4 days ago
Iraq's Tigris and Euphrates near collapse as water crisis deepens
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq is facing a worsening water crisis as the Tigris and Euphrates rivers approach critical drought levels, with officials warning of severe consequences for drinking water supplies in Baghdad and other provinces if urgent action is not taken.
Ebtisam Al-Hilali, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Water, told Shafaq News on Tuesday that water inflows from upstream countries — Turkiye, Syria, and Iran — have dropped sharply, compounded by below-average rainfall. 'Water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates have decreased by more than 70% compared to last year, pushing both rivers into the final stages of drought,' she said.
Al-Hilali warned that if Iraq fails to reach binding water agreements with upstream states, particularly Turkiye, the capital and multiple provinces may soon face interruptions in municipal water supplies, plunging the country into a full-scale drought emergency.
Iraq has long suffered from falling river levels due to upstream dam projects, especially in Turkiye, which controls much of the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates through its GAP mega-dam project.
Although Ankara recently increased water releases in partial response to Iraqi demands, officials in Baghdad continue to call for a fair and fixed water-sharing quota to ensure long-term national water security.
Southern provinces, including Dhi Qar and Maysan, have been hit hardest. Severe drought has forced the displacement of thousands and led to water shortages in towns and villages.
