Drought and dams push Iraq into unprecedented water crisis

The Euphrates River in Iraq has dropped to its lowest levels in decades, alarming experts and authorities who warn that the country is facing the worst water shortage in its history.

Iraq, a nation of 46 million people, is suffering the combined effects of climate change, rising temperatures, and recurrent droughts. 

At the same time, upstream dams in Turkey and Iran have drastically cut the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates, rivers that for millennia sustained Mesopotamia’s agriculture and civilization.

According to Iraqi officials, the country now receives less than 35% of its allocated share from the two rivers.

The crisis is most acute in southern Iraq, where shrinking water flows have worsened pollution and fueled the rapid spread of algae. “In recent weeks, the Euphrates has reached its lowest water level in decades, especially in the south,” said Hassan al-Khatib, an expert at the University of Kufa.

Unsustainable emergency measures

To maintain some flow in the Euphrates, authorities have been releasing more water from reservoirs than they are receiving — a strategy experts warn is not viable long term. Worse, the water being released from aging reservoirs has accelerated the growth of algae, depleting oxygen levels and threatening aquatic life.

The Ministry of Water Resources has acknowledged the scale of the problem, noting that current reserves in Iraq’s dams and reservoirs represent only 8% of their storage capacity.

The situation underscores Iraq’s growing vulnerability: a combination of regional water politics, aging infrastructure, and the intensifying impact of climate change. 

Unless new agreements with upstream neighbors and significant domestic reforms are secured, Iraq’s already fragile ecosystem — and millions of livelihoods — risk further collapse.