Due to climate change, the number of sandstorms is increasing. This not only costs billions due to the damage caused to agriculture, it is also bad for people and nature. Fortunately, there is a 3,000-year-old method that can help.
It is estimated that sand and dust storms cost the Middle East and North Africa about $13 billion a year. Scientists have now combined cutting-edge artificial intelligence with a 3,000-year-old method to find a way to limit the damage.
Along the Euphrates and the Tigris
Sand and dust storms cause damage to crops and are bad for human and animal health. Infrastructure is also damaged and schools and businesses sometimes have to close for weeks. There are natural causes for these storms, but humans themselves have also contributed to the problem in recent decades.
Most of the dust settles in Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and along the Syrian-Iraqi border. That is why researcher Hossein Hashemi of the Swedish Lund University mainly in this area, including parts of Turkey and Iran. Sand and dust storms are mainly caused by deserts and dry land. In the hot summer months, the strong northeasterly wind brings large amounts of dust particles to the region. Worst of all, these storms are becoming more frequent, lasting longer and spreading over a wider area. Climate change is probably a cause, but so is arable land that is no longer used, poor water management, migration to urban areas and the depopulation caused by war.
The war
“Less water flows to the lakes and marshes in the Middle East due to dams built upstream, but also due to climate change. With the help of AI and satellite data, we can now define the areas that may become new sources of dust,” explains Hossein Hashemi. The entire area has now been mapped. What is particularly special is that it is easy to see how the dust sources change over time. “The next step is to relate these dust sources to socio-political changes. We look at the relationship between land use change and war in the region, especially in Iraq. How has the war affected land use and have these changes led to the transformation of the land into a source of dust,” Hashemi wonders.
His research team has now shown, among other things, that the area’s lakes have shrunk due to poor water management and long dry spells, making them potential sources of dust. Now the researchers want to look in more detail at land use in the last twenty years and the effects of the war.
Qanats
As more soil turned to sand and water shortages increased, many villagers in Iraq were forced to move to the cities. However, the pressure on the country and the people could cause even more unrest in the already conflicted area.
To do something about this, the researchers looked at possible solutions. On the one hand, they have unleashed AI on various water management scenarios to see what can improve the situation. On the other hand, a 3000-year-old system of so-called qanats appears to come in handy. A qanat is a traditional system for collecting and transporting water. It consists of an underground network of channels that uses gravity to bring groundwater to the surface. These networks can be many kilometers in size. Above ground, the water is distributed via open channels to arable land or used as drinking water.
Dried up lakes
“Natural solutions can improve water availability. For example, the qanats can keep lakes and swamps better filled. Studies have shown that dried up lakes are a primary source of emerging dust storms in the Middle East,” said Hossein Hashemi.
The arrival of modern water supplies and the departure of the local population has resulted in many qanats drying up or being poorly maintained. But in some regions, the qanats are still the main source of water.
Groundwater at level
And that works great. The water flow of the qanat is determined by the water table. If the groundwater level drops, the water supply through the qanats also decreases. That makes it a very sustainable way to extract water. Since the qanats are underground, little water is lost through evaporation. Finally, the system is also not very sensitive to differences in precipitation.
“The loss of water means a loss of biodiversity and a decrease in food security. Lake Urmia, not far from the Tigris and Euphrates basin, has now become a source of dust. The depletion of this natural resource is a risk to society. So solutions are needed for the well-being of people and nature,” concludes Hossein Hashemi.
2023-05-08 12:16:18
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