Sustainability of the Tigris River Between Environmental Conditions and Oppressive Quarrying in Northern Iraq

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the impact of sand and gravel quarries on the morphological environment of the Tigris River in northern Iraq. The adverse effects of successive stages of human modification and variations in river morphology concerning width and depth have been demonstrated. The construction of the Mosul Dam, which prevented sediments from the high mountains of northern Iraq and southeast Turkey from reaching this region, was one of the reasons for this study. Aerial photographs and satellite image data were compared for several separate years to clarify the great changes that occurred in the river and its edges, especially in the past few years, which witnessed the extraction of large quantities in unstudied ways that led to the expansion of the course and a decrease in the speed of the river. These results led to an increase in water swamps on the banks of the river, the growth of bushes, algae, reeds, and the spread of insects, as well as the excessive consumption of river sediments that cannot be replaced in the future. The study suggested some recommendations to make a well-thought-out extraction plan from the engineering, geological and geotechnical aspects to reduce the harmful environmental effects and sustain the river for future generations.