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Iraq.. Water storage is less than half of the need and a bleak fate awaits the marshes
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2024-06-23 05:16
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Shafaq News/ The Agriculture, Water and Marshlands Committee in the Iraqi Parliament confirms that the water storage has exceeded 20 billion cubic metres, indicating that this quantity is considered “good” for the current summer season. However, the committee clarified that these quantities are limited, which requires using them in the optimal way. .
Specialists believe that the amount of this water reserve is “small” because the country needs 48 to 50 billion cubic meters to implement a complete agricultural process, revive the marshes, and meet the rest of the consumptions while increasing human resources. They warn that the marshes face three deadly months of massive evaporation of water, which means Losing more submerged lands.
“Iraq is ranked 23rd in the world in terms of water stress (meaning that consumption is more than revenues), at a time when Iraq has not reached out to the water sharing countries to release its water quotas yet,” according to water expert Tahseen Al-Musawi, adding: “It was expected that The recent visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan should be used by Iraq, especially since there are strong points represented by the trade balance and the security aspect that Turkey is looking for in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party file, as well as in the development issue.
The water situation with Türkiye and Iran is “frustrating”
Al-Musawi continues his speech to Shafaq News Agency, “But the water file was appended to the list of dialogues, and the final statement was disappointing and did not achieve the launch of the 2019 agreement. Rather, it was just statements from the Iraqi Council of Ministers that the two sides agreed to form committees, and this is in the interest of the Turkish side.” The same is true with the Iranian side, so there has been no improvement in the external file.”
Al-Moussawi continues, “The solution did not come from the negotiation process with neighboring countries, even though Iraq went through four dry seasons and the use of the dead part was achieved, but the solution came from the sky, and this year’s revenues were not as large as some imagine, but rather the numbers recorded The Ministry of Water Resources does not exceed 21 billion cubic metres, and this is a small reserve, because classical consumption and irrigation with an increase in human resources requires 48 to 50 billion cubic metres, this is in the event of a complete agricultural operation and revitalization of the marshes and the rest of the consumptions, in addition to the high evaporation process.
He explains, "Iraq loses 5 to 8 billion cubic meters in the evaporation process due to high temperatures during the summer. Nature has also placed Iraq among the five countries most affected by climate extremes, and this is an additional burden on Iraq regarding the water issue."
The marshes of Iraq are looking for international solutions
Regarding the situation of the marshes, the expert in the field of water says, “The water needs of the marshes - whose area is approximately 20 thousand square kilometers - is 20 billion cubic meters to reach the ideal situation, but in the normal or average situation it needs 7 to 8 billion cubic meters, and this They also go as waste as a result of the high evaporation rate in the marshes, and although the current situation in the marshes is better than the past four years, the current rate is insufficient, and the coming days will be more harsh on the marshes in light of the rising temperatures, and this is due to the failure to reach water sharing agreements with countries. Neighborhood.
Al-Moussawi notes, “After the Iraqi marshes were included on the World Heritage List as a global reserve, there is an international law that allows waterway countries to secure their water quotas, but it is noted that the external file is always faltering and we have not reached the level of negotiations that lead to results with the Turkish sides.” And the Iranian government, but it was only talks, and the water issue did not take priority for the government. As for the government solutions, they are immediate, but the government sees them as strategic, which constitutes a threat to the future of Iraq.”
“The marshes face three deadly months”
“The water crisis still exists, and data from last year indicate that water was scarce until March 2024. The levels and storage levels in Iraq’s three main dams, Mosul, Haditha, Dokan, and Lake Tharthar, reached their lowest quantities historically, not exceeding 7 billion cubic meters, after reaching In 2019, it reached 65 billion cubic metres, which is the peak of water storage in Iraqi dams since 2003,” according to environmental activist, Jassim Al-Asadi.
Al-Asadi added to Shafaq News Agency, “Also, the Iraqi marshes are still facing drought from 2021 until the end of February 2024, and it was a severe and complex drought (i.e. no rain, high temperatures, and the lack of sufficient water coming from outside the borders from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and the side). Eastern Iranian).
He notes, “But the recent rains provided limited storage in the Iraqi dams and in Lake Tharthar, where in a previous period Lake Tharthar was equipped with 2,500 cubic meters per second from the Tigris, and it rose to the limits of dead storage in Lake Tharthar, but the situation is still particularly harsh.” In the Euphrates, which depends on the central marshes, the western Hamar marshes, and the agricultural areas starting from Ramadi, Hilla, Karbala, Najaf, and a large part of Diwaniyah, Samawah, and the basic agricultural lands in Dhi Qar.
He continues, “However, the height of the Euphrates rose on April 15, 2024 to 1.60 meters, after it was 28 centimeters on December 12, 2023, and with the rise in temperatures and the decrease in water releases coming from the tails of the tail regulators in the Beni Saeed chamber, it returned to the Euphrates again in Al-Chibayish.” It decreased to 81 cents.
Deadly evaporation and daily losses threaten the local economy
The environmental activist explains, “With every day, about half a centimeter is lost from the marsh level, as well as from the level of the Euphrates, and as a result we have three fatal months ahead of us from the massive evaporation of water quantities in the marshes, and this means the loss of more lands submerged in the marshes, and this loss also represents a loss.” Economical for buffalo breeders, fishermen, hostel makers and green grass makers.”
Al-Asadi believes that “the agreement that was concluded with the Turks was ambiguous, as it did not talk about a specific amount of water in the Tigris, for example, but rather about a fair amount of water, and this is constructive talk, because the concept of justice is different between the two parties in all cases, so it cannot be relied upon.” And monitoring it, which confirms the need for a protocol similar to 1987 with the Turkish and Syrian sides on the Euphrates River, even if Turkey has not fulfilled its obligations in this protocol on the Tigris River, at a time when Iraqi water and agricultural policy is still not integrated.”
"Good storage but limited"
For her part, Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Agriculture, Water and Marshes Committee, Zozan Koger, says, “The strategic storage of water in dams, water tanks or lakes is good for this season, as the storage exceeded 20 billion cubic metres, and this was the result of good rainfall with the melting of snow.” And torrents were a good resource for water storage in Iraq.”
Cougar told Shafaq News Agency, “The water storage did not exceed 5 billion cubic meters last year, and it constituted a real danger to Iraq in terms of meeting the actual water needs, whether for the agricultural sector or other needs, and even for providing drinking water, but in this season The water situation in general is good, because there has been a rise in water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, but with the increased demand for water, especially in the summer season and the high temperatures, water must be used in a limited manner, because it is specific quantities, even though it is sufficient for the current summer season.”
She confirms, “The Ministry of Water Resources assumed the task of distributing water fairly to all governorates and securing water for the marshes, and there was priority to providing drinking water and then meeting the needs of other sectors, whether for agriculture, livestock, fisheries, etc., to avoid the problems that occurred in previous seasons of drought.” And desertification.”
Cougar stresses the necessity of “making farmers aware that the quantities of water, even if they are good for this year, must use modern methods of agriculture and irrigation for optimal use of water, and not use and waste it randomly, as well as cooperate with the relevant institutions, including the Ministries of Water Resources and Agriculture, as the agricultural sector consumes Large amounts of water, up to 70 percent.
She continues, "Therefore, there is a need to exploit all available capabilities to preserve water wealth from waste and use it optimally through awareness and the use of modern methods in irrigation and agriculture, in addition to developing strategic plans by building dams to catch rainwater, torrents, and floods."
Koger points out at the conclusion of her speech that "the government effort to manage the water file was responsible and serious to overcome the obstacles facing this sector in terms of providing water and preserving water wealth. There were allocations amounting to $300 million to purchase sprinklers in addition to water desalination projects."
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
2024-06-23 05:16
Share
Font
Shafaq News/ The Agriculture, Water and Marshlands Committee in the Iraqi Parliament confirms that the water storage has exceeded 20 billion cubic metres, indicating that this quantity is considered “good” for the current summer season. However, the committee clarified that these quantities are limited, which requires using them in the optimal way. .
Specialists believe that the amount of this water reserve is “small” because the country needs 48 to 50 billion cubic meters to implement a complete agricultural process, revive the marshes, and meet the rest of the consumptions while increasing human resources. They warn that the marshes face three deadly months of massive evaporation of water, which means Losing more submerged lands.
“Iraq is ranked 23rd in the world in terms of water stress (meaning that consumption is more than revenues), at a time when Iraq has not reached out to the water sharing countries to release its water quotas yet,” according to water expert Tahseen Al-Musawi, adding: “It was expected that The recent visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan should be used by Iraq, especially since there are strong points represented by the trade balance and the security aspect that Turkey is looking for in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party file, as well as in the development issue.
The water situation with Türkiye and Iran is “frustrating”
Al-Musawi continues his speech to Shafaq News Agency, “But the water file was appended to the list of dialogues, and the final statement was disappointing and did not achieve the launch of the 2019 agreement. Rather, it was just statements from the Iraqi Council of Ministers that the two sides agreed to form committees, and this is in the interest of the Turkish side.” The same is true with the Iranian side, so there has been no improvement in the external file.”
Al-Moussawi continues, “The solution did not come from the negotiation process with neighboring countries, even though Iraq went through four dry seasons and the use of the dead part was achieved, but the solution came from the sky, and this year’s revenues were not as large as some imagine, but rather the numbers recorded The Ministry of Water Resources does not exceed 21 billion cubic metres, and this is a small reserve, because classical consumption and irrigation with an increase in human resources requires 48 to 50 billion cubic metres, this is in the event of a complete agricultural operation and revitalization of the marshes and the rest of the consumptions, in addition to the high evaporation process.
He explains, "Iraq loses 5 to 8 billion cubic meters in the evaporation process due to high temperatures during the summer. Nature has also placed Iraq among the five countries most affected by climate extremes, and this is an additional burden on Iraq regarding the water issue."
The marshes of Iraq are looking for international solutions
Regarding the situation of the marshes, the expert in the field of water says, “The water needs of the marshes - whose area is approximately 20 thousand square kilometers - is 20 billion cubic meters to reach the ideal situation, but in the normal or average situation it needs 7 to 8 billion cubic meters, and this They also go as waste as a result of the high evaporation rate in the marshes, and although the current situation in the marshes is better than the past four years, the current rate is insufficient, and the coming days will be more harsh on the marshes in light of the rising temperatures, and this is due to the failure to reach water sharing agreements with countries. Neighborhood.
Al-Moussawi notes, “After the Iraqi marshes were included on the World Heritage List as a global reserve, there is an international law that allows waterway countries to secure their water quotas, but it is noted that the external file is always faltering and we have not reached the level of negotiations that lead to results with the Turkish sides.” And the Iranian government, but it was only talks, and the water issue did not take priority for the government. As for the government solutions, they are immediate, but the government sees them as strategic, which constitutes a threat to the future of Iraq.”
“The marshes face three deadly months”
“The water crisis still exists, and data from last year indicate that water was scarce until March 2024. The levels and storage levels in Iraq’s three main dams, Mosul, Haditha, Dokan, and Lake Tharthar, reached their lowest quantities historically, not exceeding 7 billion cubic meters, after reaching In 2019, it reached 65 billion cubic metres, which is the peak of water storage in Iraqi dams since 2003,” according to environmental activist, Jassim Al-Asadi.
Al-Asadi added to Shafaq News Agency, “Also, the Iraqi marshes are still facing drought from 2021 until the end of February 2024, and it was a severe and complex drought (i.e. no rain, high temperatures, and the lack of sufficient water coming from outside the borders from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and the side). Eastern Iranian).
He notes, “But the recent rains provided limited storage in the Iraqi dams and in Lake Tharthar, where in a previous period Lake Tharthar was equipped with 2,500 cubic meters per second from the Tigris, and it rose to the limits of dead storage in Lake Tharthar, but the situation is still particularly harsh.” In the Euphrates, which depends on the central marshes, the western Hamar marshes, and the agricultural areas starting from Ramadi, Hilla, Karbala, Najaf, and a large part of Diwaniyah, Samawah, and the basic agricultural lands in Dhi Qar.
He continues, “However, the height of the Euphrates rose on April 15, 2024 to 1.60 meters, after it was 28 centimeters on December 12, 2023, and with the rise in temperatures and the decrease in water releases coming from the tails of the tail regulators in the Beni Saeed chamber, it returned to the Euphrates again in Al-Chibayish.” It decreased to 81 cents.
Deadly evaporation and daily losses threaten the local economy
The environmental activist explains, “With every day, about half a centimeter is lost from the marsh level, as well as from the level of the Euphrates, and as a result we have three fatal months ahead of us from the massive evaporation of water quantities in the marshes, and this means the loss of more lands submerged in the marshes, and this loss also represents a loss.” Economical for buffalo breeders, fishermen, hostel makers and green grass makers.”
Al-Asadi believes that “the agreement that was concluded with the Turks was ambiguous, as it did not talk about a specific amount of water in the Tigris, for example, but rather about a fair amount of water, and this is constructive talk, because the concept of justice is different between the two parties in all cases, so it cannot be relied upon.” And monitoring it, which confirms the need for a protocol similar to 1987 with the Turkish and Syrian sides on the Euphrates River, even if Turkey has not fulfilled its obligations in this protocol on the Tigris River, at a time when Iraqi water and agricultural policy is still not integrated.”
"Good storage but limited"
For her part, Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Agriculture, Water and Marshes Committee, Zozan Koger, says, “The strategic storage of water in dams, water tanks or lakes is good for this season, as the storage exceeded 20 billion cubic metres, and this was the result of good rainfall with the melting of snow.” And torrents were a good resource for water storage in Iraq.”
Cougar told Shafaq News Agency, “The water storage did not exceed 5 billion cubic meters last year, and it constituted a real danger to Iraq in terms of meeting the actual water needs, whether for the agricultural sector or other needs, and even for providing drinking water, but in this season The water situation in general is good, because there has been a rise in water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, but with the increased demand for water, especially in the summer season and the high temperatures, water must be used in a limited manner, because it is specific quantities, even though it is sufficient for the current summer season.”
She confirms, “The Ministry of Water Resources assumed the task of distributing water fairly to all governorates and securing water for the marshes, and there was priority to providing drinking water and then meeting the needs of other sectors, whether for agriculture, livestock, fisheries, etc., to avoid the problems that occurred in previous seasons of drought.” And desertification.”
Cougar stresses the necessity of “making farmers aware that the quantities of water, even if they are good for this year, must use modern methods of agriculture and irrigation for optimal use of water, and not use and waste it randomly, as well as cooperate with the relevant institutions, including the Ministries of Water Resources and Agriculture, as the agricultural sector consumes Large amounts of water, up to 70 percent.
She continues, "Therefore, there is a need to exploit all available capabilities to preserve water wealth from waste and use it optimally through awareness and the use of modern methods in irrigation and agriculture, in addition to developing strategic plans by building dams to catch rainwater, torrents, and floods."
Koger points out at the conclusion of her speech that "the government effort to manage the water file was responsible and serious to overcome the obstacles facing this sector in terms of providing water and preserving water wealth. There were allocations amounting to $300 million to purchase sprinklers in addition to water desalination projects."
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