Rainwater Harvesting Strategy to Address Drought in Eastern Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq – On March 15, 2025, the Parliamentary Water Committee revealed significant plans to tackle the ongoing drought crisis facing eastern Iraq. Ten specific areas have been earmarked for the implementation of a rain harvesting strategy aimed at efficiently utilizing rainfall to combat water shortages.
Committee member Thaer al-Jubouri highlighted the region’s high precipitation levels, which often result in substantial winter and spring runoff, with estimates indicating potential flows reaching hundreds of millions of cubic meters. This phenomenon is particularly prominent in the governorates of Maysan, Wasit, and Diyala.
Al-Jubouri elaborated that the nominated regions will focus on strategies to capture and store rainwater, optimizing its use during peak drought periods. “Our efforts will particularly concentrate on the sectors in Diyala, Wasit, and Maysan, seeking to create mechanisms that enable effective water storage. This stored water will be crucial for irrigation in agricultural fields and orchards,” he stated.
Importantly, this initiative is considered a viable solution to the drought challenges prevalent during the summer months. Al-Jubouri noted that the Ministry of Water Resources is actively exploring options for constructing dams and facilitating the transfer of rainwater to other areas, thereby maximizing its benefits for revitalizing expansive agricultural regions, including border villages.
In a related development, the Ministry of Water Resources confirmed earlier reports on the successful collection of rainwater from recent downpours, which has been effectively stored in various control systems. According to a ministry statement, this uptick in precipitation resulted in an increase of approximately 200 million cubic meters in water stock, equally distributed across dams and reservoirs, including Lake Al-Tharthar.
The statement emphasized that these rains have provided sufficient irrigation for all agricultural lands and crops, with notable recovery in water levels within marshlands, particularly in areas such as gypsum marshes, middle marshes, and Abu Khasaf in the Hour Al-Huwaiza region.
This strategic approach to rainwater management underlines the Iraqi government’s commitment to mitigating the impacts of drought and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the region, thus enhancing food security and economic stability.
