Water Scarcity Effect on Kirkuk irrigation project

Abstract

Abstract The Kirkuk irrigation project is very importance for the Kirkuk Governorate. The governorate has been significantly affected due to the water scarcity in Iraq. The shortage of the water can be attributed to various factors. The most important one related to influence of recent climatic changes on the water strategies implemented by neighboring nations sharing borders with Iraq. Moreover, Iraq is facing several challenges in the mismanagement of its water resources. The rise in population has led to a higher demand for water. This study examines various stages of the Kirkuk irrigation project, including the main channels and the feeding channel. Also, this study analyses the dams and projects established by Iran they have Indirect effect on project by cutting the feeding tributaries of dam which Kirkuk irrigation project mainly depended on it. Furthermore, this study explores the consequences of water scarcity on the agricultural output of Kirkuk proven. At the normal years of the project the annual discharge of the Kirkuk irrigation project was higher than they are currently. In 1996, the annual discharge for the Kirkuk irrigation project was 104.5 m3/second, and in 2023, t decreased to 30 m3/second. This reduction forced the farmers to excavate wells for irrigation purposes, and by the year 2023, the total number of wells in the Kirkuk had reached 291,480. the study explores the consequences of water scarcity on the agricultural output of Kirkuk project. Drought and water scarcity have decreased the annual share of individual water share, in 2003 the amount of water per capita was 2393.55 m3/year and decreased in 2021 until it became 758.42 m3/year.