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Environmental Issues
Environmental Issues of the Middle East
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| underground aquifer | layers of underground rock where water runoff from rains and streams is trapped |
| desalination | the process of removing salt and other chemicals from seawater |
| Agricultural Runoff | farmers using chemical fertilizers and pesticides which gets into the water supply causing contamination |
| hydroelectric power | electricity produced from the energy of running water |
| Tigris, Euphrates, and Jordan Rivers | main river systems in the middle east shared by many countries |
| irrigation | using water from rivers to water crops |
| fresh water | limited natural resource in SW Asia |
| industrial waste | Dirty water used by industries is not treated before entering rivers |
| Jordan River | The river that has caused conflicts between Israel and Jordan due to water rights. |
| Turkey | This country has built many dams to be sure its people have water as well as power making it the most water wealthy of these countries. |
| Israel | This country has developed a system of pipelines to help its people get water thereby depriving the people of of Jordan from getting water. |
| Oil Spills from shipping accidents | Type of pollution in the Black Sea near Turkey |
| Syria | This country has 40% less water in the past because of the dams in Turkey |
| Jordan | Water is rationed in this country as it is one of the 10 most water scarce countries in the world |
| Saudi Arabia | One of the world's largest desalination plants is found here |
| 80% | Iraq has __________ less water in the past because of the dams in Turkey |
| Food Shortage | Syrian and Iraqi people have experienced this due to lack of water resources |
| farmers will no longer have work (either will fishermen) | This may happen to the people in the Middle East if they don't have enough water for irrigation |