Shafaq News – Baghdad

Management of recent rainfall boosted Iraq’s dam storage by more than 750 million cubic meters, the Ministry of Water Resources announced on Saturday.

Ali Radi Al-Muhammadawi, Director General of the National Center for Water Resources Management, said in a statement that more than 120 million cubic meters were secured through precautionary measures, including reducing water releases from major storage facilities.

He added that recent water inflows also increased reserves at Lake Tharthar by more than 200 million cubic meters, according to preliminary estimates, while helping revive southern marshlands that had previously suffered from shrinkage, supplying them with more than 30 million cubic meters of water.

Basra province received a significant share of the inflows, with more than 35 million cubic meters delivered through the Qalat Saleh regulator, Al-Mohammadawi noted, “a move would help push back saltwater intrusion.”

The weather system remains active, with rainfall recorded over the past week triggering flash floods in several areas.

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Despite causing significant damage, the rains and floods have contributed to strengthening dam reserves and revitalizing marshes, rivers, and lakes across much of the country.

Iraq has faced an intensifying drought for years, driven by climate change, declining rainfall, and sharp drops in water inflows from upstream countries such as Turkiye and Iran.

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