Water After War: Securing a Lasting Peace
Abstract
Useable water is in short supply in Iraq. Ecologically, economically, and politically, water is a finite resource out of balance with the needs of man and nature. With 80% of the available water being consumed by irrigation, this shortage of water will have an increasingly adverse impact on the region which is growing by 3.2% each year. For the south of Iraq, where an entire marshland ecosystem has collapsed, the continued diversion of water will ensure the permanent desertification of the remaining marshland environments and the extinction of many animal species. This research paper looks at the issues concerning the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which are the major suppliers of surface water to Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. Because these rivers also comprise the largest transnational river system in southwest Asia, the degraded quantity and quality of water within these river basins is an important issue for discussion. While Iraq may be considered water rich by regional standards it does not manage its water effectively. After the war, the reconstruction government in Iraq must re-evaluate its sources of water, its uses and control of water, and ultimately seek regional water sharing plans with its neighbors for future use, and seriously consider alternative sources of water such as desalination in the south to support future oil production.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 22, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA415735
Entities
People
- Debora C. Richert
Organizations
- United States Army War College