Oil spills from tanker accidents killing off Sirwan River fish: reports
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Pollution in the Sirwan River, a critical water source, has built up due to repeated oil spills from tankers having accidents on the narrow, hilly roads, locals complain. The river is an important resource for drinking water, fisheries, and irrigation for agricultural land and will face increased risk of pollution as Iraq begins to truck Kirkuk oil to Iran.
The nearly 400 kilometre-long cross-border river originates in the mountains of Iranian Kurdistan, traverses the Kurdistan Region, runs through the KRG’s Darbandikhan dam, and pours into the Tigris River. It is one of five major rivers watering the Kurdistan Region.
In some areas, the river runs near roads used by oil tankers and the burnt out wreckage of trucks dot the slopes.
"Usually these tankers get into road accidents due to the narrowness of the road. Annually four to six tankers get into accidents and that negatively impacts us and damages our cars," the owner of a fishery established on the river in Iranian Kurdistan told Rudaw.
"You do not even see fish anymore because the water is polluted. They would feed and benefit from the river, but that is no longer the case. Last time a tanker got into accident, so I lost 10,000 fish," another fishery owner from Iranian Kurdistan said.
Oil spilled from the tankers during accidents contaminates the river.
Iran and Iraq reached an agreement to export 30,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil from Kirkuk oilfields into Iran's Kermanshah refineries via tanker. People of Iranian Kurdistan called on authorities to stop the deal, worried that the increased traffic will lead to more accidents and, therefore, pollution.
The Sirwan River is vital for the Kurdistan Region. Iran has established multiple dams on the waterway, decreasing the flow of the water to the KRG. Kurdish authorities say Iran has completed two channels that divert the water flow of Sirwan for their own use and which could have detrimental consequences for irrigation in Kurdistan Region.
Last July, Iran partially cut the flow of the Little Zab River, leaving about 80,000 people in the Kurdistan Region without drinking water.
The nearly 400 kilometre-long cross-border river originates in the mountains of Iranian Kurdistan, traverses the Kurdistan Region, runs through the KRG’s Darbandikhan dam, and pours into the Tigris River. It is one of five major rivers watering the Kurdistan Region.
In some areas, the river runs near roads used by oil tankers and the burnt out wreckage of trucks dot the slopes.
"Usually these tankers get into road accidents due to the narrowness of the road. Annually four to six tankers get into accidents and that negatively impacts us and damages our cars," the owner of a fishery established on the river in Iranian Kurdistan told Rudaw.
"You do not even see fish anymore because the water is polluted. They would feed and benefit from the river, but that is no longer the case. Last time a tanker got into accident, so I lost 10,000 fish," another fishery owner from Iranian Kurdistan said.
Oil spilled from the tankers during accidents contaminates the river.
Iran and Iraq reached an agreement to export 30,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil from Kirkuk oilfields into Iran's Kermanshah refineries via tanker. People of Iranian Kurdistan called on authorities to stop the deal, worried that the increased traffic will lead to more accidents and, therefore, pollution.
The Sirwan River is vital for the Kurdistan Region. Iran has established multiple dams on the waterway, decreasing the flow of the water to the KRG. Kurdish authorities say Iran has completed two channels that divert the water flow of Sirwan for their own use and which could have detrimental consequences for irrigation in Kurdistan Region.
Last July, Iran partially cut the flow of the Little Zab River, leaving about 80,000 people in the Kurdistan Region without drinking water.