Iraq Depends on Others for Water; Low River Flows Have

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002469 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/I, OES/STAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON SENV ENRG PBTS PREL TPHY TRGY TSPL EAGR EAID SUBJECT: Iraq Depends on Others for Water; Low River Flows Have Negative Impact ¶1. (U) Note: Post intends this message to be the first periodic report on water issues - and their growing prominence - in Iraq. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Tigris and Euphrates river systems supply almost all of Iraq's water needs. Ninety percent of the two rivers' water flows first through Turkey, Syria, or Iran - with a separate ten percent rising first in the Kurdistan region. (Iraq also has some ground water from underground aquifers.) The Euphrates River water flows in Iraq have fallen and water quality has deteriorated since the construction of Turkish and Syrian dams upstream from the 1970's to the 1990's. Today, the Euphrates River inflow from Syria is at its lowest level in six years. The Tigris River flow from Turkey may still be within historical norms but shows great seasonal variation, and has dropped by half since early July. The low flow levels have led to reduced Iraqi hydroelectric power generation and reportedly exacerbated salinity and pollutant concentrations in the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Improvement in water management and use would mitigate these negative impacts, but would require a functioning Iraqi regulatory system that may be years away. To meet its immediate needs, Iraq is pressing Turkey to increase flow to the Euphrates River. End summary IRAQ DEPENDENT ON OTHERS FOR WATER -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Iraq is a downstream riparian state dependent on other countries for its water supply. Ninety percent of Iraq's water is contained in the Euphrates and Tigris river systems, which are fed from Turkey, Syria, and Iran. Turkey is the single largest contributor, providing on average 90 percent of the Euphrates flow and 50 percent of the Tigris flow. Syria separately contributes about eight percent of the Euphrates flow, and Iran contributes an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the Tigris flow. Some ten percent of Iraq's waters rise from the Kurdistan region of Iraq. ¶4. (SBU) Over the last forty years, Turkey and Syria have built or are in the process of building several large dams on the Euphrates River that have affected water flow into Iraq. Before the development of the dams, the Euphrates River's average flow rate into Iraq exceeded 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year or 1000 cubic meters per second (cms). Today, the flow is much less. According to recent data provided by the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR),the average Euphrates flow rate into Iraq was 290 cms during July and August of 2009. This average flow rate is a 36 percent reduction from the same time last year, and is the lowest flow rate at this time of year in the last six years. ¶5. (SBU) Dams have also been built or are in the process of being built by Turkey on the Tigris River. According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, the average annual Tigris River water inflow to Iraq is 21.33 bcm. Because the river is fed mainly by snow pack, the average flow shows large monthly variations. (For example, September averages are about 123 cms while April averages are almost 1400 cms.) A spot analysis of MoWR daily flow data, as measured entering Mosul Dam, shows that the Tigris River's daily flow average in August 2009 was 139 cms, about the same as Tigris River inflows in August 2008 and in line with averages expected for this time of year. (Comment: A full analysis of yearly flow data must be performed to determine whether Tigris River flows have been significantly affected by upstream development in Turkey. End comment) Qcomment) ¶6. (SBU) Iran contributes up to 40 percent of the water flows to the Tigris River at several locations - via the Lesser Zab River southeast of Mosul, the Diyala River east of Baghdad, the Karkha River east of Ammara, and the Karun River, which joins Shatt Al Arab just south of Basra. According to MoWR data, the flows entering Iraq from Iran, as measured at the Dokan and Derbendi-Kahn (Darbandikhan) dams located in Northern Iraq, has more than doubled from this time last year. However, recent reports indicate that Iran has built sand dams in other locations to divert river flow away from Iraq, especially in the south. Some Iraqi lawmakers have called on Iran to reopen these waterways. This issue will be addressed in a future cable. EUPHRATES LOW LEVELS HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Euphrates' decreased flow rate - along with diversion water from Lake TharThar (located southwest of Mosul) and irrigation return flows - has increased the salt content in the river. According to Dawood Salman of the Iraqi Ministry of Science and Technology, salinity concentrations at Basra were approaching 2.0 parts per thousand (ppt). (Note: The generally accepted drinking water limit for salinity is less than 1 ppt and the agricultural/irrigation limit is 2 ppt. End note). Decreased river flow rates has meant less water to dilute salts entering the BAGHDAD 00002469 002 OF 002 Euphrates through rainfall runoff, saline ground water discharges, and from using Lake TharThar as a backup water source. (Comment: Lake TharThar is a shallow depression used to divert water from the Tigris River during winter high river flows. Evaporation results in a high accumulation of salts. When water is needed, the lake's highly saline water (1.7 ppt) is released into either the Euphrates or the Tigris River. End comment.) Separately, irrigation return flows also carry soil salts from the fields to the river adding to the total salt content. ¶8. (SBU) Upstream development and increased agricultural runoff in Turkey and Syria also appear to cause increased river pollution from fertilizers, pesticides, and salts. In addition, Iraqi raw sewage and industrial discharges are routinely fed into the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers both in cities and rural areas. In Baghdad alone, the inoperable Karkh Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges over 100 million gallons per day of raw sewage into the Tigris River. ¶9. (SBU) The low level of the Euphrates River is reportedly having negative effects downstream. In one example, the Haditha hydroelectric dam, near the Iraq-Syria border, is operating at only 13 percent of capacity. The dam will reportedly suspend operations if water levels drop another five feet - which could occur in two weeks if water levels continue to fall at the rate of six inches a day. According to ePRT - Al Qaim, intake lines for the local water treatment plant now sit above the river channel. Nasiriyah's governor, Qusey al-Ebadi, has publicly stated that, as a result of low water levels, "The people... have started to dig wells for their own survival. There is no water to use for washing, because it is stagnant and contaminated. Many of the animals have contracted disease and died and people with animals are leaving their areas." Basra Province's Agricultural Director said he is prepared to announce a water catastrophe because the saltiness of the Shatt Al-Arab (which the Euphrates River feeds into) had reached a level making planting crops and rearing animals impossible. He also stated that residents were leaving the area in search of other areas to settle. INEFFICIENT WATER MANAGEMENT AND USE -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Iraq uses 75 percent of its water for highly inefficient flood irrigation, according to the Iraq Transition Assistance Office (ITAO). Flood irrigation is a common, but antiquated, practice in developing countries that wastes large amounts of water and leads to soil salination. (Comment: Several USG agencies and international donors are promoting more efficient irrigation methods, such as drip and spray irrigation, to Iraqi agriculturalists. End comment) The thousands of miles of canals that make up the Iraqi crop irrigation system leak; are improperly sized; waste a large amount of water; feed secondary and tertiary canals choked with weeds and silt; are used to irrigate low-value, non-sustainable crops like rice and wheat; and supply water to a dwindling farming community that has little incentive to keep the canals operational. As a result, Iraq has a higher per capita water usage rate (2020 cubic meters per year (cmy) than Turkey (1430 cmy) or Syria (1200 cmy). The GOI could improve water management and use by removing water subsidies, encouraging more efficient irrigation methods (such as drip or spray irrigation),increasing water storage by building dams along the Tigris River and Euphrates Rivers, and permanently repairing the QTigris River and Euphrates Rivers, and permanently repairing the Mosul Dam foundation to allow the dam to operate at a higher water level. To its credit, the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resource has a long-term plan to increase water storage capacity in Iraq and to repair the Mosul Dam. The plan calls for the construction of 11 large dams and 29 small dams on the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers over a seven year period. COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (SBU) While the region's three-year drought is often cited as the cause of Iraq's water woes, it may only be a contributing factor. The construction of dams by Turkey and Syria on the upper Euphrates River has enabled those two countries to divert large quantities of water, at least half of the annual Euphrates River flow by some estimates, to agricultural and other domestic uses. Our interlocutors on water issues most often blame Turkey - and not Syria - for Iraq's water shortages. Iran's role in water issues is not yet clear, and may contribute to Iraq's water deficiencies, especially in southern Iraq. Iraq's poor management of water resources will improve in the coming years only if the government identifies priorities and puts effective regulatory structures in place. Until such steps ease Iraq's water problems, the GOI will likely look to Turkey to release more water from its upstream dams. FORD