The Impact of Water Storage on Water Security in Iraq

Water is a basic requirement and one of the conditions for life in any geographical area and its security and management occupies a central position in national economic policies. The Iraqi government’s water resources management measures include establishing dams and water storage facilities to protect the country from floods as well as provide for times of water shortages. This study examines the adequacy of storage facilities to achieve water security in Iraq without having to rely on external sources. Water supply from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is decreasing, from about 20 billion cubic meters in 2012 to about 8 billion in 2022 in the case of the latter. Water storage in Iraq declined by 0.4% while its population increased by 2.7%, making the Iraqi per capita share of water reserves decline from 2,270 m3 in 2000 to 1,066 m3 in 2021. The storage adequacy period for 2,000 m3 of water annually per Iraqi declined from 414 days at the beginning of the current century to 195 days in 2021. The study recommended increasing water imports and improving their quality through political and economic collaboration with neighboring countries, as well as raising internal sources through improved harvesting, storing, and preserving of water. The surplus thereof can be managed in ways that reduce the loss of water storage, preserve it, and coordinate its use according to needs