Nikitas wrote:Copperline has hit, as usual, on points that most forum members overlook. This time he touched on the ecological unity of an island as small as Cyprus.
The first dams in the Morphou area were built actually low, in the area itself, one of the biggest being the water reservoir on the Sarafis river near Zodia. This was in the 60s if memory serves and as it happened as soon as it was built there was a seven year drought!
Damming rivers upstream from Morphou obviously affects the water supply downstream. But not that much. Since the 60s and the beginning of intensive citrus cultivations we saw the first signs of rising salinity in the area. No matter how much of the little water is allowed to flow, the area simply cannot sustain the irrigation levels created since the 60s. We are overusing the soil and the water with citrus which was not traditionally the main crop of the area.
Our family originates from the Morphou area and I recall from my visits as a child that the major agriculture was a mix of wheat, garden produce and some oranges. In the early 60s nearly all fields were turned into orange groves destined for export.
As Copperline notes, golf courses drink up a LOT of water, in Cyprus they have to be watered constantly. In addition we have our ever popular and friendly tourists who consume tons of water for their showers etc. A recent study found that even ecologically minded people waste water and electricity when they visit hotels.
But no matter what we do, water in Cyprus will always be in short supply. Even if it is shipped in from wherever, it will be scarce and/or expensive. We need new ways to tackle this problem on a local level. Regardless of problems or otherwise with Turkey, it is a bad idea to depend on a vital resource on other nations. The recent disruption of Ukraine's and Europe's gas supplies are an example for us. The idea that shipping in water will eradicate the problem is erroneous, if anything it will increase it.
Then desalination will be the only realistic means to ensure adequate water supplies. True, it will cost more per cubic meter, but considering how far the technology has progressed over the last few years, it will become eventually economic.
