Revival of Lake Habbaniyah attracts families and adventure enthusiasts

HABBANIYAH — After a prolonged drought, rising water levels at Lake Habbaniyah, east of Ramadi, have rejuvenated the area, attracting families and youths to its scenic beauty. The restored lake now hosts activities, with paragliding emerging as a key attraction for adventure seekers from various regions, according to Abdullah Al-Aqqabi, a paragliding instructor. The new club is drawing both young people and families with its varied events.

“We organize a wide range of paragliding events, including slalom, ribbon cutting, target strike, and tandem flying, along with other recreational activities like powered trike and dual flying over the lake,” Al-Aqqabi said. He mentioned that those interested in these activities should reach out through their social media pages for pre-booking, as the club operates across Anbar and other regions, including Kurdish cities.

Looking to the future, Al-Aqqabi revealed plans to expand the club’s offerings to include free-flying jumps either from planes or dual-powered trikes and balloon flying, aiming to cement Lake Habbaniyah as a premier destination for aerial adventure sports in Iraq.

Historically a popular resort destination, Lake Habbaniyah has faced significant challenges due to climate change and regional water management issues. The lake has faced dramatic declines in water levels due to prolonged droughts, intensified by upstream dam constructions that restrict the flow of the Euphrates River feeding the lake. This situation has drastically affected local tourism and biodiversity, turning the lake into a much smaller body of water surrounded by expanding mudflats.

Despite these challenges, there have been periods of recovery where water levels in Lake Habbaniyah, as well as other lakes in Iraq, have shown signs of rebounding. These fluctuations are attributed to various factors, including seasonal rainfall and changes in dam operations upstream. However, the general trend has been a decrease in water levels, impacting the lake’s ecosystem and the local economy heavily dependent on tourism and fishing.