Drawing attention to the importance of the recent heavy snowfall, Mehmet Salih Aygün, Chairman of the Board of the Anatolian Underwater Research and Sports Association (ASAD), said:
“Although snow may appear as a disaster to some, it provides indispensable benefits for the cycle of natural life. Snow is the most important source of surface and groundwater reserves. By penetrating 20–30 centimeters into the soil and increasing moisture content, snowfall is vital for farmers. Snowmelt dissolves minerals such as potassium, calcium, and iron in the soil, enabling plants to be nourished. In addition, snowfall fills reservoirs and returns to us as energy.”
“The maximum ground snow load that may occur is about 5–6 times higher than what standards predict”
One of ASAD’s founding members, Hydraulics expert and Civil Engineering faculty member Mehmet Cihan Aydın, addressed the impacts of snowfall on water resources and human life. Aydın stated:
“In Bitlis, which receives the highest snowfall in Türkiye, the ground snow load per square meter is underestimated. This is a very serious issue for the region. Because structural systems are not designed according to actual snow loads, significant building damage occurs every year in these areas. Bitlis city center is the place with the highest snowfall in Türkiye and the Eastern Anatolia Region. Precipitation here simultaneously feeds the Euphrates–Tigris and Lake Van basins. For Bitlis, the maximum ground snow load exceeds 1 ton per square meter. However, according to the TS 498 and TS EN 1991-1-3 standards used in Türkiye for snow load calculations, this value is shown as only 184 kilograms per square meter for Bitlis. In other words, the maximum ground snow load that may actually occur is approximately 5–6 times higher than what the standards foresee. This is a very serious problem for the region.
“Because buildings are not designed according to real snow loads, major structural damages occur every year. Authorities must urgently take action and update snow load values for these regions in building designs. Another negative consequence is the accumulation of snow and ice masses on roofs, which can cause loss of life and property. Due to improper roof designs, dozens of such losses occur in the region each year. Potential avalanche events must also be taken into account. In the avalanche disaster that occurred in Bahçesaray district of Van in 2020, 41 citizens lost their lives.
“As can be understood, snowfall—which significantly affects our lives during winter—is actually the most important source of freshwater, an indispensable element of life and civilization. Let us remember that when we live in harmony with nature, natural events cease to be disasters and instead meet the needs essential to our quality of life.”
