Severe water crisis forces hundreds to flee Shatt Al-Kassr villages as river dries up

DHI QAR — Villages along the Shatt al-Kassr in Dhi Qar province’s Shatra and Gharraf districts are enduring an acute water crisis despite recent rains, as the drying of the river has decimated local livestock and agriculture, forcing close to 300 families to leave their homes. An estimated 150,000 residents across 20 villages now rely on sporadic water deliveries by tanker trucks to meet basic needs.

“Our livestock has been completely wiped out since the river dried up,” said Salah Radi, a resident of the riverside area. “For four years, we’ve faced this hardship. We tried using wells, but they too dried up, leaving us dependent on tankers that only come occasionally.”

The community has staged protests to demand solutions, and although local authorities have promised action, Radi claims that “the government has repeatedly delayed, offering little more than empty promises from higher officials.”

The population along the Shatt al-Kassr—comprising tribal communities such as Abu Yusuf, Sahlan, Abu Jumaa, Abu Khudair, Abu Shahab, Kinanah, Talahaib, Twinat, Saeed, Hassouna, and Khafaja—relies almost entirely on the river’s waters for their livelihoods.

Sheikh Ahmed Al-Saud, leader of the Abu Shahab tribe, expressed frustration with officials in Gharraf, Shatra, and Dhi Qar’s provincial government. “We’ve appealed countless times, especially to the Governor of Dhi Qar, but our needs remain unaddressed. We’ve been driven to protest,” he said.

With water scarcity forcing around 300 families to migrate to cities like Basra, Najaf, and Karbala, Al-Saud is calling on authorities to activate an irrigation system that would supply water from the Shatt al-Badaa to Shatt al-Kassr via a set of machines, which could alternate use between Shatt al-Kassr and Shatt al-Ibrahim.

“What frustrates us is that these machines operate only for Shatt Al-Ibrahim, leaving Shatt Al-Kassr dry,” Al-Saud added. “We urge the governor to respond to our demands and find a solution quickly. We don’t want to protest or block roads, but we may have no choice if our pleas continue to be ignored.”

Dhi Qar MP Aref Al-Hamami confirmed that the water crisis is under active monitoring. “The water shortages impacting the entire region, from northern to southern Nasiriyah, stem from low water levels and the need to line the branching canals,” he explained.

Al-Hamami stated that multiple meetings have been held with Ministry of Water Resources officials to address the issue. “We’ve agreed on feasible solutions, with ministerial support, to line the Shatra River from al-Badaa to Shatt al-Kassr. Once this project is funded and implemented, it should resolve the drying issue. We’re now awaiting budget approval to begin construction,” he said, noting that the forthcoming projects are expected to provide relief to affected communities, including tribes in Mashakhil, Khafaja, and Bani Zaid along the river.

Water scarcity is a pervasive issue in southern Iraq, exacerbated by climate change, upstream damming, and poor water management practices. The United Nations has identified Iraq as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts, including extreme temperatures, drought, and water scarcity. A 2021 UNICEF report highlighted that nearly three out of five children in Iraq lack access to safely managed water services, and less than half of schools have basic water facilities. The UN has urged immediate action to address these challenges, advocating for sustainable water management and infrastructure improvements to ensure access to clean water for all Iraqis.