Extreme heat in summer causes rivers and streams to recede. The water in the Meriç River in Edirne started to flow at the lowest level in the last 5 years. Especially the agricultural areas in the Karaağaç region faced irrigation problems due to the decrease in water levels in the wells.
While thermometers reached 40 degrees in Edirne, where the hottest summer of recent years was felt, the scorching weather and lack of rain also affected the rivers. Meriç River, one of the water resources of the region, started to flow at its lowest level in the last 5 years after insufficient rainfall in winter and spring.
The river, which flowed at 158 cubic meters per second in the city in the same period of 2018, decreased to 54 cubic meters per second this year. Producers in Karaağaç District, who use the river to irrigate their products, began to experience anxiety due to the low water level.
“TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 90 YEAR AVERAGE”
Noting that the average maximum temperature in Edirne in the 90-year period between 1930 and 2023 was 37 degrees, and this year it exceeded 40 degrees, Edirne Representative of the Chamber of Meteorological Engineers, Bilhan Dalkılıç, continued his words as follows:
“If the maximum temperature value in a region is 5 degrees above the average, 37 degrees, as in Edirne, and this temperature value continues for 5 days; This is now considered a heat wave. Temperature values increased in our region in July, especially due to the influence of the Basra low pressure center coming from the Southeast. "Recently, with the influence of temperatures coming from North Africa, heat waves have negatively affected the quality of life."
“MIGRATION FROM RURAL TO CITY CAUSED HEAT INCREASE”
Dalkılıç said, “As the population moved from rural areas to cities, the population in cities increased and there was an increase in temperature in cities. The reason for this is; Asphalt absorbs ultraviolet rays from the sun during the day and releases them during summer nights. Now none of us can sleep very well. Asphalt and concrete absorb this during the day, and at night the temperature remains at 25-30 degrees, although it is expected to drop below 20 degrees. "Most of us cannot sleep and we cannot go to work comfortably," he said.
Stating that producers should take the heat wave into consideration and plant in a planned manner, Dalkılıç said, “We need to understand the value of water because it will always be like this from now on. This has now become our normal situation. Actually, humans have made the world like this, and we need to take precautions to prevent it from getting worse. In this case, we have no choice but to adapt and take precautions. The manufacturer should also foresee this situation and act in a planned manner. "Water losses are a risk," he said.
AGRICULTURAL AREAS ARE FACING THIRST
Karaağaç District headman Agah Korkan said, “There is approximately 13 thousand decares of cultivated land in Karaağaç. Every product of Edirne, from vegetables to fruits, is grown here. "Citizens started to have problems with irrigation, and the water levels in their wells started to drop," he said.
