KRG to build water reservoirs in Koya district

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is set to build several water reservoirs as part of conservation efforts in the Koya district of Erbil province amidst severe water shortages and low rainfall.

The nearly $500 million project, to be overseen by the KRG’s Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, will construct the reservoir in the Ashti sub-district of Koya, ideally solving livestock and agriculture water needs in several villages.

Mullah Osman, a resident of Qul Qula village, said, “In 2001, there were about 80 houses in our village. The drought caused most villagers to leave their homes and migrate to cities, sparing them from water shortages.”

Exacerbating the issue is that some wells have not been refilled, making livestock farming difficult.

Faris Muhammed, a contractor for the project, told Kurdistan 24 that the project is part of the KRG's “agenda to build as many reservoirs and dams as possible across the Kurdistan Region.”

Over the past two years, more than 30 water projects have been constructed in the Ashti sub-district to improve the agriculture, livestock, and drinking water situations.

A reservoir is typically defined as an artificial body of water designed for water conservation purposes. They are frequently built in close proximity to dams, which help facilitate the drainage process from waterways downstream.

According to the KRG’s ninth cabinet, the main purposes of its water conservation projects are to protect water resources, collect water for the agriculture and tourism sectors, support farmers, provide job opportunities, prevent flash floods, and increase groundwater.

Read More: KRG reveals construction of several new water reservoirs

Additional reporting by Kurdistan 24 Raparin reporter Aras Ameen