Iraq's Water Reserves Hit 80-Year Low, Sparking National Emergency

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraq's water reserves have plummeted to their lowest levels in 80 years, a critical situation exacerbated by insufficient rainfall and a significant reduction in the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, as announced by the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources. This severe shortage is forcing authorities to drastically cut agricultural land for the upcoming summer, raising profound concerns for the nation's food security and stability.

Khalid al-Shamal, spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, speaking on the sidelines of the fifth International Water Conference in Baghdad, underscored the severity of the crisis, noting that the current water shortage is even more acute than the previous year. 

Al-Shamal revealed that Iraq is presently receiving less than 40% of its rightful share of water from the Tigris and Euphrates, leading to visible exposure of the riverbeds in numerous areas. He further highlighted the stark contrast with last year, when water reserves in Iraqi reservoirs were double their current volume. 

Al-Shamal stated that while 18 billion cubic meters of water were anticipated at the start of the summer, only approximately 10 billion cubic meters are now available. He clarified that in the past 80 years, water reserves have never decreased to such an extent, attributing this to low rainfall and minimal snowmelt. 

To ensure drinking water for its 46 million citizens, authorities have been compelled to reduce agricultural areas in recent years. Al-Shamal confirmed that the summer agricultural plan will not be expanded, with efforts focused solely on preserving existing green or productive regions, spanning over one and a half million donums, in contrast to the two and a half million donums allocated last summer for corn, rice, and fruit orchards. 

In recent years, the Iraqi government has encouraged farmers to adopt modern irrigation techniques to mitigate water consumption.

This alarming situation comes amid a deepening water crisis that Kurdistan24 has extensively covered in previous reports.

In August 2025, Kurdistan24 reported that upstream damming by neighboring countries, particularly Türkiye, has imperiled the lives and livelihoods of an estimated 20 million Iraqis, as the Tigris and Euphrates recede at an alarming rate. 

The Iraqi Parliament’s Agriculture Committee warned of the impending displacement of villagers from agricultural lands to overburdened provincial centers, threatening a demographic and economic shift.

Citizens like Karrar Sami observed the dramatic changes, noting islands appearing in the Tigris and areas where the river could be crossed on foot, a phenomenon unseen before. Local fisherman Hassan Jabr also informed Kurdistan24 that the water level had dropped by three to four meters, exposing the riverbed.

Official data from the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources indicated a plummet from a historical average of 70 billion cubic meters to less than 40 billion cubic meters, with a reported 21 billion cubic meters stored during the past winter season now entirely depleted due to mismanagement.

Faleh al-Khazali, Head of the Agriculture Committee, called for Türkiye to release at least 800 cubic meters of water per second and urged the demolition of unauthorized lakes and fish farms to restore water to the rivers. Despite Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's regional initiative to protect water security, neighboring countries had not responded.

Further reporting by Kurdistan24 in August 2025 highlighted Iraq's escalating drought, forcing rural migration and prompting calls for Türkiye to restore Iraq’s full share of water. 

An Iraqi citizen expressed to Kurdistan24 the need for the government to take the issue to the United Nations, asserting Iraq’s water rights. Amir Maamouri, an Iraqi Member of Parliament, informed Kurdistan24 that Iraq’s water share in the Tigris and Euphrates had fallen to less than 190 cubic meters per second from a previous 530 to 600 cubic meters, raising fears of drinking water treatment plant closures in southern and central regions.

Experts cited the absence of a comprehensive national water policy and unrealized projects like a proposed dam in Shatt al-Arab.

According to a previous report by Kurdistan24 in Oct. 2024, a severe humanitarian crisis in Anbar province was reported due to water shortages, affecting half a million residents with both scarcity and poor water quality. Local activists reported the crisis worsening daily despite significant financial allocations.

Residents in Fallujah, Anbar’s largest district, faced days without water, forcing them to purchase water from tanker trucks, according to Kurdistan24. Activists attributed the problem to government negligence and a lack of strategic water management planning.

UNICEF and Iraq’s General Directorate of Water issued a joint warning in March 2025, stating that millions of Iraqis, especially children, struggle to access clean drinking water amid the escalating crisis. Ammar Adel, Director General of Iraq’s General Directorate of Water, highlighted ongoing strategic projects, while Eng. Ali Ayoub, UNICEF's Head of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program, reiterated the mission to ensure safe drinking water for affected communities.

The World Bank estimates Iraq requires over $233 billion in investment by 2040 for a resilient, greener path, and Fadhel al-Gharawi, head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights, informed the National Iraqi News Agency (INA) that Iraq has lost over 30% of its productive agricultural land due to climate change impacts.

Iraq’s per capita fresh water share has dropped below 1,000 cubic meters annually, leading to severe water stress, and the Tigris and Euphrates rivers' levels have fallen by over 50%. Rising air pollution and increased sand and dust storms also compound the environmental degradation.

Iraq’s struggle with historically low water levels comes amid a series of high-level meetings between Baghdad and Ankara, as both sides seek to finalize an agreement on water-sharing. The sharp decline in Iraq’s water reserves has been exacerbated by upstream dam projects, climate change, and recurring droughts. As the crisis deepens, securing a sustainable arrangement with Türkiye has become a central priority for Baghdad, given the far-reaching implications for agriculture, livelihoods, and long-term stability. 

In August 2023 that Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rasheed discussed the water crisis with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Baghdad. President Rasheed emphasized strengthening ties and reaching an agreement for a fair and sufficient water share, noting the severe shortage in the Tigris and Euphrates. Fidan affirmed Türkiye's commitment to addressing the issue.

In July 2025, an environmental and climate expert, Salih Najib, informed Kurdistan24 that successive Iraqi governments are responsible for the nation’s devastating water scarcity due to a chronic lack of sound policy and strategic planning. Najib highlighted Iraq's heavy reliance on external water sources, with only 9% originating domestically, and 80% from Türkiye. 

He pointed to Iraq's mere 22 dams compared to Türkiye's 1,250 and Iran's 647, contributing to desertification and mass internal migration. The UN has ranked Iraq as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts, losing 404 square kilometers of agricultural land annually, with 130,788 people displaced by drought.

Baghdad residents were forced to leave their homes amid severe water shortages, Kurdistan24 reported in August 2025, with neighborhoods like the Euphrates experiencing an exodus as families rely on wells and expensive tanker-delivered water. Residents reported no tap water for two months, leading many to move in with relatives.

In July 2025, hundreds of Iraqis protested in Babil province over severe water shortages, Kurdistan24 reported. Approximately 300 residents gathered in Al-Majriyah to demand government intervention, with the protest highlighting a national emergency caused by extreme heat, falling rainfall, and diminished river flows.

The Iraqi government has accused Türkiye and Iran of exacerbating the crisis through dam construction. The UN warned of grave public health implications as national water reserves plummeted by over 60%.

In a comprehensive report titled "Drought Nation: Iraq’s Worst Water Crisis in 80 Years," from May 2025, Kurdistan24 captured the full scope of the emergency.

Ministry of Water Resources spokesperson Khaled al-Shamal warned of an "extraordinary national effort" needed to avert a deeper catastrophe, noting Iraq’s available reserves had fallen to just 10 billion cubic meters, half of what is typically needed at the start of summer.

The report detailed Iraq’s precarious dependence on external water sources, with over 70% originating outside its borders, and the Euphrates having lost over 60% of its flow. Water security, it emphasized, has become a sovereign priority under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, with the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) in Türkiye granting it extensive control over the Tigris and Euphrates, severely impacting downstream flows into Iraq.

Internally, Iraq is actively overhauling its agricultural practices, implementing drip and sprinkler irrigation systems and updating crop maps to reduce water consumption. A new identity-based farm registration system aims to enhance tracking and demand management. Concurrently, a nationwide crackdown on illegal water use and pollution has resulted in over 6,400 legal actions, saving a substantial volume of water.

While water expert Tahseen al-Moussawi described the situation as "catastrophic," economist Karim al-Hilu offered a more moderate assessment, attributing current woes to infrastructural inefficiencies rather than absolute scarcity, yet cautioning against the potential for broader economic and political instability if mismanagement continues.

The UN's stark assessment, ranking Iraq among the five countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts, underscores the nation's critical juncture, with agricultural land use already slashed by 40% and persistent water tensions with Türkiye.