Army Engineers Develop Model to Support Iraqi Water Management
Abstract
A country torn apart by decades of cultural and political violence, postwar Iraq is working to rebuild its towns and restore its economy. Thousands of displaced Iraqis are now seizing the opportunity to return to their homes and their indigenous way of life. This is the case for the Madan, or Marsh Arabs, who have resided in the delta region of Iraq for 5,000 years and were targeted by the former regime after the first Gulf War for giving sanctuary to rebels. The Madan relied heavily on the marshes to sustain their way of life until 1991, when the Ba athist regime began to drain the marshes, destroy towns, and force the Madan to flee their homes. The Tigris and Euphrates River system was diverted from its normal path through 8,000 square miles of marshes to a direct route into the sea, ultimately turning the thriving marshlands into a desert. Today, there is much interest in evaluating the existing water management system in Iraq and the possibilities it can provide for restoration of these marshes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA592810
Entities
People
- Fauwaz Hanbali
- Nani Gould
Organizations
- United States Army Engineer School