Mon Oct 20 07:56:58 UTC 2025: Summary:
Southern Iraq is experiencing a devastating water salinity crisis, driven by drought, low rainfall, and upstream damming of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Record high salinity levels are rendering water sources unfit for human consumption, killing livestock, destroying crops, and displacing communities, particularly in the Basra province. Farmers are struggling to survive, and families are suffering from health problems and emotional distress due to the water crisis. The Iraqi government has announced desalination projects, but the situation remains dire.
News Article:
Rising Water Salinity Crisis Devastates Southern Iraq, Displacing Communities and Destroying Livelihoods
Basra, Iraq – Southern Iraq is grappling with a severe water crisis as rising salinity levels wreak havoc on farms, livestock, and communities. Decades of war, neglect, drought, and upstream damming of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have led to record-high salinity levels, rendering water sources undrinkable and unusable for agriculture.
“We used to drink, wash, and cook with water from the river, but now it’s hurting us,” said Umm Ali, a farmer from Basra province, who has lost dozens of her ducks and chickens due to the brackish water.
According to Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources, salinity levels in central Basra have soared to almost 29,000 parts per million (ppm), far exceeding the freshwater limit of 1,000ppm. This unprecedented rise is destroying crops, impacting fish stocks, and displacing communities.
The United Nations estimates that climate-related factors have already displaced some 170,000 people in central and southern Iraq. The UN’s International Organization for Migration warns that increased water salinity is destroying palm groves, citrus trees, and other crops. As families are forced to leave their homes in search of drinkable water, many find themselves trapped in a cycle of water crisis.
Farmers like Zulaykha Hashem are struggling to irrigate their crops and sustain their livelihoods. “We cannot even leave. Where would we go?” she lamented.
Experts blame the crisis on a combination of factors, including declining freshwater flows due to upstream dams in Turkey and inefficient water management systems within Iraq. Hasan al-Khateeb, an expert from Iraq’s University of Kufa, emphasized the importance of desalination projects in the Shatt al-Arab.
In July, the government announced a desalination project in Basra with a capacity of 1 million cubic meters per day, but residents fear it may be too little, too late. The crisis is not only affecting livelihoods but also taking an emotional toll on families.
Hamdiyah Mehdi said her husband, who is a fisherman, returns home empty-handed more frequently due to the “murky and salty water” of the Shatt al-Arab. “It has been tough,” Mehdi said, noting the emotional toll on the family as well as on their health and livelihood. “We take our frustrations out on each other.”
The water salinity crisis highlights the urgent need for sustainable water management strategies and regional cooperation to address the growing challenges of climate change in Iraq. Without immediate action, the crisis will likely worsen, leading to further displacement, economic hardship, and social unrest.
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