Harmonization and Integration of Water Saving Options in Lebanon

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Harmonization and Integration of Water Saving
Options in Lebanon

• K. Karaa, F. Karam and N. Tarabey

WASAMED Workshop, Malta 3-7 May 2005
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Objectives of Integrated Water Management in
Lebanon

• Water Storage Capacity improvement.
• Water Resources Quality Protection.
• Unconventional water Reuse.
• Rational Use of Surface and Underground Water
  Resources.
• Water Equity in Allocation
• Enhance Water Economic Return.

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General Overview on Water Management Actors

• Farmers as end Users are the base of water
  saving policy.
• Water User Organizations shall be the major
  partners and actors with the Decisions Makers to
  build a sustainable policy on Integrated Water
  Management.
• Research, Education and Extension are the
  principal tools to reach and disseminate
  Knowledge.
• Legislation has to be the moderator which will
  design the links and duties of different actors.
• The Government is responsible for planning,
  Management (via Water Authorities) and law
  enforcement.

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Water Stakeholders in Lebanon

• The Ministry of Energy and Water (M.E.W) has the
  main responsibility of Water Policy in Lebanon.
• The direct Management is the responsibility of
  Four Water Authorities Created by the law 221 in
  2000, along with the Litani River Authority (LRA)
  .
• All water authorities are under the patronage of
  M.E.W.

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Water Stakeholders in Lebanon

• Water Authorities Their Responsibilities are
• Integrated water Management Domestic, irrigation
  and waste water.
• Water tariff policy.
• Monitoring water quality.
• Span of responsibility Geo-administrative
  regional basis (Mount Lebanon and Greater Beirut
  South Lebanon North Lebanon and Bekaa).

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Water Stakeholders in Lebanon

• Litani River Authority (LRA)
• Control domain over the Litani river basin in
  South Bekaa Valley, and South Lebanon regions
• Water resource management Litani River and
  tributaries springs in the Litani River Basin,
  and underground water in south Bekaa.
• Provider for domestic water for south Lebanon
• Responsible of irrigation schemes in south Bekaa
  and south Lebanon (Action Domain of two others
  water authorities).

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Water Stakeholders in Lebanon

• (LRA) Outside Litani River Basin
• Water Flow Measurement of all Lebanese Rivers
• Construction of Water Ponds

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Others Concerned Institutions In water Resource
Management

• Green Plan (under the patronage of the ministry
  of Agriculture) Construction of Water Ponds
• Centre de recherches sur leau(CREEN), Saint
  Joseph University
• Water and Energy Research Center (WERC), Notre
  Dame University.

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Irrigation Management at on-Farm Level
Concerned Institutions

• Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI)
• Extension Service at the Ministry of Agriculture
  (MOA)
• LRA Experimental, Extension and Agricultural
  service centers.

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Guidelines for Integrated Water Management-
Ongoing Policy

• Law 221 which (2000)
• Merges 22 domestic water authorities and 209
  local water committees in 4 WA.
• Gives to WA new mandate on integrated water
  management.
• Gives to LRA responsibility of irrigation water
  management in south Lebanon and South Bekaa in
  the already existing Irrigation Schemes.
• Gives to MEW
• The responsibility of Water Measurements.
• Underground water recharge.
• Water Quality Legislation

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Guidelines for Integrated Water
Management-Ongoing Policy

• Legislation for the improvement of water Rights
  in Lebanon.
• Modernization by executive decrees of Law 320,
  (1926) for water user associations.
• Implementation, by MEW, of the 10 years Master
  Plan to increase water storage capacity.
• Execution of waste water treatment plan by MEW

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LRA Efforts in IWRM

• Shift from traditional to modern irrigation in
  all traditional schemes.
• Qasmieh Scheme (as a first step)
• Preferential Water Tariff for the short run.
• Kfar Sir Dam for the long run Allowing the use
  of irrigation water under pressure.
• All new projects are pressurized network system.
• Extension and services to farmers.
• Awareness campaign on Water quality for local
  communities in collaboration with Abdel Aal
  Association NGO.
• Creation of new Water Quality Department.

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Guidelines for Integrated Water Management-
Future Actions

• Enhancement of water user associations creation
  Key Factor to link farmers to management and
  extension institutions.
• Harmonization of research and education efforts.
• Closer coordination between Research and
  Extension.
• Creation of a National High Council for water as
  planned in 70s.
• Transformation of LRA to a River Basin Management
  Authority.

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Tank you