Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources Plans to Construct Dams to Address Water Scarcity

The Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources is set to implement a comprehensive plan to construct multiple dams to store rainwater and address water scarcity in several governorates and regions, particularly in the Kurdistan Region.

Basem Majeed, an expert in the ministry and former director of Diyala resources, told Shafaq News agency that the Ministry had developed a preliminary plan and conducted extensive field studies to establish rainwater and torrential storage dams.

These initiatives aim to enhance water storage, which has significantly decreased in recent years due to limited rainfall, global warming, and neighboring countries’ irrigation projects.

Majeed revealed that the ministry has decided to construct a dam in the Al-Naft Valley, located on the borders of the Mandali district in eastern Diyala, adjacent to Iran. The purpose of this dam is to collect runoff water. Additionally, efforts are underway to build another dam at the Mandali-Iran border in Wadi, as part of the ministry’s commitment to implementing flood dams in Kurdistan and regions within Al-Anbar Governorate.

Majeed emphasized that all projects are currently undergoing technical studies.

Iraq has been grappling with worsening drought and water scarcity crises in recent years, primarily due to diminishing rainfall and the failure of neighboring countries to adhere to international agreements and norms governing regional water allocations.