ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi prime minister’s advisor on water affairs stated that Iraq is experiencing a “phase of water scarcity,” exacerbated by dire climate conditions, unregulated groundwater management, and heavy dependence on neighboring countries for water inflows.
Torhan al-Mufti told Rudaw in an interview that “Iraq is among the 15 most climate-affected countries globally,” adding that the country is going through a period of water scarcity but has not slid into drought yet.
Iraq’s water mainly comes from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, with 75 percent sourced from neighboring Iran and Turkey, and 20 to 25 percent from internal sources. While Iran affects water flow through rivers like the Karun and Karkheh, Turkey controls the headwaters via dams like the Ataturk Dam. Iraq lacks a comprehensive water-sharing agreement with both countries.
Mufti noted that water inflows into the Tigris basin have “approximately doubled” compared to two years ago due to an agreement signed between Ankara and Baghdad. “I am not saying the water inflows are sufficient, but they are notably better and this improvement is a direct result of the agreement with Turkey,” he noted, underscoring that the deal “spans multiple years” and covers the Euphrates River as well.
Inflows to the Tigris River have also been significantly higher, he added. The advisor explained that water imports from Iran range between 13-15 percent annually and that the flows “solely” into the Tigris basin.
Mufti attributed the limited water inflow from Iran to the 1975 Algiers Agreement, which he says Iran “insists” is valid. Iran and Iraq signed the Algiers Agreement to settle border disputes among them, particularly over the Shatt al-Arab waterway located at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The agreement shaped the demarcation of borders and influenced water resource management between the two states.
Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein unilaterally rescinded the agreement in 1980, reclaiming what he said were Iraqi territories lost to Iran. The issue was one of the reasons that led to the outbreak of the 1980 war with Iran that lasted for eight years.
“Approximately 35 to 40 percent of Iraq’s border with Iran consists of drought-prone regions,” the advisor of the Iraqi prime minister said, adding that several small rivers and streams that used to flow from Iran into Iraq have dried up.
Mufti additionally explained that Iraq needs between 50 to 90 billion cubic meters of water annually, noting that so long as rainfall water and regional inflows do not fall below this threshold “Iraq’s water situation remains manageable.”
The advisor to the prime minister additionally explained that Iraq does not currently suffer from a water shortage for daily usage and agricultural irrigation, adding that it “maintains a stable water balance” but in scarcity season Iraq might experience reduced plantation and cultivation. “While dam levels are not currently at their maximum, they are sufficient,” he explained.
Concerning groundwater, Mufti said that while Iraq possesses substantial groundwater reserves, “unregulated extraction poses a challenge.” Over-extraction in a specific area can deplete the entire water table causing wells to dry up, he said, adding that Iraq’s water resources ministry “shut down around 150 wells” in southern Iraq “due to their negative impact on groundwater levels.”
Of note, the United Nations Global Environment Outlook 6 (GEO-6) ranked Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country globally to reduced water availability and extreme temperatures, based on data from 2020 to 2021.
