The Potential Impact of Draining the Southern Iraqi Marshes on the Sediment Budget and Associated Pollutants in the Northern Arabian Gulf

"The northern area of Kuwait’s territorial waters is considered the receiving basin for the sediment flux and associated pollutants from the Shatt Al-Arab estuary. Despite the extensive damming of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers, upstream of the Shatt Al-Arab estuary and massive urban, industrial and agricultural activity in Iraq, this area of the northern Arabian Gulf is productive and supports fisheries of commercial importance.
In recent years, the Iraqi authorities have been involved in draining the marshes in southern Iraq into Khor Al-Zubair, a major inlet of the northern Arabian Gulf, through the Al-Basrah Canal built in the 1980’s. This activity is expected to significantly increase the rate of sedimentation and input of agricultural, industrial and urban pollutants into the northern Arabian Gulf, and change its hydrodynamic regime. The accompanying re-suspension of bottom sediments is also expected to cause redistribution of pollutants associated with sediments. The project is designed to study the implications of draining the marshes in southern Iraq, as reflected in sedimentation rate and the input and dynamics of sediment-associated pollutants. The study will provide an updated assessment of current situation, as well as provide a good database and guideline for future monitoring and assessment studies as results from the continuous draining process."