Turkish Authorities Hinders Water Flow to Irrigation Canals in Afrin

afrinpost – Exclusive

According to a confidential source, Turkish authorities have been obstructing the flow of water from the Medanki Dam’s irrigation channels, redirecting it to the newly constructed Hatay Dam on the Turkish side, opposite the village of Hamam in the Jindires district.

The agricultural irrigation project originates from the Medanki Dam, located on the Afrin River. It supplies water to the irrigation network in the fertile plains of Jumeh

and parts of the Sherawa district, extending to the plains of Sharran in the countryside of Afrin.

The source revealed that the water blockade has led to a significant drop in the water level of Lake Medanki, nearly halving its capacity. This has deprived farmers in Afrin of crucial water resources, especially during the current season when orchards and vegetable fields require irrigation

Furthermore, the source added that local councils are demanding farmers to pay annual fees for irrigation services, despite the fact that the project is currently suspended and water has not been pumped yet during the summer of 2023. Farmers are expressing grievances, particularly as the price of a barrel of diesel has soared to over 130 dollars.

It should be noted that the Turkish-affiliated local council partially opened the dam’s gate on the Afrin River on March 4, 2023. They announced on their social media account, “Commencing the process of water pumping into the irrigation channels to meet the needs of our farmer brethren.” However, this premature action took place as the irrigation channels are typically opened on April 20 of each year.

However, according to information obtained by Afrin Post, the repairs to the cracks in the Medanki Dam, located in the Shara/Sharan sub-district, have been compromised due to the impact of the earthquake disaster that struck on February 6, 2023