Drought cripples Iraq’s Habbaniyah Lake: ecological and economic fallout

Shafaq News/ Unprecedented drought gripping Habbaniyah Lake in western Iraq has disrupted the region’s ecological balance, driving wild boars and other predators out of their natural habitats and into residential areas in search of water and shelter.
The crisis has led to a surge in attacks on farms and residents in Al-Anbar province, raising alarms among environmental experts who warn of severe consequences for biodiversity and community and calls for urgent intervention to avoid the continuation of water levels dropping.
Ali Dawood, the mayor of Habbaniyah, told Shafaq News that declining water releases have negatively impacted tourism and surrounding villages such as Al-Majar and Al-Ankur. While he noted a slight improvement in water levels this winter, he stressed that responsibility lies with Iraq’s Water Resources Ministry. “We have formally requested Al-Anbar’s governor to push for increased water releases, and discussions are ongoing between the Iraqi government and Turkiye on this issue,” Dawood said.
“A rapid response is needed to stabilize the situation especially because it affects the tourism sector,” he added.
Environmental specialist Sameem Al-Fahdawi warned that the crisis has moved beyond an ecological threat to pose risks to social and economic stability. “The lake can no longer sustain its surrounding ecosystem, forcing wild animals such as foxes, wolves, and boars to migrate toward human settlements and water bodies like Al-Sira, Al-Bazil, and the Euphrates River near Husaybah,” he said.
Raising a stark warning of worsening environmental degradation, he pointed out, “The absence of meaningful efforts to revive the lake, coupled with official acknowledgments that it is no longer functional, signals further deterioration as summer temperatures rise.”
The environmental affairs specialist stated that "government authorities in Al-Anbar are aware of the severity of the situation, but the measures taken so far do not match the scale of the environmental disaster threatening residents and their livelihoods, especially since the lake was a vital resource for fishing and agriculture."
Ali Hashem, head of Al-Anbar’s Climate Change Division, said intensifying climate challenges, including desertification and rising summer temperatures, have exacerbated pollution and environmental issues. “Declining rainfall has significantly reduced water inflows to the lake,” he told Shafaq News.