Iraq clears 550 unauthorized fish ponds to combat water misuse

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources has cleared 550 unauthorized fish ponds in the Tigris-Euphrates sector and is actively filling an additional 40 ponds in Radwaniyah as part of efforts to curb water misuse.

In Iraq, many fish farms have been established without authorization, drawing large amounts of water from the already strained Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These ponds consume a significant portion of the country’s water resources, contributing to water scarcity issues that have worsened in recent years due to climate change and regional water disputes.

In response to the critical water shortages, the Ministry of Water Resources has launched campaigns to dismantle these unauthorized ponds, particularly in areas where they have been constructed without permits. The process of “filling” the ponds involves draining the water, dismantling the banks, and refilling them with soil or other materials to prevent further exploitation. This ensures the ponds cannot be refilled illegally in the future.

Maitham Saleh, director of Tigris-Euphrates Water Resources, explained the coordinated effort with the National Center for Water Resources Management. “We have identified and successfully dismantled unauthorized ponds to prevent future exploitation. Legal actions have been enforced against the offenders,” he said.

Saleh also emphasized the ministry’s broader water management strategy to support essential services, noting that “our directorate is committed to maintaining water diversion systems along major and minor waterways to ensure adequate water flow to desalination plants and agricultural fields, especially ahead of the winter season.”

Engineer Thamer al-Shibli, director of irrigation and drainage projects maintenance, outlined a mechanical strategy to permanently seal ponds and disrupt their banks in areas including Radwaniyah, Alexandria, Latifiyah, Yusufiyah, Rashid, and Shishbar.

Al-Shibli reported significant progress in maintaining waterways, stating, “64% of the stream and drainage clearing tasks have been completed this year, including the removal of Ceratophyllum and water hyacinth growth, which block water flow.”

The issue of unauthorized fish ponds ties into a broader environmental crisis in Iraq, where severe water shortages and mismanagement have become critical problems. On Dec. 1, 2023, President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid directed the Iraqi Supreme Water Council to tackle river encroachments and reduce the spread of water-intensive fish ponds as part of a broader environmental sustainability initiative, especially given the impacts of climate change.

In a related effort, on July 24, 2024, the ministry announced it had dismantled over 700 illegal fish ponds in Kirkuk as part of its ongoing campaign to eliminate violations affecting the country’s water resources.