Groundwater Assessments to Support Economic Development in Iraq

In order to aid in the revitalization of Iraq’s economy and the creation of jobs for the Iraqi people in the agricultural, hydropower, and minerals sectors of Iraq, and to promote security and stability through water-resources management, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a 2-year study to evaluate the quantity, quality, and availability of surface and groundwater in Iraq. This study is part of a larger USGS project focusing on the assessment of  the nonfuel mineral and water resources of Iraq for economic reconstruction and development. The USGS project is sponsored by the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO), U.S. Department of Defense, and is being conducted in full collaboration with and participation of the appropriate Iraqi Ministries, including those of the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Approximately 25 percent of Iraq is irrigated by surface water, although water supplies from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have declined significantly over the past two decades. This trend is expected to continue as a result of upstream development in Turkey, Syria, and Iran as well as the effects of climate change and drought. Groundwater development is thus seen as essential to economic development and stability.

The groundwater portion of the overall study is planned to consist of four major tasks: (1) An update of a national hydrogeologic map of 1990 conditions, (2 and 3) Regional groundwater studies tentatively identified as focusing on areas in Kurdistan and Al Anbar Province; and (4) surficial and borehole geophysical data collection in support of the national and regional hydrogeologic studies. Details of specific investigations are being coordinated with Iraqi Ministries and tailored to meet their needs as well as those of the TFBSO. Training and technology transfer are considered key components of these tasks.