MOWR: We may lose 11 billion m3 of total revenue within 20 years

Baghdad-INA

Ministry of Water Resources identified Friday reasons behind the water crisis that is facing the country, and while it warned of the loss of 11 billion cubic meters in 20 years, it confirmed the move within the framework of internal plans and negotiations with upstream countries to secure the required quotas.

 The ministry's spokesman, Ali Radi, said, in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the water crisis is still present and its causes are due to several factors that are summarized in climatic changes, rain retention and weak snow cover, in addition to the significant rise in temperatures."

He added that "international reports issued about Iraq classified It as one of the countries most affected by climate change in the world."

 He added, "The Ministry of Water Resources warned in its strategic study for the years 2014-2035 that Iraq will lose more than 11 billion cubic meters of total revenues that reach the country," noting that "the ministry is working on three axes to secure Iraq's share represented in the file of negotiations with upstream countries regarding guaranteeing Iraq's water rights and sharing the damage with it, especially in periods of water scarcity, in addition to intensifying technical meetings with upstream or riparian countries in order to achieve the main goals.

He stressed that "in 2019, there was a wet flood year, as the rate of revenue reached 140 percent of the expected rate, and as a result the water revenues led to a very large increase in storage levels, which led to the avoidance of water scarcity in the current years."

On the summer agricultural plan, the ministry's spokesman stated that "the amount of the upcoming summer agricultural plan depends on an important main axis, which is the amount of water storage, which will be discussed in the coming days with the Ministry of Agriculture."