Alarm in water crisis-hit Iraq as Turkey holds back dam water earlier than pledged

Alarm in water crisis-hit Iraq as Turkey holds back dam water earlier than pledged
The River Tigris is seen flowing past the ancient town of Hasankef in southeastern Turkey’s Batman Province. Much of the town will be flooded by the filling of the Ilisu dam basin.
By bne IntelliNews June 6, 2018

Iraq’s prime minister on June 5 told a news conference that he is surprised by Turkey’s decision to start holding back water behind its Ilisu dam earlier than pledged.

Haider al-Abadi added that the move was perhaps made by the Turkish government in order to win votes in the upcoming June 24 elections.

Iraq is battling a water crisis. Thus it is anxious over Turkey’s decision to start filling the dam basin.

“The Turkish prime minister promised me they would start filling the dam at the end of June, not the start, so I was surprised to see they started,” Abadi said. “I am aware they have the elections… perhaps they need to get the support of farmers,” he added.

Reuters quoted a spokesman for Turkey’s Ministry of Forest and Water Management as saying the Turks were “partially” filling the dam’s basin.

The Ilisu dam project is devoted to hydroelectric power production, flood control and water storage.

Around 70% of Iraq’s water resources flow from neighbouring countries, especially in the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, which both flow through Turkey.

Abadi added that the government has plans to secure water for farmers, especially for Iraq’s vital wheat crop. The amount of land reserved for other crops that consume a lot of water might be cut back.

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