SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Iran’s complete blockade of the Little Zab River has led to significant water shortages in Sulaimani’s Qaladze district, according to Marf Mahmood, director of the Khas Water Project in the area.
Mahmood reported that Iran has halted the water flow of the Little Zab River, which transits from Iran into Iraq through the Kurdistan Region. This disruption has critically impacted local water supplies.
To mitigate the crisis, the Khas Water Project has been temporarily shut down, and a barrier is being constructed to conserve enough water for distribution to district residents.
The construction of the Koleseh dam in Sardasht, Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, is cited as a key factor in the reduced water levels of the Little Zab River, according to Mahmood.
Alongside climate change, dam constructions in Iran and Turkey, have intensified the water scarcity issue affecting the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole.
