Seawater intrusion into Shatt Al-Arab River, Northwest Arabian/Persian Gulf

Abstract

The variability of the estuary location has drawn much attention of the policymakers due to its importance in various environmental issues. This study aims to detect the spatial variation of salts in the water of Shatt Al-Arab River (SAR) in southern Iraq to show the extent of the saltwater penetration into the river during years the 2019-2020. The study used four water sample stations distributed along the southern river part. The study classified the mixing process of the river water into strong and weak stratification as well as partial and moderate stratification. The horizontal distance for the seawater intrusion into the SAR was approximately between 83.7 and 112.4 km. It seems the estuary position moves towards the upstream due to the dominance of seawaters over the river waters in the section. This study is a step towards a better understanding of the salinity issue in the complicated transitional ecosystem.