Turkish Dams Leaving Iraqi Fields Thirsting for Water

The Euphrates and the Tigris are the two largest rivers in the Middle East. Both rivers originate from the Anatolian highland regions in Turkey and flow through the Mesopotamian desert plain in Syria and Iraq. Both the rivers unite in Iraq to form the Shatt al-Arab, which runs into the Gulf. Despite normal levels of rain over the winter, Iraqi dams are less than one-third as full as they were three years ago.Iraqi experts say the problem is the many dams Turkey has built over the past 30 years to irrigate its agricultural lands in the southeast. These dams allow Turkey to regulate the flow of rivers according to its needs. Full Story :TreeHugger.com….