The impact of Turkish projects and dams in exacerbating the crisis of the receding waters of the Euphrates River and its on the repercussions on Iraq

Abstract

The water issue has always been and remains a problem around which debates often intensify; indeed, water security is considered one of the most significant gaps in national security. All indicators confirm that in the coming years, water will be one of the main causes of conflict and dispute between riparian countries. The future carries signs of serious crises affecting Iraqi affairs, especially Iraq's concerns about Turkish water policies, which began to emerge in the mid-1970s when Turkey started implementing a series of dams on the Euphrates River and became capable of controlling the river's water flow at the expense of Iraqi water interests. Perhaps the most dangerous Turkish projects for Syrian and Iraqi interests is the multi-purpose GAP project, which includes essential projects for irrigation and electricity generation, as well as several projects in other sectors. This study elucidated the adverse effects of dams and irrigation projects constructed on the Euphrates River, specifically highlighting their contribution to the diminished water level of the river and the deterioration in the quality and quantity of water resources reaching Iraq. Crucially, these impacts have severely affected agricultural lands, particularly in central and southern Iraq, where the reduction in water inflow and the elevated concentrations of pollutants in irrigation water have collectively resulted in the loss of 40% of Iraq's arable land."

The study was divided into three main topics: Topic 1: Water situation in Turkey and Iraq. Discussion 2: Turkey's water projects on the Euphrates River and their objectives. and the third discussion: the impact of the Euphrates water scarcity crisis on the water situation in Iraq.