Geographical hazards and risks in the water management of Gaziantep city

Water is among the most consumed resources in the world. Water is also one of the finite resources on earth. Water shortage is an important problem especially for cities such as Gaziantep that supply a large part of drinking and utility water from other cities. In this study, the effects of geographical factors on the water supply and use processes of the city of Gaziantep, as well as the risks and problems created by these geographical factors, were determined and geographical solutions were produced against these risks and problems. For the purpose of this study, analyzes were made with daily temperature and precipitation observations taken from Gaziantep, Gaziantep Airport, Şahinbey and Şehitkamil Meteorology Stations. As a result of the analyzes and researches, it is clearly shown that the temperatures in Gaziantep city are increasing more and more, and the rainfall with a torrential character is increasing. The population of Gaziantep city is increasing and the population projections prepared indicate that Gaziantep's population will be twice as much as its current population in 20 years. Surface irrigation methods are generally used in agriculture in Gaziantep city and agricultural irrigation is an important problem for Gaziantep city. In addition, in the city of Gaziantep, the industrial sectors that consume the most water in the industrial sense come to the fore. In this respect, it is possible for the city of Gaziantep to suffer from water shortages in the future due to increasing temperatures, changes in the characteristic features of precipitation, increasing population, wrong and unconscious agricultural irrigation, and intensive industrial water use. This study shows that it is not possible to use the water resources of Gaziantep city uninterruptedly until 2050. In order to significantly reduce the geographical risks of Gaziantep city on water management, the following methods should be implemented seriously: Using pressurized irrigation method in agricultural activities, finding new alternative water sources, re-using waste water in fields such as agricultural irrigation, saving water in domestic water consumption, rain dissemination of water collection systems, more awareness of people about water use, and reuse of water through purification processes in industrial water consumption. Keywords: Water Management, Sustainable Water Use, Agricultural Irrigation Methods, Industrial Water Consumption, Climate Change.