06-05-2025
Euphrates River at risk as Iraq's Haditha Lake plummets
Shafaq News/ Water levels in Iraq's Haditha Lake have dropped to alarming lows, threatening water security along the Euphrates River basin, the head of an environmental observatory in Al-Anbar warned on Tuesday.
Ahmad Al-Jumaili (a pseudonym) told Shafaq News that the sharp decline in water levels in the lake, a vital reservoir regulating the Euphrates River's flow, severely undermined this season's agricultural activity in surrounding areas. Field surveys by the Euphrates Environmental Observatory show that current reserves fall far short of meeting regional demand compared to previous years.
He indicated that two primary factors are behind the crisis: a decline in water inflows from Turkiye and a weak rainy season, which reduced the natural recharge of the lake through tributary valleys and reservoir systems behind the dam. 'Iraq previously maintained relatively stable water reserves; however, the problem worsened due to poor domestic water management,' he added.
'If the situation continues, it could spark a major water crisis that endangers both agricultural productivity and economic stability in the Euphrates region,' he warned, noting that 'water security is a fundamental pillar of Iraq's national security. It is directly linked to food, agriculture, economic, and environmental stability.'
Al-Jumaili called on the Iraqi government to pursue a negotiation strategy based on shared interests, noting that Iraq's substantial imports of Turkish goods could provide leverage in talks over water rights. He stressed that transboundary water access is a legal entitlement under international law, not a matter of political goodwill.
During his visit to Turkiye on May 6, the Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani will renew demands for Iraq's full share of water, as climate pressures worsen and summer approaches.
