Water Resources of Iraq: An Overview

Iraq’s dependence on the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and their tributaries, which flow from the neighboring countries Turkey (71%), Iran (16.9%), Syria (4.1%), and about 8% of internal sources, is a testament to the country’s rich heritage. In the southern region of Iraq, both Rivers combine to form Shatt Al Arab, which empties into the Arabian Gulf. These surface water resources cover about 86% of Iraq’s water needs, with the remaining 14% coming from groundwater. Iraq has a long history of irrigated agriculture, credited for sparking civilization to control, store, and distribute water supplies. Therefore, constructing water resources projects, dams, regulators, and barrages along the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers basins is a significant part of Iraq’s history and future. The Main Outfall Drain (MOD), the Third River, is a 565 km long canal that empties significant portions of irrigation water from the Mesopotamian Plain into the Arabian Gulf. The decline in precipitation and surface water levels affects Iraq’s vital groundwater resources. The groundwater develops a series of aquifer systems, with alternations of previous and impermeable sedimentary rocks composed of clastics and fractured carbonates. The aquifers in Iraq range from the Carbo-Permian to the Recent. Tertiary aquifers predominate across Iraq, while sedimentary rocks with ages between the Quaternary and Paleozoic make up the country’s aquifer systems. The Euphrates and Tigris Rivers’ water quality is probably excellent, but there is evidence of a rise in the river’s salinity upstream from where it enters Iraq. Downstream, water quality deteriorates due to significant pollutant imports from cities. Intense farming practices and the discharge of untreated sewage into the Rivers’ water have contributed to additional types of pollution and increased salinity. The high rate of evaporation, pronounced climatic changes, accumulation of salts and sediments, inadequate drainage, and poor soil quality in the lower reaches of the Rivers all contribute to the harmful impacts of human activity-related pollution.