Filmed on August 2, 2021.
CHAMCHAMAL, Kurdistan Region — The Chami Rokhana river in southern Sulaimani province is drying up, because of drought and dams in Iran. The lack of water has killed thousands of fish.
“This river is running out of water because of the damming of water flowing from Iran to Sulaimani and Basara and from there to here and then to Kirkuk. The drying up of the river has led to the death of tens of thousands of fish and other animals,” said Ghafur Ali, who lives in the town of Qadir Karam, on the banks of the river.
This winter and spring saw lower than average snow and rainfall, creating drought-like conditions and worsening water security in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, as well as across the border in Iran.
Part of Iran’s strategy to solve its water problems is building a network of dams and canals, diverting and holding onto water in rivers that cross the border into the Kurdistan Region. A dam on the Sirwan has affected water levels in the river system that includes the Chami Rokhana.
“Our trees have dried up, our vegetables have been destroyed. There’s no water here. Our livestock are dying of thirst. We don’t even have water to drink. There’s a village behind ours. Its residents have all left and abandoned it. In the next three to four days, it will completely dry up,” said shepherd Ahmed Mawlood Jotiar.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has allocated an additional $1.7 million for drinking water because of shortages.
The mayor of the town of Chamchamal has proposed digging new wells and bringing in tanks of water.
Water shortages aren’t the only problem. Mismanagement, waste, and pollution also plague the waterways.
This is the second time in a month fish in the Chami Rokhana have died. Pollution killed off hundreds of fish in early July.
Translation by Zhelwan Zeyad Wali
Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed
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