The final meeting and workshop of the Project for “The Betterment of Control and Reuse of Irrigation Waters in Southeastern Anatolia” was held in Şanlıurfa.
The final meeting and workshop of the Project for “The Betterment of Control and Reuse of Irrigation Waters in Southeastern Anatolia”, which was initiated on 13 November 2015 under the ownership of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and under the execution of TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM); was held on 27-28 December 2018 at Nevali Hotel in Şanlıurfa.
The Project aimed to investigate the qualities of drainage irrigation waters and their contaminant contents in Southeastern Anatolia and to develop methods for allowing the reuse of these drainage waters returning from irrigation by enhancing their qualities. In this context, some pilot scale studies were conducted to investigate the effects of reused irrigation waters on receiving environments, soils and plants in terms of contaminants; which were followed by cost/benefit analyses including quality improvement and reuse alternatives and a water budget.
Throughout the project, the experts of Harran and Dicle Universities made a great contribution to the studies, as well as the experts from the 15th Regional Directorate of State Hydraulic Works in charge of Southeastern Anatolia, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works.
The meeting was attended by 120 participants including the Vice Governor of Şanlıurfa Selami Işık, the Director General for Water Management at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Bilal Dikmen, the 15th Regional Director of State Hydraulic Works Ahmet Ersin Gökçe, the Director of TÜBİTAK MAM Environment and Cleaner Production Institute. Selma Ayaz, the relevant unit experts of the Directorate General for Water Management, the personnel of State Hydraulic Works, the academics from Harran and Dicle Universities, the Southeastern Anatolia Regional Development Administration officials, the provincial representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Water and Sewage Authorities under the Metropolitan Municipalities in Southeastern Anatolia Region and the representatives of city administrations.
The meeting was opened with the speeches by the Director of TÜBİTAK MAM Environment and Cleaner Production Institute Selma Ayaz, the General Director for Water Management Bilal Dikmen and the Vice Governor Selami Işık. The Director of TÜBİTAK MAM Environment and Cleaner Production Institute Selma Ayaz briefed the participants about the National Flue Gas Analyzer that is being domestically developed at the Institute, the organic and inorganic passive samplers for air pollution measurements, the cavitation system for sludge dehydration and the development of an oxygen measurement probe.
The opening remarks were followed by presentations on project studies and results. The project studies and results were presented by Arife Özüdoğru who is in charge of the Treatment Group at the Directorate General for Water Management; while the studies about irrigation in Southeastern Anatolia Region were presented by Ahmet Ersin Gökçe, the Director of the 15th Region of State Hydraulic Works.
On the first and second days of the workshop, the faculty members of Harran and Dicle Universities and the experts of the 15th Regional Directorate of State Hydraulic Works delivered presentations and evaluations on “Drainage Water Qualities in Southeastern Anatolia Region, Non-structural Solutions in Irrigation Water Management, Legal and Administrative Recommendations, Pilot-Scale Study Results, Review of Underground Water Measurement Results in Southeastern Anatolia Region, Harran Plains and Southeastern Anatolia Water Budget Study, and Structural Solutions for Drainage Water Management”.
The workshop was finalized with closing remarks and a general review.
