Iraq launches water initiative as reserves hit 80-year low

The Iraqi government has launched a regional initiative to protect the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers amid the country’s lowest water reserves in 80 years.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani introduced the initiative, titled “Our Water… Our Future,” at the Fifth Baghdad International Water Conference. It aims to bring together riparian states and scientific institutions to manage regional water resources through cooperation and innovation.

Iraq typically begins summer with approximately 18 billion m³ (353 billion ft³) of water reserves. However, this year the reserves are around 10 billion m³ (636 billion ft³).

Iraqi authorities report that dams constructed by Iran and Turkey have significantly reduced the flow of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, substantially decreasing Iraq’s water supply.

Abdul Mutalib Rafaat, a professor of water resources at Garmian University, stated that Iraq previously received over 20 billion m³ annually from the Tigris River, but this has dropped to below 5 billion m³. Water from the Euphrates River has decreased from nearly 42 billion m³ to around 8 billion m³ per year.

He also warned that groundwater levels are projected to decline significantly over the next five years due to reduced rainfall and unregulated well usage.

“Last year our strategic reserves were better. They were double the current amount. We haven’t seen such low reserves in 80 years,” said Khaled Shamal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources, attributing the decline mainly to reduced flow from the rivers.

Shamal added that Iraq currently receives less than 40 percent of its allocated share from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. He noted that limited winter rainfall and low snowmelt levels have worsened the situation. The United Nations considers Iraq among the five countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts.

Water shortages have forced many Iraqi farmers to abandon their land while authorities have significantly curtailed farming activity to prioritize drinking water supply.

Shamal stated that agricultural planning in Iraq is dependent on water availability. This year, the goal is to preserve green spaces and productive areas totaling more than 375 000 ha (926 600 acres).

According to the Ministry of Water Resources, last year farmers were permitted to cultivate 625 000 ha (1 544 600 acres) of corn, rice, and orchards.

Water has remained a source of tension between Iraq and Turkey, with Ankara urging Baghdad to implement more efficient water management strategies.

The Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Municipalities announced new desalination and smart water management projects aimed at improving drinking water quality and enhancing monitoring capabilities.

Ammar al-Asadi, Director General of the Water Directorate, stated that Iraq has started piloting a drainage water desalination project in collaboration with the United Kingdom. This initiative is part of a broader Iraq–UK agreement signed in London and endorsed by Prime Minister al-Sudani.

Al-Asadi noted that 120 desalination units have been completed and are operational in high-salinity regions, particularly in the provinces of Basra, Diwaniyah, Dhi Qar, Wasit, and Anbar.

Additional steps include implementing a national “Master Plan” for water and wastewater services in an initial seven provinces. Smart meters, leak detection systems, and digital monitoring technologies are being used to modernize Iraq’s aging infrastructure.

Water scarcity is already affecting the agricultural sector. Due to drought, many farmers have abandoned their land, prompting the government to reduce the size of cultivated areas to prioritize drinking water.

Although Iraq and Turkey have announced a 10-year framework agreement to improve water resource management, skepticism persists. Turkish officials have called on Iraq to reform its inefficient irrigation networks, which result in significant water loss due to evaporation.

Turkey, as the upstream riparian state, controls the headwaters of both rivers. Approximately 90% of the Euphrates’ and 50% of the Tigris’ annual flow originates in Turkey.

The construction of major hydroelectric dams—especially the Atatürk Dam on the Euphrates and the Ilisu Dam on the Tigris—as part of Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), has significantly reduced water flow into Iraq.

The Ilisu Dam, operational since May 2020, is expected to reduce the Tigris River’s flow to Iraq by up to 56%.

Historically, Turkey has restricted water flow, notably during a month-long cutoff of the Euphrates River in 1990 to fill the Atatürk Dam reservoir, which prompted strong protests from Syria and Iraq.

Turkey claims to maintain a minimum release of 500 m³/s from the Euphrates River. However, Iraqi officials contend that the actual discharge is closer to 200 m³/s. Turkey continues to urge Iraq to adopt more efficient water management while asserting its sovereign rights over the rivers’ headwaters.