Resources announces the identification of 36 candidate sites for the construction of water harvestin

On Saturday, the Ministry of Water Resources revealed solid government plans to enhance water storage, and while indicating the number of reservoir and small dams in the country and lakes exploited for the purpose of storage, it confirmed the identification of 36 sites for the establishment of water harvesting dams.

The Director General of Dams and Reservoirs in the Ministry, Ali Radi, said in a statement reported by the official news agency, and seen by Al-Iqtisad News, that “all of our reservoir dams are exploited to absorb all revenues, including natural revenues generated through torrents, rain, and melting snow,” noting that “reservoir dams It includes the Mosul, Haditha, Dokan, Darbandikhan and Hamrin dams, in addition to 9 small dams, in addition to the Tharthar and Habbaniyah lakes.

He added, "There is a complete storage system in these dams and our lakes that contains a large storage space that can accommodate the water revenues that were achieved during the past period or that may be achieved in the coming period." 

He continued, "The floods and rains that occurred during the last winter season and the revenues from neighboring countries were greatly benefited by the Ministry of Water Resources, and there is still a storage vacuum in our system that can absorb any incoming water." 

Radi pointed out that "the intensity of rain, snow and water in the northern part was greater in the Tigris Basin than in the Euphrates River, in addition to the presence of a group of tributaries feeding the Tigris River, while the Euphrates River depends on the revenues generated from the Haditha Dam."

He also stated, "The Ministry of Resources has a broad plan to establish water harvesting dams, and there are more than 36 candidate sites for constructing these dams, one of which was completed by a government company."

He stated, “There is a group of dams in the process of listing, the designs of which have been completed, in addition to the presence of teams working continuously to prepare the requirements for listing and the requirements for preparing designs from soil tests and including them within the investment plan of the General Authority for Dams in the Ministry of Financial Resources, and there is an intensive program followed by our cadres.” To complete the designs and listing work and then begin implementation. 

He pointed out, "The Ministry of Water Resources has prepared solid plans to enhance water storage and meet the requirements for ensuring full irrigation for the last winter season, as the rates of flooded areas increased after they suffered a significant decline in seasons of scarcity." 

He pointed out that “Iraq has more than one regulator that controls water distributions along the Tigris and Euphrates columns and the networks, and it also contains 8 regulatory dams, whether on the Tigris or the Euphrates,” pointing out that “the Euphrates River has the Ramadi Dam, the Fallujah Dam, and the Euphrates Dam.” Al-Hindiyya, Kufa and Abbasiya dykes, as well as Al-Kut dykes and Al-Amarah dykes.”

He stated, "These regulatory dams help in water distribution and control of flood waves."