Baghdad: Iraq's water reserves have fallen to their lowest in 80 years due to a dry rainy season and a significant drop in inflows from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, a government official said on Sunday. Khaled Shamal, Iraqi Spokesperson for the Water Resources Ministry, highlighted the severity of the situation as the country approaches summer with only around 10 billion cubic metres of water, significantly below the 18 billion cubic metres typically required.
According to Emirates News Agency, Shamal expressed concern over the dwindling reserves, noting that last year's strategic reserves were double the current levels. He emphasized that Iraq now receives less than 40 percent of its allocated water share from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, exacerbating the crisis. Sparse rainfall during the winter and low water levels from melting snow have further intensified Iraq's water scarcity challenges.
