountainous area. I think CL-415 or 515 would be good but afaik their production rate are really slow.

 

[Xenon54]

5 is definitely not enough when you consider they have to go through repair and maintenance and need reserves and such.

Yeah, i mean if the president needs 8 planes then the country sure can afford more than 5 firefighting planes...

 

[Saithan]

Lake Akşehir in Turkey turns bone-dry due to climate change​

BY DAILY SABAH​

ISTANBUL TURKEY
SEP 05, 2021 1:12 PM GMT+3

A car drives on the bed of completely dried Lake Akşehir in Konya, Turkey, Aug. 27, 2021. (DHA Photo)


Amajor lake in central Turkey’s Konya province has completely dried out due to the effects of global warming and irresponsible agricultural irrigation, experts said Sunday, with the lake bed becoming so dry that even cars to be driven on top of it.

What used to be an important source of freshwater for neighboring provinces with a depth of up to six meters (19 feet), Lake Akşehir is completely barren these days.
According to Tahir Nalbantçılar, a professor of geology at Konya University, the lake used to be an important body of water that supported its surroundings both ecologically and economically, as well as hosting several types of plants and animals.

“And today, we are up against a scene where you can walk on what used to be the lake’s deepest parts, with hundreds of fishermen left jobless and only a few animals grazing on what little plants grow on specific parts of the lake bed,” he said to Demirören News Agency (DHA).

According to Nalbantçılar, the lake had dry spells in the past when it faced the risk of drying out but always managed to recover.

“But we can see the effects of climate change and global warming at Lake Akşehir. After all, it used to be supported by rainfall and other water sources flowing into the lake,

Cows graze on plants growing on the dried bed of Lake Akşehir in Konya, Turkey, Aug. 27, 2021. (DHA Photo)

“And it’s not just climate change that caused this. Little artificial ponds that were made for agricultural irrigation, barriers built on brooks and other buildings constructed to help agriculture have all dried out the little but significant water streams that supplied the lake,” Nalbantçılar said.

He also pointed to wells dug by locals as another culprit that led to the lake’s destruction, saying that the wells got deeper and deeper, with the average well depth jumping from 20 meters to 150 meters over the years.

“According to the locals, the most water that was observed on the lake was in May, when the water levels were only a finger or two thick. By June, the lake was so dry you can travel from one end to the other by car,” he said.

Listing the necessary steps needed to be taken to save the lake, Nalbantçılar warned it still could be too late.

“Even if we stop our wild usage of underground water reserves today, it might take years for the lake to recover. We can’t rely on water sources to feed the lake since they have been obstructed for so long. I think we have no other option than to pray the effects of climate change reverse and this place sees frequent rains once again,” he said.

Lake Akşehir in Turkey turns bone-dry due to climate change

A major lake in central Turkey’s Konya province has completely dried out due to the effects of global warming and irresponsible agricultural irrigation,...

www.dailysabah.com

 

[Xenon54]

Lake Akşehir in Turkey turns bone-dry due to climate change​

BY DAILY SABAH​

ISTANBUL TURKEY
SEP 05, 2021 1:12 PM GMT+3

A car drives on the bed of completely dried Lake Akşehir in Konya, Turkey, Aug. 27, 2021. (DHA Photo)


Amajor lake in central Turkey’s Konya province has completely dried out due to the effects of global warming and irresponsible agricultural irrigation, experts said Sunday, with the lake bed becoming so dry that even cars to be driven on top of it.

What used to be an important source of freshwater for neighboring provinces with a depth of up to six meters (19 feet), Lake Akşehir is completely barren these days.
According to Tahir Nalbantçılar, a professor of geology at Konya University, the lake used to be an important body of water that supported its surroundings both ecologically and economically, as well as hosting several types of plants and animals.

“And today, we are up against a scene where you can walk on what used to be the lake’s deepest parts, with hundreds of fishermen left jobless and only a few animals grazing on what little plants grow on specific parts of the lake bed,” he said to Demirören News Agency (DHA).

According to Nalbantçılar, the lake had dry spells in the past when it faced the risk of drying out but always managed to recover.

“But we can see the effects of climate change and global warming at Lake Akşehir. After all, it used to be supported by rainfall and other water sources flowing into the lake,

Cows graze on plants growing on the dried bed of Lake Akşehir in Konya, Turkey, Aug. 27, 2021. (DHA Photo)

“And it’s not just climate change that caused this. Little artificial ponds that were made for agricultural irrigation, barriers built on brooks and other buildings constructed to help agriculture have all dried out the little but significant water streams that supplied the lake,” Nalbantçılar said.

He also pointed to wells dug by locals as another culprit that led to the lake’s destruction, saying that the wells got deeper and deeper, with the average well depth jumping from 20 meters to 150 meters over the years.

“According to the locals, the most water that was observed on the lake was in May, when the water levels were only a finger or two thick. By June, the lake was so dry you can travel from one end to the other by car,” he said.

Listing the necessary steps needed to be taken to save the lake, Nalbantçılar warned it still could be too late.

“Even if we stop our wild usage of underground water reserves today, it might take years for the lake to recover. We can’t rely on water sources to feed the lake since they have been obstructed for so long. I think we have no other option than to pray the effects of climate change reverse and this place sees frequent rains once again,” he said.

Lake Akşehir in Turkey turns bone-dry due to climate change

A major lake in central Turkey’s Konya province has completely dried out due to the effects of global warming and irresponsible agricultural irrigation,...

www.dailysabah.com

Its not due to climate change, its because of inefficient irrigation, i personally know farmers who turn the pumps on at night and let them run till the morning, can you imagine how many m3 water one single field consumes?

And the worst is the agricultural sector in Turkey is still very inefficient.

 

[Xenon54]

Its a myth that Turkey doesnt have enough renewable fresh water, there is plent of it infact, what Turkey doesnt have is a efficient and clean water distribution system.
Much of the water gets lost on the way to destination simply because of broken pipes, this coupled with unresponsible behavior of Turkish people makes water scarce in a country that has plenty of it actually.
Istanbul alone loses 20% of the drinking water in broken pipes can you imagine that?


This list shows ranking of countries with renewable fresh water source per capita, Turkey has more than double as much as countries like Germany, Korea, Poland or many tropical countries.

 

[Huelague]

We must find ways to use this rain/floods for our utilize. This could help to stop the desertification.

 

[Xenon54]

We must find ways to use this rain/floods for our utilize. This could help to stop the desertification.

There is a way and its nothing new, its just not as fancy as a canal throught Istanbul.
Imagine the money thats gonna be wasted on the canal would be used to solve the water crisis...

 

[Huelague]

There is a way and its nothing new, its just not as fancy as a canal throught Istanbul.
Imagine the money thats gonna be wasted on the canal would be used to solve the water crisis...

We can have both. Artificial seas, re-foresting. Ecologically using of water...

 

[Huelague]

Water wasting in Turkey is exorbitant.

 

[Huelague]

Another point is to invest in some high tech fields like osmosis. Israel and Nederland are good examples.

 

[Xenon54]

Another point is to invest in some high tech fields like osmosis. Israel and Nederland are good examples.

Getting fresh water by Osmosis is quite expensive, its not economically viable when you have anough fresh water available, its only last resort when there is no fresh water at all.

 

[Saithan]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1436422397855477766

Are the waters here dangerous since no living being is left ?

 

[Saithan]

Turkey to modernize irrigation system, farming to save water​

ANKARA​

Turkey is aiming to modernize its irrigation systems and agriculture in line with the country’s water policy, said the country's forestry and agriculture minister on Sept. 14.




Water use in agriculture is being rearranged in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change and drought, a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry quoted Bekir Pakdemirli as saying.

Keeping in view insufficient groundwater and water constraints, the ministry took measures to promote crops with low water consumption, replacing crops with high water consumption, such as corn.

"Taking into account climate change and drought conditions, we have accelerated our efforts to promote water-saving modern irrigation systems," said Pakdemirli.

Models are being created to reduce groundwater use and increase the production of plants that consume less water, the minister underlined, adding products that are suitable for the climatic conditions of the regions and consume less water will be encouraged.

“With the completion of important infrastructure works in irrigation, such as in-field development services, and a transition to closed irrigation systems, a very high level of saving will be achieved in irrigation water, he said.

“Irrigation management technologies for the effective use of water in agriculture will be given priority in the future. The more we prioritize technology and innovation, the faster we will secure our future,” he concluded.

Turkey to modernize irrigation system, farming to save water - Latest News

Turkey is aiming to modernize its irrigation systems and agriculture in line with the country’s water policy, said the country's forestry and agriculture minister on Sept. 14.

www.hurriyetdailynews.com

______________________________

I really hope this'll work and improve water usage.

 

[Saithan]

Solar panels may be installed on lakes to reduce evaporation​

BURDUR​

Turkish authorities are planning to install solar panels on lakes and dams to prevent evaporation as some of the major lakes in Anatolia are under the threat of drought due to reduced precipitation levels resulting from global warming.

The Agriculture Ministry as well as the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) are chalking out plans to save the country’s water resources, as soaring temperatures have aggravated not only evaporation and led to insufficient precipitation but is affecting both agriculture and human life.

Determining that unconscious use of water resources, wrong irrigation and drainage practices, as well as evaporation, cause serious water loss, authorities prepared a four-option project in line with a program centered on Lake Burdur in Turkey’s southwest.

Four pools were created on Lake Burdur, one with shade balls and the other with floating solar panels. One of them was chosen as a control pool, and a mixture containing chemical substances, defined as a monolayer, was placed in the last one.

Precise measurements made as a result of the three-year study revealed some pleasing findings.

Evaporation was inhibited by 10.8 percent in the monolayer, 67 percent in the pool with shade balls, and 54 percent in the pool with solar panels, compared to the control pool.

However, the study noted that although shade balls helped in saving water significantly, the treatment plants have to be raised to a higher standard if used as drinking water sources, requiring serious financial resources and investments.

Emerged as a result of the examination of the floating solar panels, the findings revealed that the organic matter phthalates were transferred to the water in large quantities.

The panels should not be installed on the surface of drinking water sources, but there is no harm in installing them on irrigation water or recreational areas, experts noted.

For this purpose, a feasibility study was conducted for the 14-square-kilometer surface of Lake Burdur. It was concluded that when the surface of the lake is covered with solar energy panels, it led to 5.2 million cubic meters of less evaporation than would normally occur, thanks to the panels.

According to the energy production system implementation calculations, annual electricity production of 2.4 gigawatts and an income of 2.8 billion Turkish Liras ($331 million) were calculated.

If the ministry expands the pilot project, floating solar panels will be installed on 200 natural lakes, 822 dams and 507 ponds that are not used for drinking water.

This initiative aims to reduce the effects of water loss and drought as well as to generate billions of liras worth of electricity.

Global climate change is the main culprit in the drought that has hit the already arid water resources in Anatolia hard. Lakes shrink day by day, posing a considerable threat to agricultural irrigation.

Solar panels may be installed on lakes to reduce evaporation - Türkiye News

Turkish authorities are planning to install solar panels on lakes and dams to prevent evaporation as some of the major lakes in Anatolia are under the threat of drought due to reduced precipitation levels resulting from global warming.

www.hurriyetdailynews.com