The Dukan dam water level is the worst in 50 years, official says

Shafaq News / The administrator of the Dukan Dam, Kojer Jamal, warned on Monday of the significant decrease in the dam's water level.

Jamal told Shafaq News agency that the water level is very low compared to the previous months, and will negatively impact the agriculture in central and southern areas of Iraq.

He added that every second, 100 cubic mm of water reaches the dam, compared to 300 cubic mm in previous years, due to the lack of rainfall the country witnessed last winter.

Jamal pointed out that the current water level in the dam does not exceed 41%, which is barely enough to cover the citizens' needs this summer.

In the last few days, the General Directors of Dams in Iraq and the Kurdistan region held a meeting to discuss the situation, and agreed to adopt a plan to rationalize the dam's water consumption, and prioritize securing potable water for the citizens, according to Jamal.

He quoted the Director-General of dams in Iraq saying that the current year is the worst in 50 years.

"We are waiting for a floods wave that will refill the dam", Jamal noted, pointing out that the dam can provide water for regions in both Iraq and Kurdistan.

The Dukan Dam is a multi-purpose concrete arch dam in As Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It impounds the Little Zab, thereby creating Lake Dukan.

It was built between 1954 and 1959 whereas its power station became fully operational in 1979.