ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – An Iraqi lawmaker said on Sunday that the recent heavy rains, particularly in the Kurdistan Region, had a “very limited impact” on water reserves, with the country still recording its lowest reserves since its establishment. 

Iraq was hit by heavy rainfall and flash floods last week, with large parts of the country seeing rainfall in excess of 120 millimeters in some areas. The floods contributed to an increase in water reserves by approximately 700 million cubic meters, according to the water resources ministry. 

“This slight increase has had a very limited impact on dams and reservoirs, while the marshlands continue to suffer from the same drought without any tangible improvement,” lawmaker Hassan Warwish al-Asadi told The New Region. 

He stressed that the recent rainfall was unable to compensate for as low as five percent of the current drought, especially with “most rivers” around the country drying up, warning that the drought has reached an “extremely critical” point. 

“Total [water] reserves in Iraq do not currently exceed three billion cubic meters, which is the lowest level since its establishment, representing a worrying indicator on the depth of the crisis,” Asadi stressed. 

Regarding a November water agreement with Turkey, the lawmaker said that “there is no actual implementation so far.”

“The parliament has not been informed of any official clauses, and no agreement in this regard has been presented,” he added, noting that water quantities flowing downstream from Turkey have not yet increased. 

In early November, Ankara and Baghdad signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at easing Iraq’s water crisis by focusing on desalination projects, water treatment, and the construction of dams to manage cross-border flows.

Iraq is facing one of its worst droughts on record, with climate change driving water shortages, desertification, and displacement.

The United Nations has ranked Iraq among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, while authorities have warned that water reserves have fallen to dangerous levels, making conservation and careful management essential.