The impact of climate change on the management and sustainability of water resources
Prepared by the researche :Prof. Dr. Safia Shaker Maatouq, University of Basra – Iraq
Democratic Arabic Center
Journal of Urban and Territorial Planning : Twenty-First Issue – September 2024
A Periodical International Journal published by the “Democratic Arab Center” Germany – Berlin
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Abstract
Climate change is one of the most important phenomena facing water resources because of its significant impact on the occurrence of floods and drought in other regions. The effects of climate change have included Iraq and affected the sustainability of water resources, which has clearly affected the overall life in Iraq, especially since the source of water in Iraq is From outside its borders, it is subject to the climate and policies of those countries that control the water sources, namely Turkey, Syria, and Iran, which are affected by climate changes. Climate changes affect the characteristics of water resources in Iraq, which has an arid and semi-arid climate. Therefore, managing natural resources and the agricultural environment and rationalizing water consumption are important in achieving sustainable development of these resources.
The study addressed the impact of climate changes on the management and sustainability of water resources in light of the increasing demand, water scarcity, and the increasing severity of climate changes. The study explained the impact of climate changes in determining the methods of water resources management that affected the region between the dry years in recent years and their negative effects on the climate and the agricultural environment. And other economic sectors, so strengthening institutional frameworks, managing information, developing man-made infrastructure, with the presence of institutional tools such as legal and regulatory frameworks, water pricing, providing incentives to improve the allocation of water resources, organizing and preserving them, making decisions in light of a state of scarcity, and conducting Network analytics Hydrometeorological forecasts and warnings. Searching for investments in innovative technologies to enhance the conservation and protection of resources, recycling storm water and wastewater, and developing non-traditional water sources, as well as searching for opportunities to enhance water storage, by recharging groundwater aquifers and restoring this vital resource, and the need for cooperation to achieve the best solutions. To manage water resources, achieve development and improve the way it manages its water resources and associated services. The study recommended limiting climate change and developing the distribution and management of water resources use and sustainability, and that water resources management planning take into account all investments competing for water, and strive to allocate water on a fair basis to meet all uses and requirements.
Introduction: –
In Iraq, in the absence of an agreement on the division of water with the countries participating in the Tigris and Euphrates basins (Turkey, Syria, Iran), which exploited the waters of the two rivers to their advantage, developed investment and storage plans, and implemented irrigation projects in a way that suits their political economic conditions, and with the continuous use of fresh water to meet the various needs of the population. Water revenues were affected in quantity and quality and were exposed to stress and pollution due to their lower location in the basin. Therefore, it was necessary to improve the management and protection of water resources to achieve coordination and cooperation between countries in order to develop solutions for optimal investment and achieve water security.
The huge variation in the amounts of available water from one season to another requires working to develop our available water resources and increasing their quantities to achieve the sustainable development goals and the 2030 development plan by ensuring the availability of water and the availability of sanitation services for all and managing them in a sustainable manner, and working to achieve the sustainable development goals related to water on At the regional level in light of water scarcity and increasing water stress.
-The problem of the study: What is the impact of climate change on the management and sustainability of water resources in light of the increasing demand and water scarcity? What are the methods of water resources management that have affected the region and their negative effects on the climate, agricultural environment, and other economic sectors?
-Research hypothesis: Climate changes have an impact on the management and sustainability of water resources in light of the increasing demand and water scarcity. The methods of managing water resources include innovative technologies to enhance the conservation and protection of resources, recycle storm water and wastewater, and develop non-traditional water sources, as well as searching for opportunities to enhance water storage, by recharging groundwater aquifers and restoring this vital resource. Cooperating to achieve the best solutions for managing water resources, achieving development for all riparian countries, and improving the way they manage their water resources and associated services.
The aim of the study is to know the impact of climate change in determining the methods of water resources management in Iraq, which was affected by it between the dry years in recent years and its negative effects on Iraq’s climate and the agricultural environment and between the wet water years and other economic sectors.
Therefore, this study aims to limit climate change and develop the distribution and management of water resources use and sustainability, and that water resources management planning takes into account all investments competing for water, and seeks to allocate water on a fair basis to meet all uses and requirements.
1-The concept of climate change and its dimensions:
Before starting the subject of the study, it is necessary to clarify the concept of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defined it as: a change in the state of the climate, which is defined by a change in the rate or variables in the characteristics of the climate that lasts for a period of many decades, or is a change in the climate over the course of Time, whether as a result of natural changes or through human activity. According to the United Nations Convention, climate change is attributed directly and indirectly to human activity, which leads to a change in the composition of the atmosphere as well as climate variability over similar time periods. (Al-Shammari, 2012, p. 64) Climate change is considered a global challenge, and its impact is not limited to global warming, as it may result in natural disasters such as sea level rise due to glacial melting or acid rain falling as a result of industrial activity.
The impact of climate change on water resources in areas that suffer from a shortage of these resources constitutes a real threat to this region, especially in light of the lack of rainfall, the deterioration of water quality, the increase in population growth, and the growing needs for various uses.
Global studies by the United Nations program indicate that climatic and non-climatic factors have an impact on water resources and could witness a global deficit of up to (75) billion/m3 in the year 2030, which will negatively affect drought, desertification and food shortages, and the continuation of these changes and impacts will lead to… Global problems, including the melting of glacial areas, rising sea levels, thus threatening coastal areas, land subsidence, declining production, loss of biodiversity, and population migration, have increased the severity of the phenomenon of climate change and its effects on environmental sustainability through natural disasters, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes, dust storms, sudden rains, and torrents, which causes. Environmental and human losses. (Al-Shammari, 2012, p. 66)
These and other threats exacerbate the problem through pressure on resources and lack of diversity, which may result in many environmental conflicts over resources between countries sharing these sources. All of these conditions cause poverty to worsen, malnutrition, damage to ecosystems and biological diversity, and the emergence of an imbalance in agricultural seasons. Pests and diseases are increasing, all of which are challenges that negatively affect individuals and societies and hinder the achievement of the goals of environmental sustainability and sustainable development. Accordingly, the need to promote and support more sustainable agriculture that contributes to improving the use and preservation of water resources, and enhancing the ability to adapt to climate change must be emphasized.
Climate change is one of the dangerous environmental phenomena resulting from environmental pollution that has been approved by industrial and technological development and the increasing growth in the economies of developed countries. It has received international attention to the point that some specialists have described it as the greatest challenges of the current era and have expressed their deep fear of the continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions at the global level, especially at the global level. Developing countries are most vulnerable to its negative effects, as these countries suffer from drought, desertification, and ocean acidification, which requires intensive efforts to reduce climate change. The reports of the Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change provided information regarding environmental and climate deterioration and its other effects, and efforts and measures must be made to protect the environment.
The phenomenon of climate change within the regional borders of countries will remain limited in effectiveness if it is not combined with international efforts through cooperation with all countries and through taking effective measures to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases and reduce their emissions to the maximum extent. (Al-Shilawi, 2012, p. 52)
The international community has moved toward concluding many agreements to confront and limit climate change. The Framework Convention on Climate Change and its attached protocol have formed a basic source for global efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures since its adoption in 1992, which entered into force in 1994 and was ratified by 178 countries. This agreement consists of a preamble and 26 articles, the ultimate or primary goal of which is to concentrate greenhouse gases at a level that prevents dangerous human interference in the climate system. They were then followed by the Kyoto Protocol, which was signed in Japan in 1997, which included legally binding pledges at the international level to reduce From climate change. (Tawfiq, 2012, pp. 100-145) It included a commitment on the part of developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as an important step in the field of international cooperation to reduce climate change. The Paris Climate Change Agreement was held in 2015 in order to accelerate the intensification of the necessary measures to achieve a sustainable, low-carbon future. All countries were called to a common cause to make efforts to reduce of climate change and achieving a major goal of the Paris Agreement It is to strengthen the global response to the risks of climate change by keeping the rise in global temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius and continuing efforts to limit temperature rise to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius to unite world leaders, governments, the private sector and the international community in order to support the multilateral process and increase Accelerating climate action and ambition and renewing and increasing commitments. (Fahd, 2022, pp. 305-326)
2-Impacts of climate change on water scarcity: –
During previous geological eras, the world was exposed to major climatic changes in the form of irregular periodic fluctuations. The Earth was exposed to major changes resulting from natural and other causes, but what the world is witnessing today are major changes in temperatures toward rising above their normal levels with less rainfall and wind gusts. Loaded with dust contrary to the seasons, and factors resulting from human activity and its pollutants due to global warming, long periods of drought, melting ice, and rising sea levels as a result of human activities and environmental pollutants.
The trend of global temperature rise has become clear since 2010, after the heat wave that European countries witnessed, as the temperature rose above its average for previous years and its effects reached the dry and semi-arid and even semi-humid and temperate regions, and Iraq and the upstream countries are among them. Recent studies have confirmed that rainfall has decreased by 30% below average compared to its amount in the previous century. Consequently, the water supply of permanent rivers has decreased and some seasonal rivers have dried up, which has been reflected in water scarcity and a decline in the productive sectors associated with it, such as agriculture and others. Among the indicators that were discovered is that more than 650,000 people lost their lives in all countries of the world due to the harsh climate changes to which they were exposed, and the losses amounted to During the last ten years, 250 trillion dollars were generated in the world. (Tawfiq, 2015, p. 140)
Other studies indicate that the regions of West Asia, within which Iraq is located, are drier, and the amounts of rain falling below their rates have decreased in all governorates of Iraq, especially after 2020, as a result of the worsening effects of global warming, which has affected climate changes, as rain falls below its rates by a rate of up to 30%, as a result of the scarcity of water, the drying up of some seasonal tributaries, the fluctuation of rainfall, the blowing of dust storms, and the expansion of the areas suffering from desertification and their encroachment towards agricultural lands, which negatively affected all economic sectors, especially agricultural ones, and caused the expansion of the circle of desertified lands, All of these changes are the result of the phenomenon of global warming resulting from the large number of environmental pollutants emitted from the factories of developed countries, which contributed significantly to the aggravation of the global warming situation, which in turn was reflected in climate changes in the world, the price of which was paid by other countries, including Iraq, and perhaps the trend in rates of rising temperatures and fluctuations in rainfall. With the intensification of dust storms and the decrease in water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, all of these phenomena are a result of the climate changes occurring. Climate changes have affected countries that have a water surplus, as Turkey, which is the main source of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, has been affected by the quantities of incoming water, which in turn has affected the decrease in water shares from the upstream country to Iraq, which negatively affects the food of citizens. Especially the poor segments of the population, through the impact on their food security, as this impact can extend to health and the provision of drinking water, irrigation alike, and sanitation, not to mention the slow ability of people to adapt or mitigate its effects with changes. (Al-Shammari, 2012, 65)
3-Protecting the quality and supply of water resources:
Protecting the quality and supply of water resources is one of the most important issues on the agenda of the twenty-first century in the fields of water and the environment, due to climate change and the accompanying changes in various environmental fields, as developed countries resort to applying integrated approaches to develop, manage and use water resources, especially since water is considered a It is an important natural resource that must be rationalized and conserved to achieve increasing development goals.
The interest in it comes as an indispensable economic wealth as a result of drought conditions, growing investment, and scarcity of other water sources. Given that water is the basis of life and survival for all peoples, it has received attention and studies at various levels and has become the focus of many conferences and seminars, including the International Water Symposium held in Mardi La Plata in 1977, in Argentina, which paved the way for the holding of many seminars and conferences in which it was discussed. The issue of water problems in all their aspects and the organization of its use, Including the International Conference on Water and Environment held in Dublin in 1992, which affirmed in its statement on the global water situation with the phrase, “The situation will move from a state of abundance to a state of scarcity, especially fresh water and its misuse.” It also pointed out that human well-being, food security, industrial development, and ecosystems All are at risk unless global water resources are managed more effectively in the future. (Khuddam,2001 ,p. 35), The Earth Conference, held in the same year 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, also stressed the necessity of establishing international laws to protect the quality and continuity of fresh water with the aim of protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development. (Al-Ashram,2000 ,p. 97(
The continuous use of fresh water to meet the various needs of the population exposes it to stress and pollution, and the dimensions of this crisis will play an important role in the not-too-distant future with the increasing volume of demand for water and the development of the implementation of irrigation and storage projects in the upper basins, which requires coordination and cooperation between countries in order to develop Solutions for optimal investment and achieving water security.
Water-related sustainable development goals have a key role in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other sustainable development goals, by ensuring the availability of water and sanitation services for all and managing them in a sustainable manner, and working to achieve water-related sustainable development goals at the regional level in light of water scarcity and increasing stress. Water. (Agha, 1989, p. 290)
Most countries today are experiencing pressure on water resources due to the increase in population, and estimates indicate that if current practices continue, the world will face a 40% shortfall between expected demand and available water supply by 2030, and that approximately 25% of the total Global GDP faces this challenge. By 2040, it will require feeding ten billion people by 2050, a 50% increase in agricultural production (which consumes 70% of resources today), and a 15% increase in water consumption (Al-Ashram, 2000, p. 51), as estimated. More than 40% of the world’s population lives in areas suffering from water scarcity, and one in four children will live in areas suffering from severe water scarcity. Therefore, water security represents a major challenge for many countries today. (Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, 1995)
Against this backdrop of increasing demand, water scarcity and more severe climate change, these countries will have to strengthen institutional frameworks, information management, and develop infrastructure (both natural and man-made). Institutional tools such as legal frameworks are necessary regulatory, water pricing, and providing incentives to improve the allocation, regulation, and conservation of water resources. It is necessary to have information systems to monitor and follow up on this resource, make decisions in light of scarcity, conduct network analyses, make forecasts and issue hydro-meteorological warnings. Investments must be sought in innovative technologies to enhance resource conservation and protection, recycle storm water and wastewater, and develop non-conventional water sources, as well as seek opportunities to enhance water storage, recharge groundwater aquifers and restore this vital resource, and the need for cooperation to achieve the best Solutions for managing water resources and achieving development for all riparian countries, And improve the way it manages its water resources and associated services. (Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, 1994)
The concept of integrated water resources management: It is the activity of planning, developing, distributing, and managing the optimal use of water resources, that is, it is a subset of water cycle management. Ideally, water resources management planning takes into account all competing investments for water, and seeks to allocate water on a fair basis to meet all uses. And requirements.
In Iraq, water is considered one of the basic components of development, and therefore it must be preserved in quantity and quality, as both types of water resources (surface and groundwater) are exposed. To waste and pollution due to climatic conditions and human activity. The Ministry of Water Resources represents the water authority and distributes water responsibilities to the Water Resources Directorate. The Ministry is the main body responsible for development and management of water resources. These institutions concerned with water affairs suffer from duplication in their structural structure, technical staff, and scientific objectives. When analyzing the institutional structures and bodies responsible for the issue of water and agriculture, we notice the multiplicity of these institutions, the weak connection between them, and the overlap in powers and tasks. Often, the institutions are charged with similar or close tasks, which creates duality. In decision and action.
The huge variation in the amounts of available water from one season to another necessitates work to develop our available water resources and increase their quantities through: –
3.1. Developing the available water resources through international agreements between the countries of the basin:
The water available to the country is exposed to decline as a result of climate change and the impact of water projects in the countries of the upper basin, which requires efforts to be made to reach a fair agreement that guarantees Iraq’s rights to divide water, increase the carrying capacity of storage projects, and manage shared water resources in riparian countries in accordance with legal frameworks for managing shared water resources and benefiting from them. Of legal materials and agreements in support of integrated water resources management in common river and groundwater basins, including problems, pressures, constraints, challenges, and requirements for water security and food security. )Al-Shammari, 2012.p55(
3.2. Using rain harvesting techniques (*):
Monitoring, following up, and working to harvest as much water as possible from flowing irregularly to store it and use it in times of need, which requires completing the monitoring and surveying of these water sources, studying their characteristics in terms of their frequency of occurrence, quantity, and type, and working to identify and develop methods and means of exploiting them.
figure. (1) Water harvesting method
The methods of harvesting rain are diverse and numerous, including constructing dams to retain water or to reduce the effects of floods, including creating artificial lakes or reservoirs to conserve water with a storage capacity of about 2 million m3. Rain harvesting techniques are characterized by their simplicity and low material costs. The results of some research and experiments have indicated the possibility of harvesting and collecting rainwater and benefiting from it in all places where precipitation rates exceed 75 mm/year. In Iraq, the amount of rain amounts to (145) mm, )Ministry of Transport and Communications, Meteorological Authority, Climate Department, unpublished data, 2022(.which can be invested in storing rainwater, whether by constructing reservoirs, dams, or artificial lakes. At the level of the Arab world, projects that rely on techniques for harvesting and distributing rainwater have increased, as in Syria, where it began implementing a number of reservoirs to store rainwater and benefit from it to provide water for livestock and vegetation. In Tunisia, large projects were implemented in this context, working to prepare 600 thousand hectares. Basins to collect water. ).Al-Tamimi, 1999.p32(
3.3. Reducing and reducing evaporation losses: –
Huge amounts of water are lost due to evaporation. In the study area, evaporation losses exceed 3000 mm.) Ministry of Transport and Communications, Meteorological Authority, Climate Department, unpublished data, 2022(. There are various ways and methods to reduce evaporation by reducing the surface of the water exposed to evaporation, by deepening the places where there is shallow water and creating deep reservoirs or closed channels and pipes to transport water. Important projects have been implemented at the level of the Arab world, including the Great Man-Made River Project in Libya, which includes the idea Extracting and transporting groundwater from the southern regions, where lands are not suitable for agriculture, to the northern regions, where there is a high population density and an increasing need for water. And also the Goonfeli Canal Project in South Sudan, which includes financing part of the drainage of Bahr al-Jabal before it enters the swampy area by digging a 630 km canal to provide (7.5) billion m3/year. In Iraq, such projects can be implemented and benefit from wasted water instead of wasting it to the Arabian Gulf, but interest in such projects is still limited. Some experts estimate the amount of Arab water resources lost through waste and evaporation at approximately 52% (Wazzan, 1998.p54)
figure. (2): Methods of reducing evaporation losses
3.4. Seawater desalination:
As a result of economic development and population growth, the demand for fresh water has increased, especially in dry areas, which requires searching for new sources to provide water for human use or agriculture. In the Arabian Gulf, as a result of the scarcity of fresh water and the rise in oil revenues, it has helped to implement seawater desalination projects Despite its high costs, Kuwait, for example, meets most of its water needs by desalinating seawater for about 65% of its uses. One of the problems of seawater desalination is the high financial cost and the possibility of it being exposed to danger. The cost of desalinating a cubic meter of seawater is about one dollar, and about 50% of seawater desalination plants are located in the Gulf region, including 22 stations in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Seawater can be desalinated in the future to dam Different water requirements. ) Agha, 1989.p105(
figure. (3) Desalination of seawater
3.5. Water reuse (wastewater treatment):
Reusing wastewater coming out of sewage, agricultural and industrial wastewater is an alternative to saving water by purifying it and reusing it in agriculture and industry. However, farmers’ interest in using it is weak and cautious for reasons related to its quality, which requires that this water be subjected to continuous sanitary monitoring, and it is preferable to limit its use to garden irrigation) Agha, 1989.p119(.
As for agricultural wastewater, it is affected by fertilizers and pesticides that are used to increase the efficiency of agricultural production, which requires treating it and ensuring its quality. Wastewater treatment is necessary to maintain water volume and quality. Despite the abundance of water in Iraq, it has not received treatment to help improve its quality, because most institutions and factories discharge their water into rivers without treatment, which leads to its contamination with various chemical pollutants. Egypt is considered the leading country in this field. In the year 2000, the volume of wastewater was estimated. Which was reused at (7) billion m3/year, it increased in 2020 to about 20 billion m3/year. (Tawfiq, 2015, p. 110)
figure (4) wastewater treatment basins
3.6. Artificial recharge of groundwater:
Groundwater is the main source for agriculture in the Western Plateau, whose area in Basra Governorate is estimated at 10,060 km2. This is due to the lack of rainfall, the scarcity of surface water, and its distance from the Shatt al-Arab, so searching for it, extracting it, and investing in it has become a priority for water development in the region. )Al-Shammari, 2012.p65(
The region has witnessed increasing withdrawals of groundwater as a result of the expansion of investment by increasing the number of farms as well as the expansion of drilling wells, as the number reached about 5,000 wells, with a pumping rate of (550) m3/day and an average of 10 hours during the winter months and 20 hours during the summer months. The pumping period is about 165 days/year, and about 40% of the pumped water goes back to feeding groundwater due to the nature of the sandy soil with high permeability) Al-Husseinawy, 2022, p. 65(
The groundwater reservoir is subjected to random extraction and withdrawal of groundwater using modern pumping machines at rates exceeding its replenishment rates, which leads to a decrease in the level of groundwater and a deterioration in its quality due to the leakage of highly salinity seawater into the ground. The rate of groundwater salinity ranges between (12 – 25) decimens. / m in Al-Zubair, and it is considered a fifth class with very high salinity that cannot be used in the long term according to the U.S.D.A. standard.) Al-Shammari, 2012.p87(. This is the result of the absence of water and agricultural management and the lack of accurate information about the volume, depths and quality of groundwater to study the variables and plan its investment, and the administration did not take it upon itself Balancing the number of farms and wells with the volume of groundwater The need for artificial groundwater recharge technology emerged by pumping surface water and rainwater into the ground.
figure. (5) Artificial recharge of groundwater
This idea has been successfully applied in many countries, but its success depends on the amount of available surface water and the size and nature of groundwater reservoirs. On the Western Plateau, it can be applied, especially in the Dabdaba Plain, south of Nasiriyah, for groundwater recharge operations in the Dabdaba Basin, which occupies an area of 8,000 km2, as the amount of recharge The annual amount of rainwater is very little (0.31) billion m3/year compared to the amount of agricultural consumption, which led to a decrease in the groundwater level and an increase in salinity. Groundwater recharge leads to the development of groundwater (quantitatively and qualitatively) and increases water efficiency and development in a way that suits development plans. Current and future) Al-Husseinawy, 2022, p. 85(
3.7. Rehabilitation of irrigation projects:
Traditional irrigation methods and means are still prevalent in the study area, and with the increasing demand for water and its transformation from a free resource to a scarce resource, it will be necessary to improve the current level of agricultural irrigation efficiency by making modifications to irrigation methods, techniques, systems and methods and adopting all ways and means that enable water to be invested in Agriculture in quantities necessary within the minimum to achieve the highest level of productivity, by introducing technical developments in the processes of transporting, connecting and distributing water to reduce water losses during the irrigation process. In this aspect, water investments in agriculture are estimated at 80% of the total water investments in Iraq. (Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, 2000.p76-376), (Wazzan, 1998.p54) which is a large amount compared to the limited water. Which requires developing the irrigation methods used. Drip irrigation is one of the newest and most effective methods for conserving water and increasing its efficiency, followed in second place by the sprinkler irrigation method, which allows controlling the amounts of water that must be provided per unit of cultivated area. To raise the efficiency of water investment in agriculture, it first requires modernizing the infrastructure of irrigation networks and qualifying the capacity building of workers in the field of water resources. Therefore, efforts must be made to develop the agricultural sector to the extent that achieves a balance between it and other sectors.
3.8. Pricing as a mechanism for water management:
The issue of irrigation pricing is an effective means of increasing the efficiency of water use and reducing its waste and waste. However, the application of such an issue is faced with some difficulties because it conflicts with prevailing considerations, traditions and customs.
The farmer views water as a free resource with no restrictions on its use, just like air, and the irrigation water pricing policy conflicts with farmers’ weak incomes. Farmers focus their attention on the value of what they must pay in exchange for obtaining services. Accordingly, the governments of most countries seek to impose fees (taxes) on water use that would cover the costs of maintaining and operating irrigation projects to deliver water to farms. The fees charged are usually lower than the level of financial costs required to rehabilitate projects or lower than the real value of water. Low fees have led to governments being restricted in providing the necessary resources to operate and maintain irrigation networks, which leads to poor equipment and damage to agricultural lands. While in Iraq it is still free and no fees are collected from farms. Due to the scarcity of water resources on the one hand and the increasing demand for them on the other hand, some countries have imposed fees on the basis of the agricultural area, the type of crops grown and the irrigation method used) Al-Husseinawy, 2022, p. 85(
figure. (6) Water pricing
In Jordan, for example, the fees collected from public irrigation networks amount to half of the maintenance and operating costs, in addition to the costs of collecting and treating wastewater. Fees were also imposed on modern government irrigation projects equipped with modern equipment and pumps. Despite the simplicity of these policies, they are considered an important element in reducing tampering with water use.) Khaddam, 2001.p98(
3.9. Availability of information and analysis of requirements:
Effective assessment and management of water resources is not possible without sufficient information, including hydrological, climatic, chemical and biological information. Accordingly, attention must be paid to expanding and developing water monitoring networks and methods to follow up on the completion of water surveys and investigations And in-depth study and better understanding of hydrological systems and water resources in terms of quantity, type and rate of recharge, and emphasis on the planning, development and economic aspect of investing in surface and groundwater, because water investment must be subject to standards and implemented according to plans and programs that take into account the balance between requirements and water volume, i.e. ensuring sustainability. The continuation of agriculture and other activities and ensuring the preservation of the rights of future generations Water is also conserved by improving the mechanism and management of various water institutions by taking a set of administrative and economic measures, especially administrative reforms that include modifying water distribution methods (shifting from a continuous flow of water to a rational flow in distribution) and reforming irrigation institutions and systems, methods and water management. (Wazzan, 1998.p54),
3.10. Reconsider investment requirements:
The most important thing that threatens water resources is the random growth in demand for water to meet the increasing needs, with the volume of water revenue varying from one period to another. As a result of the increasing need for water for various investments, it is necessary to re-evaluate it from time to time to identify the investment problems and requirements and compare it with the available water and the extent of its change hydrologically. And humanly Such as pollution and stress, developing appropriate plans to reduce them, and determining future projections in light of economic progress in an attempt to anticipate a picture of the reality of future demand for water for various purposes. This depends on the size of water resources in general, current consumption rates, population size and growth rates, and the degree of economic and social growth). Ashram, 2000, p. 165(
3.11. Controlling events:
By developing an organized plan to control various investment activities and their need for water requirements. The institutions concerned with water affairs suffer from their administrative and technical structure, as water use is distributed among three basic sectors (agriculture, industry, and drinking). The current distribution of water is arbitrary, as each activity takes the appropriate amount of water without accurate measurement This results in a lot of waste and pollution, such as in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
While other sectors suffer from scarcity of requirements, especially household needs, as well as the agricultural sector, where lands far from water sources suffer from water scarcity, lack of investment, and the spread of desertification. It is clear from this that there is no action plan between the Directorates of Agriculture and Water Resources regarding the distribution of requirements or a prior study, in addition to the fact that investments are limited in scope, which requires rationalizing water and adopting a comprehensive strategy for all sectors of development, protection, research, guidance, transportation, and technology in order to achieve optimal investment in water. )Al-Shammari, 2012.p65(
The need of some small farmers and the greed of some large investors to increase the area of cultivated land, underestimating the damage that may be caused to the environment in the absence of proper planning and monitoring The absence of water management, all of which constitute factors responsible for the negative consequences of excessive and intensive water withdrawal, in addition to the lack of accurate data on discharge leads to an imbalance in the exploitation of this water. ). Ashram, 2000, p.171)
Conclusions:
The study showed that there are risks threatening the water resources in Iraq resulting from climate change due to the increase in emissions of polluting gases from the factories of major countries, which caused the phenomenon of global warming, which increased the temperature rise and the fluctuation of rainfall, and then the prevalence of drought, desertification, and the outbreak of dust storms, all of these phenomena individually. Or together, they contributed to water scarcity and it became an obsession that increases water resources development scenarios by implementing water plans and programmes Which affected human well-being, productivity, health and the environment, as water is one of the most important natural resources in arid and semi-arid areas. Rainwater is the only source of surface water runoff and groundwater recharge.
Water resources institutions suffer from weakness in their structural structures, the dispersion of their technical cadres, and the absence of their scientific goals. The administrative structures suffer from pluralism and weak connection between their institutions responsible for water, and the lack of qualified scientific cadres, which necessitates taking legal measures and coordinating the efforts made between departments, and having The administration has sufficient authority to implement these legislations to preserve our water resources The increasing demand for water has made many countries resort to searching for new water sources to meet the growing needs. Therefore, this has forced many countries to reconsider the methods used in managing water resources with a new approach and method based on integrated management of water resources and the use of methods. Technical assistance that helps to apply this concept to water development, advance the reality of sustainable development, and achieve the maximum economic benefits of natural resources. Thus, countries began to exploit and invest in modern technologies as one of the practices of managing water demand, and providing quantities of water that can be invested for various uses According to statistics, 11 countries, including Iraq, will face severe water scarcity by 2040, due to climate and environmental changes. Therefore, many countries have begun to develop measures to confront this threat before it worsens in the near future. They have begun to develop strict policies and take some special decisions in order to rationalize water use.
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