Iraq is facing the worst drought in its history. The Euphrates is on the brink of environmental collapse.

Arab Weather - Iraq is experiencing one of the worst water crises in its modern history, as the Euphrates River's water level declines to record lows, threatening serious environmental consequences. Amid ongoing drought and climate change across the world, including the Middle East, the river, which was the lifeline for Mesopotamian civilizations, is suffering from reduced flow, increased pollution, and the spread of algae and invasive plants. This rapid deterioration threatens the ecosystem in southern Iraq and poses unprecedented water challenges to millions of people.

Reasons for the decline in the level of the Euphrates River

The Euphrates crisis is due to a complex mix of climatic and human factors that have combined to push the river to its lowest levels in decades. On the one hand, climate change has led to lower rainfall and higher temperatures, increasing evaporation rates and decreasing water flow. On the other hand, problems related to the condition of Turkish dams and their work in reducing the amount of water flowing into Iraqi territory. With the weak water infrastructure within Iraq and the decline in reserves in artificial reservoirs from 10 billion cubic meters to less than 8 billion, the crisis has escalated to become a direct threat to the country's ecosystem and water security.

Numbers reveal the extent of the crisis

• Recent statistics demonstrate the seriousness of the water situation in Iraq. The Ministry of Water Resources indicates that the country receives less than 35% of its natural share from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
• Water storage in reservoirs and artificial lakes has decreased from 10 billion cubic meters in May to less than 8 billion cubic meters, representing no more than 8% of total capacity.
• This historic decline is clearly reflected in the southern provinces of Najaf, Karbala, and Nasiriyah, where water bodies have shrunk and some lakes—such as the Najaf Sea—have turned into scattered, stagnant pools.

Environmental reports also revealed the widespread spread of the invasive water hyacinth plant, which consumes approximately 5 liters of water per plant per day, increasing pressure on limited water resources and threatening aquatic life with deterioration and extinction.

It is worth noting in this regard that Iraq, like all the countries of the Arab Levant, witnessed a significant decline in the performance of the rainy season last season. Iraq witnessed weak and fluctuating rainfall, and despite some good rainfall in the north, the central and southern regions (such as Najaf, Karbala, and Nasiriyah) recorded very limited quantities, which led to the continuation of the drought crisis and the decline in the levels of rivers and reservoirs.
The season was also characterized by irregular rainfall; long dry periods interspersed with short, heavy rains, further deteriorating the country's water and ecosystems.

O God, water the Muslim countries with beneficial, good and blessed rain.