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| Iraq |
| Iraq's Water Woes |
| 2008-07-09 |
| By Captain Timothy Hsia Today's water woes in the DRV are not due solely to the ongoing war or the Iraqi government's lack of ability to address essential services. The Diyala River and Hamrin Lake are the two main sources of water in the region. However, the water level in both these bodies of waters is directly impacted by Iran. The Hamrin Lake used to store up to two billion cubic meters of water. If one were to reference the lake in any map of Iraq it stands out as one of Iraq's largest lakes. However, today its existence is in serious jeopardy and instead of crossing a bridge to get across the lake, one can simply drive thru what once was a lake. Mufawaq Howar, a Water Resource Department expert states that "Hamrin Lake contains only 20 percent of its capacity." There is a great chance that this body of water will simply disappear in the coming summer months. Iranians have diverted water to the lake to fill their own dams for energy purposes. The Diyala River suffers a similar fate as water from the river is also being diverted by the Iranians for hydroelectric power and irrigation for their own agricultural industry. In Iraq a thin line exists between what in the West constitutes two separate crises, the energy and food crises. |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #3 Danielle: drilling takes far too long; a well placed JDAM or other PGM could open the dam dam's floodgates pretty quickly. |
| Posted by: USN,Ret. 2008-07-09 14:27 |
| #2 The Tigris and the Eurphrates, plus those streams that feed into them can be utilized more effectively. Reservoirs and irrigation canals help the American West get through droughts. Center pivots create "crop circles" of green growth even in the high desert regions of northeastern Colorado. Water wells can be drilled just as readily as oil wells, too. I believe even the ancient Babylonians irrigated, utilizing the regions water resources, making the Mesopotamian region the Cradle of Life. Screw Iran. |
| Posted by: Danielle 2008-07-09 11:50 |
| #1 There are few problems that can't be solved with the correct application of high explosives. This one's no exception. |
| Posted by: Dino Slusoting4446 2008-07-09 02:21 |