Shafaq News – Nineveh

On Monday, a member of the Nineveh Provincial Council urged Iraq to adopt concrete water harvesting measures amid worsening water scarcity.

Council member Subhan Jajan told Shafaq News that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s request for Turkiye to release more water was important, but should be matched by domestic action.

Jajan emphasized the need to restore Badush Dam, which has remained neglected for years, to operate alongside Mosul Dam in storing additional water for central and southern Iraq.

“A large portion of Iraq’s water resources is wasted, flowing directly into the Gulf via the Shatt al-Arab,” he stated, noting that the government must build new dams to conserve water resources and reduce losses, especially in light of intensifying climate challenges.

Iraq has been grappling with severe drought conditions in recent years. Water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have dropped so drastically that riverbeds have become exposed in some areas. The crisis has also dried out several marshes and significantly reduced water coverage across wetlands and lakes in central and southern regions.