Iraq's worst drought of the century fuels water crisis, Euphrates river dry

Low water levels in the two main rivers, down to 27%, threaten the ecosystem. The situation is exacerbated by dams built upstream in Turkey and Iran. The country receives less than 35% of the quota that would theoretically be allocated to it. Basra is among the centres most vulnerable to change. The collapse of the water levels favours archaeological discoveries.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - One of the driest years in the last century is fuelling a water emergency and the worst water shortage in Iraq's recent history, a consequence of climate change that is exacerbating long-standing critical factors in the region.

The historically low level of the Euphrates threatens the ecosystem and the very survival of the river itself. According to the authorities, dams built upstream in Turkey and Iran have also contributed to a sharp reduction in the flow of the two main rivers of ancient Mesopotamia, with the Tigris also seeing an increasingly reduced flow.

Iraq, a nation of 46 million people, is bearing the full brunt of climate change, with rising temperatures, recurring droughts and a decrease in the flow of its rivers. According to the authorities, the crisis is also fuelled by external factors, with the country receiving less than 35% of the share that would theoretically be allocated to it from the Tigris and Euphrates.

The impact is particularly felt in the south, where the reduction in flow is fuelling water pollution and the rapid proliferation of algae. ‘In recent weeks, the Euphrates has experienced its lowest water level in decades,’ especially in the southern sector, confirms Hassan al-Khatib of the University of Kufa.

To maintain the flow, the country is releasing more water from its reservoirs than it receives, a measure that may not be sustainable in the long term. And this water from ageing reserves causes algae to proliferate, depleting oxygen and endangering aquatic life.

The Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources has stated that current reserves in dams and reservoirs represent only 8% of storage capacity. In recent days, the Ministry of the Environment has warned of increasing bacterial pollution and the presence of algae in large areas of the province of Kerbala, as well as “poor water quality” in the neighbouring province of Najaf, in the centre of the country.

In Nassiriya, the capital of the southern province of Dhi Qar, an AFP photographer saw water hyacinths blooming in the Euphrates. Present in Iraq since the 1990s, this invasive plant has developed due to low water flow, from which it can absorb up to five litres per day, preventing the passage of light, sun and oxygen essential for life.

Iraq is experiencing its driest year since 1933, with the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow into the Persian Gulf, seeing their levels drop by up to 27% due to low rainfall and upstream water restrictions.

Among the most affected cities in the south is Basra, a port and oil centre with 3.5 million inhabitants, which is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Many are forced to rely on daily water deliveries to ensure their survival and health. Experts say the water crisis is set to worsen unless urgent action is taken by the authorities.

Basra has lost between 26 and 30 different marine species “due to saltwater intrusion”, said Alaa Al-Badrani, a water resources expert. ‘While reduced rainfall and rising temperatures are global challenges, Iraq's water crisis is also the result of upstream restrictions and internal neglect,’ added Hayder Al-Shakeri, a researcher in the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House.

‘Corruption and self-interest among the Iraqi political elite weaken institutional capacity,’ creating opportunities for its neighbours Turkey and Iran to push for agreements ‘that do not necessarily benefit’ the country.

In a critical situation, the lack of water has also led to significant archaeological discoveries, including a series of ancient tombs that have emerged in the north of the country. Experts and scholars recently discovered about 40 tombs, believed to be at least 2,300 years old, along the banks of the Mosul Dam in the Khanke region.

The burial site, archaeologists explained, dates back to the Hellenistic period, which followed the establishment of the Seleucid Empire in 312 BC. The tomb fragments were first discovered in 2023, with the discovery of five sites.