Al-Tamimi Directs Enhanced Early Winter Preparations to Confront Floods and Drought

Minister of Water Resources Muthanna Al-Tamimi on Tuesday directed intensified readiness and early preparation for the upcoming winter season, emphasizing the necessity of effectively confronting flood and drought risks. The minister chaired a meeting of the Central Flood and Drought Operations Room, with the participation of general directors and water resources managers from Baghdad and the provinces. During the meeting, Al-Tamimi stressed the importance of full readiness for the winter season and supporting water storage and control systems to ensure optimal water resource management. He also highlighted the benefit of leveraging the experience and efforts exerted by the ministry's formations during the current summer agricultural season. The minister called for intensifying mechanical and human efforts across all ministry formations and raising the level of early preparedness to ensure the success of the upcoming winter season and to deal with any potential water emergency. He underscored the importance of working with responsibility and dedication in performing assigned tasks. Al-Tamimi noted that beneficiary satisfaction reflects the quality of the ministry's performance and the efforts of its staff, affirming continuous coordination with oversight and legislative bodies, as well as relevant ministries and institutions. He also directed the preparation of a proactive plan for the mechanical effort of all ministry formations and the taking of necessary measures to increase the level of readiness to face any emergency conditions during the upcoming winter season. The meeting featured a comprehensive review of the water situation in the Tigris and Euphrates basins and their tributaries, in addition to current water storage and water revenues for the current water year compared to the previous year. The presentation also included water assurance rates for the marsh areas and a discussion of anticipated water revenues for the 2025-2026 water year, current and projected live storage until November 1, in addition to the storage of major dams in the upper Tigris and Euphrates basins, and rain forecasts for the upcoming season. Furthermore, the meeting discussed the issue of encroachments within the capital Baghdad and within the Tigris and Euphrates basins, monitoring bottlenecks and encroachments affecting river courses and flood sections, and following up on lawsuits and legal procedures against violators. The minister also heard about the main obstacles facing the ministry's formations, particularly in clearance, river dredging, and fuel provision, amid limited financial allocations. He directed finding suitable solutions and overcoming these impediments according to current regulations and laws, thus enhancing the ministry's readiness and capacity to manage diverse water conditions in the forthcoming winter season.