Little Zab River dries to a trickle in Kirkuk, devastating crops and farmers

KIRKUK — The Little Zab River has shrunk to a string of shallow pools this year, a transformation many Kirkuk residents say they have never seen before. The sharp drop in water levels has devastated agriculture in the region, with more than 70% of summer crops reportedly lost and many farmers abandoning their fields.

Zaki Karim, director of water resources in Kirkuk, said water releases from the Dokan Dam to the Dibis Dam have declined sharply.

“The current releases barely cover the needs of water treatment plants, whether for the Kirkuk irrigation project or for the Little Zab River,” Karim told 964media.

He said Kirkuk’s central water system prioritizes the city’s estimated population of 2 million, but rural areas and district-level stations are experiencing severe shortages.

The Little Zab, a key tributary of the Tigris River, originates in Iran and flows west through northern Iraq.

Karim said the Hawija irrigation project is also affected. “The releases barely meet half the needs of the Hawija irrigation project based on its design flow,” he said. “Downstream areas like Abbasi and Zab receive very limited amounts, often insufficient to operate their water stations.”

He attributed the crisis to reduced rainfall, a weak snowpack, and diminished upstream dam releases, and called for increased coordination among government agencies.

Environmental activist Ammar Mustafa said the river’s decline has been gradual over the years but has now reached an alarming level.

“Farmers in the Zab subdistrict and nearby villages face this every year, but this time the river has almost disappeared. It’s just shallow, stagnant water now,” he said.

Mustafa estimated crop losses at over 70% and said many farmers have opted not to plant at all this season.

“People are urging the government to build submerged dams or water traps, or to restart stalled dam projects upstream that could help store water,” he said. “There’s also a need for funding modern irrigation systems that conserve water and support local farmers.”