THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS OF WATER USER ASSOCIATIONS AND RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS IN THE HARRAN PLAIN IN GAP REGION, TURKEY
HARRAN OVASINDAKİ SULAMA BİRLİKLERİNİN YAPISAL SORUNLARI VE ÇÖZÜM ÖNERİLERİ, GAP BÖLGESİ, TÜRKİYE

Author : Mustafa Hakkı AYDOĞDU -- Bahri KARLI - Kasım YENİGÜN - Ali Rıza MANCI - Murat AYDOĞDU
Number of pages : 179-196

Abstract

There are 22 Water User Associations (WUA) with 23 204 registered farmers in the Şanlıurfa-Harran Plain, within the scope of GAP project. WUAs are operating irrigation systems since 1994, which were transferred by State Hydraulic Works (DSI), according to the Law No 6172 published in 2011. The Law covers the transfer of irrigation facilities done by DSİ to WUAs for proper operations based on Turkey's water assets and resources in order to ensure the rational use. The WUAs were established for the purposes of increasing ownership by farmers, conservation, operation, maintenance and repairs carried out by farmers via ensure service continuity and increased efficiency in the provision of sustainability of the systems. It is known that, because of various reasons, irrigation management insufficiently developed in Turkey. The situation is the same in the Harran Plain as well. It cannot be said conducted water management to provide the expected benefits from GAP irrigation areas under the existing conditions. Additional legal and administrative arrangements are needed. Some of the issues have serious problems such as; Crop pattern in cultivated areas, the given amount of water to WUAs, salinization due to wild irrigations and resulting of soil quality and yield losses, lack of training and supervision, establishment of upper association, elections and the collections of water fees. It cannot be said that sufficient ownership by farmers. The ownership of the systems and rate of willingness to pay of farmers will increase, if some conditions are provided by WUAs.

Keywords

GAP, Harran Plain, Water User Associations, WUAS Law No. 6172, Water Management

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