Possible Scenarios of Iraqi Marshland Restoration for Future Water Resources Management

Abstract

Agriculture is the only source of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq. Annually more than 70% of the available water is used for irrigation. The total amount of land that can be cultivated in Iraq is 12 million hec. Only 2.2 million hec in Tigris basin and 1.37 million hec in the Euphrates basin were cultivated in 2001. According to the development of the projects in Turkey and development irrigation in Syria for the Euphrates basin, Iraq will face reduction in the amount of water entering Iraq with 50% for Tigris basin and 80% for Euphrates basin and with deficit of 21-22 billion cubic meters for the coming year 2030. The existing area of marshland restoration equal to 58%. The study suggests in case to increase the area of restoration Marshland to 75%, it should be need water amount to 2.5 BCM or 70 m3/s continuously with existing discharge.