Lebanon is thrown into a water crisis as it experiences the worst drought on record – A greener life, a greener world

By Anders Lorenzen

Lebanon, a Middle Eastern country, is grappling with a water scarcity crisis as it battles the worst drought on record. 

The country’s largest water reservoir, positioned on the Litani River, has experienced historic low levels.

Lebanon’s worst drought on record

This comes amid the country’s worst drought on record, compounding fears of impacts on agriculture, electricity production, and domestic water supplies.  

According to the Litani River National Authority, the inflows to Lake Qaeaoun during this year’s wet season did not exceed 45 million cubic metres—a fraction of the annual average of 350 million cubic metres, with last year it received 230 million.

There are currently around 61 million cubic metres of water available in Lake Qaeaoun; however, due to severe pollution, this is unusable.

Dry years and droughts are nothing new in Lebanon, but this year is the driest it has ever been, according to Sami Alawieh, the head of the river authority. He explained that the country’s water crisis is nationwide. “We are facing a water scarcity problem across all Lebanese territories and water basins,” he said.

Drought conditions impact the entirety of Lebanon

Drone footage has shown the widespread impact, showing a dramatically receded shoreline at the lake that exposes cracked earth and dead vegetation.

Due to water scarcity, a hydroelectric plant tied to the Litani basin has had to be shut down, causing financial woes. In addition to water scarcity, electricity scarcity also creates and forces Electricité du Liban to impose electricity rationing.

According to Alawieh, this exemplifies the two water challenges they face – the decline of rainfall and the pressure on groundwater.

Climate change is the culprit of increasing Lebanon’s dry conditions

A study produced by the authority has placed the blame primarily on the impacts of climate change and the resulting shifting weather patterns, which have contributed to more frequent dry seasons, higher temperatures, exacerbating soil moisture loss, and the reduction of groundwater reservoirs being recharged.

In some areas, the utility has also enforced water rationing; in some places, it has enforced it as much as half from 20 daily hours to 10.

Several agricultural areas in Lebanon have already started to feel the impacts. The electricity rationing, which is needed to run irrigation systems, has strengthened the impacts.

Lebanon is not alone in experiencing dry conditions; drought conditions have been recorded in regions worldwide.

Anders Lorenzen is the founding Editor of A greener life, a greener world.