Water resources: a plan to reduce abuses on the Tigris River

Baghdad - INA

The ministry's spokesman, Awni Diab Abdullah, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The ministry is working to improve the levels of the Tigris River through the construction of dams, as well as to eliminate the excesses taking place on the river and benefit from them in providing electrical energy."

He added that "one of the ministry's priorities is to develop irrigation systems, irrigation projects and agricultural land reclamation, as it has begun opening lines of cooperation between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to confront the water scarcity crisis."He continued that "the amount of rain fell this year, caused an abundance of water, was utilized and stored in Haditha Dam, Habbaniyah Lake and Al-Razazah, and pumped continuously to the Euphrates River to improve the river environment and address water scarcity in the summer."

It is reported that the Directorate of Water Resources in Salah El-Din Governorate announced earlier that the Samarra Dam is ready to receive the water waves. The director of water resources in Salah al-Din Bassam Abdul Wahid told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The Directorate has taken the necessary precautions in Samarra Dam to receive the water waves resulting from the rain in the northern regions of the country."

He added that "the current season is a rainy season, and the indicators indicate the occurrence of many rains, as well as a rise in the levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers alike." He pointed out that "all precautions were taken alongside the measures in the river column and tributaries and sub-streams." While the Mosul Dam Department confirmed that the filling and maintenance work on the dam's foundations is continuous and around the clock, according to international specifications.

A statement of the Mosul Dam Administration stated, “The stuffing and maintenance work on the dam’s foundations is continuing at the rate of three working meals and 100 percent Iraqi hands according to sophisticated and studied scientific programs and according to the international standards in force.