Expected Future of Water Resources within Tigris-Euphrates Rivers Basin,Iraq

Iraq is one of the riparian countries within basins of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East region. The region is currently facing water shortage problems due to the increase of the demand and climate changes. In the present study, average monthly water flow measurements for 15 stream flow gaging stations within basins of these rivers in Iraq with population growth rate data in some of its part were used to evaluate the reality of the current situation and future challenges of water availability and demand in Iraq. The results showed that Iraq receives annually 70.92 km3 of water 45.4 and 25.52 km3 from River Tigris and Euphrates respectively. An amount of 18.04 km3 of the Tigris water comes from Turkey while 27.36 km3 is supplied by its tributaries inside Iraq. The whole amount of water in the Euphrates Rivers comes outside the Iraqi borders. Annual decrease of the water inflow is 0.1335 km3·year-1 for Tigris and 0.245 km3·year-1 for Euphrates. This implies that the annual percentage reduction of inflow rates for the two rivers is 0.294% and 0.960%, respectively. Iraq consumes annually 88.89% (63.05 km3) of incoming water from the two rivers, where about 60.43% and 39.57% are from Rivers Tigris and Euphrates respectively. Water demand increases annually by 1.002 km3, of which 0.5271 km3 and 0.475 km3 are within Tigris and Euphrates basins respectively. The average water demand in 2020 will increase to 42.844 km3·year-1 for Tigris basin and for Euphrates 29.225 km3·year-1 (total 72.069 km3·year-1), while water availability will decrease to 63.46 km3·year-1. This means that the overall water shortage will be restricted to 8.61 km3.

Solving the Water Resource Problems in Iraq

Iraq covers an area of 437072 km2 in the northeastern part of the Middle East. Its population now is more than 40 million. It relies mainly on its water resources from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and their tributaries. Recently, Iraq has been experiencing a severe water scarcity problem. This is mainly due to climate change, increased hydrological projects in riparian countries, and water resources mismanagement inside Iraq itself. To overcome the problem, a new strategy should be implemented. Such strategy should consider two main courses of action: a) serious negotiations with riparian countries to reach an agreement giving Iraq equitable water shares from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and their tributaries. b) Prudent water management practices inside Iraq that consider adopting realistic distribution of water between the governorates, rational policies aiming at increased water use efficiencies within Irrigation networks, increased use of non-conventional sources of water, adjustment of water tariffs and their collection procedures, improving agricultural techniques, introduction of intensive guidance and public awareness programs, and promulgation of new legislations, in addition to creation of human resources development programs.

Study of the Effects of Water Level Depression in Euphrates River on the Water Quality

Abstract： The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are the main sources of water in Iraq. Iraq used to receive 33×109 m^3 of river water per year at Hit, 200 km downstream from the Syrian border before the 1970s. In 1980s, the discharge decreased to as little as 8 × 10^9 m^3 per year at Hit. The decreasing of discharge and water level in the Euphrates River causes problems of both quantity and quality, such as the increasing salinity in the internal delta downstream, the TDS （total dissolves salinity） at Hit has increased from less than 500 ppm to about 700 ppm. By 1989, the Euphrates＇ salinity at A1 Qaim reached 1,000 ppm. Currently, the TDS of the river, at AI Qaim, is greater than 1,000 ppm. The problem of control salinity has received considerable attention particularly when the surface water is extremely limited with poorly available ground water supply. The field measurement has achieved for TDS, pH （hydrogen ion）, EC （electric conductivity）, coliform content and heavy metal for three sectors in the Euphrates River basin in Iraq as well as the lakes of Tharthar, Habbaniya, and AI-Razzaza. The statistical analysis was made to relate these parameter with discharge and water level, which are refered to the important effect of the flow in river on the water quality of Euphrates River. The storage of water in the lakes Al-tharthar, Al-habbanya, and A1-Razzaza has a negative effects on the water quality, and shows that the best method for storage water is the reservoirs along river stream.

Water Quality and Some Heavy Metals in Water and Sediments of Euphrates River, Iraq

Water samples, sediments from three stations in Euphrates River, lraq were analyzed quantitatively for some physical and chemical characters and six heavy metals （Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb） using flam atomic absorption spectrophotpmeter in period Sept. 2009-Oct. 2010. The physical and chemical characters included temperature, pH, water flow, salinity, dissolved oxygen, BOD5, alkalinity total hardness, calcium and nutrients （nitrite, nitrate reactive phosphate and silicate）. The results showed variation in water flow 0.05-0.40 m/sec., according to the values of salinity 0.40%-0.60% values of the BOD5 were ranged between 0.2-4.3 mg/L. The mean concentration of the heavy metals （Pb, Ni, Mn, Co, Cu and Fe） of the dissolved phase in water were 0.13 μg/L, 0.021 μg/L, 0.31 μg/L, 4.29 μg/L, 7.78 μg/L, 6.46 μg/L and 79.04 μg/L, respectively, while their concentration in the particulate phase were 0.59 μg/g, 0.06 μg/g, 0.42 μg/g, 50.06 μg/g, 6.61 μg/g, 7.17 vg/g and 149.42 μg/g dry weight, respectively. Also the mean concentrations of heavy metals in sediment （exchangeable phase） were 0.51 vg/g,0.18 vg/g, 0.08 μg/g, 61.39 μg/g, 5.40 μg/g, 14.06 vg/g and 130.05 μg/g dry weight respectively, and 0.40 μg/g, 0.17 μg/g, 0.10 μg/g, 63.01 μg/g, 4.64 μg/g, 18.44 μg/g and 126.26 μg/g D.W. respectively in residual phase of sediment.

THE WATER RESOURCES IN THE EUPHRATES RIVER AND THE TIGRIS RIVER VALLEYS AND POLITICAL RELATION BETWEEN COUNTRIES CONCERNED

Recently at home and abroad there appears a view that owing to scarcity of the water resources and rapid increase in population in the Middle East and existing of large rivers, such as the Euphrates River and the Tigris River, the contradictions over the water resources have become increasingly sharp among the countries concerned, and a war for water will soon break out in the region. The authors of the present paper, however, put forward a different view, believing that no war for controlling the water resources will take place in the region.

The Pliocene-Recent Euphrates river system:Sediment facies and architecture as an analogue for subsurface reservoirs

The Tigris-Euphrates is a continental-scale fluvial system,around 2800 km in length,which drains over 1 million km2 of SWAsia.The system originated in the Late Miocene and developed into the principal axial drainage system of the region,which follows broad regional structural features of the Mesopotamian Foreland Basin.Good preservation and outcropping of the Pliocene and Quaternary Euphrates deposits yield a viable local analogue for subsurface fluvial reservoirs in the region,and for other fluvial systems that have developed in foreland basin settings.This paper documents the first detailed study of the sedimentary characteristics of these Pliocene and Quaternary fluvial deposits along the middle reaches of the present-day Euphrates in Syria.The Euphrates fluvial system developed from small and probably short-lived isolated cut-and-fill channels in the Pliocene,characterised by abundant debrite and slump facies,through to a broad meandering system at present.The Quaternary deposits represent a braided to meandering system that was more energetic than that of the modern day Euphrates.The Quaternary facies include a dominance of gravels,pebbly sands and sands as channel associations,coupled with sands,muds and paleosols representing channel abandonment,overbank and crevasse-splay associations.Channel widths,where observed,range from 50 to 500 m,and minimum fill thicknesses range from 3 to 7 m.The combined channel-fill for stacked channels is up to 25 m thick.Lateral correlation of channel elements over at least 1 km of section indicates that rapid and extensive lateral migration has occurred.Crevasse splay lobes can be identified in the overbank deposits,with a width of 30e60 m and sand thickness of 0.5e1.5 m.The geometry,nature and dimensions of these architectural elements provide a useful analogue for subsurface reservoirs.The high-energy channel facies of the Quaternary system show very good reservoir attributes,with good correlation and connectivity.At the bed-scale there is significant heterogeneity of characteristics that would impact fluid-flow for hydrocarbon production from a subsurface reservoir.However,incomplete preservation of these Quaternary fluvial deposits at outcrop remains a challenge for accurately determining the scale of sedimentary features and also the size of the paleo-river.

Causes of Water Resources Scarcity in Iraq and Possible Solutions

Iraq relies in its water resources on the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates and their tributaries. The country is located in the lower part of the catchment area of these rivers. The long-term average annual flow that enters Iraq from these rivers is about 30 BCM from the Euphrates, 21.2 BCM from the Tigris, 24.78 BCM from tributaries and 7 BCM from side valleys between Iraq and Iran. Now, the flow of these rivers is decreasing due to climate change and hydrological projects established in the upper parts of the catchment. It is indicated that precipitation will decrease by 15% - 25% during this century and that means that the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers will be reduced by 29% - 73%. This will cause a grave depletion of groundwater resources. Türkiye is trying to finish building 22 dams and 19 hydropower stations. Iran built 12 dams and diverted the flow of some tributaries inside Iran and blocked all the valleys that contribute water from its land to Iraq. For these reasons, Iraq is experiencing shortages in its water resources and there is some sort of friction and conflict between riparian countries within the Tigris and Euphrates basins because each country tries to secure its water resources. In this research, the factors affecting the hydro politics within these basins are water scarcity, climate change and hydrological projects, population growth rate, energy issues, water mismanagement, economic changes, expansions of projects and technology, political issues, international water laws and public awareness. In case the situation remains as it is, Iraq will experience many problems in health, environment, economy, and security. To solve the problem of water scarcity in Iraq, two parallel lines of action are to be considered. These are: 1) Reach agreements with Riparian Parties;2) Develop a long-term strategy that should take the following: a) Rehabilitating of existing dams, barrages & pump stations, b) Improving the efficiency of diversion and supply, c) Using of nonconventional water resources, d) Irrigation modernization using suitable techniques, e) Developing a public awareness program, f) Developing human resources program and establishing an agenda for training, g) Developing an agri- cultural plan that takes into consideration the possibility of reducing crops that consume a lot of water.

The Study of Pollution of PAHs （Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons） in AI-Hilla River, Iraq by Using Bioindicator Freshwater Crab （Sesarma boulengeri Caiman）

The present study was used freshwater Crab （Sesarma boulengeri Caiman） as bioindicator to measured the PAHs levels in AI-Hilla River, Iraq, during the period from March 2010 to February 2011. Crab samples were collected from two sites on the AI-Hilla River. Sixteen of PAils compounds were identified seasonally in these samples. High mean value was （72.06 μg/g）, recorded by Dibenzo （a, h） anthracene （DbA） in Site 1 and low mean value was （0.36 μg/g） recorded by Anthracene （Ant） in Site 2. The study showed a clear variation in PAHs concentration independent from the seasons and locations. Site 1 recorded high value of HMW （high molecular weight） and LMW （low molecular weight） more than Site 2. The present study revealed that all PAHs compounds were from Pyrogenic Origin. Seven carcinogenic PAHs （cPAHs） were recorded in crab tissues that were collected from the AI-Hilla River. The TEF （toxicity equivalency factor） was calculated to toxicity equivalent crab concentration. From the results, the fresh water Crab Sesarma boulengeri is a good bioindicator to water pollution by PAHs.

Quality, Quantity and Origin of PAHs （Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons） in Lotic Ecosystem of Al-Hilla River, Iraq

The Euphrates River is one of the major rivers in Iraq. When it reaches north of Hilla city, it will be divided in two branches. One of these braches flows toward Hilla city. On this branch, six locations were studied for the water quality of the Euphrates water. The present paper is aimed to fill the gap of information of the presence of PAHs （poly aromatic hydrocarbons） in water and sediment of AI-Hilla River, as well as to determine the quality and quantity of some PAHs. The depth of the river ranges from 2 m to 6 m. The quality, quantity and the origin of PAHs were studied in the water and sediment of Al-Hilla River. In addition, some physical and chemical properties were studied at six sites along the studied area, for the period March, 2010 to February, 2011. Sixteen PAHs that are listed by USEPA （US Environmental Protection Agency） as priority pollutants （Nap （naphthalene）, Acpy （acenaphthylene）, Acp （acenaphthene）, Flu （fluorine）, Phen （phenanthrene）, Ant （anthracene）, Flur （fluoranthene）, Py （pyrene）, B（a）A （benzo（a）anthracene）, Chry （chrysene）, B（b）F （benzo（b）fluoranthene）, B（k）F （benzo（k）fluoranthene）, B（a）p （benzo（a）pyrene）, BbA （dibenzo（a,h）anthracene）, B（ghi）P （benzo（ghi）perylene） and Ind （indeno （1,2,3-cd） pyrene）） were detected in Al-Hilla river. High concentrations of PAHs were detected in the sediment relative to that within the water. The present study revealed that the origin of PAHs in water and sediment might be the pyrogenic origin.