Iraq requests increased water releases from Turkey as drought worsens
Baghdad has urged Ankara to increase water releases to the Euphrates and Tigris rivers by one billion cubic meters per month during October and November, a senior Iraqi water ministry official told Rudaw on Monday. The request follows a tentative agreement reached last Friday between top Iraqi and Turkish diplomats on sharing water resources.
"Iraqi Water Resources Minister Aoun Diab has requested increasing water releases for the Tigris River to 500 cubic meters per second and for the Euphrates River to 500 cubic meters per second," said Khaled Shamal, spokesperson for Iraq’s water ministry.
"This would bring the total to one billion cubic meters per month."
Shamal added, "We expect this year to be a rainy one, with heavy rains beginning in December. Iraq therefore needs an increased water supply for the next 50 days to improve water reserves."
The appeal by Baghdad’s water ministry follows Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein’s joint press conference in Ankara on Friday with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan. The senior Iraqi diplomat then stated that a draft “framework” agreement on water management between Iraq and Turkey would soon be signed in Iraq.
Fidan responded, “We understand the difficulties you are facing. We are brothers and sisters in this region,” emphasizing Turkey’s active engagement in addressing Iraq’s water challenges.
“The waters of the Euphrates and Tigris belong to all of us,” he stressed.
Iraq depends heavily on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, both originating in Turkey. However, large Turkish dam projects, including the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), have significantly reduced water flow to Iraq, worsening drought, desertification, and environmental degradation. Currently, Iraq receives less than 40 percent of its historical water share.
While Iraq’s water crisis is driven by climate change, declining rainfall, poor resource management and upstream damming by Turkey and Iran, the absence of comprehensive water-sharing agreements with these neighbors leaves Iraq vulnerable to unilateral upstream actions that threaten its water security.
Shamal told Rudaw on Monday, “This year is considered the worst water year in Iraq’s history, with drought conditions not seen since 1933.” Regarding the anticipated deal with Ankara, he noted “the agreement aims to implement large irrigation and dam projects, involving major Turkish companies specializing in water management.”
The World Resources Institute lists Iraq among 25 countries facing “extreme water stress,” meaning it uses over 80 percent of its available water resources - making it highly vulnerable to droughts.
[Source: Rûdaw English]
